New Zealand - A Gourmet's Dream

DRIVE TIME – NEW ZEALAND – A GOURMET’S DREAM

Motoring around New Zealand’s magnificent Marlborough yields more than wining and dining pleasures. This is the birthplace of the distinctive Sauvignon Blanc, my favorites being Cloudy Bay, Villa Maria and Brancott Montana to name just a few. From Christchurch, a 300 mile route takes in plains and alpine vistas, craggy coast and emerald fjords and vine after voluptuous vine of premium wine grapes. Marlborough is the top right hand corner of New Zealand’s South Island.

No one should tackle this much jaw dropping scenery on an
empty stomach. So the wonderful bakery
at Amberley, about an hour north of Christchurch, makes an ideal first
stop. London trained chef Rachel Scott
makes fantastic bread from airborne yeasts, locally grown organic wheat, pure
South Island water and sea salt harvested from Lake Grassmere to the north.

Just north of the town the Waipara Valley wine region
district is a striking patchwork of broad plains, burnt hills and leafy
vines. Pinot Noir grapes thrive in the
cooler night temperatures and summer days are typically hot and dry. At Pegasus Bay Winery you can enjoy a chilled
Sauvignon Semillon in a shady corner of the expansive garden or indulge at the
acclaimed restaurant.

Back on the road, the Pacific Ocean comes into view and
State Highway 1 turns into a narrow ribbon wedged between the sea and the
Kaikoura Ranges. Less than two hours
from Amberley, the former whaling station turns seaside tourist town of
Kaikoura to an essential stop. Sperm
whales are there all year, and it’s a great tour. Stay overnight at Hapuka
Lodge in a tree house.

On the 100 mile drive to Blenheim, allow plenty of time for
ogling the scenery. While this town may well be the birthplace of New Zealand’s
distinctive world beating Sauvignon Blanc, this region also grows more than
half the nation’s Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Riesling crops about 12,000 acres
of vines in all. I love the Herzog
restaurant and winery, which gives great cooking classes. There are over 50 small wineries in the
area. The Information Center stocks art trail brochures and there are some
fantastic potters and artists with studios in the area. The Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre is
interesting, stocked with World War 1 fighter planes. Great place to eat in
Blenheim is the Twelve Trees Restaurant at Allan Scott’s Winery.

Nearby is the town of Picton, poised on the edge of the
Queen Charlotte Sound which is a great walk.
Seaumus’s Irish Pub has wall hung plaques to celebrate the fortitude of
the Guiness Club members each of whom have downed 100 pints of the dark
brew. I love the Bay of Many Coves
Resort, visitors can leave their cars on shore and hop aboard a water taxi. It takes an hour to get to Havelock, a former
gold mining town and is best known for its greenshell mussel farms. This is a great tour which I put on every one
of my client’s itineraries.

A visit to New Zealand gives you a new look at life in
general. Think thin when you get home.

Maureen Jones

New Zealand Travel Agent of the Year

All Horizons Travel/Frosch

825 Santa Cruz Ave

Menlo Park,

California 94025

650-961-2340 direct

www.allhorizonstvl.com