Georges Road Wines

If you like great wine, stunning scenery and a quick escape from the city head to Georges Road Wines in Waipara, North Canterbury. This small estate makes authentic and naturally produced wines that aim to represent the uniqueness of each vineyard season in every bottle. Georges Road is a great example of what makes our backyard wine-growing region so unique.

Head winemaker and owner, Kirk Bray, takes an intentional, small-scale approach and is genuinely involved in every step of the process. It’s not unusual to find him bottling wines or riding around the property on a tractor taking care of all the little things that go into a great pour.

After getting his winemaking degree from Lincoln University, Kirk worked in wine around the world in places like Germany and California. In the early 2000s, he and his family started the vineyard from scratch and have been travelling onwards and upwards with award-winning wines ever since. The grape-to-glass experience they have created is one you simply need to try for yourself.

Turn off State Highway 1 onto, you guessed it, Georges Road and you’ll quickly be surrounded by world-class rows. Head straight to the tasting room to sip and learn. It’s not often that the ultimate translator and winemaker leads tastings, but here Kirk will guide you through the different glasses himself. The barrel area is also open to visitors and is available for event hire. Keep an eye out for food offerings in the future.

If you enjoy the Syrah, as many do, you’ll find two whole hectares of those grapes outside amongst other varieties. Leave plenty of time to enjoy this beautiful piece of land, too, which offers sweeping views of the limestone hills that make these wines possible.

Plenty of Cantabrians love a big day out at the Waipara wineries, so why not plan an entire day or weekend around your visit to Georges Road Wines? Their food offering is a playful take on a pack-your-own picnic situation with their 'Craft your Own' antipasto magnum boxes. The idea is you can choose as little or as much as you wish. There’s a variety of locally sourced produce, local cheeses, charcuterie, pickles, chutneys, crackers, olives, dips, paté, gherkins and the list goes on! There are iceblocks and Juicies for the kids, alongside non-alcoholic options plus local Brew Moon beers. You can also buy wine by the glass to enjoy at the winery, or bottles/cases for takeaway. They have thought of everything at Georges Road

They have thought of everything at Georges Road, and that includes their one-of-a-kind Wine Pod that’s on-site so you can even spend the night. An expertly designed tiny house, the Wine Pod is a haven for anyone who wants to get away. Furnished with plush linens, big windows and an outdoor, cedar spa bath the pod is tucked away into the landscape for complete privacy.

So no matter if you’re just calling in for an hour or two for a tasting or spending a few days on-site, enjoy a welcoming and lively experience at this family-run winery.