It’s hard to imagine anything being unique or original anymore.

Even the most innovative, forward-thinking people who come up with crazy stuff got their inspiration from somewhere. Finding something that’s unique in this world is like joining the ranks of the flat-earthers – you’ve only got an uphill battle coming your way.

So when Terry Peabody set out to make wine that produced a unique experience in every sip, he had nothing short of a mountain ahead of him – and it wasn’t Te Mata, which looms overhead.

While the fact that Terry’s vineyard is family owned and operated helps with being unique, it’s hard to go beyond this to produce wine that’s truly a product of its environment, terrain and the people who made it.

Hawke’s Bay is already known in New Zealand as a bit of a haven when it comes to wine-making. Every man and his Shetland sheep hound have set out at some point in their lives to make a robust Hawke’s Bay wine, in the hopes of making the local Hawke’s Bay Today.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that Terry is a bit batty for being so ambitious with his wine goals. Maybe he saw something that no-one else did in his slice of Hawke’s Bay, or maybe Te Mata itself stooped down like the gentle giant it is and whispered prosperous secrets onto the land.

Whatever was conspired down in this dreamy corner of the world turned out to be one of the best things to come out of it.

It seems that someone cast a magical wine spell on the 90’s in New Zealand. While everyone else was meticulously spiking their hair and making sure they did nothing subservient to the status quo while Nirvana banged their heads in rebellion, the Peabody family were quietly making waves through their carefully crafted Hawke’s Bay vineyard.

The early bird gets the worm, as they say. Terry and his wife Mary knew that if they got stuck in during those heady early nineties days, their future children and their future children’s children would have a family legacy to grasp onto and be proud of.

To do this, Terry deliberately went rogue with his land choice and decided on a piece that was completely barren. He wanted to build his family heirloom from the ground up, literally – this was the only way he was going to guarantee a uniqueness that couldn’t be copied or imitated.

Enter some of the best wine to come out of the Hawke’s Bay region. Thanks, Craggy Range.

Craggy Range Wines

Appellation Collection 2018 Sauvignon Blanc: while there’s nothing wrong with letting wine take the time to age. There’s also nothing wrong with getting it in the glass straight away. The nicer the wine, the more impatient you’ll be.

You may just want to appreciate this Craggy Range wine straight from the bottle, based on this theory. You’ll find lime citrus with leafy fresh herbs on the nose. These are followed by tropical melon flavors and nectarine on the palate. One excited patron says to ‘drink now.’

Family Collection Chardonnay 2017: you know when you see ‘family collection’ that it’s going to be good. It’s like ordering the chef’s special at your favorite restaurant. The steely authority of stone fruits run through the palate as they take the lead.

Following closely behind you’ll find the slightest hints of butter and sage. Being both balanced and dry, with a lengthy finish, you’ll find yourself enjoying this drop the more you drink of it.

Down in the Hawke’s Bay area, under the watchful eye of Te Mata, grapes are grown to perfection. Then they get churned and crushed into wine made by serious winemakers.

Rest assured, you won’t be able to company Craggy Range wines to anything.