Riwaka River Estate — Attraction in South Island

On our travels we've covered lots of Nelson and Malborough wineries however the appeal of something more boutique and considered saw us head to Riwaka River Estate on our way to The Resurgence - which River Estates wines are suitably named after. Welcomed at the small cellar door by the informative owner, and wine science entrepreneur, we were immediately captivated by his comprehensive coverage of not only the wines we were tasting, but the vines and lifecycle of the three varietals growing on the estate.

The wines themselves were clever, complex and would rival many in the region, if not NZ. Looking forward to adding to our collection and returning next year while on holiday in Kateri. Don't miss Riwaka...

We spontaneously stopped by after spending time in Golden Bay. We enjoyed all of the wines poured. I specifically enjoyed their solving Leblanc and my wife enjoyed their Chardonnay as a favorite. I cannot complain as we left with the Chardonnay, which is excellent. What I loved more than anything else was the passion and the knowledge that Paul the owner had about his wines. Paul is a true artisan This place is word-of-mouth only as the amount of wine produced is extremely limited. I can assure you that any and every bottle that you purchase will be a true joy.

Thanks again, Paul for your time and I assure you that the next time we come to Golden Bay, we will stop and spend a lot more time...

Be sure to stop by and show your support for a family owned Estate. The vineyard caught our eye while coming down from the Abel Tasman. The family estate is just wonderful and the wines show that each step in the process is taken with care. We tasted the Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir. Each maintaining beautiful quality, aged like a true fine wine. The estate itself was welcoming as well as the owner. Good priced wines...