Arrowtown eatery Swiftsure, a new build in a historic town, brings Waiheke flair to the Mainland. Jesse Mulligan visits Man O’War’s new venture in the deep south.
Swiftsure is both the South Island wine label and the name of the new flagship restaurant for Man O’ War,
the beloved Auckland winery. So why not just call them both “Man O’ War”?
“Sense of place is such an incredibly important part of who we are,” winemaker Duncan McTavish told me over a recent meal at the restaurant. “When we looked at starting up in the south we wanted a name that would speak to that part of the world just as ‘Man o War’ speaks to our home on Waiheke.”
They arrived at ‘Swiftsure’, which references the qualities of the Central Otago land they’ve moved onto but also continues the nautical theme the mother-brand embraced when it was launched in 2009. Swiftsure is the name of a ship that used to take brave workers from the North Island to gold mines of the south. Today’s gold rush is more about pinot noir than precious minerals but Duncan (nicknamed “Dunc the Funk” for his love of unexpected aromas and flavours in the glass) is keen to do his own thing with the grape. His Swiftsure pinot is dark and deep – closer to the syrah end of the spectrum than the lighter reds you may associate with the area.
Swiftsure. Photo / Sam Stewart
“It’s my favourite wine to finish the night with,” said the restaurant manager as she poured us a glass. For somebody with full access to the Man O’ War cellar that’s saying a lot, but the pinot is up to the job – we sipped away at it while finishing off a cheeseboard and soaking up the cosy atmosphere of Arrowtown’s newest restaurant. It was -1 Celsius outside, and I momentarily wondered if, instead of walking back to the hotel, I could grab one of their complimentary blankets and sleep where I was, on the plush cushioned bench seats that wrap around the outside of the warm room.
Swiftsure is a new build, right in the middle of this beautiful and historic town, but it looks as though it has been here for years. Clad in the iconic local schist, it rises up over Buckingham Green with multiple levels of outdoor seating and, at the top, a doorway into the bistro. The interior is informally arranged into three distinct spaces by room dividers adorned with antique-style knick-knacks and plenty of wine bottles, reminding you who the restaurant belongs to. Still, it doesn’t have the feel of a cellar door: just a first-class eatery with an opportunity to go deep into the Man O’ War wine library if you’re interested in finding out how, say, the 2010 Ironclad Bordeaux blend is holding up.
The bistro pairs regional fare with deep cuts from the Man O’ War wine library. Photo / Sam Stewart
The food is outstanding. I ate here twice, starting with some lighter options for lunch then diving into the heavier mains for dinner. Chef Yann Robert is ex-Amisfield and Jervois Steak House in Queenstown and he really seems to have got his creative groove on here, offering a few bistro standards alongside some other culinary inventions I’d never come across before.
Take his approach to whitebait. You can enjoy this South Island classic in the usual way – served in two very good, light fritters with lemon wedges and some simple dipping sauce. Or you can try it Yann’s way in a tiny skillet, where he heats a garlicky chilli oil ‘til it’s shimmering, then drops the tiny fish fry in to cook. They are still bubbling in the pan when they arrive, and it’s both fun and delicious to spoon them onto a piece of sourdough and eat them piping hot.
Swiftsure is Man O’ War’s new Arrowtown bistro, serving bold wines and inventive dishes in a schist-clad setting. Photo / Sam Stewart
Artisan New Zealand producers are well represented on the menu (and at the bar – try the local Rifter’s gin with tonic if you need a short break from the wine tasting). I’d love you to order the Craft Pâté venison black pudding, which is one of the loveliest I’ve eaten, served with a little blackcurrant chutney on a seeded loaf. And it is compulsory to try some Lumina lamb – they were serving both shank (honey and plum glazed) and shoulder (wood-fired, for two) when I visited, and either would be a great match with the pinot or the Dreadnaught Syrah.
If you’re in the mood for an interesting bubbles, Swiftsure is one of the few places you can order Man O’ War’s Tulia by the glass. It is golden-hued and zero dosage (no added sugar) making it a great food wine – try it classic, with a dozen oysters, or with chef Yann’s cured salmon served with South East Asian dressing and caper crackers.
Swiftsure’s head chef Yann Robert. Photo / Sam Stewart
The food menu is extensive and comes with a daily list of specials that is hard to resist. If it’s available, I suggest the beef cheek – patiently braised and unctuous – and the quail, which is tunnel boned, roasted and stuffed with chicken mousselline – the sort of thing you’d get at a top-level gastro pub in Europe (the chef worked at some Michelin joints in that part of the world).
The next morning, we got up and walked into the hills around Arrowtown. For two hours all we could hear was the crunch of our boots on the frozen track; Auckland felt very far away. I can see why the people behind Man O’ War wanted to plant a flag down here, both to start a new chapter for the company, and to continue creating a portfolio of wines that will help tell the story of New Zealand to the world.
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