Domaine Thomson Wines confirmed yesterday owner David Hall-Jones died recently.
He had had cancer for four years.
Mr Hall-Jones is survived by his wife P.M. Hall-Jones, and their sons, William and Hugh.
Mr Hall-Jones grew up in Southland, and enjoyed his summer and winter holidays in the lakes and mountains of Fiordland and Central Otago.
Domaine Thomson has two organic vineyards — one in Burgundy in France and another in Lowburn in Central Otago, overlooking Lake Dunstan.
The two vineyards were bought in the early 2000s and have been built up since then.
The Central Otago vineyard overlooks the Pisa Moorings lakeside settlement and has been planted as four distinct blocks — the North Block, the Terraces, the South Block and the Moon Block — but grows just one variety, a "single vineyard" pinot noir.
Mr Hall-Jones had a background in law, studying at the University of Otago and Cambridge University, and was a High Court judge. He was a managing partner of a Hong Kong law firm.
He was a direct descendant of surveyor John Turnbull Thomson, who surveyed much of the South from the 1850s to the 1880s, and whose name was part of the winery.
Mr Hall-Jones was appointed to the Southland Museum and Art Gallery Board last year.
