Fairhall Downs Estate Wines

About Winery and Wines

Originally part of a 220 acre sheep farm, our 25ha vineyard in Marlborough's Brancott Valley was planted in 1982 by Ken and Jill Small and the first wines released under the Fairhall Down’s brand in 1996. Since our purchase of the property in 2014, the focus has been on vineyard improvement, introduction of sustainable management, working towards the application of organic and biodynamic principles. Uniquely free-draining, the soil is a nutrient rich top layer over a gravel clay base, making deep root penetration easy - perfect soil for growing grapes. The Fairhall River-Brancott Valley has its own microclimate, with even cooler evenings and even warmer days than is typical. It is not unusual for a day/night temperature variation around 20oC allowing the grapes to build brix levels during the day, yet with fruit acids being retained due to cooler nights over the long dry autumn ripening window. Combining this with a lower rainfall than most parts, we can safely claim our piece of dirt is truly a sub-region within a sub-region, indicative of terrior reflected in single vineyard Marlborough wines already enjoying a world-renowned reputation for exceptional quality.