In the mid-90s, Stephanie Henderson-Grant and her husband Andrew Grant purchased a property on Church Road in Waipara, nestled between traditional pastoral and cropping farms, adjoining vineyards and the Waipara Domain.
The first couple of vintages of Ataahua Wine were made at a neighbouring winery; then in 2010, the couple converted their barn/storage shed into a mini winery and filled it with a collection of secondhand winemaking equipment they hand found for sale.
Ataahua Wine’s mission is to sustainably produce delicious wines that express the beauty of the vineyard, the valley and the land from which they grow.
Like many small businesses, the team is made up of the Henderson-Grant family, with help enlisted from wonderful and experienced local contractors at various times of the year, such as for pruning, bird netting, and harvesting.
Up until January this year the family lived and worked in the beautiful little vineyard in the midst of the Waipara Valley, on Church Road, just behind the site of the North Canterbury Wine & Food Festival.
The new property is twelve hectares with eight hectares close-planted in vines. The varietals include Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay and Riesling. The 2020 vintage will be the last wines produced from the Church Road vineyard.
Henderson-Grant’s philosophy when it comes to winemaking is to try not to interfere too much, to let the wines be expressive of the season, the soil and the varietal.
Currently, Ataahua is offering free freight, plus you can enter the promo code STYLE20 to receive a 20% discount and free entry into Ataahua Wine’s VIP club.
Order your Ataahua Wine now at ataahuawine.co.nz
