Setting
Located down a long driveway and just 3km from the main street of Masterton, Lansdowne is possibly the closest vineyard to a main town in this part of the world. Early settler William Beetham, who grew syrah and pinot in the late 1800s, once owned the land but the vines were destroyed during prohibition. Lansdowne lay between the Beetham homestead and the Ruamahanga River, which is where Derek and Margaret Hagar planted vines in the early 2000s. The discovery of an early bell-shaped pump in the soil confirmed Derek’s suspicions that his new vineyard was on the same site as the old.

Things To Know
Visitors are welcome to bring a picnic, and in summer bring swimsuits because you can access the Ruamahanga River from the vineyard. It’s a lovely spot for a dip on sunny day.

Our Picks
The pinot gris is dry and textural, the pinot noir is elegant and, for a spicy sensation, try the single-vineyard syrah.

Plus
It is a real menagerie here, with pukekos, ducks, plovers, quail, magpies, hares and rabbits running around – Plus there are dorper sheep and a couple of horses employed to keep the grass down.