The Nest was first released in February 2009 with a range of four varietal wines: Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough Pinot Noir and Marlborough Chardonnay with a Hawkes Bay Merlot. Other additions to the line up are planned.
Brought to you by the team at Lake Chalice Wines, under the guidance of winemaker Matt Thomson, the range is made specially for easy drinking right off the shelf. Each wine is a true expression of the region and variety.
Visit Lake Chalice Wines website here. (Opens in a new window)
Wingspan Trust is based at Ngongotaha near Rotorua and was incorporated in 1992 as a registered charitable trust. It has the backing of the NZ Department of Conservation and relies on support from donations and sponsors to care for sick, injured and orphaned raptors, to facilitate research into their habits and habitats, to captive breed, raise public awareness and to rehabilitate birds to the wild.
There are currently three remaining raptors (birds of prey) native to NZ. The endemic Falcon or Karearea which features on the NZ twenty dollar note. The Australasian Harrier Hawk or Kahu, and the NZ Morepork or Ruru.
The Nest by Lake Chalice are particularly interested in the little owl Ruru. Every bottle of wine sold results in a donation to the trust to continue their good work.
Visit Wingspan Trust website here. (Opens in a new window)
The Ruru is a superb little hunting machine skilled in operating at night. The plumage is exceptionally soft which enables the birds to fly silently through the air so they can approach their prey without warning. They have excellent hearing with their disc-shaped faces designed to direct the slightest sound to the large ear openings. The neck is very flexible and can rotate 270 degrees to look for prey from every possible angle and large shining eyes designed for optimum binocular vision in low intensity light.
The Ruru is an important part of Maori mythology and tradition. For example, many of the carved figures seen on Maori meeting houses have had their eyes modelled on Ruru and when performing the war dances of the haka and the pukana the glaring looks from the Maori warriors are also imitating the fiery little owl. It is also hardly surprising that, in Maori mythology, Ruru, the night hunter on silent wings, with a melancholy hooting call, is associated with the spirit world.
Probably the best known Morepork at Wingspan is Whisper. She was found by forestry workers as an egg in a disturbed nest in early 2008. The egg was incubated and hatched at Wingspan and raised to adulthood. She is now part of a captive breeding programme. A photographic record of her first 35 days from hatching to first flight can be seen on the Wingspan website.
