Obsidian Vineyard

About Winery and Wines

Obsidian Vineyard nestles in the coastal hills of the Onetangi Valley adjacent to the northern coast of Waiheke Island. Here, small batches of wine are grown on four discrete hillsides set out in an amphitheatre-like fashion. The sheltered vines enjoy high levels of heat summation, tempered by the maritime breeze. The mineralized clay soil is rich in iron and manganese oxides, and overlays ancient weathered rock. These conditions perfectly suit the noble red and white grapes originating from the Mediterranean countries. The vineyard was originally planted in 1993 with the single objective of producing a great Bordeaux-style red. Since then the 10-hectare of planted vines, with its four distinctive blocks, has seen many changes with new varieties planted and although producing a stylish Bordeaux-style red remains a significant focus at Obsidian, other new and innovative grape varieties have been introduced.

The island has ideal conditions for cool climate winemaking, with its warm summers, lean soils, and lengthy, mild autumns. The soils are predominantly clay, rich in iron and manganese oxides, and overlays ancient weathered rock. Wind and soil create a low vigour growing environment where grape vines struggle and produce small but concentrated yields of ripe fruit with intense flavours. The surrounding warm sea currents boost the temperature of the island by up to 2 degrees centigrade, while the afternoon sea breezes reduce the effects of excessive heat buildup, giving Waiheke Island one of the world's lowest diurnal temperature ranges for growing winegrapes. Waiheke's warm days (up to 32 degrees C) and mild nights maintain the amount and duration of temperature required to respire away both malic acid and methoxypyrazine. The island also has a few other features that help give Obsidian's wines an individual stamp. The steep slopes on which our vines are planted concentrate the heat of the sun, maximise ripeness and promote drainage.