Where in the wine world are we? Rant edition
This photo comes from site reader Jennie along with her own rant:
I have been composing a blog ever since I took that pic re the manifest lack of thought in the architecture. Whoever is responsible should be SHOT! They go on and on about the 360 panoramic views (which there are outside) and yet the tasting room has one “picture” window with one table in front of it and aside from that you’re sipping your tasting glass on bar stools either looking at the wall or looking at the bartender – I mean REALLY. Don’t you often think the world would be a better place if you ruled it?!
In a follow up email, she admitted to not really having her own blog. Too bad!
So, where in the wine world was she? UPDATE:
Yes, Jennie was on the island of Waiheke, New Zealand, at Te Whau winery. Congrats to Terry, Morton, Craig, and Kelly who got very close and Paul and Jeffrey who nailed it!
On February 19th, 2008 at 8:54 am ,Terry from Onati, Basque Country, Spain wrote:
Looks like Rangitoto Island in the background, so must be the Hauraki Gulf, Auckland, New Zealand (former staging ground of the America’s Cup). So I’d have to say the photo is either from the wineries on Waiheke Island, also in the Hauraki Gulf, or from the Kumeu wine area just north of Auckland.
On February 19th, 2008 at 12:34 pm ,Lar Veale wrote:
Tasmania
On February 19th, 2008 at 2:51 pm ,vikushla wrote:
I know that woman well, Rimutaka prison.
On February 19th, 2008 at 3:35 pm ,Craig wrote:
There’s been no response to Terry, but that’s certainly Rangitoto and I’d guess the vineyard’s on Waiheke too.
On February 19th, 2008 at 4:01 pm ,Morton Leslie wrote:
Cool climate viticulture with unusual (for US West Coast)endposts and wire arrangement. What are the three tall poles for? Nets and bird protection? Structure has a “homebuilt” look to it. Roof of winery wouldn’t work where there’s snow. Either over a lake,or a bay or a wide valley filled with fog. Not rugged enough scenery to be Puget Sound or Okanagan Valley. I pretty much eliminate US and Canada. I think New Zealand is a good guess. Vines up, lush look, grass in the vineyard, bird protection. Yeah, Terry’s New Zealand is a good guess. A Kauri would be the clincher.
On February 19th, 2008 at 6:00 pm ,Kelly wrote:
That’s definitely Rangitoto, but I know you don’t get views like that of Auckland’s islands from the Kumeu area, so I’d agree with Waiheke, tho I don’t know what winery!!
On February 19th, 2008 at 7:08 pm ,gradnick wrote:
Speaking as a bartender, I take offense!!
But this raises an interesting point: the view, or the wine?
I presume Jenise visited this location for the wine, but it was the environment that seems to have left the more lingering aftertaste. This lends more weight to it being a New Zealand vineyard, where an impressive panorama (even a compromised one) can be longer lasting than the vino (with notable exceptions, of course).
Anyhoo, my guess is Goldwater Estate.
On February 20th, 2008 at 4:16 am ,Steve wrote:
As an architect, I also take offense!
But not at the building; at the prospect of being SHOT!
Sorry Jennie, but perhaps they couldn’t afford the SEATTLE SPACE NEEDLE as their tasting room. Thoughtless bastards! Perhaps they couldn’t even afford panoramic windows as these fools decided to put their money into the WINE instead!
Alternatively, the building could have been designed by local architecture students as a further cost savings. Hopped up on theory they may have been investigating theoretical concepts such as an absence of a presence/ presence of an absence where the panorama is REVEALED by denying it. (Yes, I may have spent too much time in architecture school)
Still, we’re left with potentially one of the most sophisticated tasting rooms yet imagined; a fact that you may have missed since your BIG BRAIN was planted to a bar stool. Did it swivel? Why not just PERP WALK the furniture maker as well?!!
Yes, this is a serious CRIME. Who could be so uncaring, so cold blooded, so ruthless as to deny THE JENSTER the simultaneous pleasure of sipping wine in her perfect viewing machine? I know it’s a major inconvenience but did you ever think of detaching yourself from said stool, walking 10 feet glass in hand into the open air and trying out this concept al fresco? I’m sorry, I know it’s not air conditioned which would come in handy as you’re obviously PACKING HEAT!
In solidarity with Gradnick and SERVICE PROFESSIONALS everywhere I have to say that this vineyard could only be Goldwater Estate.
On February 20th, 2008 at 4:26 am ,Paul Sharp wrote:
Sorry Guy’s that’s Te Whau vineyard, Waiheke Island New Zealand and yes that is Rangitoto island in the background. Goldwater is not far away but the view isn’t so good from there.
On February 22nd, 2008 at 11:21 am ,Jeffrey wrote:
Te Whau, Waiheke Island, NZ.