BRICK BAY

A leisurely meal at Brick Bay enjoying delicious food, excellent wines, amazing art and unmatched scenery is an experience to be savoured.

Showcasing the superb wines, delicious food and art at this scenic spot.

DRINK BRICK BAY “THE GLASS HOUSE IS AN INSPIRATIONAL PIECE OF ART AS WELL.”

Long summer days call for long, languid lunches – preferably outdoors surrounded by beautiful, natural scenery. And long, languid lunches call for leisurely and interesting meanders to aid digestion.

One of my favourite venues offers all this with a few extra enhancements – first-rate wines, honey and olive oil produced on site, and a world-class Sculpture Trail taking you through the native bush on the property, and featuring installations from New Zealand artists.

Matakana’s rolling hills of kauri were extensively culled for gum, then wood, and the land eventually became farmland. The old brickworks near the beach is long gone, although remnants can still be seen at low tide where you board the ferry to Kawau Island, or park your caravan or boat.

In the hills behind Snells Beach is where you’ll find Brick Bay on Arabella Lane. The vineyards, Glass House dining and tasting room, Sculpture Trail and art-for-sale space have evolved organically and with much thoughtful planning.

Christine and Richard Didsbury see themselves more as guardians of the Brick Bay land than owners. Since they purchased the 200-acre site in 1986 they have planted, established, regenerated and also protected many natives trees, including a rare kauri. Richard’s engineering background was instrumental in the development of the ponds and mini-lakes around the bush, walkways and Sculpture Trail in the property.

The Glass House opened in 2007, with the restaurant side of things growing alongside the popularity of the destination. Daughter Anna, with a background in wine and fine arts, oversees the operation.

Nowadays, the kitchen prepares a selection of tempting fresh dishes mainly focussed on the kitchen garden and farm – from vineyard tasting platters and appetiser-size treats to restaurant-sized main courses. The pinot gris and rosé are classic matches for the platter option, and the changing selection of dishes featured reflect this.

The Pharos and Martello Rock (the cabernet-led blends) can be cheerfully paired with the great beef burger or beef cheek dish (the fries are good as well). Fish dishes are fabulous with the pinot gris or chardonnay.

And yes, there are tasty cakes and coffee available in a separate room before you enter the main building where you will also find contemporary art pieces for sale (my favourite being the ceramic replicas of the iconic NZ candy Eskimos in lime, banana, strawberry and vanilla colours).

Around 12 acres of land are planted in grapes – the first pinot gris vines were planted in 1995, followed by cabernets sauvignon and franc, merlot and malbec; some petit verdot in 2003, and in 2014 chardonnay was added. All fruit is harvested by hand, and wines are made by the very talented James Rowan. I tried the very first release pinot gris in 1998 with Christine at Vinnies Restaurant (we listed it immediately). The current release 2019 pinot gris is delicious and the best of many great vintages to come from this site – pure fruited bouquet with delicate scents of white fleshed fruits and spice, just dry, refreshing acid line and Alsace-like weight and finish.

The rosé is always very good, the variety from which the wine is made changes each vintage with the current being cabernet franc, petit verdot and malbec, with softly spoken tannins, red cherry and strawberry, salivating acid line and a refreshing finish. The 2018 Martello Rock – a malbec and petit verdot blend – punches well above its weight for texture, complexity and fruit concentration. Pharos is the pinnacle red blend from Brick Bay. The current release is 2014 – speaking volumes about the way this wine ages – a blend of petit verdot, malbec, cabernet franc and merlot with aromas and flavours of dark forest berries, baked plum, violets, bitter chocolate and blackberry.

The Glass House is an inspirational piece of art as well. It was designed by Noel Lane to reflect the historical and current uses of the land, and feels and sounds as good as it looks. Looking out across the lake and the vine-covered (and uncovered) vineyard seating, it has polished wooden floors, windows and doors that open fully on a hot day with a cool breeze drifting through.

Stopping for lunch and wine is well worth the one-hour drive from downtown Auckland.