How a chance encounter led to a Michelin Star for Christchurch’s Tussock Hill Vineyard

Wednesday, 15 July 2026

Tussock Hill Vineyard and Cellar Door Restaurant on Huntsbury Hill in Christchurch was awarded a Michelin Star nine years after the Targetts took on the property and built the establishment from the ground up.

Graham Targett was building a house for a client in Christchurch when he was captivated by the neighbouring vineyard.

Now, those same vines are part of his family’s business and its Michelin Star restaurant.

“It’s a bit ridiculous,” his wife, Melaina Targett said as she reflected on how Tussock Hill Vineyard and Cellar Door Restaurant came to be.

Tussock Hill owners Melaina Targett, left, husband Graham and his sister, Sally Targett, all live on the property with their children.

The Huntsbury hill establishment the couple own with Graham’s parents was awarded a prestigious Michelin Star on June 30, one of just two venues in Christchurch to receive the honour.

It’s an achievement Melaina never imagined when they were planning to build “a tiny thing to serve pizzas and platters from”.

Her husband was a builder, and she had mainly been in admin when they began looking for “new things to do” nine years ago.

The restaurant has a menu of seasonal food and wine made from the grapes on site and from their Waipara vines.

While Graham was building a house next door to the vineyard, he told her it looked “so nice, watching the guy work on the vines”.

“Then we realised it was for sale,” she said.

The couple had no experience in hospitality, but soon jumped at the opportunity with Graham’s parents, taking on the established pinot noir vineyard and home, and later adding a restaurant in 2021.

Tussock Hill head chef Adam Harrison has been at the restaurant since November, bringing his experience of sustainably sourcing food and foraging produce.

“It spiralled” from there, she said. They bought another vineyard in Waipara and talked her sister-in-law, Sally Targett, into returning from the UK to run the business.

The restaurant’s wines are made by experienced winemaker Theo Cole using grapes from the family’s two vineyards, while food is sourced from the property and local suppliers, including ethically produced meat and fresh produce.

The menu has been “guided by the chefs” they’ve had throughout the years, Melaina said, currently led by head chef and forager Adam Harrison.

The a la carte menu changes regularly to reflect the seasons, while the curated lunch narrows down the focus to what’s available on the day.

Everything is made in-house, including sauces, gluten-free bread and crackers, and the restaurant caters for many dietary requirements, including a vegan ‘trust the chef’ lunch.

Tussock Hill has two family homes on the property. Graham’s parents live in a large homestead with Melaina, Graham and their two children, while Sally recently built a home there after first living in the old site office.

“It’s a real gang up there,” Melaina said.