Omaha Bay Vineyard (OBV) - Matakana, Auckland, New Zealand
December 2012
Few views have taken my breath away quite like this one.
The view across to Omaha and out to the stunning conservation preserve of Little Barrier Island
Sun, sand and a great view.
Though three things could well sum up the Omaha area.
The Omaha Bay Vineyard sits upon high above the low-lying beach town where it has stunning views in all directions.
The Cellar Door at Omaha is just a small part of the whole, with a simple lean-to and typically just a couple of wines to try depending on the day.
The restaurant was busy that day so we waited a little while, but we didn't mind enjoying the view for a spell.
We were eventually attended to by a man who had been rushing around the restaurant, I almost felt bad bothering him to ask for a tasting.
Despite the frosty attitude the wines we tasted were simply excellent.
The building itself is designed like a tiny mission complete with bell.
Another small production winery, OBV is one of the few places in New Zealand you can find a nice planting of one of my favourite Italian varieties: Montepulciano.
This warm-pocket by the eastern coast seems to suit the variety well as this example was one of the finest I have tasted in recent memory and was definitely the highlight of the tasting.
Another unique little wine was OBV's Flora.
Flora is a variety created by crossing Semillon and Gewürztraminer.
The result is exactly as the name might suggest; incredibly aromatic, and very well suited to being a dessert wine.
Our experience at OBV was a short one, but it was worth it for the Montepulciano and the view.
Make sure you pop down to the beach afterwards. White sand and a fair bit of surf.