Rossendale Wines is a family-owned Canterbury wine company whose home block vineyard, farm, office and cellar door sit at 100 Old Tai Tapu Road on the Halswell side of Christchurch.
### History and vineyard
Brent and Shirley Rawstron planted three hectares of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir on the banks of the Halswell River in 1987. The Chardonnay was later replaced with Pinot Noir, and further plantings on north-facing slopes have taken the estate to seven hectares, including Gewurztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc. Both Brent and Shirley graduated from Lincoln University with Post Graduate Diplomas in Horticultural Science in 1993, and Shirley moved from medical general practice into full-time winery work.
A winery was built on the Canterbury site in 1992, with Lincoln graduate Grant Whelan as winemaker from 1993 to 2002. As the business grew, winemaking shifted to Blenheim, where the wines are made today. The Rawstron family purchased the Brothers Vineyard in Marlborough in 2004, which now supplies the Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris.
### The wines
The Rossendale range covers Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Rose and Pinot Noir, made with an emphasis on primary varietal fruit characteristics. Export brands include Cottesbrook and Governors Bay, and the company also produces Seven Terraces in partnership with Empson Canada. Wine is sold through the cellar door, an online shop, and South Island and international stockists.
Both the Canterbury and Marlborough sites are certified under the Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand programme, with the office site audited annually. Rossendale also sponsors CJM'S Events, including the Selwyn Marathon and the Wine Run, both of which are run through the Canterbury vineyard.
### Visiting, and an important note on events
The cellar door offers tastings Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, for small groups of up to six guests, with larger groups asked to make contact in advance. It sits beside the office, past the events building.
Planners should note that the separate Rossendale Weddings and Events centre closed in 2026 and is no longer operating, according to the winery's own website. Any earlier listings describing a function centre, wedding venue or on-site restaurant at this address are out of date.
### Suitability for group visits
Rossendale is currently best treated as a cellar door and tasting destination rather than a function venue. It works well as a short, small-group tasting stop within a wider Canterbury itinerary, a pre- or post-conference add-on, or a supplier for wine used at events elsewhere. Groups of more than six, and any event use, need to be confirmed directly with the winery. See more Christchurch venues.
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