Hawkesbridge Estate

Hawkesbridge is jointly owned by Michael and Judy Veal and Beringer Blass Wine Estates and is now one of Marlborough's leading premium estates. The property consists of 16 hectares of vineyards planted with Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

The Sauvignon Blanc vines are superbly sited on an old river bed consisting of a mixture of boulders, sand and fertile silt - the wines display piercingly intense gooseberry characteristics and are consistently amongst Marlborough's best Sauvignon Blancs. The Chardonnay is grown on fertile loam over clay, from which they obtain the best flavours from the grapes. This area was named Sophie's Vineyard in memory of a much loved, pet Burmese cat. The wines are voluptuous and mouth-filling - packed with ripe fruit and given extra complexity through judicious use of French and American oak.