This month we headed out to Straight 8 Estate winery in Burnham.
Mary Jamieson, one of the owners of Straight 8 Estate winery, showed us a range of their award-winning single vineyard wines; Rose, Riesling, Chardonnay, & Pinot Noir, that express their terroir and flavours and will cellar well. All their wines are made and bottled on the estate. It was really interesting hearing about the different types of wines and about the different tastes and aromas and how they are created. It was a relaxed and casual afternoon, we were well educated and enjoyed a number of lovely wines. It turns out that one amongst us was very knowledgeable about wines!
The vineyard was planted in the mid-1980’s through to 1992. Straight 8 was planted over a five to eight-year period first by Wally Codyre, then by the Gall family. Upon their purchase in 2004 James Shand & Mary Jamieson set about to create a brand, as all the other harvests had been sold as contract grapes.
Their brand ‘Straight 8 Estate’ comes from a 1935 Light Sports Railton which has been in the family for 50 years, this is a classic vintage racing car that even has its own garage inside the cellar door dating back to its era and yes it is still used, not just a showpiece.
They are located on State Highway 1 in the Selwyn region, just 6kms south of Rolleston, when driving look for the big WINERY TASTINGS TODAY sign with a great picture of the Straight 8 cruising through the vines with the late Eoin Young & James Shand the owner.
Their cellar door is open 7 days a week, where practical and license allows them, from 9am till 6.30pm. 2321 Main South Road, Burnham, State Hwy 1 ph: 027 722 8416 website http://straight8estate.co.nz/ or click here.
By Jo Cotton
