Wine
Man O' War is a very special piece of coastal New Zealand farmland, located at the far eastern end of Waiheke Island in the Hauraki Gulf. It includes the boulder strewn hills of Stony Batter and is unique for both its unparalled beauty and its diversity of purpose. Set amongst this spectacular landscape Man O' War comprises a patchwork of tiny vineyards specifically placed to capture the unique range of microclimates and soil types available.
With the ambition to grow world class wines of elegance and power suffused with a unique sense of place, the Spencer family planted the first vines at Man O' War farm in 1993. Today, 106 individual vineyards spread over 4000 acres are bravely perched on exceedingly steep free-draining clay hillsides and volcanic hilltops.
Each vineyard site has been selected for its unique terroir and ability to produce intense and exotic flavours. With an incredible range of soil types and micro-climates, this is undoubtedly one of the most ambitious and exciting wine growing projects in the world.
Captain Cook named Man O' War Bay after dropping anchor there in the 1769 voyage. He observed that the kauri growing there would make ideal masts for the Man O' War wooden battleships which formed the backbone of British naval supremacy. Timber from Man O' War Bay is rumoured to have been used as masts for Nelson's fleet in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
