On June 30 the doors of the Vidal Estate winery and restaurant in Hastings closed for the last time.
It was a historical moment for the winery established by pioneer Anthony Vidal in 1905, but the future of Vidal Estate looks bright with the relocation to a new state-of-the-art winery located in the Gimblett Gravels, Hawke's Bay.
To make great wine, the closer to the vineyards the better, said Hugh Crichton, winemaker at Vidal Estate. "It was an exciting time to move our winemaking base out to the Gimblett Gravels for vintage 2018. While it has been immensely satisfying to ferment and age our wines in the historic cellars in Hastings, there's no denying there were challenges. Being closer to our vineyards and working within a winery designed for quality will without a doubt further push us into the premium market."
Not for the first time, Sir George Fistonich has revitalised the Vidal Estate brand to ensure it has a sustainable future and remains one of the country's best premium wine producers. Sir George first purchased the winery in 1976 and made history three years later when New Zealand's first winery restaurant - Vidal Estate Winery Restaurant - opened at the original site. It was a milestone that shaped New Zealand's dining landscape.
"It was a difficult decision to sell the property as Vidal was not only our first restaurant, but it was the first winery restaurant in New Zealand, so it holds a lot of historical relevance. With the challenges of being nestled in a residential area we had outgrown the facility," said Sir George.
