Sustainable wines worthy of a toast
Atrip to Yealands Estate will give you insight into how the winery helped put Marlborough sauvignon blanc on the world wine map.
Where/what is it?
The Yealands Estate in Marlborough is a monument to wine. In particular, to producing wine sustainably.
A 30-minute drive south of Blenheim, 2000 hectares of vines undulate across the wind-swept and sun-kissed hills of Marlborough’s southeast, and it’s the birthplace of some of the world’s most renowned and environmentally-sustainable wines.
Peter Yealands bought land here in 2002 and his globally recognised brand was up and running six years later.
All along, he has upheld an unwavering devotion to green business and treading lightly, all the while producing some of the best-known sauvignon blanc on the planet.
Why go?
Located at the heart of this vast estate, you’ll arrive at the winery’s HQ already absorbed by the scale and splendour of the seemingly endless rows of wines.
A free tasting, introduced by an informative short film, awaits you inside the enormous space-age and zero-carbon winery.
And, unlike other major wine producers, the Yealands Estate allows you to see its ecological practice and philosophy in action, which you can experience at close quarters by taking a self-guided driving tour around the estate.
Among many things, you will come across enormous compost heaps and woodsheds, but the more unusual nods to sustainable growth come in the form ‘‘over-friendly’’ chickens (signs warn you repeatedly of their presence), not to mention the speakers that play classical music to the vines, which the estate jokingly admits is the one of the less scientific means of maximising their yields.
What’s more, the views are simply stunning.
The estate’s countless vineyards sprawl from Seddon up to and along the clifftops, which command stunning views up to the Marlborough Sounds and, on a clear day, all the way to Wellington.
You’ll leave the Yealands Estate informed, inspired and with a spring in your step, whether or not you’ve sampled the wine.
Insider tip
Bring a picnic, grab the bottle you like most from the tasting, and then set off to explore the rest of the estate along the White Rd drive.
There is a lookout point about a third of the way along that provides a peaceful spot to unfold your packed lunch atop the cliffs.
If it’s too windy, there are numerous sheltered valleys with agreeable water features, duck ponds and lakes with their own picnic spots.
The handy, illustrated fold-out map available from the cellar door will help you find your way around.
On the way/nearby
Wine, wine and wine. And more wine.
For a more ‘‘commercial’’ sampling of the grapes that made this region famous, call in to Villa Maria’s swanky HQ and cellar door to the southwest of Blenheim.
For those with a more ‘‘boutique’’ palette, a visit to Astrolabe should not be missed.
Best time to go
Both the tastings and the drive around the estate tour are best enjoyed in the late morning.
In the afternoon, the exposed clifftops tend to receive an intense dose of sunlight, as well as tourists. Rory O’Sullivan