Torlesse Wines gets its name from the Torlesse Mountains that partially encircle the Canterbury Plains. The company itself was founded in 1987, and moved to the Waipara region in 1991. Unlike many wineries, Torlesse is self-sufficient and does everything in the production process themselves, from hand-picking and crushing the grapes to bottling the wine. Plus, Torlesse was the first winery in the Waipara Valley to use screw caps for their wines; even though these are now commonplace, they weren’t always so! Many visitors come to Torlesse Wines on a vineyard tour of the Waipara Valley, which include stops at a few different tasting rooms. It can also be visited independently.
The Waipara Valley is around 37 miles (60 kilometers) north of Christchurch, which takes around an hour to drive. If you’re self-driving, follow State Highway 1 (SH1), and continue a short distance after the SH7 turnoff to Hanmer Springs. Alternatively, organized vineyard tours sometimes include Torlesse Wines on their itineraries.
The cellar door at Torlesse Wines is open every day from late morning until early evening 5pm, including most public holidays. Early visits before 11am may be possible upon request.
Every year in February, just before the grapes are harvested, the wineries of the Waipara Valley gather at the Waipara Wine and Food Celebration. There are around 18 wine producers in the area and not all of them open their doors to the public (or have cellar doors or restaurants), so this is a great chance for wine enthusiasts to check out each winery’s offerings. If you happen to be in the Christchurch area in February, put this festival on your itinerary.