Over 25 years ago, Doug Cox took a leap of faith. He purchased land in Gibbston and joined a small group of like-minded individuals prepared to try growing Pinot Noir.
Two decades later, Simon Cox and Leah Seifert stepped into his shoes, driven by a shared passion and deep respect for Doug Coxs' legacy. They took over his contract grape-growing business and, with unwavering dedication, laid the foundation of Coxs' Vineyard.
With hard work and practical thinking, Coxs' Vineyard became an operation selling wine made from premium fruit.
"We simply let the wines reflect the season," said Seifert.
"We chose to be transparent with everything we do. All our tastings are based on honesty and transparency, hoping to entertain and educate our guests."
Behind the scenes, Coxs' Vineyard holds specific core values that hold its produce to a high standard. Its entire vineyard is operated by hand with minimal machinery on the land, and the vines are pruned to maintain longevity and productivity.
Coxs' Vineyard uses minimal amounts of the herbicide, instead focusing on soil biology with cover crops and natural solutions like seaweed.
"The vines are cared for meticulously, and the canopy and crop are constantly fine-tuned to match the environmental conditions of each growing season," explained Seifert.
"Many of these jobs can be replaced by mechanical methods, but we prefer the accuracy and care that comes by hand-tending all the vines."
A north-facing slope on glacial outwash gravels is maintained to ensure the high quality of Coxs' Vineyards wine. The slope enables the company to get the proper sunlight to grow wine in an alpine environment.
This, in combination with the unique flavour profile given by glacial soils, gives a rich and delicious flavour that separates Central Otago Pinot Noir from the rest of the world.
A changing climate is a significant threat for vineyards, with tempreture affecting the growth of grapes and the wine they create. Coxs' Vineyard have seen warmer and drier summers, which has benefited the ripening process.
Despite this, they remain careful moving forward and the issues it might create.
"We aren't getting complacent, though. The weather is increasingly unpredictable, but so far, the mountains surrounding us have sheltered us from the brunt of most weather events," said Seifert.
Moving forward, the team behind Coxs' Vineyard will continue to explore seasonal variations from year to year as well as its consistent vineyard signature.
To read more grape to glass, click here.
