KUSUDA

Kusuda Wines is one of New Zealand’s most distinctive small domaines, founded in Martinborough in 2001 by Tokyo-born winemaker Hiroyuki Kusuda. A former lawyer and diplomat, Kusuda studied viticulture and oenology in Germany before settling in Martinborough, drawn by its cool climate, varied soils and the potential to produce wines of finesse and precision. From the beginning, his philosophy has been one of obsessive detail—grape bunches are often hand-sorted berry by berry, and vineyard work is painstakingly precise.