Mazurans produces some of the best Port this side of Portugal. Mazurans is a legendary vineyard which has deep historical roots going back many years around the turn of last century, when the Croatian immigrants settled in West Auckland. The port here is excellently priced and there is definitely a price point to suit most budgets. My favourite is one of their Tawny ports(that received international acclaim a few years ago) and the Ruby port. After tasting some pretty amazing varietals after travelling to Porto a few years ago, I never thought that I’d come home to find such a high standard right in my own backyard. I bought most of my christmas presents here last year — I might have to do the same this year and top my own supply up at the same time. Good tip — make sure you take cash or credit card — they don’t have EFTPOS.
Hannah J V.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Portland, OR
My Croatian family has been friends with the Mazuran family since back in the early 1900s when everyone settled here. The Mazuran family set up shop on Lincoln Road in Henderson, getting to work on the thing they make better than anyone else in the country — port. They’ve clearly become quite popular too — the family recently upgraded the factory shop from a glorified garage to a very swish looking place that displays all the port on offer, along with a bottle of each vintage since the 1930s. These vintages are also for sale, but don’t expect to leave with your finances intact if you buy one! The standard issue ports, especially the tawny port, are family favourites. We tend to buy this stuff by the flagon and go right through it over the winter. My ailing grandfather has taken to drinking tawny port with every meal these days — and why not? When you get to 89, I reckon you deserve to have a few nice tipples!