Giesen own and operate many of New Zealand's eldest and noblest vineyards, having accumulated an inventory of the finest viticulture since establishment in 1981. A single block of vine at Wairau, defined by a mesoclime and terroir uncannily similar to the great Crus des Cotes du Rhone, was replanted to Pinot Noir, with a view to creating small batches of the most superior vintages. Managed to fully certified organic husbandry, the precious Ridge Block yields the most intense Pinot Noir, crafted to minimalist old world techniques, articulate of a very special site.

Clones 115, 777 and Abel, are planted to a medley of small to medium fractured stones, suspended in free draining silt and clay loams, regularly shoot thinned to optimise balanced growth, fruit thinned to optimise concentrated flavours and cropped at a modest kilogram per vine, hand picked to a schedule aimed at bringing fruit to the wineworks in perfect condition. Parcels are treated to a week of cold soak and three or four weeks wild indigenous yeast ferment on skins, a portion is included as whole bunches. Upon completion, batches are passed through an old fashioned basket press into an extravagantly high proportion of new hogsheads and barriques, for malolactic and a year's maturation.