Waiheke Vineyards
Ever since Waiheke wine pioneers Stephen White (Stonyridge Vineyard), Kim & Jeanette Goldwater (Goldwater Estate) and Doug Hamilton (Peninsula Estate) produced their first vintages wine lovers all over the world have kept a keen eye on Waiheke Island. Stonyridge ‘Larose’ is now one of the most legendary wines in New Zealand, rivaling the best France can offer, while Goldwater wines attract record prices at auctions in the USA. Waiheke Island, with its low rainfall, alluvial soils and fresh sea breezes has the perfect terroir for Bordeaux style wines, and as the island’s innovative winemakers are discovering, also varieties such as Viognier, Chardonnay and Malbec. Waiheke in fact now boasts over 30 vineyards, offering a bewildering array of island wines, from superb reds to delicate rosés and crisp whites.
Waiheke’s location, 35 minutes from Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, means it is perfectly sited for a leisure destination. You can ferry or fly to the island, enjoy its simple lifestyle, or endulge yourself in the utmost luxury. You can visit the different wineries much of the year and taste their produce or have a culinary experience in one of the island’s top restaurants.
The Waiheke Wine Centre offers a convenient central point in Oneroa village for people who have been to the island and want to revive some of their memories, have not had enough time to travel to the various vineyards, or for new visitors who want to get inside knowledge about Waiheke’s wines before discovering them personally. More importantly, have the opportunity of exporting a mixed case of the Island's wine to their home.