Leefield Station
Brent Marris grew up on some of the very first vineyards in Marlborough, planted by his father, pioneering Marlborough viticulturist John Marris. Driven by a love of viticulture and winemaking instilled in his teens, Brent was the first local Marlborough lad to become a qualified winemaker. In 1994 as a young winemaker, he founded Wither Hills with his father. Eight years later, the brand had grown dramatically and was sold to to multi-national beverage company Lion Nathan. Brent continued as managing director and chief winemaker until 2007.
Marisco Vineyards was conceived in 2003, when Brent began his search for a special vineyard property to provide a base for his next venture. This time, the aim was to establish a family legacy that would last for generations.
Tapping into this deep well of knowledge, Brent selected a number of outstanding local sites as base for a venture to create his own family legacy – Marisco Vineyards.
In 2012, Brent Marris acquired Leefield Station, a historic beef & sheep station that he was intimately familiar with from his childhood. Leefield lies in the southern, upper reaches of the Waihopai Valley on northfacing slopes. The Marisco Team are developing substantial vineyards, but most of the 2300ha property will continue to run as a livestock farm. So far, 400ha of the property has been converted into vineyards, with 250ha more planned over the next few years. Leefield is primarily planted with Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Large parts of Leefield comprise of a glacial valley filled with mineral-rich soil and beautiful rolling foothills. The area has consistently high diurnal differences, coupled with a complex diversity of soil types and mesoclimates.
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