NZ Wine Trip Advice

[calm]

Hi All
About to embark (March) on a 5 week tour of NZ as part of my long service leave, looking to visit some wineries. Keen to hear from anyone who had exceptional experiences at any particular wineries either North or South Island. Happy to focus on any grapes but Syrah or Cabernet blends are still my favourite but happy to practice on some good NZ Pinot, Gamay also has interest for me and I do like a good Pinot Gris. Thanks in advance,

Craig S

[Craig(NZ)]

Craig

Wineries that to me combine great wine and/or experience. By no means complete but some highlights.

* is red blends or syrah masters,
% is top chardonnay
# top pinot
@ top riesling
R = restaurant, r = platters available

Auckland:
Kumeu River %%% Just a tasting room but world class chardonnay
Villa Maria * % # R A bit commercial but big range and smart wine
Puriri Hills *** Best right bank bdx. blends in NZ/ southern hemisphere?

Waikeke:
Stonyridge * R The famous Larose. Swallow hard and buy a glass
Passage Rock * R Syrah and Bdx
Man o War *% r Wide range of well priced and good quality wines
Mudbrick * R Fantastic views and great but expensive platters

Hawkes Bay:
Craggy Range *# R Don't miss. Great location and restaurant
Te Mata * % Classics
Trinity Hill * r? Homage Syrah is wow
Clearview * % R Great rustic restaurant and yum wines
Elephant Hill * R Classy joint. Their top Syrah and Cab are fantastic though not seem them being tasted

Martinborough:
Ata Rangi % # Classic

Marlborough:
Cloudy Bay % # R Classic
Fromm # @ Different style to most
Forrest @ * r? ditto
Framingham @@@ Riesling gods

Nelson:
Neudorf %%% # r Chardonnay pilgrimage

Waipara:
Pegasus Bay % # R Classic

Otago:
Rippon # One of the best vineyard landscapes in the world
Mt Difficulty # % @ R Classic
Peregrine # Good vfm pinot

Pinot Gris you are on your own, though id recommend you find a Dry River. Many Marlborough wineries produce good examples now. I am not really up with it. Oh, actually also Man o War on waiheke do a good one.

Gamay is rare though Te Mata do a Beaujolais style one that is usually ok

[Wizz]

To add a thought or two to Craigs excellent list:

Rippon make a good Gamay if you get to Central Otago
As much as it pains me to say it - plenty of good Pinot Gris coming out of Central Otago as well. Peregrine is excellent.
In Canterbury - Greystone and Black Estate are both worth a visit, Black Estate's restaurant is excellent

[brodie]

Craig

Wineries that to me combine great wine and/or experience. By no means complete but some highlights.

* is red blends or syrah masters,
% is top chardonnay
# top pinot
@ top riesling
R = restaurant, r = platters available

Auckland:
Kumeu River %%% Just a tasting room but world class chardonnay
Villa Maria * % # R A bit commercial but big range and smart wine
Puriri Hills *** Best right bank bdx. blends in NZ/ southern hemisphere?

Waikeke:
Stonyridge * R The famous Larose. Swallow hard and buy a glass
Passage Rock * R Syrah and Bdx
Man o War *% r Wide range of well priced and good quality wines
Mudbrick * R Fantastic views and great but expensive platters

Hawkes Bay:
Craggy Range *# R Don't miss. Great location and restaurant
Te Mata * % Classics
Trinity Hill * r? Homage Syrah is wow
Clearview * % R Great rustic restaurant and yum wines
Elephant Hill * R Classy joint. Their top Syrah and Cab are fantastic though not seem them being tasted

Martinborough:
Ata Rangi % # Classic

Marlborough:
Cloudy Bay % # R Classic
Fromm # @ Different style to most
Forrest @ * r? ditto
Framingham @@@ Riesling gods

Nelson:
Neudorf %%% # r Chardonnay pilgrimage

Waipara:
Pegasus Bay % # R Classic

Otago:
Rippon # One of the best vineyard landscapes in the world
Mt Difficulty # % @ R Classic
Peregrine # Good vfm pinot

Pinot Gris you are on your own, though id recommend you find a Dry River. Many Marlborough wineries produce good examples now. I am not really up with it. Oh, actually also Man o War on waiheke do a good one.

Gamay is rare though Te Mata do a Beaujolais style one that is usually ok

Excellent and thorough list. A couple of minor comments/additions.

Kumeu River: The Hunting Hill is my favourite of the single vineyard chards. The cellar door is a bit impersonal as Craig says but they sell back vintages of the top chardonnays. Some vintages are little more than current release, others (like the much feted 2006) are quite a bit more. Worth visiting to pick some older vintages if you like the style.

Marlborough: I love the Frammingham Rieslings made by Andrew Hedley. His F series Old Vine Riesling is a successful tribute to German Grosses Gewaches dry rieslings. The F series BA and TBA are outstanding stickies and are worth the rather high prices. They also sell a "regular" dry Riesling that is only released after 10 years of bottle age. Current release is 2008 and it is $30 cellar door.

Central Otago: Felton Rd has changed the cellar visit system entirely. It is all by appointment. The cellar door visit includes a full blown tour and guided/structured tasting of the entire range including older vintages with the winemaker and or owner. The visit lasts 2-3 hours. Contact Tracey Thomson (Tracy@FeltonRoad.com) for a booking. It may already be too late for a March booking but definitely worth a try.

Brodie

[calm]

Many thanks for taking the time to provide such detailed advice, really appreciated.

[JamieBahrain]

Great contributions . Will bump this thread when I next visit

[michel]

In Marlbourough

Herzog is a kinda snooty experience BUT the cafe has brilliant food and you can stroll across to cellar door and try the eclectic wines

[Craig(NZ)]

In Marlbourough

Herzog is a kinda snooty experience BUT the cafe has brilliant food and you can stroll across to cellar door and try the eclectic wines

Herzog's formal restaurant is sensational. Super good wine list and good prices for cellared NZ classics especially. A sprinkle of top Californian icons too. It is the best restaurant experience I have ever had in NZ. The cellar door wines there are different and the whites do show good sophistication with a style away from the usual up front obvious marlborough cliche. I think though their reds are a bit over rated and overpriced. They also seem to have got lost a bit in making every variety under the sun. Last time I was there I was a bit overwhelmed and a bit underwhelmed. To me their best wines are Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Viognier

[michel]

In Marlbourough

Herzog is a kinda snooty experience BUT the cafe has brilliant food and you can stroll across to cellar door and try the eclectic wines

Herzog's formal restaurant is sensational. Super good wine list and good prices for cellared NZ classics especially. A sprinkle of top Californian icons too. It is the best restaurant experience I have ever had in NZ. The cellar door wines there are different and the whites do show good sophistication with a style away from the usual up front obvious marlborough cliche. I think though their reds are a bit over rated and overpriced. They also seem to have got lost a bit in making every variety under the sun. Last time I was there I was a bit overwhelmed and a bit underwhelmed. To me their best wines are Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Viognier

I had an excellent dinner in the formal restaurant with a 2001 Rousseau mazy or charmes off the wine list.
The bistro has similar food but more casual if you have a teenager!

[Mike Hawkins]

Take your camera to Rippon...

[Pej]

Some good tips in here. Does anybody know of any good wine bars or good casual places to eat around Auckland and Napier? I have a little 6 month old so formal restaurants probably aren't the best for us.

[michel]

Some good tips in here. Does anybody know of any good wine bars or good casual places to eat around Auckland and Napier? I have a little 6 month old so formal restaurants probably aren't the best for us.

Dantes pizza in Auckland is v good

[odyssey]

See http://forum.auswine.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=15856

[Pej]

Some good tips in here. Does anybody know of any good wine bars or good casual places to eat around Auckland and Napier? I have a little 6 month old so formal restaurants probably aren't the best for us.

Dantes pizza in Auckland is v good

Thank you sir!

[mjs]

Take your camera to Rippon...

Have been there .... just beautiful

The setting is so good, especially with an outside tasting on a sunny day, theyy could serve cat's pee and you'd think it was fantastic

[mjs]

Excellent and thorough list. A couple of minor comments/additions.

Central Otago: Felton Rd has changed the cellar visit system entirely. It is all by appointment. The cellar door visit includes a full blown tour and guided/structured tasting of the entire range including older vintages with the winemaker and or owner. The visit lasts 2-3 hours. Contact Tracey Thomson (Tracy@FeltonRoad.com) for a booking. It may already be too late for a March booking but definitely worth a try.

Brodie

Thanks Brodie,
Things have obviously changed since I was last there a few years ago. Must pull the digit out and email Tracy to get back on the mailing list
cheers, Malcolm
ps trust that you are enjoying being back in the Shaky Isles

[Mike Hawkins]

Take your camera to Rippon...

Have been there .... just beautiful

The setting is so good, especially with an outside tasting on a sunny day, theyy could serve cat's pee and you'd think it was fantastic

I’m not sure they have a Sauvignon Blanc....

[brodie]

Excellent and thorough list. A couple of minor comments/additions.

Central Otago: Felton Rd has changed the cellar visit system entirely. It is all by appointment. The cellar door visit includes a full blown tour and guided/structured tasting of the entire range including older vintages with the winemaker and or owner. The visit lasts 2-3 hours. Contact Tracey Thomson (Tracy@FeltonRoad.com) for a booking. It may already be too late for a March booking but definitely worth a try.

Brodie

Thanks Brodie,
Things have obviously changed since I was last there a few years ago. Must pull the digit out and email Tracy to get back on the mailing list
cheers, Malcolm
ps trust that you are enjoying being back in the Shaky Isles

Hi Malcolm, the vines at Felton Rd are getting mature now and the team is getting a better handle on which varieties do best on which sites. I like the wines and think they are getting better and better. Obviously the PNs are the top wines. The Chardonnay can be pretty good. The Riesling is made in a germanic off dry kabinett/spatlese level of residual sugar, which is not to everyone's taste.

Being back in NZ is fine, but I do miss you guys in Melb

Brodie

[calm]

Hi all
As OP, now well advanced in our tour of this beautiful country. Your collective advices have been invaluable. Only visited a cross section of the suggestions as my nearest and dearest has only a limited interest in tastings.
Amisfield - Certainly my favourite Pinot Noir, great cellar door, super busy restaurant however we didn’t stop to eat. Informative and helpful staff.
Rippon - yes, super setting, great for tasting, wines ok, good presentation from the tasting manager.
Hans Herzog - lunch at the Bistro certainly confirmed its reputation, spectacular food quality and presentation. Was aware of the ‘snooty’ impression others had but to be honest our service staff were highly attentive and pleasant, not as pretentious as expected. Highly recommend for a dining experience. Didn’t complete a tasting but enjoyed two glasses of their Bordeaux blend which was a great accompaniment to the beef.
Fromm - Good Pinot, but the favourites for me were a Spatlese Riesling and a Gewurztraminer, sweet styles but highly enjoyable.
Trinity Hill (Hawkes Bay) - this winery had not been on my radar previously but I came away highly impressed with their Chardonnay, Syrah, and Bordeaux blend, particularly the reds. Syrah had a particularly distinct and in your face white pepper trait which I loved. Also a semi sweet Touriga offering, what a treat. These wines will find their way into my storage. Great staff.
Church Road - given the shared terroir, similar traits in their McDonald series Syrah and Bordeaux blend to Trinity Hill wines, probably not quite same intensity or polish but good.
Craggy Range - Truly beautiful facility and great staff, restaurant appears well visited on the day. Got the benefit of a quick look at the barrel room which houses the Sophia in waiting. Didn’t try the premium wines but the standard Gimblett Gravels offering, great Syrah and Bordeaux blend as expected, not much between these wines and those of Trinity Hill but pushed to a decision, I think for my tastes the Trinity Hill wines were favourite.

Thanks all
Craig S

[Craig(NZ)]

Thanks for the feedback. It's rare after giving advice that people bother to report back their experiences actually. Well done.

I'm off to Hawkes Bay in a couple of months time and look forward to checking out Craggy Range's cellar door upgrade