Winetasting in Marlborough: The Wairau Valley

We had just made the crossing back to the South Island, and we were feeling a bit queasy and, paradoxically, hungry.

Of course, the best cure for a case of interisland ferry-induced nausea is to knock back a little wine.


And once again, we experienced a curious coincidence that seemed to occur regularly throughout our New Zealand trip: exactly what we wanted just happened to be exactly right where we were. We were just a few minutes away from the Wairau Valley, known worldwide for its excellent wineries.

A few weeks ago, we sampled some wines in the South Island's Central Otago region--one of New Zealand's newer wine-growing areas. And just a few days ago we were richly rewarded for taking a side trip to a winery up in Whangarei. Today, we'll get to sample wines from New Zealand's oldest and most established wine-making region.

The Wairau Valley is best known for Sauvignon Blancs, but you can find exceptional wines of all types here. Two wineries we visited that we recommend highly are Hunters Wines (one of the most highly-regarded wineries in all of New Zealand, and, notably, one of the last of this region's wineries that is still family-owned), and Cloudy Bay. Cloudy Bay might be of particular interest to American tourists because it is one of the few wineries in this country that exports in volume to the United States.

Barrels in the cellar at Cloudy Bay:


The wines at both of these wineries were excellent. We particularly liked some of the refreshingly understated Chardonnays that we tried (memo to California wineries: not all wine lovers enjoy drinking a stick of butter in a glass). And despite the world-class quality of their wines, all of these establishments somehow keep a Kiwi-esque casual modesty about them. It makes visiting the wineries a more special experience, and it certainly makes me want to buy a lot more wine.

Also, we have to mention that we had one of the best meals ever in the cafe at Hunters Wines. Go there. You won't regret it.



You can get maps of the region, as well as information on guided tours, in the Marlborough Information Center in Blenheim, New Zealand.



Related Links:
Hunters Wines
Rapaura Road, Blenheim
PO Box 128, Renwick, New Zealand
Telephone: +64 3 572-8489
Tastings 7 days: 10:30am to 4:30pm
Garden Cafe open 7 days: 10:30am to 4:30pm

Cloudy Bay
Located on Jacksons Road, in the heart of the Marlborough wine region.
Telephone: +64 3 520 9147
Tasting Hours: 10am to 5.00pm, Mon-Sun