Stonyridge Vineyard

Each year, immediately following the School of Coaching, the 'presentation team'/tutors give ourselves a present of staying at our favorite downltown hotel, The Heritage. We get double upgrades so we each end up in huge suites with separate lounges, dining and kitchen areas and, after 10 days staying in a girl's school in stupidly small, hard, narrow beds we deserve the pampering.

This year we'd booked return flights to Wellington for late afternoon so we had the Monday to chill out. Sleep in, late breakfast and then a 30 minute ferry ride to Waiheke Island for lunch; what a great idea. When we landed we piled onto the island bus and set off for somewhere, anywhere because we had no idea. However, as we are trundling along I look at the tourist map from the ferry and think we may go close to Stonyridge Vineyard. I'd been there with Hammy before the 2006 Commonwealth Games and tasted their starship wine, Larose. As you can see, its billed as one of the top 100 wines in the world and, indeed, it is very good.

One of the other bus passengers overheard our chaotic mumblings and told us she would put us off at the gate to Stonyridge; excellent.

The walk from the gate to the vineyard is quite long and dusty but its also interesting with a lovely three-level, tiered lake which would make a totally suitable model for Rancho Relaxo (argghh!!). At the top of the driveway you are met by a lovely 'old' building (nothing's really old here). The restaurant is on the other side of the building and overlooks a beautiful valley filled with vines and horsy-type things.

Larose wasn't on offer for the tastings which was a disapointment but there's always a silver lining. This silver lining was a deep purply, maroony colour; Fallen Angel Mourvedre 2005 Barossa Valley. Definitely some wonderful things going on in that wine.


The restaurant was filled with local taxi drivers having their annual outing so the real menu was 'off'. However, we persuaded the waiter to go find some bread and dips and we feasted well.