A big red with a big following thanks to its dense dark and impressive ripe black plummy flavours intermingled with spice in a deliciously full bodied, complex red wine from Waiheke Island's biggest wine producer. 

The grapes in this wine come from six vineyards on the island. They are called  Asylum, Big North, Garden Cove, Mad Mans, Niko Face and North 3; all small sites planted on extremely steep hillsides on a remote and beautiful corner of Waiheke Island. Each little vineyard was originally planted as an experiment to see how well grapes would fare here. The results speak for themselves; Man O' War Dreadnought Syrah is a commanding and powerful red from one of the warmest climates in New Zealand. It was fermented in French oak, 32% new and 68% seasoned and is named after the first in a line of early 20th Century battleships which was named Dreadnought. 

The Island Blend is typically 53% Cabernet Franc, 27% Merlot, 12% Petit Verdot and 8% Malbec sourced from both Waiheke and Ponui Island.

This is a rich, ripe wine with sweet red berry fruit framed by chocolate and spice. The palate is softly textured with fine ripe tannins making for a decadent expression of a Cabernet franc dominated Bordeaux blend. This wine is drinking beautifully on release and will be ideal with a summer barbeque or a winter roast.

Ironclad is a full bodied red blend made from traditional Bordeaux grape varieties which are grown on Waiheke Island. It's a blend of 45% Cabernet Franc, 25% Merlot, 11% Petit Verdot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Malbec, which make a complex, structured red for aging up to 10 years or drinking now, decanted and served in your largest red winwe glass.

Its name comes from 19th Century warships characterised by iron bolted onto wooden hulls, in a similar way to the way the warm clay weaves itself into Waiheke Island's hillside vineyards.

Savoury and complex Chardonnay from one of Waiheke Island's best wineries. Powerful and rich, yet tempered by high acidity and aromatic notes. The focused palate is defined by ripe fruit flavours and integrated oaky tannin. This is a wine made to age gracefully but is still excellent in its youth. 

Commercial description

With our Chardonnay we give a maceration of the whole bunches before pressing which increases the amount of grape solids in the juice to give greater intensity of varietal character and structure. Once fermentation is finished we add small amounts of sulphur at each topping to preserve the freshness and fruitfulness of the wine. We do not stir the lees or allow the wine to go through malolactic fermentation. 

Man O’ War Chardonnay exhibits intense ripe stone fruit characters with subtle hints passionfruit seed and a nutty lees influence.

Only produced in the best years, this Reserve Syrah is Passage Rock's showcase wine.

Rich ripe aromas of dark forest fruit and spice, coffee and vanilla on the nose lead to a dark garnet intensity in the glass. On the palate, toasted nuts and spices vie with dark berries, integrated ripe tannins and lacy acidity. Cellar it for 10 to 15 years

Swiftsure Sauvignon Blanc is blended from carefully selected sites to capture the essence of Marlborough. Like contrasting combinations of colour, the vivid hues and muted shades of the Marlborough landscape and the tinted waters of both river and sea evoke a sensation of the purity of nature captured within the wine; mineral, fresh, ripe, and delicious.

Their Southern Coast Vineyard is situated in Marlboroughs southernmost sub-region in the shadow of the Kaikoura Ranges.

Its relatively elevated position and the influence of the cooler coastal climate and sea breeze result in lower yields and concentrated flavours.

Bursting with aromas; an abundance of tropical fruits, crisp citrus, punchy jalapeno, and fresh herbs this wine showcases the intensity that has made Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc famous the world over. The palate is refined and classical with a vibrancy of fruit and a mineral purity that creates a sense of sophistication and elegance.

VINEYARDS: Cactus Merlot/Malbec, Lunatic Syrah, Owhiti Malbec, Ponui Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. 

BLEND: Malbec 35%, Merlot 32%, Syrah 28%, Cabernet Franc 5%

WINEMAKING

The vintage of 2023 was a challenging year climatically, very wet and humid with low sunshine hours and periods of intense rain culminating in flooding in late January and Cyclone Gabrielle in early February.  The weather improved for the harvest months, but low sunshine hours resulted in wines with a light elegant touch, fresh, lively and delicious in their delicacy. Our Pinque Rose is harvested from select coastal sites on Waiheke and Ponui Islands made up of individual vineyards planted in Merlot, Malbec and Syrah which are designed with Rose production in mind. Picking early in the season but still showcasing red berry characters, the f ruit is whole bunch pressed in the champagne style liberating only the cleanest and most pure of juice. Fermented cool in stainless steel tanks and blended in the winter. 

TASTING NOTE

Pinque is a pure expression of Rose. Beginning with a classic pale salmon colour the wine has aromas of crushed rose petal, musk candy (pink smokers) strawberry flesh and a maritime scent. The palate is fresh and delicate with shades of stone and citrus fruits with fresh herbs finishing clean, crisp and delicious. 2023 Pinque is an uplifting and refreshing response to a challenging vintage.

Sidewinder is an opportunity to celebrate and explore the regional diversity of this iconic New Zealand varietal. 

Classical in its fresh herb, lime cordial and passionfruit seed aromas with a coastal element of weathered rock and salt spray. The palate is linear and textured finishing dry and salivating.

Commercial description

Bordering the old Waiheke Air Strip this vineyard produces world-class Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot.

Planted when their children were barely walking, John and Paul Dunleavy?s vines have matured over two decades and, like their children, bring their own unique character to this wine.

Aged in barrels for 10 months, but made in a forward, fruit driven style to be enjoyed in youth, The Strip will continue to improve over time with careful cellaring.

Pinot Gris for the Exiled comes from the St Helena clone of Pinot gris grown on both Waiheke and Ponui Islands. Lightly crushed and pressed then settled in tank before being racked with light solids into tank for fermentation. A mixture of un-inoculated and cultured yeast ferments are used with each vineyard fermenting slowly until the desired balance of acid, tannin and sugar is reached. The wines are then chilled to below zero to stop the fermentation before blending, the blend is held at low temperatures in the cellar until bottling to retain as much of the natural carbon dioxide as possible.

Off-dry in style.

Bavarian

Helles Bier

Slip on your lederhosen and transport your mind to one of the great German beer halls to enjoy this traditional Helles.

We have followed the strict German purity rules of the Reinheitsgebot – all malt, noble hops, and traditional German lager yeast to give you a taste of Bavaria. The rules don’t stop there – the German beer-drinking customs stipulate you need to always start your beer with a hearty Prost!, full eye contact, and a bottom glass clink. Best served with Wienerschnitzel, Sauerkraut, and Pork Knuckle.

Fresh baked oven loaves, subtle spice, and garden honey.

Dyad is our wine barrel finish range. This release distilled in 2015 is made from unpeated New Zealand malt. Double distilled in copper pot stills and firstly matured in a refill bourbon barrel, before being finished in a French oak ex Chardonnay barrel from our friends at Mudbrick Vineyard on Waiheke Island. A rich and inviting nose leads to a complex palate with some umami character. An oily mouthfeel, well balanced with both sugar and lemon notes. A long finish with hints of a nutty, yeasty character from the Chardonnay.

Made from peated New Zealand malt, double distilled in copper pot stills and aged in American oak casks. Full bodied and easy drinking, Moss is a gateway to New Zealand peat. A crowd-pleasing whisky with floral aromas of jasmine, liquorice, vanilla bean and cough syrup, created by the interaction of the lightly peated malt with the American oak wine barrels, which have been shaved, toasted and re-charred (STR). Further maturation in first fill bourbon barrels provides a creamy texture and a long lingering finish with spice and sweet fruit, and a teasing hint of smoke.