Cuisine Wine

Te Motu Vineyard

Setting
Boutique, unpretentious and surrounded by gentle rolling hills, this is another charming, typically character-fuelled Waiheke producer. There are plenty of outdoor casual tables among the vines or slip inside and experience the low-key industrial- style architecture with views through to the kitchen.

Things To Know
Established in 1988, Te Motu is one of the oldest wineries on the island, and has a correspondingly prime valley position. New Zealand Master of Wine Sam Harrop joined the winery in 2013 as a consultant and co-investor, which bodes well for Te Motu’s continued success. The wines include a lovely array of rich Bordeaux styles; the secondary Dunleavy label wines are also well made. You can enjoy light bites with your tasting in the summer.

Our Picks
Look out for the classic Te Motu cabernet sauvignon-dominant wine, only produced in great vintages, as well as the Kokoro – a merlot-dominant fruit-forward red that’s drinking beautifully now.

The Shed At Te Motu
Te Motu’s restaurant has really hit its straps in recent years, garnering numerous well-deserved accolades thanks to creative head chef Canadian Bronwen Laight. Her brief is to craft menus that complement the hand-crafted complexity of Te Motu wines, and she’s clearly succeeding. It’s a short but smart menu that changes regularly with the seasons, plus offers daily specials. Think spiced edamame bean fritters with a pumpkin and apricot pilaf, or fried king prawns with radish, sumac, sorrel, onion and aioli. Service is friendly yet professional, while the atmosphere is pleasingly relaxed, giving you the sense of dining in the midst of a working vineyard and winery.
Hours Weds-Sun lunch; Fri-Sat dinner (reservations recommended)