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A glimpse of pristine New Zealand landscapes
The Wine Trail & Wellington
The classic New Zealand wine trail, a 240-mile route, starts on North Island at Hawke’s Bay and ends in Marlborough,
at the northern tip of South Island.
There is much to sample on the wine route—from bold cabernets, complex pinot noirs, and crisp sauvignon blancs, to farm-fresh lamb, cheese, venison, and fish at haute-barnyard restaurants in the midst of local vineyards. The only catch: Seeing it all requires lots of driving (on the left-hand side!) along winding one-lane roads. Plan on seven days to cover the highlights—and to enjoy at least one lingering afternoon lunch on a vineyard terrace—or 10 days to really bask in the splendid leafy surroundings you’ll encounter at each place. To make it happen, take a 1-hour flight from Auckland to Napier (in Hawke’s Bay), pick up a rental car at the airport, drop it off at the ferry terminal in Wellington, and arrange for another car at the Picton ferry landing in the Marlborough region (check with your rental company–most do not allow their cars on the boat).
The first stop on the trail, Hawke’s Bay, is the most picturesque of New Zealand’s wine districts, as dozens of vineyards fan out around Napier, a remarkable town with intact Art Deco architecture that rivals that of South Beach and is worth a visit of its own accord. Home to the country’s oldest vineyard, Mission Estate (founded by Catholic missionaries in 1851) (198 Church Rd., Greenmeadows, Hawke’s Bay; entrées from $17; 64/6-845-9354, missionestate.co.nz), the region has a welcoming climate that prompted winemakers to put down the roots that now produce New Zealand’s best cabernets, chardonnays, and, more recently, syrahs. Three outstanding local vineyards—the austere Craggy Range (253 Waimarama Rd., Havelock North, Hawke’s Bay; 64/6-873-7126, craggyrange.com), familial Sileni Estates (2016 Maraekakaho Rd., Hastings, Hawke’s Bay; 64/6-879-8768, sileni.co.nz), and traditional Te Mata (2016 Maraekakaho Rd., Hastings, Hawke’s Bay; 64/ 6-879-8768, sileni.co.nz)—showcase the region’s diversity; the first two also have great on-site restaurants. The hotels here have yet to match the quality of the vineyards, and luxury options are limited (even the most expensive lodging, The County Hotel, is quite dated). Oenophiles should instead splurge on a contemporary cottage stay among the vines at Craggy Range (one-bedroom cottage from $234/night), or try the great-value Crown Hotel (Corner of Bridge St. and Harding Rd., Napier, Hawke’s Bay; studios from $134/night; 64/6-833-8300, thecrownnapier.co.nz), in Napier’s up-and-coming Ahuriri neighborhood.
The diminutive town of Martinborough, a 3-hour drive south of Hawke’s Bay, was settled in the 19th century and has a clutch of streets named for places—New York and Panama, for example—that the founder is said to have visited. The town plays second fiddle, however, to the dozens of nearby pinot noir vineyards, which date from as recently as 1980. Pioneering wineries such as Ata Rangi (Puruatanga Rd., Martinborough; 64/6-306-9570, atarangi.co.nz), Palliser Estate (Kitchener Street, Martinborough; 64/6-306-9019, palliser.co.nz), Te Kairanga (Martin’s Rd., Martinborough; 64/6-306-9122, tekairanga.co.nz), and a few others are all conveniently located within walking or biking distance of the main square, and the excellent Martinborough Wine Center, in the heart of town, offers a comprehensive area overview and wine tastings. The hotel of choice, the historic 16-room Peppers Martinborough Hotel (The Square, Martinborough; rooms from $195/night; 64/6-306-9350, martinboroughhotel.co.nz), has lorded over the town square since 1882 and boasts the lovely Martinborough Restaurant on the ground level. Next door, casual Wendy Campbell’s The French Bistro (3 Kitchener St., Martinborough, Wairarapa; 64/6-306-8863) pairs fine French fare like duck confit with local wines.
New Zealand’s leading winemaking region, Marlborough, lies at the northern tip of South Island, below the scenic Queen Charlotte Sound and some 5 hours by car and ferry south of Martinborough. The country’s viticultural reputation is staked on the area’s sauvignon blancs—but the 65 wineries here also produce terrific sparkling, pinot noir, and Riesling varietals. Two of the best vintners, Allan Scott Wines (Jacksons Rd., Blenheim, Marlborough; 64/3-572-9054, allanscott.com, moabeer.co.nz) and Cloudy Bay (Jacksons Rd., Blenheim, Marlborough; 64/3-520-9140, cloudybay.co.nz), lie across from each other on Jacksons Road; the former also hosts a superb new microbrewery, Moa Beer, run by Scott’s 27-year-old son. Another notable vineyard, Grove Mill (Waihopai Valley Rd. Renwick, Malborough; 64/3-572-8200, grovemill.co.nz), made its name in organic wine production, and its “vine library”—showcasing every grape variety—is an excellent primer. You can sleep among the vines in a one-bedroom suite at the newly opened Marlborough Vintners Hotel (190 Rapaura Rd., Blenheim, Marlborough; 64/3-572-5094; www.mvh.co.nz) or check in to the smart Hotel d’Urville (52 Queen St., Blenheim; from $168/night; 64/3-577-9945, durville.com), in Blenheim, for an in-town stay. If you’re traveling with friends or family, the three-bedroom penthouse at The Yacht Club Hotel (25 Waikawa Rd., Picton; penthouse suite from $195/night; 64/3-573-7002, theyachtclub.co.nz), near the ferry landing in Picton, is one of the best deals around. As with Hawke’s Bay, vineyard restaurants make the best dining choices—head to Allan Scott’s Twelve Trees Restaurant (Allan Scott Winery, Jackson’s Rd., Blenheim, Marlborough; entrées from $12; 64/3- 572-7123, allanscott.com) for a lingering lunch and to Herzog Winery (Herzog Winery, 81 Jeffries Rd., Blenheim, Marlborough; tasting menu from $77; 64/3-572-8770, herzog.co.nz) for a sophisticated tasting menu at dinnertime.
Wellington
The ferry to Picton—and the beginning of the Marlborough wine region—leaves from the outskirts of Wellington, New Zealand’s seat of parliamentary government. Those short on time often skip visiting it, but overnighting in the world’s southernmost capital makes for a fun, urban counterpoint to the wine trail. The setting bears an uncanny similarity to San Francisco, considering its steep hillsides dotted with wooden homes perched over a picturesque harbor. In fact, prime examples of Victorian houses that are dead ringers for San Francisco’s colorful Painted Ladies can be found along Wellington’s smashing waterfront promenade (wellingtonwaterfront.co.nz), Oriental Parade, which extends past the glitzy Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand (55 Cable St.; 64/4-381-7000, tepapa.govt.nz). Their rooftops are visible from the delightful Wellington Cable Car (Cable Car La., 280 Lambton Quay; wellingtonnz.com/cablecar), which ascends the slopes behind Lampdon Quay. Bed down near the water at the new Ohtel Hotel (66 Oriental Parade; studios from $337/night; 64/4-803-0600, ohtel.com), a smart, intimate 10-room boutique hotel, with fashionable studios overlooking Oriental Parade, or the elegant Museum Hotel (90 Cable St.; from $115/night; 64/4-802-8900, museumhotel.co.nz) nearby, which has 165 rooms in masculine, muted tones—all come with oversize baths, some with museum-facing balconies. Save room for the city’s first-ate food scene, localized on pedestrian-only Cuba Street: The trendy Matterhorn (106 Cuba St.; 64/4-384-3359, matterhorn.co.nz), a local institution with a buzzing bar and dining room, and the formal Logan Brown Restaurant and Bar (106 Cuba St.; 64/4-384-3359, matterhorn.co.nz), with its accent on contemporary New Zealand cuisine, are two of our favorites
More Wine Trail Recommendations:
Things to Do
Art Deco Walking Tour
The Art Deco Shop; 163 Tennyson St., Napier, Hawke's Bay; 64/6-835-0022, artdeconapier.com
Marlborough Wine Tours Sounds Connection
Marlborough; 64/3-573-8843, soundsconnection.co.nz
Queen Charlotte Sound
Cruise 'n' Walk Cougar Line, Marlborough; cougarline.co.nz
Restaurants
Terroir Craggy Range
253 Waimarama Rd., Havelock North, Hawke's Bay; entrées from $17; 64/6-873-7126, craggyrange.com
The Old Church
199 Meeanee Rd., Napier, Hawke's Bay; entrées from $16; 64/6-844-8866, theold church.co.nz
Pacifica
209 Marine Parade, Napier, Hawke's Bay; entrées from $25; 64/6-833-6335, pacifica restaurant.com
The Chartroom Restaurant
The Yacht Club Hotel, 25 Waikawa Rd., Picton, Marlborough; 64/3-573-7002, theyachtclub.co.nz
