Escarpment

Larry McKenna founded Escarpment in 1999 and proceeded to build a phenomenal reputation as the ‘Prince of Pinot’ crafting an impressive array of highly regarded wines. He continued to work closely with Australian wine estate Torbreck, who purchased the estate in 2019, to ensure the continued success of the wines before handing over his legacy to the now head winemaker, Tim Bourne.

The vineyards are sited above a natural escarpment sitting above the Huarangarua River on ancient gravels. Overlooking them are the Aorangi Ranges where Maori legend has it that the Polynesian voyager Kupe abandoned 3 canoes. The upturned canoes are still clearly visible, silhouetted along the top of the ridge, and Kupe’s image takes pride of place on every Escarpment label. Escarpment is registered as a Sustainable NZ producer and is currently following a five-year plan to become organically certified.