Dog Point Vineyard
Summary
Dog Point Vineyard is a family-owned boutique winery in Marlborough's Wairau Valley, established in 2004 by Cloudy Bay veterans, cultivating 100 hectares of mature vines on free-draining soils to produce primarily Sauvignon Blanc alongside Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Their commitment to organic farming, hand harvesting, indigenous yeast fermentation, and distinctive barrel-aged Section 94 Sauvignon Blanc has elevated Marlborough's reputation beyond commercial production while demonstrating the region's capacity for nuance and aging potential.
Heritage & Leadership
Dog Point Vineyard was established in 2004 by Ivan and Margaret Sutherland together with James and Wendy Healy in Marlborough's Wairau Valley. The name derives from Dog Point, one of the earliest European settled areas in Marlborough, where uncontrolled dogs hunted feral sheep during the region's early colonial period. Both Ivan Sutherland and James Healy brought significant expertise to the venture, having previously worked at Cloudy Bay Vineyards—Ivan as viticulturist and vineyard manager, and James as senior winemaker. Their transition to creating their own label marked an important development in Marlborough's wine evolution, bringing focused, small-production wines to a region often associated with larger commercial operations.
The Sutherland family has deep roots in Marlborough viticulture, having planted some of the region's earliest vineyards in the 1970s. These original plantings now form part of Dog Point's vineyard holdings, providing the operation with access to some of Marlborough's most mature vines. Under the continued leadership of the founding families, Dog Point has maintained its position as a family-owned producer focused on quality over quantity, with production deliberately kept at levels that allow for meticulous attention to detail throughout the winemaking process.
Vineyards & Wines
Dog Point's vineyards encompass approximately 100 hectares in the Wairau Valley, with the oldest sections dating back to 1979. The vineyards are situated on free-draining silty clay loams overlaying alluvial gravels, a soil profile typical of the southern valleys of Marlborough. The vineyard elevations range from 45 to 180 meters above sea level, with varying aspects that provide different exposure conditions for the vines.
The vineyard plantings focus primarily on Sauvignon Blanc (approximately 80% of production), complemented by Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Dog Point produces distinct expressions of Sauvignon Blanc: the standard Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc and the barrel-fermented Section 94, named after the land registration section where these specific vines grow. Their portfolio is completed by Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, both produced from lower-yielding vineyard blocks.
Since 2009, all Dog Point vineyards have been farmed organically, receiving full BioGro New Zealand certification in 2012. The vineyards operate without irrigation, forcing the vines to develop deeper root systems. Yields are controlled through careful vineyard management, with crop thinning employed to ensure concentration of flavors. All fruit is harvested by hand, a practice uncommon in Marlborough where machine harvesting predominates.
Philosophy & Practice
Dog Point's winemaking philosophy centers on minimal intervention, allowing the vineyard characteristics to express themselves in the finished wines. The winery employs indigenous yeasts for fermentation rather than commercial strains, accepting the slower, less predictable fermentation process in exchange for greater complexity and site expression.
The winery's approach to Sauvignon Blanc demonstrates this philosophy clearly. While their standard Sauvignon Blanc undergoes temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel, their Section 94 Sauvignon Blanc ferments and ages in older French oak barrels for 18 months, developing textural complexity while maintaining varietal character. For Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, whole bunch pressing and varying percentages of whole cluster fermentation are employed, depending on the vintage conditions.
Dog Point's commitment to organic viticulture extends throughout their operation. They maintain their own compost program, using grape marc and other organic materials to build soil health. Cover crops grow between vine rows to increase biodiversity and soil structure. Their organic certification prohibits synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides, requiring more labor-intensive vineyard management but resulting in healthier vineyard ecosystems.
The winery's production facilities were designed for gravity flow processing, minimizing the need for pumping and reducing potential damage to the fruit and wine. This attention to detail extends to bottling, which is done on the estate with minimal filtration to preserve flavor complexity and aging potential.