In 1981 Ken and Jill Small sold their Southland farm and moved to Marlborough, where they purchased a property in the Fairhall River Valley. They planted their first 8ha of vines in 1982, contract growing for several years before producing their first bottle of Fairhall Downs Sauvignon Blanc in 1996.
Fairhall Downs Family Estate is still owned by Ken and Jill, together with daughter Julie and her husband Stuart Smith. They specialise in premium Single Vineyard wines of superb quality, which epitomise their "Small is Beautiful" philosophy.