best time to tour nz wineries?

Luke W · Post by **Luke W** » Wed May 06, 2009 5:04 pm

Dear Craig and Sue and or anyone else who knows

What is the best time of the year to tour the wineries particularly South Is? Do u have to book and make appointments or just show up?

Thanks

Luke

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Wed May 06, 2009 7:00 pm

Depend if you like skiing or sunshine. surely you dont visit the south island of nz and be foolish enough to think wine is the only thing to experience?

Luke W · Post by **Luke W** » Wed May 06, 2009 7:07 pm

Craig

I'm 55 years old and skiied every year in my 20's and 30's, I did a tour with the kids for a few weeks (sightseeing) in 2005 and I've walked the Routeburn, the Abel Tasman and flown over the Milford. I've bungied and jetboated and even tried to run up that hill in Dunedin. I just want to try your vino and leave the kids at home for 8 days.........

given that bio what would you suggest?

cheers

Luke

Paradox · Post by **Paradox** » Wed May 06, 2009 9:18 pm

Luke W wrote:given that bio what would you suggest? cheers Luke

Come in the extended summer season - many of the wineries close their cellar doors in winter or only open at weekends - the period from Labour Day (late Oct) to Easter is when it all happens, just don't get too near harvest. November or Feb/Mar when it's quieter.

8 days.... jeez, a bit tight, depends on your preferences. I'd probably do 2-3d in Hawkes Bay, pass through into Martinborough for a day, and then fly to Queenstown for 2d - one at Bannockburn/Cromwell, and one closer to Q'town. I'd guess you'll lose the rest of the days in travelling.

While Marlborough has huge numbers of wineries, and is really well set up for visiting, there is a greater degree of 'sameness' there amongst the wineries and a greater ratio of good generic wine to stars. I love it there but it's a place for white wine and pinot lovers looking for variations on a theme.

IMO the best wines coming out of NZ currently are not the pinots but are the Hawkes Bay syrahs and chardonnays, plus the district has a long history with Bordeaux blends which IMO they have finally started to get right in the last 5-7 years.

Again IMO the standard white wines of Central Otago are generally overrated, and it is really only the pinot here that is the attraction, but is also such a lovely district to visit. If you don't like pinot then spend the time in Marlborough looking at the whites.

Most of the wineries you can just turn up at, but if you contact ones you are really interested in they will usually either open for you or do a meet and greet which can range from nothing at all to a full tour.

Cheers
Rob

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Thu May 07, 2009 7:03 am

I'm 55 years old and skiied every year in my 20's and 30's, I did a tour with the kids for a few weeks (sightseeing) in 2005 and I've walked the Routeburn, the Abel Tasman and flown over the Milford. I've bungied and jetboated and even tried to run up that hill in Dunedin. I just want to try your vino and leave the kids at home for 8 days.........

awesome! im jealous. i so want to do some of the tracks down there! in that case id probably go shoulder season...spring or autumn...quieter, cheaper. i didnt have too many issues in April with wines not available when i was down there!!

Luke W · Post by **Luke W** » Thu May 07, 2009 7:22 am

Thanks guys

I've booked for the 17th February to the 25th 2010. Would love to make this a party if anyone else has the time to come along......

Is it worth trying to get into the fancier pinot places or will most of them have tastings during the week in Summer?

cheers

Luke

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Thu May 07, 2009 7:44 am

you cant taste stuff like the felton blocks or even buy them retail. best to buy them out of town if you want. there is the wine tasting centre in queenstown which tastes about 20 pinots on inert gas machines

id love to go to queenstown again soon!!

Paradox · Post by **Paradox** » Thu May 07, 2009 10:00 am

Luke W wrote:Is it worth trying to get into the fancier pinot places or will most of them have tastings during the week in Summer?

If there are particular places you really want to visit, I would email them and check that they are open or make an appointment. Felton Rd for instance is only open weekday afternoons IIRC. The only downside to appointments is that's it's harder to get through a lot of wineries in a day.

Of the Bannockburn wineries, places like Carrick, Akarua, Mt Difficulty always seem to be open, with Olssens and Bald Hills much the same. They are all within a 5 min drive of each other and Felton Rd, 10 min from Cromwell, and all worth visiting.

Gibbston Valley is 10-15 min out of Queenstown and most of the wineries there are also nearly always open - Peregrine, Waitiri Creek, Gibbston V, and Chard Farm and these are well set up for tourists and visitors just dropping in.

The Central Otago Wine Trail has all the details.

Martinborough is the other place I'd go for pinot. I haven't been there for a few years but it's an easy place to visit also. The Wairarapa Wine Trail has opening times etc.