| 23 REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Lawson’s Dry Hills cprcoffee.co.nz CPR Coffee Co. is passionate about high-quality coffee, expertly roasting blends to suit every taste. Renowned for serving some of the region’s best coffee, they offer a delicious menu, fresh baking, and specialty milks. Visit in-store or shop online to experience premium coffee at its finest. Open: Mon-Fri 6.30am - 3pm Sat 8am-2.30pm, Sun 8.30am-230pm 43 High Street, Blenheim Ph: 03 579 5030 Award-winning wines Certified sustainable and carbon zero Perfect for every occasion lawsonsdryhills.co.nz Alexia Anderson Showcasing Marlborough wine excellence Lawson’s Dry Hills sources fruit from 120 hectares across Marlborough including Wairau, Waihopai, Omaka and Awatere Valleys, split between their own vineyards and a few long term growers. Wine producer Lawson’s Dry Hills showcased more than four decades of industry knowledge as part of last November’s Marlborough Business Awards. From humble beginnings with just one vineyard planted by founders Ross and Barbara Lawson in 1982, the business has developed into an internationally renowned wine brand. A decade after planting the original vineyard, the Lawson’s Dry Hills label was launched, and has gone from strength to strength. Sales and marketing manager Belinda Jackson says the business has evolved significantly since those early days. “It has evolved in many ways — growth for a start, we export to 20 or so markets now. We have a wider range of wines too. We have also developed a very strong philosophy on environmental sustainability, becoming New Zealand’s most sustainably certified wine producer.” That commitment to sustainability has been a defining milestone for the company, alongside a range of awards which recognise its wines and wider business practices. Among those accolades is the Excellence in Sustainability Award from the New Zealand International Business Awards in December 2023. Today, Lawson’s Dry Hills sources fruit from 120 hectares across Marlborough including Wairau, Waihopai, Omaka and Awatere Valleys, split between their own vineyards and a few long term growers. The diversity of soils and microclimates across the region provides valuable blending components. “From clay-based soils to free-draining gravels, glacial riverbed and silty loam, these all give different characteristics to the grapes and therefore the resulting wines.” She says the microclimates also meant the business was spreading risk, so if there was a weather event in one part of the valley, other vineyards can still be relied on. Sauvignon Blanc remains one of the winery’s most recognisable varieties. Belinda says the team focuses on ensuring the character of the vineyard is reflected in every bottle by carefully translating the flavours from the vineyard to the wine glass. “We do go the extra mile when it comes to grape-growing and winemaking as we want to create textural, expressive wines that are authentic to the grape variety and the place it is grown.” Despite exporting to about 20 markets around the world, Lawson’s Dry Hills is a very hands-on business. “It means we do the lot,” Belinda says. “From nurturing the vineyards and growing the grapes through to harvesting, winemaking and even bottling and warehousing on site, it’s all done by our team of just 18. “We touch every bottle that leaves our winery.” Belinda describes the team as “more like a family”, who catch-up over morning tea and the daily quiz each day and celebrate each other’s birthdays with home baking. The team’s work was celebrated at the Marlborough Business Awards, where they won the excellence in sustainability category, showcasing their connection to the region. “Our wines are of Marlborough, so to show our company at a local level is to pay tribute to the region’s natural resources as well as the efforts of our team.” Looking ahead, sustainability remains a focus of the company’s long-term direction. “Our vision is to lead New Zealand in sustainable wine production and as a result, continue to grow a thriving, global wine business for us, the Marlborough region and New Zealand.”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=