Tucked into the rugged folds of Taylor Pass, where the Wairau and Awatere Valleys converge, lies Escaroth Vineyard, a hillside haven of precision, passion, and personality. Since 2000, Andy and Kyna Laurie have poured their hearts into this land, carving out a vineyard from scratch and transforming it into a sanctuary for Pinot Noir.
Escaroth is the source of our Blank Canvas Escaroth Vineyard Pinot Noir, the inaugural vintage of which was 2017. This is a wine that reflects the site’s wild beauty and the Lauries’ unwavering toil.
The name Escaroth is a nod to Tolkien’s world, taken from the ‘Lake-town’ in The Hobbit, where the elves sourced their wine. A lifelong Tolkien fan, Andy named the vineyard in homage, and even installed a fire-breathing Smaug sculpture to guard the entrance. Though now decommissioned (after a few too many curious visitors), Smaug still stands watch, more charm than threat, but a fitting symbol of the vineyard’s character: graceful, bold and presiding.
Key Facts
Subregion: Taylor Pass
Valley: Southern Valleys, Wairau Valley
Region: Marlborough
Grows: Dry-farmed Pinot Noir
Planted: 2001
Rainfall: 650-750mm / annum
Mean Annual GDD: 1250-1300
Soils: Low vigour clay loams
Elevation (m): 35-60 m
Hectares: 1 ha
Growers: Andy and Kyna Laurie
Soil & Climate
Soils in the Taylor Pass are some of the oldest in Marlborough. Comprised of very low-vigour clay, these soils naturally limit yields and concentrates flavour. The vineyard’s north-facing slope ensures excellent sun exposure, while the extreme diurnal range of the Taylor Pass microclimate brings freshness, tension, and aromatic lift to the fruit.
It’s a site that demands resilience, from both vines and those that farm it, but the rewards are immense purity, structure, and site-driven complexity.
Grower Philosophy
The vineyard is dry-farmed and entirely hand-tended, a necessity given the steep, hillside terrain. The Pinot Noir is a blend of clones 115 and 777, offering fragrance and depth.
Andy, originally from Dunedin, and Kyna, a Californian by birth, live on the vineyard and embody a philosophy of hands-on stewardship. Their connection to the land is personal, practical, and deeply rooted in place.
Upton Downs is a vineyard of quiet strength and deep roots, where Pinot Noir is grown with purpose, and the land is honoured with care.
