1281 days ago

Day 3- Napier Winery Tour

Lyn from Tauranga Tasting Tours & Charters

We had originally planned to go to Te Awa, but they had not returned to acceptable service since Covid lockdown so we replaced them with STONERIDGE. The presenter was one of the owners & it was interesting to hear about the difficulties & highs of setting up a winery from scratch while having a family. They have the oldest syrah vines in NZ & we were impressed with their wines.
We then went to TRINITY HILL, which has been a favourite for a long time. The first presentation was not quite up to their normal standard, but the second was very good. Previously, we have been spoiled by having an enthused John Hancock leaping up & down & excitedly promoting his wines. The usual biking wine enthusiasts were there at the same time as we were. We never understand how they get back home safely after a day of imbibing!
If you love wine, as said in a previous post, the winery you must visit, is DE LA TERRE, Hawke’s Bay’s only earth-brick winery & cellar door.
Tony Prichard was the original Chief Wine-maker at Church Road & while there, worked with consultants from Domaine Cordier in Bordeaux. He is Mr Everything: he grows grapes, picks, processes, bottles & labels & imparts his immense knowledge & passion enthusiastically when you visit. His wife, Kaye, produces delectable food for your enjoyment!
“Our hand-crafted approach goes right through the winemaking process – from hand-picking all the fruit, through gentle handling at the winery using traditional winemaking techniques. Nothing is rushed and with the emphasis on minimal handling, every effort is made to retain the integrity and concentration of the fruit and our unique terroir. The wines are a fusion of high-tech winemaking knowledge with traditional hands-on winemaking methods in the cellar.”
The wines range from those you will have tasted before to the more unusual such as Tannat (good for yuur heart), Barbera & Noble Viognier.
Robyn Magowan, a tour participant stated:”De la terre was amazing in what they have achieved. Had a point of difference with their earthy approach and utter understanding of wine making. Lovely lunch as well.”
And Lorraine Weenink: "In regards to the beautiful Blanc de Blanc that we had and the way he opened it with a scary looking sabre lol Plus the lunch was excellent & how he built the winery with earth bricks & how passionate & interesting he was about wine."
MOANA PARK was a winery that seemed to cater to the locals as a drop in for a glass (of wine or beer) with the kids. We felt a bit sorry for the earnest & well-meaning young presenter as we were all tired at the end of a long day & no-one enthused about the wines the wines.

More messages from your neighbours
1 hour ago

Say goodbye to tyre waste

Tyrewise

About 40% of the 6.5 million tyres Kiwis use every year are recycled, repurposed, or used as tyre-derived fuel. But the rest end up in landfills, stockpiled or dumped.

The good news is now there’s an easy solution to all that tyre waste. It’s called Tyrewise and is New Zealand’s first national tyre recycling scheme.

Tyrewise ensures that tyres in Aotearoa New Zealand are recycled or repurposed properly, saving millions from going to the landfill.

Find out more about the scheme online.
Find out more

Image
P
5 days ago

Unelected commissioners recommend they stay in power

Pat from Welcome Bay

That's the Stuff headline. I have watched on as these commissioners proselytize about how they respect democracy-and now this. I acknowledge Simeon Brown has rejected their proposal but all I see is these commissioners trying to cling on to power and their sinecure at all costs. It is unbelievable-they should be ashamed. Ms Tolley (who does not live here), Mr Selwood who gets flown up from god knows where, and the other two-spare me the platitudes about how they are only here for the benefit of Tauranga. No you are not. You are paid to impose what you think we want. What is that? An oligarchy? Democracy is not perfect but far better than what you propose. To completely misquote Bertrand Russell-let the people think. By the way Mr Rutherford (my absent aka missing in action BoP MP) if you can deign to read this-show some mettle.

2 days ago

Poll: Does the building consent process need to change?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

We definitely need homes that are fit to live in but there are often frustrations when it comes to getting consent to modify your own home.
Do you think changes need made to the current process for building consent? Share your thoughts below.

Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the Conversations column of your local paper.

Image
Does the building consent process need to change?
  • 91.7% Yes
    91.7% Complete
  • 7.8% No
    7.8% Complete
  • 0.5% Other - I'll share below!
    0.5% Complete
835 votes