Maui Wine, Ulupalakua Vineyards
The entry sign telling you that you have arrived
I’ve been on vacation in Maui for the last couple of weeks and it’s been great! Very relaxing, the weather has been beautiful. Last week, we made our way to Maui Wine. Until last year, the winery was known as Tedeschi Vineyards, but they decided to rebrand to highlight their “regional significance”. Regardless, it is the only winery on Maui.
It’s a 45 minute drive up a winding road from Kahului. The temperature went from 87 to 75 in the first 20 minutes, so be prepared for that. Once we got there, I was struck by the views from the sprawling grounds. It’s gorgeous!
Part of the beautiful grounds of the Maui Winery
- Maui Blanc — semi-dry pineapple wine
- Maui Splash — sweet pineapple wine
- Lokelani — Hawaiian sparkling rose
- Upcountry Gold — island-style white blend
- Ulupalakua Red — island-style red blend
- 2012 Syrah — Ulupalakua vineyards estate wine
The tasting bar at MauiWine
Good to note: They sell their wines at Safeway in Lahaina and
The “Merrie Monarch’s” 140+ year old Hula Circle
perhaps other retailers on the island, so if you don’t buy or don’t buy enough of your favorite wine while you’re at the winery, you can get some later. That being said, you do save 10% when you buy 3 or more bottles at the winery. I learned that aside from the complimentary tasting they offer a “king’s visit” tasting. It’s offered Wednesdays and Thursdays and costs $50. Seems a little pricey, but you get to taste the estate wines in the unique setting of the “Old Jail” on the property. I was interested in their Chenin Blanc-Viognier and Chenin Blanc from their current estate releases. Also, I would consider this winery pretty kid-friendly. My 2-year-old enjoyed running around the grounds and exploring with his dad.
Let’s fire this cannon! I wonder if it’s grape-shot…
Overall: Definitely worth the journey for the tasting and the scenic vistas. Would’ve been more so if it had been possible to taste the pineapple sparkling wine and/or the estate wines I was interested in.
Now let’s talk about that Ube Bread…
