TOURISM IN MATAKANA VALLEY

This week the new Matakana Wine Country tourist map came out and it looks good. Our Valley is a late entry in NZ wine tourism but we are making up for lost time quickly. Very few visitors from abroad have even heard of Matakana Valley before they get to NZ. We are unique as we located in one of the most scenic areas of NZ with the coastal vistas and nice beaches. We are also only 45 minutes north of the big smoke -Auckland. Thus we are well suited for day or overnight visitors who want to sample some wine and the ambience of a Vineyard visit and our region. We only have 28 vineyards and NONE are corporately owned by the big guys. So, when you stop in to visit one of the Matakana Vineyards you are going to meet the owners, their children, or workers. That gives a really nice personal experience that one cannot find in other wine regions of NZ, Australia, or in Napa Valley in Calif. Our "state" is called Rodney District and we are in North Rodney by regional definition. This nice discussion below by Robin Ransom of Ransom Wines expresses it well.

We had a really big holiday weekend here over the NZ Labor Day. It is the traditional 3 day holiday of early summer--similar to Memorial day in the states. Matakana Village was all spiffed up with lots of visitors. I poured our new 06 wine that we just released here in NZ over three days and it was well received. It is called Back Paddock red as the good cab Franc grapes that make up the majority of the wine are from our back paddock on our orchard. The wine has been well received and is selling well. I worked out yesterday that you can buy a take away bottle of wine in 5 different places in Matakana. That is amazing as the village is really just a wide spot in the road. One can also buy lunch in 9 places here as well. That is truly amazing considering the size of the village.

Sandra and I will be going to Paupa New Guinea this next Fri for a 16 day cruise around the island. It should be fun and exotic for us. We signed up for the "optional dinner with the natives" I wonder why I they wanted to know my girth and weight? Oh well, I read that it is a "pot luck" dinner so it will be interesting I am sure.

So, there will be a delay in my postings until in mid Nov. when we return. By then our garden will be hopping I am sure.

More after PNG if we don't get roasted and eaten:):):):):)

Dr JIM- here is Robins thoughts on our local wine tourism.

“LOCAL MATTERS” CONTRIBUTION APRIL 2007 ISSUE

Wine Tourism – Bringing Visitors to North Rodney

North Rodney has experienced huge change in recent years. Some of this has been driven by the emergence of the wine industry, which has been partly responsible for bringing many more visitors to the district than ever before. Visitors come from far and wide: a survey undertaken at Ransom Wines during February this year indicated that one third of our visitors were from overseas.

We know there may be some ambivalence amongst residents about the desirability of tourists flooding the area, and this is understandable. But there is no doubting the contribution they make to the economic well-being of North Rodney.

Consider the impact of the wine industry on the local economy; a Matakana Winegrowers Inc. survey in mid-2006 indicated more than 100 full-time-equivalent jobs in the local wine industry. But in addition to employment opportunities, visitors who come to sample the local wines spend a good deal of money on other products and services - food, activities, accommodation etc.

So it is clear people are coming to the Matakana region because of the reputation of the wines – just as they visit Burgundy, Bordeaux, and the Barossa Valley to try the local wines. And when people visit those regions they are seeking a local experience – local stories and local wines. When you go to Burgundy you don’t expect to be offered wine from Bordeaux.

We are starting to see in Matakana some of the features of established wine regions around the world. For example we now have a fine wine centre in Matakana Village, “The Vintry”, where you can taste all the Matakana wines; Heron’s Flight performs an educational role with informal talks and a printed guide to the wine region, and many of the excellent local accommodation establishments are opting to provide local wines and regale their guests with local wine lore.

These are signs of a region starting to take pride in its unfolding wine heritage and to acknowledge the economic importance of its wine industry. Meantime, by the time you read this we will all be well into the wonderful but crazy annual event called vintage……

Robin Ransom

President, Matakana Winegrowers Inc.

robin@ransomwines.co.nz