05-Jul-2017
Pukeora Estate is the Central Hawke’s Bay wine venture of Max Annabell and Kate Norman who purchased the former Pukeora Sanatorium buildings and property near Waipukurau in 2000. They have refurbished the hospital as a hospitality site and function venue, while planting 5 ha of vines in the limestone influenced soils from the time of purchase. A varied mix of varieties is planted, including Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir on the gentle upper slopes, and Merlot on the steeper, upper slopes. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Syrah and Semillon are on the mid to lower slopes. The first commercial wines were made with the 2004 vintage by Michael Bennett, who had considerable input in establishing the 40 tonne capacity winery in the sanatorium. Max Annabell took over the winemaking from 2005. Max tends to and oversees the viticulture as well. There are two ranges of wines made, the ‘Estate’ and premium ‘Ruahina Range’ tier. Up to 2009, the wines were branded ‘San Hill’. Here, I review a range of current 'Ruahine Range' red wines. www.pukeora.com
