Masters Vineyard — a short story

Planted in 2001 by Di Beatson and Carolyn O’Conner this site was aptly named Seriously Nuts.

Di and Carolyn were weekend warriors who turned a bare piece of land into a vineyard. Originally they had thought they would plant nut trees, hence the name. Ata Rangi began sourcing this fruit in 2007, and it was purchased by our Winemaker Helen Masters and her husband Ben in 2015 and is now called the Masters vineyard.

Helen had seen the potential in this later ripening site that sits 4 km south of the village. The soils have a more clay aspect which spreads through the gravel keeping the soil cooler than the more gravel dominant town terrace.

Ben does most of the day to day work on the vineyard. When he’s not in the vines he can be found printing bespoke wallpaper in the Master’s wallpaper workshop called Paperhands.

Ben and Helen also have their home on the vineyard.  ‘When you see this site every morning and night you become very closely linked.  Becoming certified organic was important for us.  This is where we grow our veggies and pigs for home cured hams and have our chickens, so it was vital that whole system was organic.”

The land is very expressive of Martinborough and by living on the site, growing the grapes (along with the family’s produce) and making the wine, there’s a truly full circle feel to Masters Vineyard. It’s exciting to release the inaugural Ata Rangi Masters Chardonnay 2020 this November 2021.

 “I have loved watching the vines mature over the last 14 years I have worked with them, discovering what the clay and the more southerly aspect add to their Martinborough identity.” — Helen.

The vineyard now 20 years old is really starting to express the site as the roots go deeper, and it reflects who we are as the carers of the vineyard and then naturally the hand of the winemaker.