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.

Complex and rich Syrah from one of Waiheke Island's most awarded producers. Smooth, with ripe plum and black pepper notes on the palate. Textural and well structured. Ready to be drunk now but capable of further cellaring. 

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.

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.

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.

Ruru

Hazy Pale Ale

There?s a tall tale to be told about our resident Ruru, who lives in the Wetlands here at the Tantalus/Alibi Estate. He got himself in quite a mess after getting caught up in the deadly seeds of the Parapara tree. In distress, he landed on some diners outside the restaurant before he was rescued and cleaned up. On the morning of this brew day, he could be heard back in good health calling before sunrise. A feisty wee guy, back in his patch. Morepork, morepork.

Vibrant tropical notes of citrus, pineapple, and tangy fruits from Citra, Talus, Idaho 7 and Nectaron on a bed of ale, wheat and oats.

Mosaic

Pale Ale

All Greek gods had their muses, and all brewers have theirs. Mosaic hop, the daughter of Simcoe and nugget varieties, is expressed as blueberry, citrus, pine, and mango-a kaleidoscope or chameleon amongst humulus peers. A thing of beauty. . . Art; a fragmented aroma that comes together to make a picture-a mosaic. She is the muse for this unfiltered pale ale.

Blueberry medley, juicy fruit, candied lollies, and delicious mango lassi.

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.

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.