At the southern gateway to the Alpine Pacific Triangle is one of New Zealand’s most rapidly expanding wine areas. A pleasant 45 minute drive from Christchurch, Waipara’s wineries are currently producing in excess of 200,000 cases of wine in an average year.
The combination of hot summer temperatures, well drained soils and protection from cool winds, favours full ripeness in both red and white grapes. Pinot Noir, Riesling, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc dominate but other varieties are also grown. Many wineries are open to the public and several winery restaurants feature local cuisine.
The fascinating diversity of local terroir not only contributes to an abundance of award-winning wines but is also ideal for olive farms, nut farms, lavender and flower growing.
The region’s producers come together on the last Sunday each March at the Waipara Wine and Food Celebration in the historic Glenmark Church grounds, providing an opportunity to savour a selection of local wines and foods.
Click here for the current timetable of the Weka Pass Railway.
Click here for a PDF map of Waipara
MudHouse Winery & Cafe - Sunday 07 December 2008
"A Day on the Green" featuring John Mellencamp with special guests Sheryl Crow and Gin Wigmore.
Please take a moment to read through our recent feature travel articles -
 | Waipara Wine and Food Celebration Adobe Acrobat Document: 24.4 KB, 4 seconds @ 56kbps |
| A Taste of the Waipara Valley Adobe Acrobat Document: 28.6 KB, 4 seconds @ 56kbps |
