Giesen

In fact the Giesen Wines journey may have begun earlier when three teenage brothers set up a hobby vineyard in their native Germany.

Or perhaps it started two generations before that, with their grandfather August (Aw-goost) who was a sommelier and restaurateur.

In any case, the three sons of a stonemason were planning to follow the family enterprise in Germany.

However, on a whim in 1981 while they were travelling the world and because it reminded them of home, Theo and Alex Giesen purchased land and planted a vineyard just outside Christchurch, at the time it was the world’s southern-most vineyard.

Younger brother Marcel took himself to winemaking school and four years later joined Theo and Alex in New Zealand’s South Island to start making wine from their vineyard.

From their first vintage in 1984 the three Giesen brothers have aspired to create great wines.

And as their business has grown over the past three decades they have remained true to their vision, creating great wines people love to drink. 

From that first vintage Giesen made Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and it was an instant hit.

In 1984 Marlborough was little known. However, drawing on their German heritage the three brothers recognised that cool-climate winegrowing created wines with flavour.

Since then wine drinkers throughout the world have fallen in love with Giesen Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc making it a runaway success.

So buying their first Marlborough property, Dillon’s Point Vineyard in the Wairau Valley in 1993 was a natural step.

Since then, the Giesen brothers determination to make wines people love has driven international recognition for Marlborough and its Sauvignon Blanc.