In just over a decade Elephant Hill has become one of Hawke’s Bay’s most prestigious estates, situated as it is on the coast at Te Awanga that, even by New Zealand standards, is jaw-droppingly beautiful. The winery has vineyards in three distinct districts: Te Awanga, Bridge Pa and Gimblett Gravels each of which have their own microclimate and soils and, together, make Elephant Hill a ‘complete’ Hawke’s Bay producer. For head winemaker Steve Skinner the challenge is to create wines that convey their sense of place and which can deliver even when the climate conspires against them. Skinner was in London to showcase his new ‘Element’ single vineyard wine series and ‘Icon’ blends – and to reflect on how far the winery has come in the 12 years that he has been making wines there.