The first wineries were established by Dalmatian immigrants, among them the Brajkovich, Nobilo and Selak families. Now only the Kumeu River winery, owned and operated by the Brajkovichs, is still under family control, though members of the other pioneer families continue to be involved in the wine business.

In the last two or three decades the subregion has been revitalised by the arrival of a variety of wine companies, from boutique size to well­established, such as Soljans and Westbrook, which have relocated from Henderson.

The region can be reached from Auckland city via the Northwestern motorway, SH16, in less than an hour. This region should be at the top of any wine­lover‘s list, as the wineries are well set up for visitors and offer an excellent selection of award­winning wines from various wine regions, as well as those grown locally.