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THE LIFE STORY

Starting in Gibbston in 1856, the Perriam family became involved in many ventures whether it was pionerring for gold, hotels, orchards, or merino sheep. Then in 1865 the family moved on to Lowburn and to Bendigo were branches of the family are still settled there today.

 

Wakefield Farm Wine's is named after the Perriam family farm, whose lineage goes back many generations on this land. The family history also includes successful orcharding on this arable soil, until the Clyde Dam was built and the farmland was submerged with the creation of Lake Dunstan.

 

The pre-farming activities on the land has contributed to producing extensively fertile soils. This combined with the hot-dry Central Otago sun offers an environment for boundless flavor and top quality grapes.

 

The frosty cold winter also adds to the character of the grapes grown here by constricting the vine into a tight structure leaving a dry, fresh quality.

 

At the vineyard the old woolshed is still standing at nearly 100 years old, with perserved items such as barrels, chains, and gold-mining tools scattered about the property. You'll find there is still around 300 sheep being farmed, and a recent subdivision development named Perriam Cove.

 

Also very worthy of a mention is the commemorative bench placed at the end of the vines, in remembrance to the 3 Foster brothers (sons of a Perriam women) who lost there young lives in WWI.

 

Wakefield Wines is located 7km north of Cromwell on the Cromwell-Wanaka Highway.

 

Central Otago is quickly becoming one of the most mentioned wine regions in the world, so lap up the opportunity to drink delicious locally produced wine... yum

 

 

Welcome Home Hotel

Welcome Home Hotel

Shrek the Sheep

Shrek the Sheep

Lowburn Ferry 1920

Lowburn Ferry 1920

Wakefield Farm Vineyard

Wakefield Farm Vineyard

Harry Perriam's Orchard

Harry Perriam's Orchard

Old Perriam Farmhouse

Old Perriam Farmhouse

Gold Mining

Gold Mining

Woolshed

Woolshed

CR Perriam

CR Perriam

Old Cromwell

Old Cromwell

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