Man O' War Vineyards

The Man O’ War story begins with a special piece of land which has a rich history. Located at the eastern end of Waiheke Island, Man O’ War is a stunning array of coastal hillsides with high cliffs and pristine beaches forming a ruggedly beautiful coastline. It was along this coastline that Captain James Cook came to anchor during his first voyage around the islands of New Zealand in 1769. Upon sighting the ancient stands of magnificent Kauri ...

Over two hundred years after Cook first sighted Man O’ War, we were convinced that world class wine could be grown here. Throwing caution to the wind we began planting our first vines in 1993. Today, Man O’ War consists of 150 acres of vines planted in 76 individual hillside blocks, each with a distinct soil profile and microclimate.

Every single block bears the footprints, and sometimes the names, of those who transformed Man O’ War’s...

Duncan McTavish - Winemaker. Duncan’s heart and soul, and enormous talent, are all reflected in each of the extraordinary wines he crafts at Man O’ War. Of singular personality they are indeed the “definitive translation of our land”. The inaugural graduate of the Viticulture and Oneology degree program at Lincoln University in 1998, Duncan spent the following 3 years working harvest for some of the best producers in Burgundy, Germany, Califor...