Cordillera Escarpada

Established in 1998 by Terry Peabody, Craggy Range is a family owned winery situated in the shadow of Te Mata Peak in Hawke’s Bay on the North Island of New Zealand. Quality has been at the core of the business from the very beginning, with individual parcels of land selected to match vineyard site to grape variety. The diverse soil types that New Zealand has to offer presented a wealth of opportunity to produce wines that are pure expressions of each unique terroir.

The main winery is located in Gimblett Gravels and no expense has been spared in the creation of bespoke cellars designed to fit the requirements of each wine style as well as a truly unique cellar door and luxury accommodation.

Interview with Terry Peabody, Owner and Chairman

Julian Grounds was recently appointed as the Chief Winemaker, what does this mean for the future wines of Craggy Range?
With a background in premium wines that reflect site, but continue to push for evolution in style, we can expect to see the wines from Julian to continue their quality thread but explore what is possible in terms of wines of brevity and longevity as we enter a period of established vine age. With regards to varieties, Syrah, Pinot and Chardonnay, have been paramount to Julian’s learnings throughout the world.

What are the most important factors in producing quality wines?
Ultimately the achievable height of a wine is determined by the raw material; the grapes. Nevertheless, it is the pure attention to detail, hard work, and striving to push the boundaries. There is always a way to improve, and I hope we will be learning until the day we stop.

Craggy Range Winery has been named number 11 on the Top 50 List of the World's Best Vineyards to Visit, what makes it so special?
Ambition and hard work. From my family having the vision to establish a wine business with such a long-term vision, to the staff who aspire to be part of a business with global significance. Without ambition, there is no purpose. For us, we are always looking ahead, and I think this is reflected in our experiences and products, all being of world-class quality.

What is your Iconic food and wine pairing?
As a lover of freshness in food and the lineage of wines that stem from Burgundy, it would be hard to go past absolute classics; Chardonnay matched to crayfish and Pinot Noir with a dish based on local mushrooms. The delicacy, richness, and complexity of these ingredients are equally matched by that of the wines. We are fortunate enough to be able to source such iconic ingredients locally with flavours that are inherently New Zealand.