Martin Croad

The Path

Before wine became the center of the work, Martin Croad was an electrician at an electrical business in Bakersfield, California. That kind of trade builds habits that matter in a vineyard too: steadiness, close attention, and an acceptance that small decisions accumulate over time. The shift from electrical work to winemaking kept the same discipline but moved it into a different material world, one governed by vines, barrels, and season-to-season judgment. At Croad Vineyards, that practical background now shows up in a form shaped by land and crop rather than wiring and equipment. The change did not arrive all at once; it built through experience. “I helped him out and that began my wine making experience.” The line marks the point where a second craft began, and where the work moved from support to ownership and production.

The Work Today

In Paso Robles, Martin Croad runs the vineyard and makes the wines with dry farming as a central constraint. The property’s bold varietals set a particular register, and the work follows the demands of the site rather than an imposed formula. “From the initial property purchase to where we are now, decisions and directions have been taken as the canvas opened up in front of me.” The statement describes a method built on observation and adjustment, with the estate developing through what the ground allowed and required. That combination of restraint and force defines the wines. Dry farming asks for patience and disciplined timing; bold varietals bring their own weight and expression. Together, they form the style at Croad Vineyards and the working logic behind it.

Signature

Martin's signature wines include Towhenua and Estate Zinfandel. These names sit within the larger identity of the winery, alongside the Maori-named blends that reflect his New Zealand roots and the vocabulary he keeps close at hand.

In Their Words “We have a Maori English dictionary on hand and most of our blends have Maori names, but finding easy to pronounce words can be difficult to achieve.” “I helped him out and that began my wine making experience.”