Collection: Escarpment

In the shadow of the rugged Tararua Ranges, where Martinborough’s ancient river terraces stretch toward the coast, Escarpment has emerged as one of New Zealand’s most distinctive voices in Pinot Noir. Founded in 1999, the estate was shaped by a single purpose: to explore the potential of Te Muna Road’s cool-climate soils through precision, patience, and place-driven expression.

The vineyard lies on the Martinborough Terrace, an elevated ribbon of alluvial gravels over silty loams. This deep, free-draining soil structure, combined with a long growing season and cool maritime winds, yields fruit of intensity and balance—especially well-suited to Pinot Noir. From the beginning, Escarpment has treated site and soil not as backdrop, but as source.

At the heart of the estate are its single-vineyard wines. Kupe, the flagship cuvée, is dark, structured, and introspective—a wine of gravitas from the home block. Kiwa, Te Rehua, and Pahi each explore specific vineyard expressions, showcasing how slight shifts in elevation, orientation, or soil composition yield strikingly different results. Fermentation is natural, extraction gentle, and aging patient. Minimal intervention allows the vineyards to speak with clarity.

While Pinot Noir is the centerpiece, the estate also produces Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Sauvignon Blanc—each made with the same attention to detail and restraint. The whites are defined by tension and texture, shaped by low yields and precise picking. Winemaking is led by Tim Bourne, whose quiet, focused approach reflects the estate’s ethos of considered craft.

Escarpment’s commitment to sustainability is evident in the vineyard and cellar, where low-impact practices guide every decision. The estate’s long-term vision is rooted not only in preserving terroir but in refining its expression with every vintage.

Visitors to Escarpment encounter a place of quiet intensity—vineyards framed by mountains, light shifting over gravel and vine. The tasting experience, like the wines, is understated yet deeply rooted in authenticity.

Escarpment is not a winery of flourish or excess. It is a place where time, geology, and vision converge—crafting wines that speak softly, but carry far.