TRAVELLING THE WINE TRAIL

DESTINATION

The Classic New Zealand Wine Trail is set up to celebrate what makes Kiwi vino and food so great. It’s so-called because it joins up three major wine regions and our capital city, covers 380km, and is home to around 230 wineries and 120 cellar doors, contributing to about 80 per cent of New Zealand’s wine production. With four main stops, you’ll see these centres in ways you haven’t before. Hawke’s Bay is the land of robust Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot; in Wairarapa, Pinot Noir gets star billing; Wellington is the coffee, cocktail, and craft beer capital; and Marlborough is the blockbuster Sauvignon Blanc country.

Start planning your journey with the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail today. Find out more about Marlborough at MarlboroughNZ.com/visit

With over 75 per cent of New Zealand’s wine industry, stretched across valleys, and 20 per cent of New Zealand’s coastline, woven through the beautiful Marlborough Sounds, Marlborough is worldrenowned for producing wines with a pure intensity that simply can’t be found anywhere else in the world, so it’s a fitting place for the southernmost stop of the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail. Thanks to this geographically diverse landscape, combined with an enviable climate, wines of unmatched intensity and aroma are grown, including arguably New Zealand’s most famous wine, the Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. More than 30 cellar doors offer tastings; there are many ways to explore the region’s wine trail and winery restaurants. Cycling, driving, and private or group tours are all brilliant options to explore the Marlborough wine region.

On top of the excellent wine options in Marlborough, there is plenty to do, from the wonders of Marlborough Sounds to charming Blenheim. Take in the art and sculptures on the Lochmara Sculpture Trail or, if you’re after a nature kick, kayak the Pelorous River in Havelock or tackle the Queen Charlotte Track. The region is also home to plenty of spots to try some incredible food, including the classic Kiwi cafés and the award-winning establishments, Arbour and Scotch Wine Bar. Indulge your sweet tooth at Makana Confections; the factory is set up like a cellar door where you can watch the masters make their chocolates, taste a few samples, and shop for delicious treats. Marlborough is also home to a number of accommodation options with family-friendly motor lodges through to the more luxe. Stay in one of the many luxury retreats and resorts or lodges in the Marlborough Sounds, or stay close to the vines at the Marlborough Vintners Hotel or St Leonards Vineyard Cottages.

Family owned and operated TWR wines are proudly certified organic, hand-picked, hand-sorted and one of the oldest vineyards in Marlborough, planted in 1979.

Opening in 1992, the Wairau River Restaurant and Cellar Door is one of the region’s original wine tourism destinations, with exquisite cuisine and award-winning wines.

No. 1 Family Estate is dedicated exclusively to Methode Traditionelle wines. All are produced from topquality, hand-harvested grapes grown exclusively for making this style of wine.

Whether you are going for a wine tasting, a self-guided bike tour round the white road, or taking in the stunning views of the coastline (and on a good day – the North Island), Yealands Estate is a must-do when visiting the Marlborough region. Founded by (now retired) Peter Yealands, it is all about sustainability, using Marlborough’s sunshine hours not only to ripen the grapes but power the winery too.

Wellington is smack bang in the middle of the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail, and it fulfils its role perfectly. Wellington is a compact city with a compelling mix of culture, history, nature, and cuisine. Fuel your days with strong coffee, wander through hidden laneways, and discover New Zealand’s stories in interactive museums. Be inspired in theatres and galleries and fill your suitcase with local designs and tasty treats from the boutiques and markets. Surprise your tastebuds with equally delicious and exciting cuisine in the city’s renowned restaurants, cocktail lounges, and craft beer bars. Immerse yourself in nature in the city’s outdoor playground, and explore by bike, foot, kayak, or ferry.

There’s plenty to inspire in Wellington with movie-making magic and award-winning museums, world-class performing arts, Māori culture, history, and art all around the city. There are interactive, ground-breaking displays at Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and fascinating local history at Wellington Museum and Petone Settlers Museum. Space Place has tales of New Zealanders involved in space discovery, and art lovers are spoilt for choice with City Gallery Wellington, The Dowse Art Museum, the national art collection at Te Papa’s Toi Art, and contemporary Māori, Pacific, and New Zealand art at Pātaka Art + Museum.

Wellington packs a punch when it comes to food. Taste your way around the world at cafés, restaurants, bistros, bars, and pubs serving up some of the best culinary experiences imaginable. Eat a little or a lot and sample the flavours of Aotearoa and beyond at award-winning eateries serving everything from pub grub to five-course degustation menus. Try fun casual eats at Mr Go’s and 1154 Pastaria, laid-back luxury at Loretta and Jardin Grill, or grab a bite from the many food trucks at the Harbourside Market on Sundays.

Wellington’s reputation as New Zealand’s culinary capital is well-deserved, with more eateries and bars per capita than New York City. Get the full Wellington gastronomical experience with brunch and coffee at a local café, visit a market, sip local wine and craft beer, dine at an acclaimed eatery, and end with a perfectly made cocktail. With around 20 local roasteries, you’re never far from a freshly roasted coffee bean in Wellington. Find a perch outside Swimsuit and watch the world go by with an iced white in hand, enjoy an Acme coffee and a Tomboy doughnut at Squirrel or visit the café and roastery that was a pioneer of Wellington’s world-famous coffee culture, L’affare.

Wellington is home to many craft beer bars and boutique breweries that have paved the way for New Zealand’s craft beer revolution. Park up at a cosy bar or sit al fresco in the sun, and sample the lagers, ales, sours, stouts, and everything in between that has put Wellington on the map as the craft beer capital. Ghuznee Street boasts a fantastic line-up of brew bars, including Whistling Sisters, Fortune Favours, and Choice Bros. Head south and stretch your legs at Lyall Bay Beach before heading to Parrotdog, a relaxed brewery serving up cold pints and chill vibes.

Just a quick drive from Wellington, the Wairarapa is a region full of character. This stop on the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail is where country warmth and hospitality meets world-class food and wine. Under its big skies, Wairarapa offers wildly different experiences from the intimate and cosy through to exploration of the wide-open spaces.

Several towns make up the Wairarapa region. Martinborough is a genuine ‘wine village’, perfectly set up to cater to tourists and wine lovers alike. Relative to other wine-producing areas, the wineries in Martinborough are small and largely family-owned; everything is so close. You can walk (or bike) from one winery to the next. Being able to cycle the vines using quiet, smalltown streets, fanning out from the central Town Square, is a special Martinborough experience.

Wairarapa is home to plenty of passionate producers. You’ll find anything a foodie would desire. The hands-on growers, makers, and bakers are masters of their craft; whether they’re family farmers or gutsy newcomers, the watchword’s quality, not quantity.

In neighbouring Greytown, you’ll find a country village with metropolitan style. Impeccably preserved Victorian buildings house design and gift shops. On your list should be The French Baker and Schoc Chocolates, a gourmet chocolate studio.

If culture and art are your kicks, AratoiWairarapa Museum of Art and History in Masterton is a great place to start, featuring Māori taonga, ceramics, paintings, textiles, and more. While in town, check out the Masterton Arts Quarter, a colourful conglomeration of Wairarapa based artists gathered to create, exhibit, and sell original artworks.

Alongside the rural and quaint town settings, there are dramatic coastlines. In the south of the region is Palliser Bay, home to one of the region’s most luxurious accommodation options, Wharekauhau Lodge, based on a 3,200-acre working sheep station that overlooks the bay. There are several other accommodation options, including the historic Martinborough Hotel and the Copthorne Hotel and Resort Solway Park.

Colombo Martinborough crafts wines by hand in small batches with a focus on harnessing the region’s distinctive conditions to produce elegant and expressive wines. The home block, established in 1999, provides Pinot Noir and Pinot Noir Rosé, and other varietals are sourced by working with local growers.

Specialists in Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, Palliser Estate firmly sets its wine practice in nature. The soils and natural environment are emphasised in the wine.

Alexia offers a modern take on winemaking while respecting tradition. Wives Jane and Lesley craft wines described as uncompromising single vineyard expressions of the varieties they are obsessed with making and evolving year on year. Alexia is closed for the season until the spring, so keep an eye out.

Established on the old riverbed of the Ruamahanga River, Gladstone’s focus is to craft wine that expresses the exceptional characteristics of the soil, the climate, and the region. The Cellar Door platter food complements your tasting.

Hawke’s Bay is New Zealand’s oldest wine region and is renowned for its Syrah, Merlot Cabernet blends, and Chardonnay. The weather was what attracted winemakers, and it is ideal for people, too. The Mediterranean climate is complemented by the region’s rich history and beautiful landscapes. Well worth a stop is New Zealand’s home of Art Deco architecture, Napier. Here you’ll find plenty of options for great fare and shopping. The Central Fire Station Bistro, housed in, you guessed it, an impressive heritage fire station, has a menu of ever-evolving Hawke’s Bay produce and some of the region’s best wines. If you’re in need of a pick me up, stop by Georgia’s on Tennyson for a cup of coffee made from freshly roasted in house beans. The Department of Curiosities hosts a mix of over 30 vendors – all New Zealand designer-makers. Just a five-minute drive from Napier is the Ahuriri. This historic seaside village is packed with delicious dining options to suit every appetite. Head to the bustling West Quay, take your pick from the gastropubs and enjoy dinner while you watch the sunset over the harbour. The local craft beer and cider scene are worthy of a peruse. Brave Brewing in Hastings is an award-winning brewery with an eatery and taproom. Hawke’s Bay is also home to Zeffer Cider; at the taproom and cidery in Fernhill, you can try everything from the original Crisp Apple Cider through to Apple Crumble and Guava and Lime.

The region is home to nearly 40 cellar doors, with the easy-riding Hawke’s Bay Trails providing cycle access to a great many of them. Hawke’s Bay specialises in luxury retreats and boutique accommodation. Take your pick of views – from vineyard and countryside to river and seaside. The Art Deco Masonic Hotel in Napier and Mangapapa Hotel in Havelock North both offer stays in beautifully restored historic buildings, while Porters Boutique Hotel in Havelock North is stylish and modern. Many vineyards also have accommodation options.

Perhaps one of the region’s most famous labels, if not the country’s, Mission Estate is the oldest winery in New Zealand and the birthplace of New Zealand wine. Dine on the outdoor terrace as you sip on an award-winning wine.

Under the escarpment of Te Mata Peak, the cellar door, located at Giants Winery in Havelock North, is a breath-taking setting in which to taste a selection of Craggy Range wines. It also offers boutique accommodation among the vines, with options including cottages, river lodges, and a luxury lodge.

One of the first wineries established in the famed terrôir of Gimblett Gravels, Trinity Hill produces exceptional full-bodied reds and single vineyard Chardonnays. Trinity Hill Cellar Door is open seven days, with an excellent selection of platters made of local Hawke’s Bay produce.

Proprietors Reydan and Roger Weiss first fell in love with the beauty of the setting of Te Awanga when visiting from Germany in 2001, they have since created a stunning coastal vineyard with a sustainable mindset, and it is a Sustainable Winegrowers of New Zealand accredited vineyard.

THREE OF NEW ZEALAND’S MAJOR WINE PRODUCING REGIONS, A CAPITAL CITY, RURAL TOWNS AND COASTAL WATERWAYS COMBINE TO CREATE THE CLASSIC NEW ZEALAND WINE TRAIL.

Enjoy stunning scenery, beautiful forest parks, buzzing nightlife and indulgent food experiences as you taste your way through Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa, Wellington and Marlborough; regions that account for more than 84% of New Zealand’s wine production. Take it slow and savour every sip of the journey.