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Wine Region |
Wine Region |
Wine Region |
Wine Region |
Wine Region |
Wine Region |
Wine Region |
Welcome to the Wines of AucklandAuckland is a large and diverse wine Region. Whilst focussed on the city of Auckland it also includes Northland and the Bay of Islands to the North, Waiheke Island and Kumeu, Henderson, the Waikato and the Bay of Plenty to the South.Located near the top of the North Island, Auckland is New Zealand's largest city and home to the America's Cup, the world's most prestigious yacht race. With its harbour, shops, restaurants and proximity to the Bay of Island's, Auckland is great place to visit. New Zealand's largest international airport is located on the outskirts of Auckland and is a three hour flight from Sydney, a ten hour flight from most Asian destinations and an elven hour flight from Los Angeles. For more information on Auckland we recommend the Lonely Planet Guide to Auckland. Waiheke Island is Auckland's most acclaimed wine growing region. A leisurely thirty minute boat trip from downtown Auckland gets you there. It offers a relaxed lifestyle, features some great restaurants and is home to some of the best of New Zealand's top wineries. To the north of Auckland is the sparsely populated region of Northland and the Bay of Islands. This is an area of historical significance, being the first seat of European government and the site of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. With its many tranquil bays, beautiful harbour inlets and its majestic stands of native kauri trees the region is must see for visitors. It is the location of New Zealand's northern most wineries. These are clustered around the towns of Keri Keri, Warkworth and Matakana. The region is best known for its Bordeaux style wines, especially its mouth-filling Cabernet Sauvignon based wines and its complex and fruity Chardonnays. Annual wine and food related events include:
Regional Vintage GuideThe table below indicates the quality of wine vinatges in the Auckland Region for each of the past ten years. Please use it carefully. Be aware that Auckland is a large and diverse wine region and that the quality of grapes grown will vary significantly from one sub-region to another. |
 Auckland Information Waiheke Island Information Northland Information 
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Babich Wines is one of the New Zealand's oldest established and larger wineries. While based in Henderson, to the west of Auckalnd, Babich has vineyards in Gisborne, Hawke's Bay and Marlborough. Over the years, the winery has built a solid reputation for quality and consistency, especially for its Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Babich's premium range of wines are labelled under the Patriarch and Irongate brands. Babich Marlborough Riesling 2000 recently won the Riesling Trophy at the London International Wine and Spirit Competition, where it bet off competition from Germany, Alsace and Australia. Babich wines are widely available and exported to Australia, Canada, Asia, the United States of America, the Caribbean, Europe, the United Kingdom and Ireland. |
Babich Wines | 
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Coopers Creek Vineyard is located in Kumeu, only a short drive from Auckland city. It produces a wide range of wines and styles, including its premium Swamp Reserve Chardonnay. The winery has built its reputation on Chardonnay, and also makes a very respectable Riesling. The winery welcomes visitors and has well developed tasting facilities, BBQ facilities and outdoor picnic areas. During summer the winery features live jazz, which you can listen to while tasting some cheese and wine beside the garden pond. Coopers Creek wines are widely available, and exported to most parts of the world. |
Coopers Creek Vineyard |
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Goldwater Estate. Kim and Jeanette Goldwater pioneered wine making on Waiheke Island in 1978. Their winery overlooks Putiki Bay, although Kim looks to the Bordeaux for inspiration when making his award winning wines. His 1989 vintage Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot wine was awarded a gold medal at the prestigious Intervin International Wine Competition in New York. Goldwater Estate is also highly regarded for its Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc wines. |
Goldwater Estate |
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Kumeu River Wines was established in 1944 by Mick and Kate Brajkovich and is located 20 kilometres northwest of Auckland in the rural settlement of Kumeu. The Brajkovich family describes its wine-making philosophy in terms of endeavouring to grow grapes of the highest standard, treating them with respect and turning them into wine. Kumeu River Wines is best known for its Bergundian style Chardonnay which has been rated by UK Wine Magazine as equal to Domaine Des Comtes Lafon Montrachet 1995 and accorded top 100 status by the American Wine Spectator. |
Kumeu River Wines |
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Matakana Estate is located in Warkworth, just sixty minutes to the north of Auckland. It is a new winery, having crushed its first grapes in 1988. Early success in wine competions has brought the winery to our attention. Its most successful wines so far have been Pinot Gris and Chardonnay, although its owners (Pat, Paul and Peter Vegar) hope to prove the area has what it takes to make top quality Semillon and Syrah wines. The winery is open to visitors seven days a week. |
Matakana Estate |
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Morton Estate Wines is a geographicaly eclectic company. Its head office is located in Auckland, it operates vineyards in Hawke's Bay and Marlborough, and runs a distinctive Cape Dutch-style winery, restaurant and cellar door at Katikati, just North of Tauranga. The winery is one of New Zealand's largest and has a good reputation for consistency, quality and value. Its best wines are its black label range, including a very good Chardonnay. Wines in its lower priced white label range are also worth trying, as is its Champenoise. Morton Estate Wines are exported to the United Kingdom, United States of America, Australia and parts of Asia. |
Morton Estate Wines |
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Okahu Estate New Zealand’s most northern vineyard and winery. The winery is situated 3.5 kilometres from Kaitaia on the road to Ahipara which is at the southern end of the Ninety Mile Beach. It is a relatively young winery, but has already received accolades for its Syrah and Chardonnay wines. Its best wines are labelled Okahu Estate Kaz, and its 1998 Shiraz and 1998 Cabernet were both awarded silver medals at the International Wine Challenge 2000 (London). Okahu Estate welcomes visitors. It also has home-stay accommodation on the vineyard, making it the ideal base for a Far North Holiday. Okahu estate wines are exported to Canada and the United Kingdom. |
Okahu Estate |
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Rongopai Wines is located to the south of Auckland near the town of Huntly. Since first taste, I have always loved the winery's honey sweet and viscous Riesling and Chardonnay wines made from Botrytised grapes. Tom van Dam's wines are rare and cellar well. The winery is well regarded for its Chardonnay. Its 1999 Chardonnay was awarded a gold medal by the judges of the Air New Zealand Wine Awards. |
Rongopai Wines |
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Stonyridge Vineyard is Waiheke Island's most prestigious winery. It recently appeared on the cover of Winestate magazine where its Cabernet was favourably compared to a handful of top Cabernet wines from Bordeaux and Australia. Stephen White established Stonyridge in 1982 with the aim of proving that New Zealand can make world-class red wines. He has succeeded. Stonyridge's Larose Cabernet is regarded as New Zealand's best red wine. It has beaten top Bordeaux wines in international tastings and in wine writer Michael Cooper's view, "no other red in New Zealand has matched it for sheer vintage-to-vintage brilliance". This wine is made in small quantities and sells out fast. |
Stonyridge Vineyard |
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Villa Maria is one of New Zealand's largest and most celebrated wineries. Founded in 1961, George Fistonich’s award-winning Villa Maria wine group, has always made a point of matching the right grape to the right site. Villa Maria’s Auckland winery was built in 1969 and is located on the site of its founder's home at Kirkbride Road in Mangere. The Auckland winery crushes grapes harvested from the Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay growing regions. Recent successes for the winery include the trophy for most successful exhibitor at the NZ Wine Society Royal Easter Wine Show 2001, the trophy for champion Pinot Noir at the NZ Wine Society Royal Easter Wine Show 2001, the trophy for Best Sauvignon Blanc from Winestate Magazine 2000, and the trophy for best white table wine at the Sydney International Top 100 Wine Competition 2000. Villa Maria wines are produced in commercial volumes and exported throughout the world. |
Villa Maria Wines |
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