A major new wine-making project will put Northland on the map as a wine region, TV presenter and wine expert Yvonne Lorkin says.
Lorkin, who also writes the Advocate's wine column, has been in the Bay of Islands filming an episode of Thirsty Work, a wine series broadcast on FoodTV (Sky channel 9).
Filming focused on The Landing, a new wine estate on the Purerua Peninsula in the northern Bay of Islands.
Owned by Kaitaia-born multi-millionaire Peter Cooper, the vineyard started seven years ago with a 2ha trial of chardonnay and syrah, varieties suited to Northland's climate. New plantings will expand the area in grapes to 10ha by the end of the year.
All going well The Landing will eventually produce about 6000 cases of wine a year. Northland's current production is just 12,000 cases.