Man O' War "Ironclad" Waiheke Island 2008
Located at the eastern end of Waiheke Island, in New Zealand’s Hauraki Gulf, Man O’ War boasts a pristine and beautiful (4500 acre) spread of coastal hillsides with high cliffs and stunning beaches. This rugged and beautiful coastline was “Discovered” in 1769 by Captain James Cook, and today’s owners take responsibility for maintaining its beauty and integrity for future generations. Under the family’s stewardship for almost 30 years they first introduced grapes to Man O’ War in 1993, firm in the belief that world class wines could be produced from this region. Since then they have carefully selected and developed almost 90 individual pockets of Man O’ War’s hillsides for wine growing, each chosen for the unique and exceptional qualities they bring to their wines.
Today 150 acres of vines are strategically placed around Man O’ War’s 4500 acres, enhancing its intrinsic beauty. Meticulous design ensures that the distinct soil profile and microclimate of each block is used to best advantage with different rootstocks, clones and planting densities selected to match the specific terroir. At Man O’ War an exceptional and passionate team of people come together to bring you unique world class wines that reflect the distinctive treasure of land from which they come. The winemaking team possesses broad and extensive experience and they pride themselves on fusing classic Old World techniques with innovative New World ideas.
Man O’ War wines are presented in two collections that represent their hallmark elegance, balance and texture. The Flagship - Black Label Range of Gravestone Sauvignon Semillon, Valhalla Chardonnay, Dreadnought Syrah and Ironclad Bordeaux Blend convey layers of complexity, structure and aging potential. Each were lovingly named to reflect their history and exceptional sense of place. While the Man O' War - White Label range expresses varietal character and fruit vibrancy in a classical style.