Lawson’s Dry Hills celebrates 25 years at the forefront of the Marlborough wine industry
In 1992, amongst Barbara Kendall winning gold at the Barcelona Olympics, the move to MMP, Shortland Street airing for
the first time and The Exponents being awarded single of the year, Ross and Barbara Lawson quietly started selling wine
under their own label, Lawson’s Dry Hills.
Now, 25 years later, the wines are some of New Zealand’s most awarded with numerous trophies and medals from all over
the world. When asked which of these resonate the most, Chief Winemaker Marcus Wright, who has been with Lawson’s Dry
Hills for 16 years, says, “Probably the International Wine Challenge trophies”.
He explains, “It’s a real endorsement of what we are doing. The IWC in London is probably the most comprehensive wine
stage in the world, so we were pretty chuffed with those.”
General Manager, Sion Barnsley who has been with Lawson’s Dry Hills for many years says, “From vineyard through to
winemaking and management, the longevity of the core team over almost two decades is a critical part of the 25 year
celebration.”
The range of wines include Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and their famous
Gewurztraminer, all made from grapes grown on company owned or managed vineyards in the Marlborough sub-regions of the
Wairau, Waihopai, Omaka and Awatere Valleys.
To commemorate the occasion, Lawson’s Dry Hills is launching a special wine from the 2017 vintage. Named after the Maori
verb meaning ‘to mix’, RANU is a careful co-fermentation of Pinot Gris, Riesling and Gewurztraminer. This wine fulfils
the team’s desire to be innovative while embracing the aromatic grape varieties that they are famous for.
The business exports to more than 20 overseas locations as well as enjoying a thriving domestic market. Masters of their
own destiny, the small, hands-on team is 100% responsible for every part of the business from the vineyards right
through the winemaking process to bottling and distribution.
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