Winery gutted by fire

A winery was gutted by fire early today with the loss of the vineyard's entire 2005 vintage.

Firefighters arrived to find the building at Claddagh Vineyard in Martinborough already collapsing in flames.

Nothing could be saved and the remainder of the 2004 vintage was lost as well.

"We've put our heart and soul into creating this, but the important things like the kids, the house, ponies and dogs are all fine," vineyard owner Suzann Pearless said.

The winery was a pre-World War 2 woolshed moved from a farm across the road in 1998.

Fire Service investigators have not yet been able to establish the cause of the blaze.

- NZPA