Giesen

Giesen was founded in 1981 by brothers Theo and Alex Giesen, who first planted vines near Christchurch, reminded of home by the cool climate; younger brother Marcel joined four years later after training as a winemaker. Their first vintage, made in 1984, was a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc that proved an instant success, prompting the family to buy the Dillon's Point Vineyard in the Wairau Valley in 1993 and build a dedicated winery there in 2000.

The winery has grown into one of New Zealand's largest, now exporting to 33 countries, and in 2017 became the Giesen Group with the addition of Ara Wines and, in 2020, Konrad Wines, both fellow Marlborough specialists. The range has expanded from that first Sauvignon Blanc to include Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling, alongside a certified organic Sauvignon Blanc and single-vineyard bottlings from the Clayvin Vineyard, once farmed by fellow Marlborough producer Fromm.