SLOW TRAVEL: Quest for the Perfect Pinot Noir

By Liz Humphreys

A wine-loving couple travels thousands of kilometres in search of the best wines from the cellars of New Zealand’s scenic Central Otago region, home to some of the world’s southernmost vineyards.

On the twisty roads east of Queenstown, in New Zealand’s South Island, our car snakes around imposing sand-coloured hills ringed by leafy vineyards. My husband, Jay, and I have taken the longest trip of our lives – flying from our current home in Berlin to Tokyo, then all the way to New Zealand – in search of some of the world’s best wines.Since we’re big fans of New World pinot noir from California and Oregon, but know close to nothing about New Zealand’s offerings, we’ve come to the Central Otago region to give their well-regarded versions a whirl. Best of all, the Gibbston subregion of Central Otago is only about a 15-minute scenic drive from activity-filled Queenstown, making it an easy – not to mention gorgeous – stop for a day of indulgent imbibing.

GIBBSTON VALLEY WINE CAVE TOUR

© GIBBSTON VALLEY WINERY

New Zealanders call their tasting rooms “cellar doors,” as in opening the doors to their wine cellars for a tipple, and we decide to investigate the ones especially renowned for their pinots. Our first stop is Amisfield Winery & Bistro, a modern, friendly spot with a striking sloped roof surrounded by the impressive mountains of the Pisa Range. After founder John Darby recently converted Amisfield’s vines to organic, it was named New Zealand’s organic winery of the year in 2020. I sample a selection of their wines and am won over by their distinctive flavours, featuring bright cherry with notes of spice and herbs. These are knockout wines I’d want to drink over and over again.

AMISFIELD, A PRODUCER OF PINOT NOIR AND AROMATIC WHITE WINES

© AMISFIELD WINERY & BISTRO

After buying a couple of bottles, we drive 11 kilometres along gently winding roads to our next stop, Chard Farm. We come upon a rose-coloured villa that wouldn’t look out of place in Tuscany, set alongside the sparkling blue Kawarau River. Chard Farm specializes in pinots with grapes from single-vineyard plots. Since owner Rob Hay studied winemaking in Germany and his wife, Gerdi, grew up there, they also make some fantastic renditions of German varieties, including riesling and gewürztraminer, as well as pinot gris, sauvignon blanc and chardonnay.

VINEYARDS NEAR THE KAWARAU RIVER

© CHARD FARM

All this sipping deserves some sustenance, so we head back up the road for a bite at Gibbston Valley Winery, one of the original wineries to set up shop in the Central Otago region. Gibbston Valley released its first vintage in 1987. Today, they have seven vineyards with their own unique terroirs as well as New Zealand’s largest barrel room (called a “wine cave”).

From the beginning, Gibbston Valley has focused on sustainable production, making unfiltered wines crushed by foot. Executive chef Anthony Gradiska takes a similarly sustainable viewpoint in the kitchen with 95 per cent of his ingredients produced in New Zealand. His seasonal menus rely heavy on local veggies that pair perfectly with their delicious wines. I can’t get enough of the roasted baby carrots with honey, feta, dukkah and pickled chili and the wild rabbit lasagna with truffle. But I must save room for their signature dark chocolate and hazelnut mousse with salted caramel ice cream and banoffee (a combination of banana and toffee) mousse.

WINE AND FOOD PAIRINGS AT GIBBSTON VALLEY WINERY RESTAURANT

© GIBBSTON VALLEY WINERY

Fully sated, we drive a mere two minutes east to Peregrine Wines, where I first notice their distinctive and beautiful winery. Its glass structure is reminiscent of the wing of their namesake peregrine falcon in flight, scenically situated with a lake on one side and the ever-present mountains on the other. Below the wing, I enter their bunker-like cellar door to taste not only their delightful pinot noirs – sourced from organically farmed vineyards and made by their talented head winemaker Nadine Cross, but also their tasty riesling, pinot gris and chardonnay. I’m also impressed to learn that Peregrine raises New Zealand falcon chicks at the winery, increasing their numbers before letting them take flight in the wild.

Though we’ve tried a lot of delightful pinots and now have a car trunk full of wine, we don’t feel done. So, we venture out to one more – Carrick Winery & Vineyards, just 33 kilometres east in the subregion of Bannockburn, on the banks of the pretty Kawarau River. Here, winemaker Rosie Menzies crafts handpicked organic pinots with a strong sense of place. We enjoy our glass with some artisan bread and a terrine with homemade peach chutney, strolling through the vineyards for one last look. As we head back on the short drive to Queenstown, Jay and I are in total agreement: Not only are Central Otago’s pinot noirs worth a trip in themselves, but they’re so good that we’ll need to order another bottle with dinner.

SEASONAL FARE FROM THE CARRICK WINERY RESTAURANT

© CARRICK WINERY & VINEYARDS