Huge lava flows reach like fingers into the harbour. The view from the vineyard site is spectacular.

Ancient eruptions have endowed Canterbury with a spectacular landform called Banks Peninsula. Rising up from the Canterbury Plains, the harbours of Akaroa and Lyttelton townships are the twin craters of an ancient volcano, and the surrounding hills and fertile land are a result of its eruptions. These harbours are among the world’s outstanding examples of eroded and flooded craters.

The first vintage produced by Successors’ winemaker Theo Coles was from a small hillside vineyard, high above the town of Akaroa on Banks Peninsula – and so the brand ‘The Crater Rim’ was born.

This picturesque parcel of land has been leased and managed by our team since the 2003 vintage. The sub-region of Akaroa has outstanding potential for growing great wines, and this site has become the heart of our wine portfolio.

Banks Peninsula has a far-reaching effect on the climate of the whole Canterbury province, and so we have carried The Crater Rim brand to encompass all the wines we produce from the Canterbury sub-regions of Akaroa, Waipara, Burnham and Omihi .