DRY RIVER

Dry River is a boutique winery in Martinborough, Wairarapa, founded in 1979 by Dr. Neil and Dawn McCallum. From its gravelly, free-draining terraces, the estate quickly gained cult status for producing elegant, age-worthy wines with purity and strong terroir expression. Today under the ownership of Charlie Zheng and winemaker Ben McNab, Dry River remains committed to low yields, non-irrigated vines, and minimal intervention winemaking.

The winery’s three key vineyard blocks – Dry River Estate, Craighall, and Lovat – provide diversity and depth across the range. Pinot Noir is the flagship, complemented by Syrah, Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, and occasional late-harvest or Viognier releases. With limited production and much of it sold through allocation, Dry River wines are highly sought after, admired for their structure, finesse, and capacity to evolve beautifully over time.