We always knew our wines would be called Tiki — a name chosen in honour of Royce’s great-great-great grandfather, Ngāti Uenuku Chieftain, Tiki Tere Mihi.

But the journey to that name began long before the vineyard.

In the late 1990s, with two young daughters, we spent several years living in the Craigieburn Range — rich in experience, but short on money. Like many young families, we dreamed of building something of our own back in New Zealand.

That dream took us overseas.

For five years, we worked and travelled across Europe and North America, saving what we could. When our daughters began school in the UK, the pull of home became impossible to ignore. We wanted them to grow up with the same sense of freedom and connection to place that we had known in Aotearoa.

So we came home.

We settled in Sumner, Christchurch — close to family, the ocean, and the lifestyle we had missed. Before long, we found what would become the foundation of Tiki: a 325-hectare sheep farm in Waipara, North Canterbury.

We had no background in wine. Limited funds. No roadmap.

But we had conviction — and we committed fully.

From the beginning, we knew that people would be key. We built a small, dedicated team — now our Tiki whānau — and began planting the vineyard. What started as 60 hectares quickly grew, with hundreds of thousands of vines, miles of irrigation, and years of groundwork before the first harvest.

It was demanding, uncertain, and deeply rewarding.

By 2006, our Waiata Vineyard was fully established. A few years later, we released our first wine — a Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc. It received gold medals and international recognition, affirming what we had believed from the start: this land could produce something special.

Today, Tiki is one of the largest vineyard estates in North Canterbury, with wines enjoyed around the world.

As a Māori-owned wine producer, our approach is guided by kaitiakitanga — a commitment to care for the land, protect it, and leave it better for future generations.

The name Tiki carries both personal and cultural meaning. A carved taonga, it is gifted to share connection, protection, and good fortune.

Our wines are crafted in that same spirit.

What began as an idea — and a leap into the unknown — remains grounded in a sense of adventure, freedom, and deep connection to place.

That is the heart of Tiki.

Royce and Sue McKean
Founders of Tiki Wine & Vineyards