Established in 1985, the Glover Family Vineyards have inspired the familys passion for wine.
These single vineyard wines express the ethereal, aromatic and structural flair of the Dillons Point Sub-Region of Marlborough.
The Glover family were one of the first to plant grapes on their farm in Marlboroughs Dillons Point sub-region in 1988. Nineteen years later, led by eldest son Ben, the family launched Zephyr, a range of single vineyard wines from the farm. The name Zephyr means a gentle breeze. Inspired by the prevailing wind that moderates their vineyards, it is the perfect fit for the Glover family. Never still, always on the go, always innovating and planning their next move on the farm, in the wines and with the family.
The soils of this site are fertile, the aspect is north facing and the sub-region is described as early country, sheltered from the harsh southerly weather patterns, sitting in the lee of the Wither Hills to the south east of the Wairau Valley floor.
Their vineyard is only three kilometres from the high tide mark and the vineyard is approximating 10 metres above sea level. Being close to the sea, in some years we see a very unique flavour profile in some of the wines. There is a distinctive umami note, a salty influence that creates a unique sense of place from this single vineyard site.
When it comes to professional wine people, Ben Glover is about as top-of-the-tree as it gets, in this country anyway. He has 'Chief Winemaker' and 'Director of Winemaking' titles from internationally acclaimed brands such as Wither Hills, Lindauer, Huntaway and Corbans on his resume, and was most recently Group Winemaker for Accolade New Zealand, sourcing fruit from Hawke's Bay, Waipara, Marlborough and Central Otago for brands such as Mud House. In 2016 he made the decision to leave his day job, to go live with the family wine brand, Zephyr.
The Ford Motor Company had the foresight and vision to release a new vehicle in the early 1950s. Its name was Zephyr, and according to Ben it's one of the best cars ever made. It was the first of the family sedans that arrived on New Zealand shores and an icon of the New Zealand roads in the 60s and 70s. One of the original Glovers (Owens grandfather) owned a 1955 Zephyr Mark 1. Owen has fond memories of Sundays spent in the back seat, driving to his favourite Marlborough beach.
It's perhaps not surprising that their company vehicle is the winged 1965 Mark 3 Zephyr. A straight six, with twin pipes and a weber carburettor, it is the sweetest sounding car on Dillon's Point Road.
