Moon plants stars soil trees microbes fungi mammals bees, we all are, URLAR.
As spring arrives and the vineyard awakens, we celebrate new life and the promise of the season.
This is represented in the woodcut above, created by New Zealand artist Catherine Sleyer. Catherine drew inspiration from the words above, an excerpt from the poem subtly featured on all our bottles. It embodies the idea that, through all seasons, we all are URLAR.
Cellar Door
We’ve had a fantastic response to the opening of our Cellar Door. Every weekend, we welcome locals and visitors alike to share the URLAR story. It’s so special to connect with all our valued supporters in-person and share our beautiful wines! Thank you to everyone who has visited so far.
As we move into the warmer months, we have plenty to be excited about!
True to our values, we manage our vineyard in harmony with the seasons, and the same goes for our Cellar Door menu. We’re thrilled to present our 2024 Spring Menu. Marilyn, Susie, and the kitchen team have worked hard to craft a menu that showcases the best of our seasonal ingredients, while still including all your favorites. Check it out online or pop into the Cellar Door this weekend to try the new menu.
We’re looking forward to hosting you for a range of events, including Christmas functions, Sunday Sessions, and special events for Taste Wairarapa. Read more about our upcoming events below.
Following Labour Weekend, we will transition to our summer hours. We will still be open Friday through Sunday but with extended hours from 11 am - 5 pm.
If you haven’t visited our Cellar Door yet, this weekend is the perfect opportunity. We look forward to hosting you!
Walk-ins are welcome, but bookings are recommended
The Winery
The URLAR team has some bittersweet news to share. Our esteemed winemaker, Jannine, has been an integral part of our team for over seven years, bringing dedication and passion to our business. However, she has now decided to embark on a new journey. While we will all miss Jannine’s presence, we wish her the very best for the exciting opportunities ahead and want to take this opportunity to express our deep appreciation for her contributions to URLAR’s success. As you know, we’ll have some wonderful wines to remember her by. All the best in your future endeavors, Jannine!
On that note, the URLAR team is thrilled to announce that, after a thorough recruitment process, we have found the perfect addition to our family to fill Jannine’s shoes.
Please join us in warmly welcoming our new Winemaker, Aaron Zuccaro!
Aaron is currently the winemaker at Marlborough Vintners, where he oversees the Ant Moore range of wines. We are incredibly fortunate to have him bring his extensive experience and passion to our team.
Aaron will be relocating from Blenheim to Wairarapa with his family—Bec, Luca, Pia, and Olive—and he’s set to join us on November 4th. We are all very excited to see the incredible contributions he will bring to URLAR’s future!
Let’s give Aaron a warm welcome and get ready for this exciting new chapter for URLAR!
The Vineyard
There’s magic happening here at URLAR at the moment. ✨
We’re watching life unfold before our eyes. Lambs dot the paddocks as we drive to the vineyard, and birdlife is learning to swim on our lake. But for our vines, it’s time for bud break.
The delicate new buds breaking through signal the start of the new vintage.
Pictured above is our Chardonnay buds breaking—the first variety to emerge. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be watching as the other varieties follow.
Over winter, the vines go dormant. It’s too cold, and there aren’t enough daylight hours for growth. But as the weather warms and the days grow longer, our vines have decided it’s time to start growing again.
It’s still early days for this season. While the days are warm, the nights remain cold. Our team will be keeping a close eye on the vineyard’s temperatures and will take various measures over the coming weeks to protect our buds from frost and the chilly spring weather.
