The Kiwi Wine Experience

Sitting in the restaurant in the Sky Tower in downtown Auckland is quite an experience. You can sip a nice selection of both North and South island wines, while eating local cuisine including Kumara chips, made from indigenous sweet potatoes favoured by the Maoris. Out the window is a view of the ocean, but you can also see ample evidence of the surrounding volcanoes, not currently erupting, but always looming.

Meanwhile, as you sip a lovely Martinborough sauvignon blanc or Hawkes Bay cabernet merlot blend, you are startled by a body falling past the window. No, this is not a tragic event; it is, of course, a bungee jumper. Within minutes the jumper is sitting at the next table enjoying a glass of wine. This little experience somehow encapsulates the spirit of New Zealand.

Most wine tourism, though, takes place on the South Island, particularly in the renowned Marlborough region, a hotbed for sauvignon blanc, and Central Otago, where pinot noir is king. Wherever you start your wine tour, be assured that you can find adventure nearby.

No trip is complete without sampling Marlborough sauvignon blanc, known for its distinct varietal notes, including passion fruit, grapefruit, capsicum/bell pepper, gooseberry, tomato leaf, citrus and nettle. That’s a mouthful of flavours!

Learn over lunch at the restaurant at Drylands Winery in Blenheim or head nearby for a fantastic lunch of local fish and wine amid gorgeous gardens at the must-see/must-eat Cellar Door and Café at the organic Rock Ferry Winery.

While in Marlborough, fans of organic wine are encouraged to visit Huia, a lovely property with a great reputation for traditional method sparkling wine, sauvignon blanc and pinot noir, all with elegance, clean fruit and mineral notes. They are currently undergoing biodynamic certification.

For adventure, an excursion to the nearby Marlborough Sounds is well worth your while. Bay of Many Coves Resort can be reached by water taxi (essentially a bumpy speedboat rode) from the town of Portage. The restaurant is spectacular and there are many opportunities for hiking, fishing or just boat cruising along the Sounds.

Moving down to Central Otago, you will find more mountainous country, known for its skiing in the winter and hiking/climbing all year long. Choose Queenstown as home base; it has all the amenities you need and is a short drive to many wineries and scenic sites.

A must-see winery is Chard Farm in Gibbston, the coolest and highest elevation region in Central Otago. Chard Farm is spectacularly located beside the gorge that was the basis of some key Lord of The Rings footage and home to a popular bungee jumping operation. Wine and bungee jumping? Why not? Before you have a large meal, preferably.

For a winery restaurant it is hard to beat Amisfield, one valley down in the Cromwell Basin region, a short drive from Queenstown. Try the “white bait” as an appetizer, New Zealand delicacy.

Another top-notch winery is Peregrine for their architecturally stunning winery, surrounded by equally beautiful scenery. The wines are as good, particularly pinot noir, but also sauvignon blanc and chardonnay. Their 2009 won best pinot noir at the 2010 Air New Zealand awards.

No trip to Otago is complete without a visit to the iconic Felton Road winery in Bannockburn, partly for the property, with its goats running in the hills and the baby Peregrine falcon, but mainly for the superlative wines. Felton Road is legendary for pinot noir and their chardonnay is equally good. Go for the goats, stay for the wine.

This is just a small taste of what New Zealand has to offer for wine and adventure – there is so much more for you to explore.