Poppies - Old World Romanticism From Martinborough Terroir

…And on and on they go. Poppies Martinborough is rated #1 of 32 things to do in Martinborough on Trip Advisor for good reason, and page upon page of warm, glowing reviews reflect this.

Last year, we brought Poppies on board with their famous rosé and after creating buzz throughout the country, we’re just getting started for this local legend…

For years, the allure of Poppies was not just its romanticism and gorgeous drinkability but also its exclusivity. It was available only at the winery and cellar door, where they worked exceptionally hard to make a name for themselves as an all-round destination where the experience and atmosphere the wine was enjoyed within added an immersively enchanting edge. Over the years, Poppies became known as one of the top gastronomic destinations for people wanting extravagantly scrumptious lunch platters in a beautiful vineyard setting, with only the best old-world inspired drops to match.

More than ten years ago, in 2013 the (now late) Raymond Chan wrote of the growing popularity of this fledgling business that had started in 2012 and foresaw its potential, “Poppies Martinborough fulfils the need for a setting which can accommodate occasions such as parties and weddings, while adding to the depth of the district’s hospitality enterprises with its vineyard platters available… I see them offering a fresh, new and modern face that is very accessible to the Martinborough scene.”

Just three years later, the reputation was cemented – though more for their all-round hospitality than their wines (at the time…) Stuff checked them out after they heard that they did the best platters in the Wairarapa, but in 2022 a revisit shows how the wines had rightfully started to shine in a spotlight of their own. “Poppies is hard to beat – they’re almost as famous for their platters as they are for their exquisite wines…Most visitors to Poppies can’t resist their signature rosé, which is so popular it also comes in a giant magnum. The gorgeous pinot gris is also a crowd-pleaser.” (Sidenonte from us: a very good choice of two bottlings to highlight.)

And just take a flick through their TripAdvisor profile, where they’re rated as #1 on the list of things to do in Martinborough!

In 2023, it became impossible to ignore that Poppies popularity had grown. While loyal customers particularly enjoyed Poppies wines in their intended home setting, they also wanted to enjoy them with their favourite meals at other restaurants. Recognising the requests were born of love and support for their wines, Poppies partnered with us to release small allocation of their signature rosé to on-premise establishments throughout the country. Following staff visits, awesome trade tours, and many great conversations, we’ve quickly grown to love the Hammonds and have been lucky enough (for both us and you!) to secure a small allocation of the Poppies Pinot Gris to accompany their Rosé on the most illustrious wine lists in the country.

Poppies is all about old-world romanticism, charm and personality.

“​​The commonality of the wines is their excellent phenolic handling. All are smooth, refined and seamless, with lovely delicacy. Clearly, this is a hallmark of Poppy’s touch with the wines.” wrote Raymond Chan when they were starting out and this remains true to this day.

Poppies Martinborough wines are exquisitely and exceptionally “old-world” in style for something from the heart of Aotearoa, creating a stunning fusion of traditional sensibilities and techniques amongst the flora and fauna of our kiwi whenua, our unique terroir.

Poppies take their winemaking seriously and is dedicated to never being “in fashion.” They have an innate understanding that trends flow in and out, what’s the talk of the town one day may not be the next and so they adhere closely to making sure whatever they release is simply wine they would like to drink. This love is evident, with Poppy joking with Stuff, “I actually have to stop myself from stroking the bottles sometimes!”

Reading TripAdvisor reviews cements this as well, with a number mentioning that Poppy and Shayne themselves were often amongst the action, taking people through their lunches and wines and spreading pure sunshine throughout the cellar door. Their friendliness, warmth and professionalism is commented on time and time again sprinkled throughout glowing platter and wine reviews.