Churton

Born and raised in the UK, Sam Weaver became involved in the wine business in London for about ten years before moving to New Zealand. After working as a consultant for many wineries, he and his wife Mandy founded **Churton** in 1997. The name "Churton" comes from the affectionate nickname of the village in Shropshire, England, where Sam grew up. With a background handling fine wines in London (his first job was at Berry Bros. & Rudd!), Sam sought European-style subtlety and expression in wine. To achieve this, he prioritized location above all else. Rather than purchasing flat land in the valley, where over 90% of Marlborough wineries are situated at altitudes of 0-30 meters, he bought land at an elevation of 200 meters with rolling hills. First, he planted Pinot Noir on the highest east-facing slopes, and Sauvignon Blanc on the northeast-facing (southeast in the Southern Hemisphere) hillsides. He believes that it is only on such varied terrain, like that of Burgundy or Champagne, that you can cultivate grapes with rich nuance.