Owner and Winemaker Daniel Le Brun is a 12th generation vigneron from Champagne. In search of a terroir to rival his homeland, he came across the dry and dusty planes of Marlborough in 1978.

There were few vineyards back then, but Daniel recognised the combination of terroir and climate was the perfect place to produce sparkling wine to rival the best in the world.

There was no Chardonnay, Pinot Noir nor Meunier, the three varietals used in Champagne so Daniel set up a nursery, grew the vines and transported them to Marlborough. Five years later, he launched his first New Zealand méthode traditionelle in 1985.

There were many years of hard graft and pioneering techniques which earnt him the title of ‘the crazy Frenchman’.

Daniel’s pioneering spirit fueled his relentless pursuit of excellence for New Zealand méthode traditionelle. With his wife Adele, they have created not just one, but two successful Marlborough méthode traditionelle brands and a processing operation to encourage wider production of sparkling wine made in the traditional method within New Zealand.