Mazuran's Wine Cellar. Plan B turned out to be a winner!

I had planned to hop the 9:57 at the Sturges Road Station this Saturday morning and ride the rails all the way to Britomart. I have long been absent from that hub in Auckland due to the 'sickness' that presently pervades our planet. Since we have recently dropped to Covid level one here, I thought today I'd make up for that neglect today. Unfortunately, when I arrived at said platform, a sign informed me that our Western Line trains would be taking the weekend off, due to needful track improvement operations.  Hmmm.  An alternate plan was needed.  

I headed for the nearest bus stop and soon boarded the 120 on its return trip from the Constellation terminal on the north shore.  I used the five minutes or so that were required to deliver me to the Henderson terminal to come up with my plan b.  

About 10 minutes later, bus 14w arrived from New Lynn, on its way to Westgate, and I got on. I got off at Pak'nSave on Lincoln Road, picked up up a few grocery items there, and then proceeded to put plan 'b' into operation.

I intended to cross Universal Drive, which runs perpendicular to Lincoln Road, and explore the businesses located between it and the on-ramps to the motorway. The only business in that area that I am familiar with is a KFC restaurant where we have sometimes bought dinner after spending the afternoon at Muriwai Beach. Maybe I would discover an interesting shop that I could feature in a future blog post, I reasoned.  

The west-side of the Lincoln Road businesses were a bust. Nothing of much interest, although I did take note that one restaurant I passed was advertising their lunch special of Pad Thai, one of Allie's favorites.  Eventually, I ran out of businesses to look at. I therefore crossed Lincoln and began returning toward Universal while inspecting the east-side establishments. Maybe one of these would prove to be more worthwhile.

Then, I saw it. A small sign advertising fine, old wines, which pointed down a long driveway. Bingo!  I turned in and started down the slight incline toward the unknown vintages somewhere ahead.

I have since then, learned about Mazuran's wines.  

Mazuran Winery started back in 1938 and at that time, I'm guessing that Lincoln Road was just a two-lane running through the vineyards and orchards which blanketed the Henderson area. When I arrived at their retail wine shop (cellar) at the end of the driveway, I found it surrounded by city. They have one very small field left next to the winery, but it was not currently in use. 

Here are the photos I took and a little information. 

I have to tell you, I was impressed. I have seen lots of wine shops around Auckland and most are interchangeable. 

This one is unique. For one thing, it's off the beaten track. You almost have to know it's here. Their sign is more of a marker on where to turn than it is a billboard. And they're not trying to have something for everyone. Definitely a specialty shop. 

The owner clearly takes wine seriously. 

Most of the wine displayed was port or sherry. They had new port and sherry, older port and sherry, and really old port and sherry.  Oh, there was semi-sweet, semi-dry and dry versions of each, but you get the idea I think.  

There were also a few other varieties available, but it was clear that these folks specialized in these heavier textured, fortified wines.  

Jeanne has always liked Harvey's Bristol Cream Sherry. Despite its name, this is a Spanish Sherry. I surprise her every now and then with a bottle, but we're currently out.  

Here was our opportunity to see how a New Zealand sherry would measure up to her old favorite. This is the bottle I brought home.

We both agreed after tasting it, that this is superior to Harvey's, and by a long shot, and, it was the cheapest wine they had on their shelves. I can only imagine how good the 'older stuff' must be.  

While I was in the store, asking all sorts of questions of the very patient guy behind the counter, a lady walked in and quickly chose two bottles from the shelves. She selected a $65 and a $29 bottle. She obviously had been there before and knew exactly what she wanted. That told me a lot about the store and the wine.  

Now let's talk about old.  One shelf had very old vintages. Can you imagine tasting a Port that is as old as I am?  They have it, and for only $690.  The double gold refers to an award it won in the U.S.  

And if you want to get older yet, they can help you.  Check it out.

I like this store. I'm glad I found it.  I like what I think is their homemade shelving. When I went to pay, the guy took out an old-fashioned credit card machine that works by hand to transfer the card information onto a paper form. No pay-wave here. I decided to pay cash. 

I've never paid much attention to sherry or port in the past. Jeanne and I did buy a big jug of Amontillado on our honeymoon and enjoyed it, and over the years I've shared a little of the Harvey's whenever I've bought it for Jeanne, but if I'm going to sip something, I generally prefer it to be a scotch.  

However!  I now think that if I were to sip a little sherry at times, I would want to sip some Mazuran's. It is clearly superior.  (Sorry if that sounded like a TV ad) 

But, as it happens, they are in fact superior. In 2013, Mazuran's won New Zealand's 'Best of Nation Award.'  

And here they are. Quietly sitting at the end of a driveway off Lincoln Road surrounded by urban sprawl. Quietly producing some of the best of their particular product.  

I am planning to go back to the store. There is a lot to learn and appreciate there.   

Update:

I found that I needed a couple of additional photos for my post and so had the excuse to go back to Mazuran's.  This time, I came home with their basic port. I also saw a white, a ruby, and a tawny port.

(Sorry Harvey's, but I think you have become a has-been.)                       -djf