Wairarapa Wine Centre

Tasting Room

The Wairarapa Wine Centre has been busy with visitors from far and wide over this lovely summer time. It’s great to see folk visiting from Wellington and Palmerston North, all around New Zealand, Australia, Europe and Asia and we are proud to be showcasing some of the local beers, olive oil, cider and Lighthouse gin alongside delightful boutique wines from northern Wairarapa and a special selection of Martinborough Pinot Noirs.

Our tasting room hosts are friendly and welcoming and so we hope you have time to visit us at our new location, Johner Estate Vineyard, very soon.

Just before we have almost completed and finished all bits and pieces to start off into the new season we have received an email from the Wairarapa Wines association…

Dear Karl,

I hope this email finds you well.  As you are aware a couple of years ago it was voted by the Wairarapa Wines  ( WW ) group that the WW logo could be used on the sign and promotional material  at the wine cellar in Greytown.  It was allowed to be used as the group of share holders where from the Wairarapa Wines group and it was deemed to be of benefit to the group as a whole.  We have been advised that you are still using the WW logo and that you are going to be using it on the new visitors map to the Wairarapa.  Last night at the WW AGM it was voted with no exceptions that the logo now cannot be used on your signs or promotional materials.  The reasons are simply that the business is now owned by you and is soley for your benefit and not the group. Also the wine cellar has now moved to the Johner vineyard and it is not appropriate for our group to be linked to one vineyard as we are a group that represents everyone.  We have no problem with you using the name Wairarapa Winecellar but he use of the Wairarapa Wines logo must be stopped immediately.  This is the groups intellectual property and must be treated with care.  The logo is registered by Wairarapa Wines  and I have been asked to advise you that if immediate use of it does not stop then we will be forced to put it into the hands of the groups lawyer.  If you have any problems please email me back.

Now as we like to live in peace with our neighbours and besides that also like to sell their wines at our winecentre we have absolutely no problem in changing our Logo.

It is just so confusing that they didn’t actually tell us not to use it when the company was sold just over a year ago. So why are they coming up with this issue now?

Besides that it was the democratic groups decision in the first place to use this logo instead of creating a new one and distinguishing it from the Wairarapa Wines Group.

So for the time beeing we will be changing our Logo to this version, a version that was proposed by us during the initial creation of the winecentre.

And we will shortly start to create a newer and better Logo… So things are moving and changing.

Now as we are open minded, what do you think about the Logo and how should it look like. Please have your say. We would love to receive your comments either here or on our Facebook Fanpage.

It has been a wonderful opportunity to present and sell so many Wairarapa wines and local produce in this lovely historic building however, unfortunately, knowing that the winter months will be very quiet and fixed costs are very high we have decided on the closure of the Wine Centre in its current location.

At the same time, Johner Estate Winery, with their cellar door already open 7 days a week, are relishing the opportunity to create a ‘Mini Wine Centre’ at the end of Dakins Road  where you can enjoy the wines and the company of our charming  tasting staff.

By the middle of June, we are hoping to finish setting up a small version of the Wine Centre at Johner Estate. We are sure you will enjoy the authentic experience, being in the middle of a vineyard, and enjoy the wonderful wines of this lovely region.

We look forward to seeing you very soon.

Johner Estate   Open 7 days, 10 am to 4.30 pm

359 Dakins Road, RD7, Masterton (just 10 minutes drive from Masterton or Carterton, through lovely countryside beside the river)

(06) 370 8217

How to get there:

Coming from the South / Wellington, pass through Featherston, Greytown and Carterton. Turn right into East Taratahi Road Road 3 km before Masterton.
Coming from the North, pass through Masterton and turn left after 3 km into East Taratahi Road.

Follow the road until you can see the first Johner Estate sign.

Satelite View of Johner Estate