Three Miners Vineyard

Three Miners Vineyard is a family-owned estate on the banks of the Clutha River in Earnscleugh, between Alexandra and Clyde in Central Otago.

The name honours three gold miners — Thomas Oliver, Joseph Knowles and James Simmonds — who formed the Earnscleugh Grand Junction Mining Company in the 1860s.

They mined the land that now borders the vineyard and built water races from the Fraser River to support their claims.

Current owners Paul and Kirstin Wright bought the property in 2014. Kirstin, a plant scientist, focuses on vine health and fruit quality, while Paul handles much of the vineyard work.

The 15.5-hectare vineyard (part of a larger 19.3 ha block) is planted mainly to Pinot Noir (about 12.5 ha, established around 2000), with smaller plantings of Pinot Gris, Riesling and Gewürztraminer added in 2008.

The free-draining Molyneux gravel soils and the region’s hot days and cool nights produce concentrated, balanced fruit.

Wines carry mining-themed names such as Warden’s Court Pinot Noir, Miner’s Right Pinot Gris, Herringbone Riesling, Chinaman Stone Gewürztraminer and Rocker Box Rosé. They are made with a focus on quality and have earned gold medals and trophies.

The cellar door at 89 McPherson Road is open October–April (Thursday–Tuesday, 12–5 pm) and by appointment in winter. Tastings, bottle sales and platters (by arrangement) are available.

A second cellar door operates at the Hilton Queenstown Resort.

The vineyard also supplies fruit to other producers while maintaining its own small-batch label that reflects the Alexandra Basin’s distinctive character.