Category Archives: NEW ZEALAND

Waiheke Island

April 12, 2016 "Around The World in 80 Wines"

We spent the day touring Waiheke Island and its many vineyards. The island is just a short 45 minute ferry ride from Auckland. We visited four different vineyards. Our favourite wines from these tastings were:

Te Motu Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2004

Man O’ War Pinot Gris 2015

Mud brick Shepherds Point Syrah 2015

Stonyridge Larose 2014

Waiheke Island vineyards in New Zealand.

Waiheke Island. © Montager Productions Ltd.

View of a Te Motu vineyard on Waiheke Island in New Zealand.

Te Motu vineyard. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Te Motu Wines Cellar Door on Waiheke Island in New Zealand.

Te Motu Cellar Door. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Looking back to Auckland from Waiheke Island in New Zealand.

Looking back to Auckland. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Stonyridge fountain. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Man O War tasting room on Waiheke Island in New Zealand.

Man O War tasting room. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Beach on Waiheke Island at Man O War winery in New Zealand.

Beach on Waiheke Island. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Man O War extra virgin olive oil label from New Zealand.

Man O War olive oil. © Montager Productions Ltd.

View towards Auckland from Waiheke Island.

View towards Auckland. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Waiheke Island hilly vines in New Zealand.

Waiheke vines. © Montager Productions Ltd.

More info about the project or copyright of images is on the about page.

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Gisborne, NEW ZEALAND

Millton

April 8, 2016 "Around The World in 80 Wines"

It was really interesting to meet the team at Millton Vineyards which is based in Gisborne. The figureheads here are James and Annie Millton who have been making wine on the site since 1984 and were some of the pioneers of biodynamic and organic wine in New Zealand.

Our favourite wine was the Orange Wine we tried from the barrel because this was just so cool.

Fermenting grapes at Millton Organic Vineyards in Gisborne New Zealand.

Fermenting grapes. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Malbec grapes at Millton Vineyards in New Zealand.

Malbec at Millton. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Stirring the ferment at Millton Organic Vineyards in Gisborne New Zealand.

Stirring the ferment. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Riverpoint viognier label at Millton Vineyards in New Zealand.

Riverpoint Viognier. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Emptying the grapes during the 2016 harvest at Millton Vineyards in Gisborne New Zealand.

Emptying the grapes at Millton. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Tibetan style flag at Millton Vineyards in New Zealand.

Flags at Millton Vineyards. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Staff harvest grapes at Millton organic vineyards in Gisborne New Zealand.

Harvesting grapes at Millton. © Montager Productions Ltd.

White flowers and workers harvesting grapes at Millton Vineyards in Gisborne New Zealand.

Flowers and harvesting at Millton Vineyards. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Biodynamics board at Millton Vineyards and Winery in New Zealand.

Board at Millton Vineyards. © Montager Productions Ltd.

More info about the project or copyright of images is on the about page.

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Hawke's Bay, NEW ZEALAND

Te Mata

April 7, 2016 "Around The World in 80 Wines"

Our journey had got to a stage where we flagging a bit just from the sheer amount of motor home driving. We were struggling to find the Te Mata vineyard we had been given directions for and were almost at the point of giving up when we got on the right single track road. It was such good fortune as the grape picking here was totally unique. It was done by a team of around 50 retirees with most of them being over 65 yrs old. We had seen nothing like this anywhere else. We did an interview with the vineyard manager and his oldest grape picker who just happened to be his Dad.

Natural and artificial light in the Te Mata historic cellar New Zealand.

Natural and artificial light in the Te Mata historic cellar. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Te Mata staff checking grapes at the winery sorting table in New Zealand.

Te Mata sorting table. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Harvesting at Te Mata in New Zealand during the 2016 vintage. Vintage Sixteen.

Harvesting at Te Mata. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Red grapes on the vine about to be harvested at Te Mata in New Zealand.

Red grapes at Te Mata. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Staff working at Te Mata in New Zealand.

Staff working at Te Mata. © Montager Productions Ltd.

GoPro on the wine at Te Mata winery in New Zealand when Montager Productions filming.

GoPro on the wine. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Picking grapes at Te Mata in New Zealand.

Picking grapes at Te Mata. © Montager Productions Ltd.

More info about the project or copyright of images is on the about page.

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Martinborough

Ata Rangi

April 5, 2016 "Around The World in 80 Wines"

Next visit was another top rated Martinborough winery called Ata Rangi. We interviewed another great female winemaker here Helen Masters.

It was great how the team here had names for all the tanks in the winery which probably demonstrates the affection they have for the wine that develops inside them. They are not fermenting wine tanks but friends who will spend good time with you in the years ahead.

Our Favourite Wine here was the Pinot Noir.

Chris clearing the Juliet tank inside the Ata Rangi winery in New Zealand.

Chris clearing the Juliet tank. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Helen driving the forklift at Ata Rangi in Martinborough, New Zealand.

Helen driving the forklift. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Red wine falling from the press machinery at the Ata Rangi winery in Martinborough, New Zealand.

Red wine falling from the press. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Helen and Chris working in the Ata Rangi winery in New Zealand.

Helen and Chris working at Ata Rangi. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Red wine juice in the tank at Ata Rangi winery in New Zealand.

Red wine juice at Ata Rangi. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Ata Rangi of Martinborough sign in New Zealand.

Ata Rangi of Martinborough. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Ata Rangi wines on the table at the cellar door in New Zealand.

Ata Rangi wines. © Montager Productions Ltd.

More info about the project or copyright of images is on the about page.

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Martinborough, NEW ZEALAND

Escarpment

April 4, 2016 "Around The World in 80 Wines"

We loved the time at Escarpment. Larry Mckenna has a really great and hard working team in place. This included the group of 20 or so French grape pickers who were not shy of grafting between the vines. The team were relaxed about us filming here and that enabled us to get some really good shooting done. We filmed from first light to lights out and then Larry cooked us something on the barbecue at his home in Martinborough. The food was of course accompanied by some sensational Pinot Noir.

When we asked Larry why Pinot Noir he said: “The cuisine of 50 years ago was certainly different to today and maybe that suited heavier styled red wines but I see the sort of food we are enjoying these days as fresh, clean, lighter, more suited to fruitier, lighter based red wines. Pinot Noir fits that category for me. It’s still a serious red wine but it has complexity, texture and structure as well as fantastic flavour.”

Escarpment produces around 70% of its output in Pinot Noir and has a second focus on Chardonnay but this only accounts for around 10% of wines produced.

Our favourite wine here was the Escarpment Kupe 2014.

Fermenting Pinot Noir at Escarpment in New Zealand.

Fermenting Pinot Noir at Escarpment. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Escarpment vineyard at Martinborough in New Zealand.

Escarpment vineyard. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Larry McKenna of Escarpment at the sorting table in New Zealand.

Larry McKenna of Escarpment. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Wellington boots and a bucket in action at the Escarpment winery in Martinborough, New Zealand.

Wellington boots and a bucket. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Pinot Noir on the sorting table at Escarpment in Martinborough New Zealand.

Pinot Noir on the sorting table at Escarpment. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Escarpment winery as the sun falls for the night. The winery is in Martinborough in New Zealand.

Escarpment at Night. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Forklift view at Escarpment winery in Martinborough, New Zealand.

Forklift view at Escarpment winery. © Montager Productions Ltd.

More info about the project or copyright of images is on the about page.

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You can also visit our alphabetical favourite wines page.

Blog News, NEW ZEALAND, Wairarapa

Escarpment Sunset

April 3, 2016 "Around The World in 80 Wines"

Another amazing sunset greeted us as we arrived in Martinborough for a recce at the Escarpment vineyard and winery before a full day of filming the harvest.

The sun goes down on Escarpment winery in New Zealand.

Goodbye sun. © Montager Productions Ltd.

A pink sunset at Escarpment in Martinborough, New Zealand.

A pink sunset at Escarpment. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Escarpment tanks with a beautiful sky as the sun sets in Martinborough New Zealand.

Escarpment tanks and sunset. © Montager Productions Ltd.

More info about the project or copyright of images is on the about page.

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You can also visit our alphabetical favourite wines page.

Nelson, NEW ZEALAND

Neudorf

April 2, 2016 "Around The World in 80 Wines"

Neudorf is in the Nelson region of the South Island of New Zealand. We spent a great day with the Neudorf team including owners Judy and Tim. We got some great film footage at the Riesling pick in the morning with Mike and his team and also had a successful shoot at the winery with Todd the winemaker and his international interns. The cellar door is a great design and has a DIY deli so you can pick ideal accompaniments for your wine picks and we did a great tasting with Cameron the cellar door and sales manager.

Our favourite wine was the dry Riesling but we unfortunately didnt get chance to try the sold out Chardonnay which Neudorf is well known for.

Sorting grapes at Neudorf winery in Nelson New Zealand.

Sorting grapes at Neudorf winery. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Neudorf Wines. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Neudorf winery at work in Nelson, New Zealand.

Neudorf winery at work. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Large tank at Neudorf winery in New Zealand.

Large tank at Neudorf. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Sheep at Neudorf vineyards in New Zealand.

Sheep at Neudorf. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Grapes at Neudorf Wines in Nelson New Zealand.

Grapes at Neudorf Wines. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Neudorf Vineyards. © Montager Productions Ltd.

A red and a green plunger awaits some action in the Neudorf winery in New Zealand.

Winery plungers. © Montager Productions Ltd.

Staff busy at work in the Neudorf winery in New Zealand.

More info about the project or copyright of images is on the about page.

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You can also visit our alphabetical favourite wines page.

Marlborough, NEW ZEALAND

Churton

March 30, 2016 "Around The World in 80 Wines"

We visited Churton Wines in Malborough and took in some great views from where the team were harvesting. Sam and Mandy Weaver are the people behind Churton and set things up in 1997.

Our favourite wine we tasted here was the Sauvignon Blanc 2014.

View from the Churton vineyard in Marlborough.

You can buy our images here on the Alamy stock photo agency page.

More info on the film is at www.vintagesixteen.com

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You can also visit our favourite wines page.

Marlborough, NEW ZEALAND

Saint Clair

March 30, 2016 "Around The World in 80 Wines"

Saint Clair was on our original list of places to visit after we discovered a glass of Saint Clair Sauvignon Blanc wine in a wine cafe in London quite a few moons ago. We spent the morning with family member and Marketing Manager, Julie Ibbotson, who did an interview with us and talked about some of the history of Saint Clair.

We loved the cellar door concept as some tables were placed inside the actual rows of a real vineyard which was actually being machine harvested as we filmed. We soon took advantage of the machine harvester being around and collected some great still and moving images for the project.

Our favourite wine from tasting here was the Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2015.