Man O' War Vineyards

"Located about a 30-minute drive from the ferry terminal on Waiheke island's far eastern coast, Man O' War is the most remote of Waiheke's 23 vineyards—which means it's off the path of the hop-on, hop-off wine tasting buses that traverse the island's hills each weekend. The ride to the vineyard, curving along picturesque bays and through vine plot-covered hills, is bumpy, dusty, and slow. In a more developed area, the ride could take just a handful of minutes, but at 10 mph or so, it's the definition of "taking the scenic route." Man O' War Vineyards' casual tasting room lets you enjoy Waiheke's natural beauty. Unlike most tasting rooms in the area, where vineyards are adjacent to the tasting rooms—or at least within view—Man O' War's 150 acres of grapes are scattered over 76 individual blocks across the island, each with their own terroir. That allows winemaker Duncan Mctavish to concoct unique blends, like the Gravestone white, 25 percent semillon and 75 percent sauvignon blanc, and the Pinque Rose, made with 30 percent syrah, 34 percent malbec, and 36 percent merlot all culled from vines along the nearby Cactus Bay. You can order a flight if you want, or take a few tasting sips a la carte to figure out which full glass to settle on. There's even a pretty good in-house lager for the wine-averse. Man O' War is the only beachfront tasting room on Waiheke, with a quiet, white sandy beach just past the rows of picnic tables to keep kids (and bathing suit-toting adults) entertained in the cool waters. Wandering around barefoot as Kiwis do, glass of wine in one hand, cheese plate in the other, looking out onto the nearly still water with the Coromandel Peninsula in the distance, the stop at Man O' War was one of the most idyllic parts of our trip. Erin's intel, as usual, was right. Which makes me think part of Man O' War's charm is feeling like you've stumbled upon this unknown, otherworldly place. As if its location—which feels quite literally like another planet—is only revealed through those who've been let in on this wonderful secret."