Wellington's Urban Winery Is Preparing to Launch Its First Two Wines

Te Aro Wine, Wellington's first and only dedicated urban winery, is gearing up to open its cellar door in the heart of the city. Ahead of the official opening in November the public were given a sneaky taste last week as the winery released its first two wines at Mean Doses Brewery — just around the corner from where it was made at the Ebor Street winery.

Te Aro Wine was established by Robin Groves and Jules van Costello with a mission of creating "fun wine, not fine wine". Working with vineyards in Hawkes Bay and Martinborough, Te Aro Wine has created a range of wines from the 2018 vintage including sauvignon blanc, sparkling, pinot noir and rosé. The two wines being released at this Friday's launch are Fruit Bomb of Truthiness, a super fruity Hawkes Bay sauvignon blanc, and Toil and Trouble, a Hawkes Bay-grown pet-nat.

As well as wine made in central Wellington, Te Aro Wine will also sell varietals produced by like-minded producers and host regular wine tastings and other events.

Wine director Jules van Costello says it's vital for wine lovers to get a taste of how wine is really made. "Urban wineries allow people to get their hands dirty. It allows them to see and feel how wine is made, removed from the bucolic imagery of rows of vineyards and small rural wine towns."

Te Aro Wine's cellar door is scheduled to open in November. For more information, visit tearowine.co.nz.