With vines that date back to 1933, ‘Esk Valley’ is a Hawke’s Bay winery that acts as a colourful gateway into the past of New Zealand. Originally the site of the Glenvale winery were planted in the ‘Esk Valley’ area after an earthquake changed the course of the Esk River two years prior. While Glenvale was a prominent winery at the time, the 80’s saw price wars where sadly Glenvale could not withstand the hit. Lucky for us, the great Sir George Fistonich of ‘Villa Maria Estates’ took interest in the small winery’s unique location and facilities and saw the potential for another great winery to take its place. He purchased the property in 1987 and from there ‘Esk Valley’ was born.

Esk Valley Today

Flash forward 30 years and ‘Esk Valley’ is currently operating as an independent boutique winery with its own vineyards, team and provisions. The incredible original concrete vats from Glenvale are still being used to make some of their wines today.

Esk Valley Wines

‘Esk Valley’ wines are internationally recognised and win awards for its unique style. Their simple, honest and hands-on approach has garnered them recognition all over New Zealand as well as a fair amount of international acclaim.

What Makes Them Different

What truly makes ‘Esk Valley’ a winery to marvel is that each bottle in its collection holds a memory, a stamp of its people and environment that helped bring it to fruition. Each has its own story to tell and adds to their reputation.

The wine portfolio is a fairly significant one boasting over 12 varietals including the classics: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir as well as a number of others. Our favourites we think you can’t miss are their ‘Verdelho’ - a zesty, character driven wine with peach and mandarin at its core. The Rosé is dry in style while still boasting strawberries and cream notes. ‘The Gimblett Gravels Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec’ blend is a dark berry forest storm.

To find out more about the entire collection of Esk Valley wines, you can visit their website here.