To
be exact, I fell head over heels with the Sauv Blanc produced in the
Marlborough region of New Zealand.
I swear I’ve never tasted wines that were so aromatic, crisp, fruity and had that
unmistakable mineral taste – one of the region’s well-known characteristics. I
look for these NZ wines whenever we dine out now.
In
December, we spent two nights in the small town of Blenheim where many of the area’s 60 wineries are located nearby.
Coming from the West Coast, we knew we were close once we started seeing vineyards
that stretched as far as the eye could see.
Gorgeous!
Tucked
away at the South Island’s northern tip amongst the plains of the Wairau River,
the Marlborough region is New
Zealand’s leading wine producing area. Marlborough’s grape growing magic is
based on its ideal climate and fertile soil. The weather conditions are perfect
for growing the cool-climate Sauvignon Blanc grape – dry, warm and sunny days,
complemented by cool nights. Unfortunately, we experienced a bit of cloudy
skies during our stay, but we still managed to taste a bit of wine.
- Did you know that Marlborough produces 75% of New Zealand’s wine?
- Did you know that 85% of NZ wine production comes from the Sauvignon Blanc grapes?
To
take advantage of all these glorious wines, we booked a wine tour in advance
through Bubbly Grape Wine Tours. That way
no one needed to worry about driving. Our minivan carried 15 passengers and
included Brits, a handful of Germans, two French ladies, a Turkish woman and another
American besides ourselves. If you’re not a fan of organized tours, you can use
this Wine Trail Map to
create your own DIY winery tour.
Here
are the wine tour’s highlights and the places we stopped at that day:
Our
guide had previously worked at our first stop, Saint Clair, a family-owned
vineyard near the Wairau River. In 1978, the Ibbotson family started growing
grapes here which were supplied to local wine companies, but started producing
their own wines in 1994. The name is based on the Sinclair family who first
settled the land in the 1850s.
According
to my notes, my favorite wines here were the Barrique, a unique Sauv Blanc that
is aged in oak barrels, and the Pioneer Syrah 2011. I also like the estate’s
base Sauv Blanc for its passion fruit and apricot flavors.
Rock Ferry
Rock Ferry
Next
we headed to Rock Ferry, another small family-owned winery, which ended up being
our favorite of the entire day. After working in the wine business for several
years, the Hutchisons created their own label in 2005 and were certified
organic in 2009. The winery uses organic farming practices and tries to serve
organic produce at its café as often as possible.
Rock
Ferry’s Sauvignon Blanc tasted typical of the area, but was really good. I also
liked the barrel-fermented Sauv Blanc, a Pinot Blanc which would be good with seafood,
the 2012 Tempranillo (which we ranked 4.5 out of 5) and the 2014 Chardonnay (4
out of 5). I wonder if the winery’s organic practices made the wines taste
better to us.
Our third
stop was at Cloudy Bay, one of the first wine makers to set up shop in 1985,
and now considered one of the region’s lead winemaker. Cloudy Bay’s founder,
David Hohnen, established grapevines here at a time when it was an “unimaginable
place to set-up a vineyard.” It’s difficult now to see how that idea was
possible.
What
I like about Cloudy Bay is that its Sauv Blanc is reliable – you know what you’re
buying and you won’t be disappointed. I also like the brand’s Pelarous, a crisp,
sparkling Chardonnay-Pinot Noir blend.
For
lunch, we literally drove across the same road to Allan Scott, another
independent, family-owned winery, first established in 1990. Our group had a
delicious lunch here – New Zealand salmon for me and roasted lamb for hubby. The
local restaurant is in a beautiful setting with a babbling fountain.
Unfortunately,
by this point, neither one of us was taking wine tasting notes. I’m sure the
wine must have been good as nearly all the wines we had tried in Marlborough
were.
A photographer's selfie! |
After
lunch, we headed over to a local winery that specializes in sparkling wines. The
Le Brun family started the business in 1997 using the same Champagne-making
method the father’s family in France has used for 12 generations. The sparkling
was quite good, and we bought a large bottle to drink on Christmas Day.
Our last
stop at Brancott Estate Wines featured the most impressive views over the
Marlborough region. Perched on a hilltop, Brancott has grown to become New
Zealand’s largest producer and exporter of Sauvignon Blanc wine since the first
grape vines were planted in 1975.
The
day before our wine tour, we did a beer tasting at Moa Brewing Co., a local craft
brewery, located next to Cloudy Bay. Interestingly, the brewery was started by
Josh Scott, son of Allan Scott, so wine and beer can go together hand in hand.
Moa is named after the country’s extinct, giant bird that once roamed the area.
If
you’re more of a beer lover, definitely stop at Moa and enjoy some of their
award-winning craft beers!
Blenheim
In
the town of Blenheim, we stayed at this charming Airbnb, owned
by two helpful Kiwis, Frank and Maria. The couple had just started renting out
two bedrooms in the back of their historic home that had their own ensuites.
Generally, we prefer to stay by ourselves, but the house’s layout was perfect
and quiet. We couldn’t have asked for a more wonderful Airbnb experience. Plus,
the local neighbors were quite playful.
After having a much-needed nap following our wine tour, we wandered over to the recommended Dodson Street Beer Garden, a German bierhaus complete with large mugs of local and German beers. We ordered a few dishes to share and somehow managed to try some local cider and beer.
As you can see the Marlborough region may best be known for its Sauv Blanc, but you’ll find a surprisingly wide selection of other wines and beers and of course, spectacular views and hospitality. We easily could have spent more than two days here!
After having a much-needed nap following our wine tour, we wandered over to the recommended Dodson Street Beer Garden, a German bierhaus complete with large mugs of local and German beers. We ordered a few dishes to share and somehow managed to try some local cider and beer.
As you can see the Marlborough region may best be known for its Sauv Blanc, but you’ll find a surprisingly wide selection of other wines and beers and of course, spectacular views and hospitality. We easily could have spent more than two days here!
Have you been to Marlborough? If not, where
is your favorite wine region in the world?
7 comments:
Beautiful! Wine tours are always fun, especially if you are a fan of the wine or the region!
i LOVE sauvignon blanc! happy easter!!!!
Thanks Carrie! Definitely! Wè lobe wine tours too!
Thanks Carrie! Definitely! We love wine tours too! :)
@Joyce, so do we! Have a wonderful Easter too! :)
@Joyce, so do we! Have a wonderful Easter too! :)
I'm disappointed we didn't have time to do any wineries during our New Zealand trip last year. They look amazing, and I love a Sav Blanc too. We will have to make another trip when I'm not knocked up. 😉
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