DRINK:
Maui may evoke images of mai tais and pineapples, but its lush slopes hold vineyards of syrah, malbec and viognier grapes, too.
Maui may conjure images of mai tais and pineapples, but there are vineyards of syrah and malbec in the Upcountry. And while you can certainly taste pineapple wine at MauiWine, the 40-yearold winery on the Ulupalakua ranch, you can also enjoy rosé and syrah — and some spectacular views.
This is storied land, rich in tales of King Kamehameha III, sugar mills, bronco busters, and a long and lavish history of hospitality. When C. Pardee Erdman bought the 58,000-acre cattle ranch in the 1960s, he brought in sheep and elk — and Emil Tedeschi, of the Napa Tedeschi family, to create Maui’s first vineyard and winery, which opened in 1974. And that whole pineapple wine thing? That was an accident.
The staff had been setting up its sparkling wine production line. They needed to practice on something — and pineapples were plentiful. They never intended to sell their sparkling pineapple wine. But when Maui Blanc took off in 1977, the winery brought in legendary winemaker Andre Tchelistcheff to refine their pineapple wine production.
Today, the former Tedeschi Vineyards is known as MauiWine — it rebranded in 2015. The vineyards are planted with syrah, malbec, grenache, viognier and other grapes, and the winery launched its Ulupalakua Vineyards estate label in 2014. Maui Blanc pineapple wine ($14) is still MauiWine’s best-selling product. Clearly, it’s popular. (We consider it an acquired taste, one we have yet to acquire.) We prefer the estate-grown 2015 rosé ($30), a bright, refreshing wine with a gorgeous rosy hue and hints of strawberry and citrus.
Details: Complimentary tastings are held in the King’s Cottage, built in 1870 for royal visits. The winery is open daily from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m., with tours of the estate and cellars offered at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. King’s Visit private tastings ($50) are held twice a week in the estate’s newly renovated stone jail. 14815 Piilani Highway, Kula; mauiwine.com
Lunch: Make a day of it with a stop at O’o Farm for a farm tour and al fresco lunch, before heading to MauiWine. The forage-and-feast farm tour ($58) is offered from 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on weekdays. Reservations required; www.oofarm.com.
Or grab a bite at the Ulupalakua Ranch Grill across the street from the winery. Order your ranch-raised elk, lamb or beef burger, or Maui Cattle brisket sandwich with housemade barbecue sauce, at the counter inside the store. Then enjoy your lunch outside at a picnic table or on a bench next to one of Reems Mitchell’s clever sculptures. The grill is open from 10 a.m.-5 p. m. daily; www.ulupalakua-ranch.com.