Discover the Dolce Vita, Matakana style, New Zealand - World Wine Tourism

After Brick Bay , let's explore Heron's Flight. It's been over a quarter of a century since Mary Evans and David Hoskins established the first vineyard in the Matakana region: Heron's Flight. Initially planted with French grape varieties, they were later replaced with Italian ones, a rarity in New Zealand. Let's discover the dolce vita that has taken root just a few kilometers from Italian soil!

Heron's Flight: the first vineyard in the Matakana region of New Zealand

Fresh off the boat from Auckland in the late 80s, David, a philosopher-chemist from Philadelphia, and Mary, his wife, a professor, arrived in Matakana with a desire to get back to nature… and red wine! They started by planting Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay vines, but quickly fell in love with Italian wines.

The Dolce Vita is underway; the Sangiovese vines (literally, the Blood of Jupiter) were planted in 1994. They gradually replaced their existing vineyards with this grape variety, later complemented by Dolcetto. Stefano Guidi, a Florentine winemaker, has been involved with the wines at Heron's Flight since 2015. Its small size, family atmosphere, and the passion that permeates the vineyard immediately reminded him of Tuscan estates.

Their philosophy: to make the best wine possible and to offer a connection with the land and the people of the land.

Sangiovese & Dolcetto: Italian grape varieties in New Zealand

At Heron's Flight, you'll find organic wines, but no label, just convictions and a desire to preserve a healthy environment. Without treatment, the vines send their roots deep into the soil, making them more robust and resistant to harsh weather conditions.

Heron's Flight produces approximately 1500 cases per year , divided into six wines: four reds, one rosé and the brand new vintage: a sweet Sangiovese wine.

To make this latest premium wine, Stefano built a homemade drying shed where the best grape bunches are placed on a rack. They dry for six months before being pressed with a very old hand press. The few drops collected will yield barely more than 100 bottles!

Another unique feature is that Stephano brought a 500-liter amphora back with him from Florence. The grapes are selected, pressed, and left to rest for six months in the amphora. No barrel aging, resulting in tannins and flavors that are 100% grape-based.

This ancestral method is a success, so much so that Stefano had a new, smaller amphora built, the amphorina as he affectionately calls it.

The marriage between Italian grapes and New Zealand soil is original and successful!

Wine Zealand Project (for Les Grappes )