Matawhero Wines with Kirsten Searle

This show was published Thursday, February 19, 2026

Overview

Kirsten Searle is owner of Matawhero Wines located in Gisborne on the east coast of the North Island, NZ.

The Matawhero winery and vineyards in Gisborne were purchased by Kirsten and Richard Searle in 2008 from New Zealand pioneer winemaker Denis Irwin whose first vintage dates back to 1975, making them the oldest winery in the region.

We talk through their wine range, which is led by Chardonnay with 60% of production, but also aromatic whites such as Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris as well as Chenin Blanc. Merlot and Pinot Noir for the reds.

Kirsten tells us about the climate and weather events in the region, with rain events occurring in some vintages and extreme weather, such as Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023. The region is a flat plain with fertile clay soils, growing fruit crops such as citrus, apples, kiwifruit, avocados in addition to grapes.

We talk about clones and winemaking techniques for their three Chardonnays and how the wines are differentiated through fermenting and ageing in barrel, for example, using American oak for their Church House barrel-fermented. The Irwin is the top tier Chardonnay, hand-picked fruit, lower yields, aged in barrel for 18 months before release.

Matawhero wines are available in the UK. Their distributor is https://www.vindependents.co.uk/


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The music used for the UK Wine Show is Griffes de Jingle 1 by Marcel de la Jartèle and Silence by Etoile Noire.