Woodside Hill
Waiheke Island
Facts.
First Vintage: 2010
Scale: 1 hectare
Range: Merlot/Cabernet Franc, Merlot/Cabernet Franc Reserve Blend, Fortified Viognier, Rosé
Cellar Door: Yes! Make sure you add it to your Waiheke day trip itinerary
Look out for… Their extremely limited amount of Fortified Viognier!
About
If you’re looking for one of New Zealand’s smallest wineries, you’ve come to the right place. Woodside Hill is a one hectare vineyard on Waiheke Island, surrounded by native bush from the Whakanewha Regional Park.
Although tiny, Woodside Hill is fierce, with the vineyard sloping mostly on a 20 degree angle. Trying to scale the slope to prune the vines and harvest grapes is no easy task but owners David and Helen seem to get it done just fine. Woodside Hill produces Merlot, Cabernet Franc, a little bit of Petit Verdot, and a very little bit of Viognier, totalling a vine count of just 3,309. David is a passionate winemaker and crafts the wine himself in a little winery he’s built on site. All Woodside Hill wines are handpicked, handcrafted and a true representation of the great wine that Waiheke has to offer.
Woodside Hills wines are an absolute treat and if you get your hands on some you should savour every drop. A great example of their size is their beautiful Fortified Viognier – up to 100 bottles are made each year. Rare wines made by hand with love – now this is boutique.
