Rippon: Personal, Sustainable Wine Experiences Redefined
In 2019, Rippon restructured its Wānaka cellar door, shifting from walk-ins to appointment-only tastings, capped at six guests per half hour.
Director Peter Jones says the focus is on the wine experience, "tasting, touring the vineyard and winery, and meeting the makers."
Not everybody who comes to the property stays in the accommodation, "so we ensure that day visitors leave enthused about our wines, and with a better understanding of our place - the whenua and moana - and the significance of our property to the early story of Aotearoa New Zealand."
For a small producer in a remote region, the cellar door is indispensable.
"We need to create an experience that will mean people will go out of their way to visit us," Peter says.
Their cellar door is "first and foremost a sales channel," but its wider role is a brand builder.
"These guests can buy some of the finest wine in the world, but they absolutely love sitting down with the people who have grown and made the wine, hearing the passion and the real story."
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Peter believes New Zealand benefits from more "destination wineries" aligning with broader tourism trends.
"Just as tourism generally in New Zealand is better served by having fewer, but higher spending visitors, I believe that we should be looking towards the more affluent wine tourist who is seeking a more personal experience."
