People behind TerraVin
Owners Mike and Jo Eaton
Marketing Jo Eaton
Viticulturalist / Marketing Mike Eaton
Winemaker Mike Eaton
Vineyard Manager Mike King
Welcome from Mike Eaton
Having been involved in the Marlborough wine industry for some 21 years,
I have seen considerable changes in the local industry: from the early days
of Muller-Thurgau and large companies dominating the scene, through to today
with the region's legion of small producers specialising in Sauvignon Blanc
and Pinot Noir.
When I began, it was with Montana Wines in their Brancott Vineyard as
a general labourer on the princely sum of $2.90 per hour. After a few
years at this, I moved off into training staff and developing and running
vineyards as a contractor. After nine years in this business, I decided
it was time to see the world and the homeland of viticulture, France.
So it was, I worked in Burgundy, Poully sur Loire and the Jura gaining
experience. Returning to New Zealand, I was determined to put the knowledge
gained to good use.
The search for land began in 1990 with a visit to a site I knew well
on the gentle slopes of the Brancott Valley. I approached the owner of
the land and the rest is history.
In 1991, I married Jo, and together we established Clayvin Vineyard.
I had what I wanted - a good hillside site and a vineyard dedicated to
red grapes. The Pinot Noir particularly performed well and had won our
hearts as the variety to specialise in. All fruit grown at that time was
supplied to the Fromm Winery, where I enjoyed an interchange of ideas
with George Fromm, gaining also from his 30 years of experience in Switzerland.
In 1998, George and Lay and Wheeler purchased Clayvin to secure the fruit
long term for the winery.
What now? I had decided what I wanted to specialise in and set out to
find the best Pinot Noir site in the region. In the Omaka Valley, I found
a 12 hectare site we named TerraVin. This name reflected my belief that
the earth (TERRA - Latin for Earth)
along with the micro-climate, vine density, rootstock, clonal choice,
and viticulture all have a bearing on the final product, the wine (VIN - French for Wine).
TerraVin is a unique vineyard ranging in slope from 12-17 degrees and
is north facing, making the most of our southern hemisphere sunlight.
Its elevation from 105m to 160m above sea level gives a large diurnal
range of temperature - cool in the evenings and hot during the days -
thus capturing all the flavours that are TerraVin.
Mike Eaton
Post Script - In late 2007 we decided to sell some of the vineyard to retire most of our debt and regain our sanity. It is always hard parting with something you have put allot of sweat and tears into but the resulting freedom to continue making our own style of wines and the quality time we regained as a family was worth every bit. We have retained 4 Hectares and lease another site in the southern valley hillsides to grow Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc. All contracted or leased vines come under my complete viticulture control and payment is made per hectare to avoid any issues regarding our severe crop reduction practices (the truth is they all think we are nuts).
One thing that has not changed is our desire to grow concentrated, complex and individual wines that reflect a love of the land and the beautiful environment our family enjoys here in Marlborough.