NZME - Destination Marlborough 2019

A NZME Commercial Publication

ADVENTURES

Taste

Let your appetite lead you

Enjoy

Luxury experiences in Marlborough

Win

A Marlborough getaway for two

Experience untouched views of the South Island as you travel between Picton and Christchurch. The Coastal Pacific journey is a scenic feast with views of the picturesque Kaikōura mountain ranges on one side and rugged Pacific coastline on the other.

For a fuller experience, cruise through the magnificent Marlborough Sounds with Interislander; the best way to cross between the North and South Islands.

The Great Journeys of New Zealand unites four iconic journeys – Northern Explorer, Interislander, Coastal Pacific and TranzAlpine. Our journeys offer the best way to experience New Zealand – connecting you with our landscapes, places, people and culture.

Book now at greatjourneysofnz.co.nz

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Marlborough magic

Looking for that ultimate spot to getaway and unwind?

Marlborough could be what you’re looking for. Here is the essential guide from luxury wining and dining to exploring with boots, bike or kayak, Marlborough is spring’s ideal short break escape where you can choose to be as relaxed or active as you want to be.

Check out www.MarlboroughNZ.com for all the details you need and see you soon in Brilliant Marlborough

BEST.DAY.EVER P4 Must do’s P10

Taste of Marlborough P6

Happy hour by the sea P8

Air New Zealand operates daily non-stop flights to Blenheim from Auckland and Wellington, with connections across the domestic network.

For more information visit airnz.co.nz

Be in to win a trip for two to Marlborough Be in to win return flights for two to Marlborough, courtesy of Air New Zealand.

We want you to have the BEST.DAY.EVER in Marlborough with each day topped by the next so head to www.MarlboroughNZ.com/winyourbestdayever to read and choose your favourite BEST.DAY.EVER itinerary out of three: “Explore & Rejuvenate in the Marlborough Sounds”, “Cruise & Indulge” or “Vineyards & Views” to go into the draw to win. Entries close on 6 September 2019. Terms and conditions apply.

EDITOR Greg Fleming

Treat your tastebuds P11

DESIGN Courtney Wenzlick | ADVERTISING Nikki Roche - nikki.roche@nzme.co.nz

For MarlboroughNZ Kelly Watkins | Marlborough is a NZME Commerical Publication

Beautiful

ACCOMMODATION “We stayed here as a family for 4 nights in July and it was just perfect.

The Manor villa we stayed in was warm, clean and a pleasure to relax in. Could easily have spent longer here! From the first phone to the retreat, the hosts made us feel welcome, so friendly yet professional.

Wonderful people. Highly recommend, hope to get back in the summer for a few nights!”

Guest Comment tripadvisor.co.nz July2019 Vintners Retreat

55 Rapaura Road, Blenheim 7273 (03) 572 7420 ' "4$3+&"4(4-*)*-(*-/(1.3142 #((,!00%%%1&"4(4-*)*-(*-/(1.31420

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BEST.DAY.EVER In Marlborough you’ll always top today with tomorrow

With brilliant spots to eat and drink, outdoors full of adventure & luxurious places to rest and relax all in close proximity, in Marlborough you really can have the Best.Day.Ever

DAY 1 Queen Charlotte Track Queen Charlotte Track. Walk, cycle the track for one day or several.

Admire the stunning views from the skyline ridges. Enjoy a packed lunch on a remote beach and have your luggage transported to your accommodation by water taxi. Stay the night at one of the many lodges such as Punga Cove, Portage Bay Resort, Bay of Many Coves or the Lochmara Lodge along the Queen Charlotte Track. Enjoy a hot spa, great food and a night of serenity out in the Sounds after a day of fresh air activity.

WINE & FISHING

Waterways & Wine tours – Wine and Sounds combined day trips www.soundsconnection.com

DAY 2 Marlborough Sounds Continue your journey along the Queen Charlotte Track by foot, bike or kayak, or for something different, swim with dolphins in the sheltered waters of the Marlborough Sounds, jump on a boat cruise or just enjoy Picton and catch a cruise from the town wharf. Stay overnight in Picton with waterfront views or a lodge in the Marlborough Sounds on water’s edge.

DAY 3 Wine Tour Transfer to Blenheim, the largest town in the Marlborough region. Take

a wine tour or hire a bike and do a self-guided tour around the cellar doors in the region. Have lunch at one of the many award-winning winery restaurants along the way and linger at the winery restaurant.

Stay in Blenheim amongst the vines or at a hotel or luxury lodge.

DAY 4 Pelorus Head to Havelock for lunch and indulge on world famous Greenshell MusselsTM made in a variety of ways on your way out to Pelorus River Reserve which is full of walking tracks through ancient forest and was also

a filming location for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. The crystal clear waters of the Pelorus River, and the iconic bridge above was the film location of the barrel scene in The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug. The pure river cuts through a rocky gorge, surrounded by lush green native beech forest.

Choose your own activities each day in Marlborough and see how you can top each day by next by heading to MarlboroughNZ.com/ BESTDAYEVER.

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EVENTS 1

GARDEN MARLBOROUGH 7-10 NOVEMBER Rapaura Springs Garden Marlborough, the nationally renowned garden festival, was dreamt up by gardeners for gardeners. A celebration of Marlborough’s stunning landscape, it showcases the very best the region has to offer with garden tours, garden themed workshops and social events.

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TOTARANUI 250 21-25 NOVEMBER This year New Zealand will mark 250 years since the first meetings between Ma-ori and Pa-keha- during James Cook and the Endeavour’s 1769 voyage to Aotearoa New Zealand. Tuia – Encounters 250 will acknowledge this pivotal moment in our nation’s history as well as the extraordinary feats of Pacific voyagers with a visiting flotilla including replica Endeavour and Waka fleet.

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DUCATI ADVENTURE TOUR 20-24 NOVEMBER This exclusive 5 night, 4-day Ducati experience will take riders through some of the best riding and scenery that New Zealand has to offer. Get your Multistrada or Desert Sled down and dirty as the DAT explores the “Top of the South” in true Ducati style. Enjoy top quality riding, luxurious accommodation and epic meals right here in Marlborough.

EDWIN FOX MUSEUM

Come and explore the decks and the depths of the last remaining immigrant ship that brought immigrants to New Zealand.

All weather, family friendly activity.

www.edwinfoxsociety.com

Picton Foreshore, 1 Auckland St, Picton

03 573 6868

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ABOVE: Saint Clair Vineyard Kitchen.

Let your appetite lead you Dining in Marlborough is an experience in itself, from a leisurely lunch at a vineyard restaurant, to a water’s edge cafe in the Marlborough Sounds

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air a Marlborough wine with fresh seafood sought by the world’s finest chefs to create the ultimate match made in Marlborough. Explore over 30 cellar doors, stopping for a leisurely lunch amongst the vines, or enjoying the warmth of a cellar door restaurant.

The Marlborough Sounds has 1500km of NZ’s coastline lush with native bush, with hidden dining experiences on the water’s edge, accessible by boat only - whether it’s a casual kiwi style cafe lunch, or a fine dining experience it’s a meal to remember.

Take a cruise on the sheltered

waters of the Marlborough Sounds visiting the Greenshell mussell™ and Salmon farms, sampling freshly steamed mussels matched to a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc while soaking up the views.

Or visit the Sunday market to forage for locally-grown foods such as saffron, pinenuts, hazel nuts, honey, olives, wild game, chocolates, preserves, shallots, garlic and sea salt, have a taste or purchase it to cook up your own creation. It’s easy to see why wine, food and craft beer are all a major part of Marlborough’s brilliant lifestyle.

IN/NEAR TOWN Situated inside the stunning Marlborough Lodge is Harvest Restaurant which comes with the motto of ‘simple, fresh, local and seasonal’. Its menu boasts Ora King salmon from local waters, black garlic which was fermented locally and coriander flowers plucked from the garden beyond the dining room window. If you happen to fall into a food coma, there are ten rooms available upstairs in the luxury lodge.

For an easy snack on route don’t miss The Burleigh in Blenheim and its tasty gourmet pies. Varieties include

beef and blue cheese, jerk chicken and pork belly.

In the heart of Blenheim is the Scotch Wine Bar, a modern bistro and wine shop with a menu centred around sharing. If you struggle to make a decision on the variety of food choose the generously-served seven-course tasting degustation.

Just 15 minutes’ drive out of town and you will find a secluded fine dining restaurant Arbour which dishes up elegant food with a view over Renwick wine county. Its contemporary menu is driven by seasonality and Marlborough produce. Offering a ‘Just Feed Me’

LUXURY IN THE VINES Come and Enjoy The Best of Marlborough Stay 2 nights in our luxurious accommodation, sample sumptuous food each night, experience fabulous wineries by the day then snuggle by a roaring fire and gaze at the stars…..

Your Ultimate short Break Special offer for stays 1 September – 30 October 2019 reservations@themarlboroughlodge.co.nz • Tel: 03 5705700 Full details: www.themarlboroughlodge.co.nz/packages

Direct bookings only

experience of three, four or ‘MANY’ (seven) courses. Arbour use seasonal ingredients in clever combinations, such as miso-cured tuna with kimchi, nashi pear and pickled celery.

AMONGST THE VINES Vines Village Cafe and Deli won the Runner up award for Business Innovation at the Retail NZ awards 2019 and is famous for its brunching and lunching using the region’s best produce. While you’re at the café, pop in to the Golden Mile brewing room or the Whitehaven cellar door which is part of the Vines Village hub.

Saint Clair Vineyard Kitchen has tables set up amongst the vines to feel that extra bit exclusive, with views extending past the vines towards the ever changing and dramatic Richmond Range.

“Inspiration from the Garden” is the chef’s celebration of the locally grown vegetables currently in season – ask the waiter on the day for the inspirational course.

Drop into the European feel of Hans Herzog’s bistro. Enjoy a Winelover’s Lunch or Pinot-lovers lunch which includes a tour of the boutique winery and barrel hall where you can enjoy a tasting of Hans’ handcrafted artisan wines. Then sit down in the Mediterranean Garden or the cosy Bistro for a scrumptious three-course lunch matched to their amazing wines.

To switch it up visit Gramados which is inspired by a small town in southern Brazil, part of the state Rio Grande do Sul, Gramado city is renowned for its fine wine, international cuisine and chocolate.

It is a lovely glimpse into rural Brazil without leaving Blenheim, the lights are low, there’s candles on the table and the bar staff greet you like an old friend.

Beyond the bar, the kitchen comes alive with flashes of steam and flame, and the smell of spices in the air. The porko loca is highly recommended with a glass of Riesling to cut through the heavy, rich flavours. The pork is cooked in pink guava, whiskey, chillies and cinnamon, for an unusual and delicious combination, to a sticky and tender consistency.

IN THE MARLBOROUGH SOUNDS Whether you are stopping off after a big day hiking or biking the Queen Charlotte Track or you’ve just come off the boat to stay over in the accommodation Punga Cove and Furneaux Lodge are the ideal spots for you.

Punga Cove’s Boatshed café and bar is situated perfectly on the jetty

where you can soak up the sun or paddle up for your morning coffee on your kayak/paddle board. Sample fresh homemade stone-baked pizzas and delicious bar meals and snacks cooked to order, along with a range of local craft beers, Marlborough and international wines, cocktails, espresso coffee and other nonalcoholic drinks what more would you want.

As well as the kiwi classic boatshed café and bar Punga Cove also has the Fern Restaurant and Bar which was awarded the Beef and Lamb excellence awards 2019 offering a la carte dining with international flair. Their dishes feature Marlborough’s finest produce, wild game and seafood plus a little spice and flavour. Try their venison or soft-shell crab and your tummy will be thanking you.

Then there’s the five star boutique luxury lodge Bay of Many Coves Foredeck restaurant with a sanctuary that entices you to enjoy the luxury of the moment. Just a short water taxi ride from Picton you have the opportunity to see the many scenic bays and coves of the Sounds along with potential encounters of local marine wild life such as dolphins, seals and birdlife.

On arrival at the Bay of Many Coves you will be made to feel right at home. The restaurant is in a beautiful setting and evenings are dedicated to candle-light, conversation and beautiful food. The à la carte and expertly wine-matched signature degustation menus each inspire unforgettable culinary memories. A warm welcome for the gastronomic experience is also extended to guests not staying at the Bay of Many Coves. The location at the heart of the Marlborough province brings many local delights, chief among them Marlborough’s world-class seafood and wines.

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FROM TOP: Blenheim’s Scotch Wine Bar | A pizza from Punga Cove’s Boatshed café | Arbour fine dining restaurant in Fairhall | Bay of Many Coves Foredeck restaurant is just a short water taxi ride from Picton.

Discover a New Level of Luxury, Comfort & Style in Marlborough Chateau Marlborough offers its guests a luxurious yet relaxed accommodation experience in the heart of Blenheim.

For quality facilities including an award-winning restaurant and bar, day spa, outdoor swimming pool, freeWIFI and great service choose.

Freephone 0800 75 22 75

Cnr High & Henry St, Blenheim chateau@chateaumarlborough.co.nz • www.marlboroughnz.co.nz

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Happy hour by the sea For a truly luxurious option, cruise in style and comfort on the private cruise launch MV Tarquin.

A cruise through the intricate waterways of the Marlborough Sounds guarantees a magnificent new vista at every twist and turn

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reated by a combination of land subsidence and rising sea levels, the vast, sea-drowned valleys make for brilliant boating, fishing, diving and wildlife viewing.

You can begin your trip into the four distinctly different sounds – Queen Charlotte, Kenepuru, Pelorus and Mahau - from the two seaside townships of Picton and Havelock.

Join a guided tour aboard a cruise, charter or bring your own boat, paddle a kayak, or drive along the picturesque

Queen Charlotte Drive and enjoy panoramic views of the vast, sunken valleys.

KEEP AN EYE OUT Aside from the stunning scenery, you can spot dive-bombing gannets, sunbathing seals and cruising orca, and watch dolphins leap or even swim with them. And keep an ear out for native birdsong from the bush-clad hills surrounding beautiful bays. You can also cruise out to the wildlife sanctuaries of Kaipupu or Motuara

Island to enjoy the wildlife and amazing views.

CRUISE THE DAY AWAY A popular way to experience the lifestyle of the sounds first hand is to visit the remote communities of Queen Charlotte Sound aboard a working mail boat. The scenic four-hour Mail Boat Cruise departs Picton in the afternoon and delivers mail along different routes every day of the week. Enjoy complimentary tea and coffee on board as the captain shares regional

history and stories of these isolated hamlets, with a 15-minute stop at Ship Cove (1st Oct to 30th April).

Foodies will love the exclusive Seafood Odyssea Cruise, featuring Regal salmon, Cloudy Bay clams and Greenshell musselsTM matched with Marlborough sauvignon blanc.

Departing Picton daily, all year round, you can enjoy the natural beauty of Queen Charlotte Sound aboard a luxury launch as you cruise near an aquaculture farm and learn about this

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industry in the Marlborough Sounds.

For a truly luxurious option, cruise in style and comfort on the private cruise launch MV Tarquin. Whether for business or pleasure, escape to paradise for a few hours on a half day or full day cruise, or for longer in three en-suited private cabins.

LET’S DO LUNCH Around three-quarters of New Zealand’s Greenshell musselsTM and farmed salmon comes from Marlborough. A great way to sample the local seafood, matched to a glass of award-winning Marlborough wine, is to join one of several cruises offering lunch.

Let Cougar Line take you on a cruise to a resort and drop you off for brunch

or lunch in a dreamy cove. Savour fresh salmon, mussels and regional specialties, from café style to fine dining, matched with Marlborough’s renowned wines.

Relish the indulgent Greenshell Mussel Cruise, which features freshly steamed mussels paired with a glass of Marlborough sauvignon blanc for the ultimate food and wine match. Relax and unwind as you cruise the tranquil Pelorus and Kenepuru Sounds aboard the luxury launch MV Spirit on a halfday exclusive tour, departing Havelock.

Learn about local history, visit a mussel farm and take in the stunning scenery.

Sit beside the Havelock Marina and watch the mussel barge come in with a fresh haul, and when your mouth

starts to water, order lunch at Mills Bay Mussels which offers a large variety of succulent mussels done all sorts of ways.

Make a day of it with Beachcomber Cruises, departing Picton at 9am and cruising up through Queen Charlotte Sound while enjoying your skipper’s commentary on the surrounds, residents and local wildlife. You’ll have the opportunity to spend 30 minutes ashore at historical Ship Cove/ Meretoto, a favourite anchorage of Captain Cook in the 1770’s, before being dropped off at Furneaux Lodge.

Enjoy happy hour by the sea at Furneaux Lodge or Punga Cove Resort.

Catch the water taxi there to enjoy lunch and beverages and relax for a few

hours before heading back to Picton on the water taxi, or stay overnight.

LINGER AWHILE Accommodation options in the sounds include lodges, private homes and B&Bs. Furneaux Lodge is nestled at the foot of Mount Furneaux in Endeavour Inlet and is set in three acres of lawns and gardens with its very own waterfall. It is completely unspoilt as access is by foot or boat only.

Lochmara Lodge is open again on 27th September and offers brilliant accommodation by the sea, only 15 minutes from Picton. It’s also a great day trip with lots to do, including feeding stingrays, kune kune pigs and kakariki, and checking out the underwater observatory.

Punga Cove is just the place for an overnight stay. The resort is set in picture-perfect surroundings with the resort’s lunch venue, The Boat Shed Bar, offering breath-taking views across the Endeavour Inlet. Sit back, relax and observe the comings and goings of boaties and day walkers or make use of the resort’s swimming pool, spa and kayaks.

FAR LEFT: A mail delivery in Pelorus Sound TOP MIDDLE: Marlborough Tour Co Tarquin TOP RIGHT: Furneaux Lodge BOTTOM MIDDLE: Mills Bay Mussels BOTTOM RIGHT: Lochmara Lodge

THE DESTINATION, CUSTOM-MADE EXPERIENCES Plan an escape and choose from a range of experiences that allow you to venture behind the scenes at Cloudy Bay, enjoy our beautiful landscape and relax in Cloudy Bay’s unique venues.

• Tailor-made wine tasting • Vineyard tour (by car or helicopter) • Epicurean Experience - a gourmet lunch with Cloudy Bay wines • Sail Away - a day sailing in the Marlborough Sounds, with lunch and Cloudy Bay wines served on board • Forage - the Ultimate Cloudy Bay Experience!

Source local artisan produce, or gather ingredients in the wild that will be prepared by our chef to create an unforgettable dinner

CLOUDY BAY VINEYARDS

230 Jackson’s Road, Rapaura, Blenheim T: +64 3 520 9147 E: privateexperience@cloudybay.co.nz W: www.cloudybay.co.nz/visit-us

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Must do’s this Spring

VISIT BOUTIQUE WINERIES AND CELLAR DOORS No trip to Marlborough is complete without heading to a world-acclaimed Marlborough winery or two. You can self-drive or take a guided tour around Marlborough’s cellar doors and taste what is so special about the region’s wine. Try your favourites along and discover some new blends and varietals – with some wines only available to buy via the cellar door.

KA KAYAK A THE WAIRAU LAGOONS The Wairau Lagoons near Blenheim are rich with wildlife, with 90 species of birds. They are also rich with history, with the lagoons first used as a hunting ground by Ma-ori 800 years ago and being the earliest known area in New Zealand to be settled by humans. In spring, look out for the royal spoonbill showing off fff their mating plumage and godwits landing from their 12-day, 12,000km (nearly 7,500 mile), annual migration from the Arctic Circle. The best time to spot them is during low tide when they feed on worms, larvae and molluscs.

VISIT SHIP COVE/MERETOTO Ship Cove/Meretoto is steeped in New Zealand history as early explorer Captain James Cook’s favourite base.

Cook made five visits to Ship Cove between 1770 and 1777, spending 105 days in the cove repairing his ships and resting his crew due to the sheltered location. These days, Ship Cove is a popular destination for cruises from Picton, and is the starting point for the Queen Charlotte Track - one of New Zealand’s top walking and mountain biking trails.

As well as a wealth of information at the site, it’s possible to imagine yourself there 240 years ago, surrounded by sea, native bush and birdsong.

KAIPUPU POINT WILDLIFE SANCTUARY The Kaipupu Point Wildlife Sanctuary is a few minutes by boat from Picton and is a community project restoring a 40 hectare ‘mainland island’ in Picton harbour. The 2.7km circular walking track will take you through recovering native bush, old growth forest and a restoration zone filled with native wildlife including tui, bellbird, fantail, NZ woodpigeon, little blue penguin, tree weta, gecko and grass skink. Dolphins are often spotted making their way across the bay.

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Treat your taste buds

Marlborough boasts some of the best seafood and locally grown produce sought by the world’s finest chefs.

Indulge in a leisurely lunch at a winery, sample fresh seafood on a cruise or dine at the water’s edge in the Marlborough Sounds.

MARINE PLAYGROUND The Marlborough Sounds has 1500km of winding coastline, bays, beaches and native bush trails framed with ridgeline views. It’s a place of sublime natural beauty that needs to be seen to be believed. Grab a kayak or jump in a boat and explore the winding waterways and hidden bays.

WORLD CLASS WINE With a dozen cellar doors within 3km of each other, pedal from spot to spot tasting old favourites and discovering exclusive varietals, while immersed in the very vines they’re grown on. Or, sit back and relax with a guided wine tour by vehicle or bike and grow your knowledge, and palate for these brilliant wines.

CHASE A TRAIL Bike high country trails, coastal ridges, deep green forests, tour on long flat runs through vine-clad valleys or one of the region’s many rivers. Marlborough boasts a Great Ride and three Trails along the New Zealand Cycle Trail, Nga Haerenga. A cyclist’s paradise with something for every skill level.

OMAKA HERITAGE AVIATION CENTRE A world class treasure here in Marlborough housing an aircraft display like no other. Human stories from the Great War and WWII come to life in a theatrical treatment, which is innovative and visually stunning.

Captivating scenes depict aircraft in context, some recreating actual incidents - from the death of the Red Baron to Stalingrad.

HIT THE TRACK From the expansive Wither Hills or Richmond Ranges to a multi-day tramp along Queen Charlotte Track in the Marlborough Sounds with mesmerising ridgeline views, lush coastal forest and even luggage transfers; what more could you want.

Cruise and Walk MARLBOROUGH SOUNDS

Walk W lk as Much M h or as Little Littl as Y You Lik Like!!

Queen Charlotte Track or Pelorus Tracks

Imagine coming to the end of the walking track and seeing Affinity waiting for you, eating a hearty meal and dessert, then drifting off to sleep while listening to the sea gently tapping on the hull – bliss! Live-aboard the vessel and go ashore each day to walk different sections of the tracks.

www.affinitycruises.co.nz sales@affinitycruises.co.nz | 0800 862 334

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