An Unexpected Taste of Hawaii

There are many tastes and foods I associate with Hawaii —macadamia nuts, great Kona coffee, delicious fish we never see at home, and fruit juice-fueled cocktails. But wine? So it was with great interest and some skepticism that I stopped in at the tasting room of Maui’s Winery at Ulupalakua Ranch. Dramatically situated on the southwest slopes of the old Haleakala volcano, the winery uses varieties such as Syrah, Malbec, Merlot, Chardonnay, Viognier and Muscat from the Tedeschi and Ulupalakua vineyards — plus juice crushed from Maui Gold pineapples!

Incredulous, I asked to taste the pineapple Maui Blanc, and to my astonishment, I found it quite pleasant. It was light and refreshing, with a hint of sweetness and, of course, the unmistakable taste of pineapple. But such novelties aside, how would the winery fare with traditional grape varieties?

First up was the Upcountry Gold, a blend of Viognier, Muscat and Chardonnay. Aged in stainless steel, the wine had a subtle blend of honeysuckle and apple in the nose, and a nice taste of pear and apricot with a touch of citrus. It struck me as a wine that I would enjoy with grilled fish, shellfish and light curry dishes. What really impressed me, however, was the Ulupalakua Red. The robust nose of this blend showed a bit of spice; the body was supple; and the palate, with tastes of red plums and dark berries, had a good acid-fruit balance. In short, it is a very nice wine for sipping and pairing with oilier fish such as salmon, well-seasoned pork dishes and beef.

The winery is about 20 minutes from the summit-side entrance to Haleakala National Park, on state Highway 37, six miles past the little town of Keokea. It is immediately adjacent to the Ulupalakua Ranch Store, which sells takeout sandwiches and more for a meal at one of the picnic tables outside. Two tours of the winery are offered daily, at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.