The first of the 2011 Pinot Gris have hit the shelves, so it’s a great time to taste and see where these wines evolve over the coming months. 

I love a textured white wine, and this certainly has not disappointed.  Partial fermentation in older oak barrels nearly always achieves this result.  The key is to keep the fruit and freshness along with it, so the noticable floral and honey suckle on the nose is an excellent result.
In the mouth, ripe peach and pears flavours are vivid and a lingering finish only makes me want to reach for another glass. This is delicious wine, and at NZ$ 13.95 (on sale) it is a perfect accompaniment for any late afternoon apres work entertainment or equally fitting at any dinner party.

Wither Hills is a medium sized winery by international standards and was established in 1994.   It is located in Marlborough, at the top of the South Island, with its vineyards stretched throughout the Wairau valley.  Chief winemaker is local born and bred Ben Glover.

Get a 5 % discount on our scheduled 5 day/night South Island Wine Tour or 9 day/night Ultimate NZ Wine Tour when two couples book together on the same tour. 

This special offer is available for any of our scheduled wine tours for the summer of 2011/12, but does not include custom designed tours.  So call your friends and encourage them to come along and enjoy a slice of New Zealand.

Some conditions may apply so call or email us today to find out more and reserve you place amongst New Zealand’s finest wine regions.

It’s always a treat to drive the 4 hrs north from Christchurch to Blenheim, knowing a weekend of wine tasting is on the cards.  I love Marlborough wine region, with it’s dry Wither Hills sitting against the skyline, rows upon rows of vineyards neatly spread  across the valley floor and all that sunshine.  It is heavenly.

With wine tasting firmly fixed on the agenda, this time here we visited half a dozen wineries, beginning in the Wairau valley,  the main road of wineries and vineyards located just outside of Blenheim town. 

Saint Clair, a medium size producer and arguably the mainstay of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.  With their Pioneer Block series of wines they have a multitude of styles in Sauvignon Blanc to suit any palate.  Along with their Pinot Noir collection I was impressed with the quality of wine on show.  The cellar door was quite small and with a bustle of tasters jostling for wine samples they also somehow managed to fit in a cafe with an appealing food selection. 

A little further up the road we stopped in at Nautilus Estate.  Again this is a medium size winery with a great selection of wines from Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot gris, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to their highly rated and award winning Nautilus Sparkling  wine.  A comfy cellar door experience and great wines to boot.

A side detour into Makana handmade chocolates and confectionary, is a real treat.  A free sample is enough to tempt you into buying a delicious assortment of Christmas goodies and sweets. 

While a little further a field and 20 minutes north of Blenheim is the Johanneshof Cellars.  Award winning wines, particularly for their Gewurztraminer, Johanneshof have created a beautiful selection of delicious wines from their Sauvignon Blanc, crisp Riesling and Pinot Gris to the very interesting Pinot Noir…and all under cork.  Here also houses New Zealand’s first wine cave, built into the side of the hill in the early 1990′s – very charming.

We finished the day off, back in the heart of Marlborough Wine country and the home of Seresin Biodynamic vineyards.  I would have to say the wines produced here are a real standout of the entire region.  Classy, mouthfilling with a complexity that goes beyond the norm.  Full of flavour, weight and aroma, each wine stands out on its own.  Picking a favourite from this lot is impossible…you will just have to come and sample for yourself.

The Central Otago region has to be one of my favourite wine growing and wine tasting areas in New Zealand to visit.  Set amongst a contrast of start rocky mountains and glacial  fed lakes, the sheep graze on parched land and grape vines stretch out over the rolling hillsides.

The Central Otago Story.

Grapes were not on anyones mind when the first settlers came to this area in the mid 1800′s, but Gold was.  The hillsides were moved, the rivers dredged and the landscape was changed for a long period of time.  That gold funded many a small town with wealth, and money was channeled into the larger towns of Oamaru and Dunedin where magnificent stone buildings were errected that are strong part of our southern heritage today.

With its cool continental climate, long hot and dry summer days, those who were not breaking their backs for gold were establishing fruit orchards of cherries, apples and apricots.   Rabbits were introduced into the region about the same time and multiplied with abundance.  Today the hills heave with rabbits and taking a close look at the landscape these furry creatures rule this part of New Zealand.  For the vine grower, it is a constant battle to keep the young vines protected.

New Beginnings for the wine industry.

Felton Rd Wineries

The mid 1980′s saw the beginnings of grape and wine production, with many varieties planted to see what would grow well  in this tough climate which is located at latitude 45, the most southern wine growing region in the world.  Rippon vineyard near Wanaka, Chard farm and Gibbston Valley on the road to Queenstown were the first to produce wine on a commercial scale.  Today there are over 68 vineyards and wineries within the greater Central Otago region that include: Gibbston Valley, Wanaka, the Cromwell basin, Bannockburn, Bendigo and the Alexandra sub regions.

The grape variety that has had the most success by far is Pinot Noir.  Low cropping has ensured a wine of such depth and concentration that it now rivals our award winning Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc on the world wine tasting stage.  The richness and smooth texture of Pinot Noir is Central Otago’s hallmark.  With awards from many prestigious wine tasting competitions, it is becoming evident that this region has got the recipe right. 

Wine tasting Central Otago.

Visit any number of wine tasting cellar doors that are open to the public in the region.  Quartz Reef in Cromwell, Mt Difficulty on Felton Rd, Bald Hills in Bannockburn or Amisfield estate just out of Queenstown all enjoy visitors at any time of the year.  There are many wineries to choose from and the quality is exceptional.  Some like Mt Edward or Pisa Range estate are open by appointment and are worth the extra effort to have a private tasting with their welcoming hosts.  Or of course you can join one of our scheduled wine tours to really get the most from your wine tasting experience of this beautiful New Zealand region.

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We had 4 hours to spare and it was either a afternoon at the Auckland aquarium or an afternoon spent exploring the trendy region of Matakana, north of the city.  Three days exploring the North Island’s highlights is certainly not the ideal way to be touring New Zealand.  But we had reached Auckland with a few hours to spare and the rain clouds were approaching fast, so it was a choice to relax in Auckland or drive a little further and do a wine tour of Matakana.  But rest was not to be, so we headed north one hour to see what all the fuss was about in this place called Matakana.

Boutique, trendy, fabulous and refreshing.  The sea on one side, the shopping on the other and delicious bakeries in between.  Did I mention the wineries dotted among the hills, the honey hive, gelato and farmers market?  I think I really needed two days or a weekend to do it all justice.  Since wine is the aim of many of my adventures, I had my trusty wine guide at the ready, and who just happens to pull up at the honey hive?   The very author himself, Phil Parker!  Well a signature latter, and few tips on the best wineries to visit on the tour we headed to Ascension Vineyards, the first winery on the left as you are heading into Matakana.  Well what a surprise, the Merlot was smooth as, and the Viognier was simply divine.  I was not expecting the quality of craftsmanship as had passed my lips that fine winters day.

Ascension Fortitude, Old Tawny Port

A deep red brick hue gives way to heady aroma of syrupy goodness of sweet prunes, raisins and a nutty meatiness.  Sweet fruited, hints of walnuts and a fine balanced acidity gives this wine a delicious lift.   The flavours linger well onto the end of the palate with a smoothness that is memorable.

I was given a bottle of this 2006 Sandihurst Canterbury Pinot Noir for my birthday last year.  My sister and I were at the Sandihurst cellar door not far out of Christchurch being entertained by the gregarious owner Hennie Borman.  Full of passion and enthusiasm, Hennie and my sister could and would have spent hours defining which food would match each wine and the delights of each subsequent course.
Meanwhile, I was here to taste the wine.  So in between all the diatribe I managed to coax Hennie into pouring for me a sample of his wares.  With vineyards located near Christchurch, up the road in Waipara and a block in Central Otago the wines really did prove that terroir was the definer of each wine. 
I came away with a 2008 Waipara Riesling, delicious, fragrant lemon/lime and zesty….everything I like about Waipara Riesling.

Meanwhile my sister had exhausted all possible food combinations and decided that splashing out on a few good bottles of Pinot was the only option available.  And like all good things in life memories are what attach you to the moment.  So that was nearly 9 months ago and here I am opening a bottle of Pinot that she bought me.

Sandihurst Canterbury Pinot Noir 2006

Like a typical Pinot Noir from anywhere other than Central Otago, its depth of colour is light to medium and ruby hued. Vibrant aromas of red currants freshly picked from the bush blended well with lightly oaked characters.
In the mouth, the zesty acidity gave way to bursts of red fruits and a spicy lightly oaked complexity, with a good depth of flavour.  It has a good length on the palate,with the spiciness and acidity lingering on the finish. 
So being winter I cooked up a hearty Morrocan Lamb stew with sweet Kumara mash….and the match was made.

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Lazy Sunday afternoons are always a good time to be visiting your local wine region.  For me, living in Christchurch the Waipara wine region is a 45 min (Sunday) drive, and Pegasus Bay winery is located on the southern end of the Waipara valley. 

The cellar door is a delightful mix of warm wooden cosy ambiance with friendly knowledgeable staff.  With more than half a dozen styles of wine to sample, the selection does not disappoint.  Pegasus Bay is well known as a premium boutique winery to rival the very best of New Zealand.  And being in Waipara, the Riesling grape is the star variety here, with Pegasus producing four styles:  the off-dry Belcanto, the Classic Riesling, a late harvest and dessert style Riesling.  All of which are faultless.

2008 Belcanto Riesling:
With hints of Botrytis on the nose, it gives you a luscious invitation to indulge. In the mouth it is off dry, with a fruity lemon/lime zestyness is where this style fits exactly.  The acidity is perfectly balanced, and the flavour lingers long enough to entice you to indulge over again.
At $30 a bottle it is built to last and worth every penny.

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