Chard Farm was established in the Central Otago region of New Zealand in 1987 by Motueka brothers Rob and Greg Hay. They were the first to come into the area with the intention of setting up a commercial vineyard, and selected the Chard Farm site after careful evaluation of the peculiarities of grape growing in the region. Rob studied winemaking in Germany for three years in the early eighties before returning to New Zealand in 1985 to search for the "terroir" that best emulated the cool continental climate and soils of some of the greatest wine-producing areas of the world, most notably the Burgundy and Alsace regions of France. The search lead to Central Otago.

More information: > Chard Farm Booklet

The long-term goal of Chard Farm is to craft the world's finest, cool-climate varietal wines of Pinot Noir, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay.

Central Otago is the most southerly wine producing region in the world. The vineyards are the highest in New Zealand at 200-400 meters above sea level, where they cling precariously to the steep slopes of lakesides and the edges of deep-river gorges, often rich in glacial soils. Central Otago is a sheltered inland area with a continental microclimate characterized by hot, dry summers, short, cool autumns and crisp, cold winters.