Sail away, all you fine-wine lovers
As well as making some damn fine wine, the Cloudy Bay brand now offers custommade luxury experiences for wine lovers.
Where/what is it?
Located in the Wairau Valley in Marlborough, Cloudy Bay’s winery and vineyards are about a 10-minute drive from Blenheim. There, you can try some of that world-famous savignon blanc at the cellar door, chill out in the hanging ‘‘egg’’ chairs and let the kids loose in the large and lovely outdoor courtyard. But if you fancy taking your visit up a notch, the winery also has luxury offerings that range from private tastings to sailing excursions to give guests the ‘‘full Cloudy Bay experience’’.
Why go?
A beautiful day in the Marlborough Sounds is pretty hard to beat, especially when you’re on a beautiful yacht. In this case, it’s a 54-foot Beneteau Oceanic sailing yacht, which groups can enjoy on full or half day Cloudy Bay tours (transportation to Picton is included). You’ll see the sights of the Sounds, do a bit of fishing, try your hand at sailing, feed some fish and, if you’re lucky, maybe even spot some seals or dolphins. Foodies will love the amazing lunch on board, not to mention the Cloudy Bay Pelorus sparkling wine. Of course, there’s also plenty of time for wine talk with the Cloudy Bay team. Not into sailing? Try a gastronomic experience (aka lunch) that highlights local produce paired with Cloudy Bay wines at The Shack, an architecturally designed house next to the winery with a very rich history. For a good overview of the vineyards, hard-core wine fans can also take a 45-minute helicopter ride, landing at various vineyard sites to learn more about the soil and microclimates and how they affect the wines’ flavour profile.
Insider tip
Can’t decide which experience is best