But even myself and my equally-experienced friend Whitney were shocked to our grape-soaked core at North Canterbury, the little wine region that could. Formerly known as the Waipara wine region, the area has had something of a rebranding of late and the 90+ mostly independently-owned vineyards (please forgive this wildly overused Kiwi-isim) punch well above their weight. So off we toddled to check it out for ourselves, and after a 45-minute drive north from Christchurch to a vineyard that offers not only an impressive selection of wine, but a hidden gem of an accommodation experience that soared past all expectations.
Greystone Wines is one of those wineries you never want to leave. Sitting in the comfy courtyard as we wait for our wine tasting, we’re thinking of all the parties you’d want to throw on the deck and all the excuses you could come up with for all the toasts.