It was an instant love affair. The first time Reunion Island-born entrepreneur Georges Michel, who has business interests ranging from shipping to hotels, car rental (Avis) and wine estates, visited New Zealand with his wife Huguette in 1994, they knew they were viewing a piece of the future. As owner of Chateau de Grandmont, a wine estate in Beaujolais/Burgundy, Georges was already heartedly enamoured by wine.

In 1997 Georges and Huguette visited New Zealand again and, having discovered the potential of the Marlborough region for producing high quality wines, found the piece of land they were looking for.

Domaine Georges Michel was born. New vines were planted and the winery revamped with the inclusion of new stainless tanks and French oak barrels. Then in 2000 a further 12 hectares were planted. With the aim of producing 200,000 bottles of fine wines from an annual crush of 200 tonnes of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir .

The first Sauvignon Blanc was released in 1998 followed by an oak-aged Chardonnay and a Pinot Noir crafted by the prestigious French winemaker Guy Brac de la Perriere, a man from one of France's oldest winemaking dynasties, who visits Domaine Georges Michel regularly to oversee production. Guy Brac de la Perriere blends his years of French winemaking experience with the fresh new flavours of Marlborough to produce triumphant wines from New Zealand.

Since then Georges Michel's wines have been awarded numerous national and international Awards including Top Gold Awards in the USA and Australia.

Georges's daughter, Swan, joined the winemaking team in 2004. After her degree in Viticulture and Oenology in Lincoln University , she went to France for the 2004 vintage at Chateau le Grand Verdus ( Bordeaux) where she crafted the wines under the supervision of another world famous winemaker . Patrick Valette.

In 2005, after the vintage at the New Zealand family winery, Swan will be part of the winemaking team at the famous Clos des Lambray ( 1er Cru - Burgundy - France)

The stunning winery and its wine, gift and gourmet shop are open to the public . The restaurant "La Veranda", a huge Victorian villa in the style of languid Reunion Island dwellings, invites you to relax in the tranquil surroundings of the Richmond Ranges.

Welcome to Domaine Georges Michel.