Vine romance with French style

By COLIN TAYLOR

A filet of France is for sale on Waiheke Island in the Hauraki Gulf in the form of Glenora Estate vineyard with its olive groves and luxury hospitality business.

The Scottish name Glenora is a bit of a misnomer for a 17th century-style Brittany farmhouse and barn, say owners Derek and Sally Holland, who created the estate after an inspirational trip to Europe in 1993.

"We toured France for our first OE and the experience just turned us on our tails," says Sally Holland. "We fell in love with the French food, lifestyle and architecture."

In 1996 they bought 3.3ha of paddock and pristine native bush on Waiheke with the intention of creating their own little corner of France.

"We built the house in 1998 and most people think it has a very English Devonshire look. But when they walk in the door, it's like being transported back to France 300 years ago," she says.

Visitors often praise the wonderful "restoration job" they have done on the farmhouse and barn and ask if the place is a listed historic building. "We think that's the greatest compliment. They're shocked when we tell them it's almost brand new."

The 90 sq m Brittany "barn" is in fact, a self-contained private apartment with three-car garaging. The tractor and viticultural machinery are kept well away in separate implement sheds.

The property is at the end of a rural cul-de-sac in Church Bay, five minutes' drive from Waiheke's ferry terminal and Oneroa village.

The estate was created in 11 months including gardens with rose beds, thousands of lavender plants and New Zealand natives.

The vineyard and olive grove, which occupy 8000 sq m, were planted a year later. Another 8000 sq m contains the farmhouse and barn, "the Great Lawn" and landscaped gardens.

The 500 Cabernet Franc vines from Lyon in France yield 1200 bottles annually. Two hundred assorted 3-year-old olive trees from all over the world doubled their fruitage this year and 60kg of olives were harvested.

About 1.6ha is vested in private forest reserve containing regenerating kauri, puriri, kowhai and ferns which host numerous wood pigeons, bellbirds, tui and other native birds.

The two-storey masonry buildings, with leadlight windowing, are surrounded by giant pohutukawa and contain three bedrooms with three ensuite bathrooms.

Three couples can be accommodated each night - two in the farmhouse and another in the Brittany barn.

"We designed the French farmhouse with the intention of offering high-quality bed and breakfast accommodation and to provide a romantic setting for intimate weddings," says Sally Holland.

Building materials were obtained from around the world including: Indian sandstone and Italian marble floors, French zinc panelling for the kitchen, hand crafted window furniture from England, rustic beams from Australia and hand laminated oak beams from America.

Monument Historique glazed terracotta roofing tiles were imported from France to give the house its "thatched cottage" look. "It's the only roof of its kind in New Zealand," says Derek Holland.

"We've made everything as authentic as possible - from genuine flagstones, to the solid oak doors put together with hand-forged nails".

The farmhouse and barn won the 1999 Masters Builders Home of the Year Award for the Northern Region and placed second in New Zealand.

The estate has panoramic views of the Hauraki Gulf from Clevedon and Howick to the south, around to Motuihe Island and the Harbour Bridge 20km in the west; and Rangitoto Island further north.

Although situated two properties back from the beach, the estate has private walkway access to nearby Te Miro Cove and beach.

Guest rooms feature marbled ensuites, antique furniture, TV, CD and video players. The private and self-contained barn apartment includes an old wooden kitchen with French marble tops, wood-fired Irish stove and its own exterior petanque court.

Other special features include two therapeutic spa pools, a well-stocked library "for quiet moments" and fountains in the courtyard which are visited by hundreds of native birds each day.

Another outstanding feature is a 90 sq m French traditional "potager" garden which supplies a wide variety of vegetables and fresh herbs to the estate kitchen eight months of the year. The word "potager" is derived from the French word for soup - "potage". A small number of citrus trees complement the gardens.

Private weddings are conducted in the extensive landscaped gardens or on the nearby beach. Larger weddings are often conducted at a bigger adjoining vineyard with restaurant facilities, while the wedding party overnights at Glenora.

The property is complemented by the skills of the Hollands. Derek is a marriage celebrant and Sally is a wedding photographer and a "serious organic green thumb gardener".

She says the estate should not be viewed as a daunting proposition. One or two people could easily manage it as a lifestyle property or it could be further developed as a hospitality business.

"The farmhouse could incorporate a restaurant or, by developing the roof area, it could be converted into a boutique hotel," says Sally.

"However, it would also make a stunning family home as it is."

Joan McBeath, of Premium Real Estate, says the estate will be put up for auction in February because its uniqueness makes it extremely difficult to price.

"The Hollands turned down an offer $5 million 18 months ago and real estate prices on Waiheke have gone up substantially since then."

The Hollands says they love the weddings, and the bed-and-breakfast industry.

They plan to re-establish themselves on Waiheke with a smaller operation.