It started as a rural subdivision, but when the owners decided to turn the Ohau property into a vineyard, people mocked them.
Now they are having the last laugh, with Bishops Vineyard scooping a top wine award with its first vintage.
The vineyard has won the Brother Cyprian Trophy and champion pinot gris award, as well as a silver and bronze for its sauvignon blanc at the Romeo Bragato wine awards in Napier last week.
Executive director Dave Munro knew the wine was good, but did not think it would scoop so many awards at the vineyard's first competition.
"It was only bottled just over three weeks ago so it almost went straight from the bottling plant to the wine show. We are absolutely rapt because we did not expect to have this much success.
"With the early tastings we had done we were pleased with the quality and once it had been bottled we thought it may have had a chance of a medal, even if just bronze, but to get so many awards is brilliant."
He said when it was decided to turn the property near State Highway 1, just south of Levin, into a vineyard, there were plenty of doubters who thought it was a waste of time.
"There were a few ill-informed opinions expressed. There are always people that try to knock you when you try something, especially as we are the first commercial vineyard, but we were confident that we knew what we were doing.
"There is a very good climate around Ohau and we have soil equal to the best in Marlborough. The climate is virtually the same as Nelson's but without the frost and there's plenty of water. It's an ideal area to grow grapes."
The owners do not intend to rest easy, already making plans to expand the vineyard to more than double its size.
