Wine notes
Planning your holiday? New Zealand’s grape-growing regions have much to recommend them, says Master of Wine Emma Jenkins.
This time of year finds me eyeing the large red sausage shape lurking in the garage, which is actually the three-roomed tent I once bought in a fit of outdoorsyness (yes, we would be one of those effortless camping families!). The fact that my husband refers to it as the “tent of shame” is probably all you really need to know about how successful that idea was. In fact, the furthest off the beaten track this tent has been is the far corner of the lawn... in my defence, we do have a very large lawn. Ahem. Anyway, enough with the public catharsis, as what I am good at outdoors is visiting fabulous wine regions. It is to these I urge you to go this summer.
New Zealand is blessed with remarkable landscapes, most of which have a vineyard or 10 to visit. Wine goes hand-in-hand with good food and hospitality and most regions boast at least one annual food and wine festival plus numerous other events (such as concerts and art exhibitions) around which to plan a visit. Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough, in particular, have numerous winery-based events throughout the year.
As with any holiday, success lies in the planning. Visiting a wine region could mean a weekend away with your girlfriends, a week or so further afield with family, or perhaps even a tripof-a-lifetime luxury option. Once you’ve decided which of those suits best, think about what you actually like doing. Are you planning to really get to know a region and its wines, or do you just fancy meandering through the countryside sampling wines and local delicacies along the way, with perhaps a spot of shopping at the closest town? Do you need to factor in other entertainment for those less wine-inclined? What’s your budget? Each wine region has a helpful website that will answer all those questions and more.
All regions boast a wide range of cellar doors to visit, from sleek, architectural wonders to the shed-out-the-back-of-the-family-home, and most will also have some form of food on offer too. Some of the nation’s best chefs are found in winery restaurants.
Compact wine regions such as Waipara, Nelson, Wairarapa and Gisborne make it easy to visit many producers in a short time. A wine tour is a good way to experience your chosen region and can range from a limousine tour to a scenic cycle trail.
This summer think beyond your usual holiday digs and instead head out to the vineyards (the bonus in New Zealand is most are still close to our many fabulous beaches). Handily, quite a few wineries also offer accommodation nestled in amongst the vines. You can probably even pitch your tent in some, but I’m really not the best person to advise on that!
All regions boast a wide range of cellar doors to visit.