Summer in the Omihi Valley

Welcome!

Pasture in the Omihi Valley scorches under the mid-summer heat. The coastal Range that protects the valley from cold and wet southerlies and easterlies makes the area perfect for growing grapes.

Additional Images:

Big Sky Country

Huge sky and panoramic views from the top of the fan guarantee some dramatic sunset moments. For just a few moments, the earth seems suspended between day and night, time frozen to allow quiet reflection on the day past...

More Images:

Mist slides over the valley floor

The late Autumn mists slide down the valley, following the path of the Omihi Creek. This is the same route ice cold air takes during frost events.

Extra Images:

Winter Snow

Cold fronts from the Arctic bring snow to the tops of the surrounding hills and mountain ranges. Snow falls on the Estate about twice a year.

Additional Images:

Welcome to Fancrest Estate

We've put this website together, to give you a feel for what life is like at Fancrest Estate: To share with you, not just the things we do, but how we do them, and why.

From the moment we found this site, we knew our destiny was to make icon New Zealand Pinot Noir. That's why we grow and make only Pinot Noir here. Our obsession with quality starts in the vineyard. There's no doubt we've made our share of errors, but each one has taught us a valuable lesson about the way our unique “terroir” interacts with this marvelous but maddening grape variety.

Our commitment to Fancrest Estate is very personal. Fancrest is owned and run by us, with no influence from outside investors. This means you'll find some part of our personalities in everything we create. We'll have done what we set out to do with this website if you feel you've got to know us.

In time, we hope to be able to offer our wines for sale on-line. If you haven't already had an opportunity to enjoy our wines, we'll suggest where you might find a reputable wine merchant near you who stocks our wines.

Enjoy!