It had always been a dream to get into the hospitality/wine industry, so when longtime friends, Matt, Bryce and Paull saw the opportunity to purchase Herne Bay Cellars they jumped at it.
It is an iconic store and part of the fabric of the Herne Bay neighbourhood. A couple of previous changes of ownership meant the store had momentarily stalled. But the new team are getting the store back on track, reinstating it to its former glory.
Independent wine stores remain a rarity, so the team’s focus is to provide a delicious offering with exceptional service and to regain loyalty and support from locals. Passionate about good wine, they strive to offer locals not only the wines they know and love but intrigue them with new and unique wines.
We asked Herne Bay Cellars’ manager, Sandy Butler, to tell us more.
What premium wines do you have instore?
We are getting new wines in every week. There are so many incredible winemakers out there making outrageously good wines and we love unearthing winemakers and their stories. We want to provide a thoughtful, handpicked range, so our customers can trust us to provide something they find delicious, whether it be premium or not.
Do you have tips on pairing wine with food?
To be honest, any good wine goes with any good food. It’s a match made in heaven. The wine tastes better and the food tastes better. And, of course, the wine always tastes better shared with good friends! But one of my (many) favourites is to pair a dessert wine with blue cheese and walnuts drizzled with honey. Mind-blowing.
Do you offer a range of everyday wines?
Absolutely! We love sourcing great drinking wines at good everyday prices. We’ve found some goodies that are wonderful drinking and won’t break the bank. We have special occasion, celebratory wines but we also stock the ‘have had a very long day, mid-week wines’ and ‘need something to go with my takeaways’ wines.
We are about uncomplicating wine drinking. We can fall into drinking the same wines because we are familiar with them and know we won’t be disappointed. But with so many beautiful wines out there, we aim to help customers find what they love and make it fun. In the words of Matt Willmer of Mollydooker Wines in McLaren Vale, South Australia, “There are only two words you need to know when trying a new wine, ‘yum’ or ‘yuck’.”
Do you offer Champagnes, ports, liqueurs and spirits?
We are working on building interesting ranges with our beers and spirits. The craft beers out there are fantastic and we have great ideas for cocktails. If there is anything specific our customers are after, we do all we can to track it down for them.
What is your favourite wine?
Without doubt the Neudorf chardonnays from Nelson.
Does Herne Bay Cellars host Wine Tasting evenings?
We certainly do. We have an incredible line up of tastings in the wing. Stand by for our spring tasting dates. Keep an eye out on our website or follow us on FB and Instagram. We always have something interesting open for tasting in-store, so pop in any time.
Any job opportunities?
Yes! We are looking for part time staff. So, if you are interested in working in a great little wine store, please email or call us, or just come in to see us.
Winter hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday 10am - 8pm, Thursday/Friday 10am - 9pm, closed Mondays.
Herne Bay Cellars, 184 Jervois Road, M: 027 302 0552 manager@hernebaycellars.co.nz
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