Matakana Wines, New Zealand: Wine Tourism

After Brick Bay, let’s explore Heron’s Flight. It has been more than a quarter of a century since Mary Evans and David Hoskins established the first vineyard in the Matakana region: Heron’s Flight.

Heron’s Flight: the first winery in New Zealand’s Matakana region

Fresh off the boat from Auckland in the late 1980s, David, a chemist and philosopher from Philadelphia, and his wife Mary, a teacher, arrived in Matakana with a desire to go green… and red! They started by planting Cabernet, Merlot, and Chardonnay vines, but quickly fell in love with Italian wines.

La Dolce Vita is on its way; the Sangiovese vines (literally “Blood of Jupiter”) were planted in 1994. They are gradually replacing their existing vines with this variety, later supplemented by Dolcetto. Stefano Guidi, a Florentine winemaker, has been overseeing the winemaking at Heron’s Flight since 2015. Given its small size, its family-run nature, and the passion it exudes, the vineyard immediately reminded him of Tuscan estates.

Their philosophy: to make the best wine possible and to share it with the land and the people who live there.

Sangiovese & Dolcetto: Italian grape varieties in New Zealand

At Heron’s Flight, you’ll find organic wines, but no certification—just a commitment to preserving a healthy environment. Without the use of chemicals, the vines send their roots deep into the soil, making them stronger and more resilient to changing weather conditions.

Heron’s Flight produces approximately 1,500 cases per year, comprising six wines: four reds, one rosé, and the brand-new addition to the lineup—a sweet Sangiovese.

To make this final premium wine, Stefano built a homemade drying rack, where the best grapes are placed. They dry for six months before being pressed using a very old manual press. The few drops of juice obtained will yield just over 100 bottles!

Another unique feature is that Stephano brought a 500-liter amphora back in his luggage from Florence. The grapes are selected, pressed, and left to age for six months in the amphora. There is no aging in barrels, resulting in tannins and flavors that are 100% grape-derived.

This traditional method has been such a success that Stefano had a new, smaller amphora built—the “amphorina,” as he affectionately calls it.

The combination of Italian grapes and New Zealand soil is both unique and successful!