Unearth the history, meet the winemakers, and learn how this tiny winegrowing region is still turning up gems two centuries after the first vines were planted.
Northland is not only the oldest, but it is also the warmest growing region in New Zealand, making it uniquely suited to ripening a wide range of grape varieties. Warm spring temperatures, hot dry summers, and calm, clear autumn days mean fruit ripens early, creating full-bodied, rich and generous wine.
Key varieties are Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Syrah, and many more are successfully grown. Two-hundred years after Samuel Marsden planted New Zealand’s first grapevines, Northland winegrowers are still pioneers, daring to search for the perfect combination of soil, grape variety, and climate. Stretching from Karikari in the north, to Mangawhai in the south, every vineyard in Northland is unique in aspect, soil, and micro-climate.
A day spent touring the vineyards of Northland is a day of discovery; the taste of award winning wines grown from a remarkable landscape, the people, the stories, the rich weight of history, and the beauty of a region where time seems to slow down enough for you to savour every moment.
