Thursday, 13 February 2025 14:25

Oraterra

Written by  Joelle Thomson

Oraterra translates to golden earth, reflecting the value of great vineyard sites in Martinborough, including that from which winemaker Wilco Lam is now making wines.

"We wanted a name that we could own rather than the previous name of the vineyard site - On Giants' Shoulders - and one of the things that kept popping up was to focus on wines that were textural and related to Martinborough as a place, rather than looking atg its specific geographic features."

The first trio of Oraterra wines, launched in late 2024, are a Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir made from the challenging 2023 vintage.

The brand is backed by German investors, who made it possible to purchase one of Martinborough's oldest vineyards on Princess Street.

"The heritage of great vineyard sites is incredibly important and I hope the Oraterra wines pay homaghe to the land from which they are made," Wilco says.

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