Te Mania Estate Ltd
Pughs Rd RD1 Richmond, NELSON
Winemaker; Jane Cooper of Seifreid Estate
Introduction to Te Mania
Te Mania (the Plain) Estate is a family owned vinyard situated on the stoney, free draining Ranzau soils of the Waimea Plains, approximately 3km from Richmond. The home vineyard of some 4.5ha was established in 1990 and first came into production in 1992. Since that time the grapes have been supplied under contract to various local wineries including Seifried Estate, Neudorf wines, Pelorus wines and Glovers wines. Varieties for the initial plantings include Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Chardonnay although our new 4ha block, planted in 1994 and 1995 includes additional plantings of the above varieties as well as plantings of Pinot Noir, Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc.
In November1995 we will be releasing a Sauvignon Blanc and a medium/dry Riesling, with slightly less than 1,000 cases to be produced. In 1996 we expect to include a Chardonnay, with the red varieties to follow in 1998. Approximately half of this years production is being exported to the UK market.
Background
Jon and Cheryl Harrey, along with neighbours Richard and Lynda Pike, were the first to establish a contract grape growing operation on two adjoining 5.5ha blocks on the Waimea Plains. John (39) has a professional background in property valuation although resigned from his partnership in 1993 in order to manage the vineyard and develop other business interests including the establishment of the Te Mania wine label. Cheryl is responsible for local marketing and administration in addition to looking after their two young children aged 6 and 9.
The current focus of our operation is the expansion of our vineyard plantings and the establishment of a local market for our wines.
Our aim is to produce wines of regional character which exhibit the intense fruit flavours attainable under Nelson's ideal climate of high sunshine hours and cool autumn nights.
Te Mania estate vineyard was recently awarded the 1995 (inaugural) Rhone-Poulenc trophy for best wine of the show in the Bragato wine competition run by the New Zealand Grapegrowers Association at it's annual conference in Blenheim. This award, which is to be made on an annual basis, is intended to give acknowledgement to the grower whose grapes have gone into the award winning wine (in this case a Glovers Late Harvest Reisling).
We have recently purchased, in partnership with another vineyard owner, a property which we hope to develop for future tastings and sales.
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