Waiheke

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.

DON?T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK! THIS LITTLE DARK ALE PROVIDES LIGHT REFRESHMENT WHILE MAINTAINING ITS DARK FACADE. EAT YOUR CARROTS AND EMBRACE THE DARKNESS; LET IT BE YOUR FRIEND. YOU?LL BE SURPRISED; THIS IS ONE SMOOTH LITTLE NUMBER.

THIS LITTLE NUGGET OF A DARK ALE SHOWCASES A NEUTRAL ESTER PROFILE, WITH A TOUCH OF NELSON SAUVIN DRY-HOP, TO HIGHLIGHT THE FUGGLES + MOTUEKA HOP COMBO IN THE KETTLE. SUBTLE MALT NOTES PROVIDE THE COLOR WITH CARAMEL AND CHOCOLATE TONES, WITHOUT THE ASTRINGENCY OF OTHER DARK BEERS.

4.0% ABV

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.

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.

Gorgeous dark spicy Syrah with mana and a long track record from 15 year old vines grown on the Kindy Block on Waiheke Island; part of the original Goldwater Estate Vineyard. 

This superb full bodied Syrah is now made by winemaker Kelly Washington, who uses 85% destemmed grapes with 15% whole bunches in the ferment to lift aromatic appeal and enhance softness. Wild yeast fermentation started the winemaking and the juice was then innoculated with a Syrah yeast strain. It's aged for 12 months in a mix of French oak barrels and a puncheon, 21% of the oak is new with the balance being neutral and second fill barrels with a medium toast to allow the fruit to shine rather than the oak. 

Fleshy, concentrated black fruit comes to the fore on the palate of this lively wine, which is supported by savoury, spicy notes, firm tannins and bright acidity.

This wine is in conversion to BioGro organic. 

Made from fruit taken from an exceptional Gimblett Gravels vineyard, this Syrah is the antithesis of the big, rich, ripe Syrah?s that are abundantly available. With lovely acidity, refined tannins and superb flavor intensity, the wine was always destined for extended barrel and bottle ageing. Two years in barrel before bottling and then a further year in bottle before release in July 2020, reveals a unique wine that will age for a very long time.

Raspberry, white pepper, cedar, poached pears, plums and hints of fresh coconut make for a highly complex nose. The wine has fine-grained, delicate tannins, with a light mid-palate texture more aligned with Burgundian Pinot Noir than Hawkes Bay Syrah. Fresh acidity that lengthens and balances the palate brings length, freshness and vitality.

1000 bottles made.

This fascinating and delicious expression has been created especially for Dramfest 2023 by Patrick Newton our head distiller and exemplifies our DYAD wine finish range. Double distilled in copper pot stills in February 2018 from NZ peated malt, the whisky was then aged in bourbon casks for 4 years. Patrick also made the Waiheke Island vintage fortified 'port' wine which was aged in American oak barrels. It was these barrels that, once emptied, were used to finish this single malt whisky for one year prior to bottling.

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.

This delicious American style whisky is made from 51% corn, 21% rye and 28% Barley. Matured in our oceanside barrel house, it has a grassy, spicy tone with a distinct Rye note. Look for notes of toasted oak, spices and vanilla. Cream corn and smooth caramel finishes with a hint of rye bite. 

Colour Burnt Caramel 

Nose Sweet oak, spice and vanilla. 

Palate Toasted oak, spices and vanilla, cream corn and smooth caramel, summer grass. 

Finish Spicy finish with distinct rye notes.

This delicious American style whisky is made from 51% corn, 21% rye and 28% Barley. Matured in our oceanside barrel house, it has a grassy, spicy tone with a distinct Rye note that balances the sweetness of the honey. Look for notes of toasted oak, spices and vanilla wrapped in the phenolic sweetness of Manuka Honey. 100% natural Manuka Honey made on Waiheke Island. 

Colour Lemon and Honey 

Nose Honey and sweet spice caramel 

Palate Toasted oak, spices and vanilla wrapped in the phenolic sweetness of Manuka Honey. 

Finish Dryer than expected with phenol and pepper