Overview
First it was coffee and beer. Now Wellington is taking on wine with the opening of its first dedicated urban winery.
Te Aro Wine, located on Ebor Street, is the brainchild of winemakers Robin Groves and Jules van Costello. Inspired by a global trend of wineries in urban settings, the two wine enthusiasts have set out to introduce Wellingtonians to winemaking without the usual postcard-perfect, rural vistas that wineries are known for. It's wine, sans vines.
The result is a nifty little winery and cellar door in downtown Wellington, offering locals the chance to get up close and personal with wines made right in the heart of their city.
With nary a vine in sight, curious customers have enquired where the grapes are grown (hint: it's not on their roof). In fact, the Te Aro Wine team have handpicked a bunch of growers from Martinborough, Hawkes Bay and Nelson to supply their grapes.
While they may have traded in the terroir for a concrete terrace, the winemakers still want to offer a relaxed and immersive wine experience that wine lovers expect, with their own Wellington twist.
Sporting a tongue-in-cheek motto, "we make fun wine, not fine wine," Te Aro Wine doesn't want its wine to be too serious. Instead, winemaker Jules' mission is to produce drops that are accessible, uncomplicated and easy drinking.
The first two releases from the winery are that to a tee. Toil and Trouble, a crispy Hawkes Bay pet nat, and Fruit Bomb of Truthiness, a super fruity sauv, have barrels of personality and are the fun kind of tipples you'd enjoy during a summer session.
Over the coming weeks Te Aro Wine is set to release its own rosé and have plans to add some pinots to their range. As an extension to their own creations, they've also partnered with some like-minded producers to offer a range called 'Tastes Like', which includes a 2016 Martinborough Sauvignon Blanc and a 2017 Hawkes Bay Syrah.
You can drop by the cellar door from Thursday to Saturday for a free tasting, or if you fancy a more substantial sampler, try a wine flight (three wines for $10 or five wines for $15) with some tasty nibbles on the side. The perfect way to wine down this summer.
Find Te Aro Wine at 8 Ebor Street, Te Aro.