Seven Terraces Winery

Location: Marlborough, New Zealand

Founded in 2003 by Neil and Maria Empson, Seven Terraces is a tribute to the couple’s love for wine. A native Kiwi, Neil Empson takes pride in both his heritage and the evolution in the quality of Kiwi wines. Together, Neil and Maria decided to bottle these approachable and fruit-forward wines as a dedication to the terroirs of New Zealand.

Points of Differentiation

• An excellent introduction to New Zealand wines
• Outstanding value
• Approachable wines with immediate appeal
• Marlborough’s Sauvignon Blancs are known for their rich flavors and vibrant minerality
• One of the longest growing seasons in New Zealand

The History

Neil and Maria Empson have always shared a passion for wines and so, when they were looking for a new venture in winemaking, it only made sense that they consider Neil’s homeland of New Zealand and specifically Marlborough.

To produce wines that are truly representative of the terroir, Neil and Maria are careful to only use grapes from vineyards that contribute distinctive and complementary flavors.

The line at present includes two wines. The first is a classic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc that exemplifies the region’s harmony between racy minerality, flinty elements, and lively tropical nuances. The second wine is a fruit-forward Pinot Noir where the microclimate is well suited for producing wines with balance and finesse.

In 2015, the Seven Terraces bottles were redesigned with new packaging including clean, elegant new labels and screwcap closures to protect the wines from cork taint.

The Terroir

The winery, with its manicured grounds, sits outside Christchurch. The nearby hills shield the vineyards from the cold winds off the Pacific Ocean and create a microclimate that defines one of the longest growing seasons in New Zealand.

It is the proximity to the Pacific Ocean that gives the vineyard the diurnal change (warm days, cool nights) that emphasizes the fruit flavours that are found in the Seven Terraces Pinot Noir.