With a young family and a caravan in tow, Christine and David Macdonald set off on a tour of New Zealand to find the perfect spot to plant a vineyard and to establish what would end up becoming the Bladen winery. This was back in 1989, having left behind the comfort and security of their urban lives to pursue their dreams.
They settled in Marlborough and planted their vineyard by hand, at first selling its grapes to local wineries before eventually producing their own wines under the Bladen label. Despite being one of only nine vineyards in the Marlborough region when they started out, the Macdonalds quickly built a reputation for their exceptional cool climate wines. The Bladen banner is a fitting tribute to their pioneering spirit, derived as it is from the names of their two children, Blair and Deni, who were merely toddlers when their parents took such a huge leap of faith.