Hawke’s Bay
Coastal Sophistication in the Heart of New Zealand Wine
TRAVEL AND WINE
10/31/20254 min read
Where Art Deco Meets the Vine
The journey begins in Napier, a coastal city reborn from the 1931 earthquake into an icon of Art Deco elegance. Pastel façades, curved balconies and geometric lines gleam under the Pacific light. Staying at The Dome Apartments or the Art Deco Masonic Hotel brings that interwar sophistication to life with ocean views and interiors steeped in nostalgia.
Morning strolls along the Marine Parade reveal Napier’s charm: sea air, palm trees, and the gentle hum of cafés. For a refined yet relaxed lunch, drive inland to Mary’s in Havelock North, where chef Casey McDonald — formerly of Craggy Range — redefines New Zealand cuisine. Seasonal ingredients, fresh seafood, and local produce meet a menu designed with quiet confidence. Each dish feels as though it was composed in dialogue with the vineyards around it: elegant, grounded, and full of light.
Evenings invite contemplation: a sunset drive along the coast, a Syrah by the fire, or a stroll through Napier’s golden-lit streets as jazz floats through an open door. The rhythm of Hawke’s Bay is gentle, yet profoundly refined — a region that invites presence rather than movement.
The Character of Syrah
If Marlborough gave the world Sauvignon Blanc, Hawke’s Bay gave it Syrah — poised, perfumed, and elegant. These are wines of precision: violet, black pepper and silk. They speak of sea breezes, gravel soils and restraint. To taste them here, among the vines, is to understand that terroir is not just geography, but emotion.
An Invitation to Belong
Hawke’s Bay is a destination that rewards those who listen — to the ocean, to the vines, and to the quiet heartbeat of craftsmanship. Between sea and mountain, design and tradition, vineyard and table, it reveals a form of luxury built on authenticity and light.
As evening falls over Napier, the façades of Art Deco buildings catch the last glow of the Pacific sun. A glass of Syrah in hand, the traveller realises that true sophistication is not about being seen — it’s about feeling connected.
There are wine regions that seduce quietly, where elegance is built on light, landscape and precision. Hawke’s Bay, on New Zealand’s North Island, is one of them — a place where maritime breezes shape graceful Syrah, where architecture meets Art Deco glamour, and where luxury is expressed through harmony rather than ostentation.
Further east, Elephant Hill embraces the coastline at Te Awanga, a masterpiece of contemporary architecture where the horizon seems to merge with the sea. The wines are pure reflections of their environment: mineral Chardonnays, structured Syrahs, and aromatic Viogniers that taste of ocean mist and sunlight. Lunch here is a study in elegance — oysters, citrus, and sea breeze.
For a sense of heritage, Church Road Winery in Taradale offers a window into the past. Established in 1897, it honours one of New Zealand’s founding winemakers, Tom McDonald. The ‘Tom’ range is its crown jewel: complex, Bordeaux-inspired reds that age with grace. In their underground cellar museum, surrounded by oak barrels and soft light, one senses the continuity between tradition and innovation that defines Hawke’s Bay.
Among the Vines
Leaving the coast, the road winds through orchards and vines that stretch across the rolling hills. Hawke’s Bay is New Zealand’s oldest wine region and one of its most diverse, shaped by both the Pacific’s cool breath and the warmth of inland valleys.
At Craggy Range, refinement takes architectural form. The estate sits at the foot of Te Mata Peak, its modern winery blending stone, glass and geometry into the landscape. A private tasting of Le Sol Syrah or Sophia Merlot Blend, followed by dinner at their award-winning restaurant, is an experience of quiet perfection — the kind of luxury that leaves no need for words.
Stay, Savour, Slow Down
To understand Hawke’s Bay is to surrender to its pace. The Farm at Cape Kidnappers, part of the Relais & Châteaux collection, redefines the concept of the luxury lodge. Perched high above the Pacific, its suites overlook the cliffs and rolling pastures. Days unfold through vineyard tours, spa rituals, and dégustation dinners that showcase the best of local terroir.
For those seeking intimacy and seclusion, Black Barn Retreats offers vineyard villas where mornings begin with birdsong and breakfast baskets delivered at dawn. Each retreat blends architecture and landscape with the same harmony found in the wines.
