Redbank Paddocks

This lovely, sheltered and warm site in the Earnscleugh Valley was purchased in 2000. Formerly a small farm, and a Crop + Food Research Station, it is now primarily a vineyard and our main vineyard at that. Now some 60 hectares in all (perhaps 130 acres), 5.56 hectares are under grape, mostly Pinot Noir. But we also grow cherries, nectarines, saffron, lavender, truffles vegetables, sheep, cumquats, walnuts, olives and chickens (for eggs only) and so on. A bounteous little farm.

At Redbank (sometimes known as H.Q.) we have our office, and tasting room. This is open to the public by appointment. If you are prepared to go to the trouble of calling the urbane and erudite Mark Field (see Contact Us) he will be happy to host you (assuming he’s not been to a rave in the last 48 hours). Indeed we would be delighted to see you.

For the statistically minded – the Pinot here was planted in 2000 and 2001, and the clones are 115, 10/5, 667, 777 and 114 dominated by 115 and 667. Rootstocks include 3309, 3366, 101.14 and Shwarzmann. They are closely planted at 5500 vines / ha, 1.8m rows, 1m vine spacing and one block 1.5m rows and 1.2m vine spacing.

We also grow our Riesling here (198, and “Felton Road” clone). Generally speaking, the soils are river deposited gravelly loams with the exception of a clay seam in the southern corner which consists of  20 million year old sediments from Lake Manuherikia

A word of caution – the lavender oil produced at Redbank if worn, will enliven your day, promotes healing of wounds and helps sleep, repels mosquitos but also makes you curiously irresistible to the opposite sex. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!