The Auswine Forum

Hi all,

I'm making my first trip to NZ (Queenstown) at the end of this week. On my non-ski days, I've planned to visit a few CDs and try some Central Otago wines. I'm rubbing my hands together, not because I'm cold, but because I'm sure I'll find some gems to bring home.

If you have any advice about which Central Otago vineyards to visit, or wines to try and also how to bring wines home to Sydney, please let me know.

(I thought I read something somewhere about an inexpensive way to bring wines home from NZ but I couldn't find the post anywhere despite using the search function and then searching the Auswine forum back to Nov 2003)

Many thanks in advance,
Vickie

Hi Vicki,
Firstly, the best thing I can recommend is to set aside an hour or so and read Thor Iverson's extensive NZ tour report at the WLDG site. The link to the last chapter is here:http://www.wineloverspage.com/user_submitted/wine_notes/tn_388886.html
- you should be able to access all the previous chapters from that last one. We didn't have long in the South Island, nor was it a particularly wine-focussed trip, but lunch at Gibbston Valley was a very good meal. I think Thor's article might point you to some of the most interesting places to visit, wine-wise.

We didn't ship anything home seperately, just carried 8 bottles or so home in our hand luggage. The only real way it would be worth sending wine might be if you find someone really worthwhile who's wines aren't distributed locally. I suspect freight for eve one case might be pretty scary. Customs might arrange for you to pay more taxes on arrival as well - GST at least, but I don't know about WET applied at that stage. Whether you'd be able to claim a duty refund in NZ on GST paid there I don't know. SueNZ, are you around to answer this question?

cheers, and have a great trip. (Normally I'd say 'break a leg' but it might not apply here...)

Graeme

Vickie, if you don't get a chance to get to all the cellar doors drop into the Wine Deli in town and "Smally" (Johan) will show you what's good.

cheers, brad

Hi Vickie

A couple of must see wineries:-

Amisfield - just out of Queenstown on the turnoff to Arrowtown (also a must see)
Chard Farm - if you can dare travel the driveway
Waitiri Creek - nice old church for a CD
Akarua - won top Pinot in the Air NZ awards in September last year

However I highly recommend you take a small drive to Cromwell (about 30 mins) and take a look at:-

Mt Difficulty - highly acclaimed
The Big Picture - this is definately a must you will not have seen anything like this before!
Bannockburn Hotel - for dinner, amazing value with excellent food

if you can drive another breathtaking 30 mins to Alexandra, you will then be flabbergasted by:-

Black Ridge Wines - the proprieter blew this winery inrto the rockface with dynamite over a 20 year span.....unbelievable winery with superb wines.
William Hill Wines - also worth a visit while in Alex

Dont forget to eat Pizza at the Cow in Cow Lane, Queenstown - this is obligatory!

Have fun...

I'm off to Queenstown (via Christchursh) myself in early september for a bit of skiing and had been thinking of a post along these lines so thanks Vicki!

Any more suggestions for wineries near or between Christchurch and Queenstown?

I'll check out that WLDG link too.

Vickie.
The first thing I would ask when I find a wine I would want to drink back at home, is "Are your wines available in Aus and how can I be assured of getting some?" That way you won't have to carry many wines back.
I have no idea how you would go about freighting wines - perhaps you could have a chat to Roger Gibson at http://www.otagowine.com. He sells Otago wines too and will ship overseas. Also Tim at "Alexandra the Grape" http://www.thegrape.co.nz will ship to Aus.

As for which wineries to visit - the world is your oyster. Leaving Queenstown stop at Amisfield Lake Hayes (awesome 2002 Pinot Noir), then head into the Gibbston valley where it is worth visiting Chard Farm just to experience the road into it, the cheesery at Gibbston Valley is a good experience as is the restaurant, Peregrines Wines is must plus there are a couple of other around there.

Then you go thru the gorge to Cromwell where it is worth stopping at the The Big Picture and experience the 'film' and tasting, also the perfume room with all the 'Le Nez du Vin' scents to sniff. The risotto was very good when I visited.

Here you have Bannockburn with Mt Difficulty, Felton Road and Olssens in the Felton Road and Carrick (fantastic platters for lunch) and Akarua in Cainmuir Road, which is very scenic. You have to visit Quartz Reef and the Central Otago Wine Co in the old industrial centre - the latter makes wines for about 15 wineries and usually has a selection of four or five to taste, including Sam Neill's label.

Head up the road toward Wanaka, not many wineries open up here but vineyard after vineayrd for the first 15kms. Or cross the river and head south past the Clutha Dam to Alexandra. I would visit Black Ridge - just to be amazed at the landscape the vines grow in if nothing else, but the late harvest gewurztraminer is rather yummy. There are plenty of other vineyards around here. You will need to check the map to see which ones are open.

If you do make it to Wanaka I recommend the spinach, cranberry and venison pizza at Tuatara (takeway or eat in) - perfect with Central Otago Pinot noir.

Cheers,
Sue

Hi Kris

Assuming after landing in ChCh you are not heading North to Marlborough, then you have two great options:-

1/ Head over the Pass to Hokitika (btw, the railway that does this trip is one of the great scenic railway routes of the world), and drive down the South Island West Coast.
This is what Australia was thinking about when they made the Great Ocean Road!

Look out for fresh seafood along this route, especially NZ whitebait at this time of year.

This route also takes you past the two magnificent glaziers called Fox and Franz Joseph, and then brings you out into Wanaka, from there you head towards Queenstown.

2/ Head South down the Canterbury Plains and then turn off at Warburton/Geraldine towards Lake Tekapo. This takes you up onto the midland where you can buy fresh water salmon and take it to the local restaurant to cook for a fee. During which the scenery is stunning, and makes the perfect prelude to what is yet to come. Emerald lakes, deep valleys, and this leads onto one of the driest places in New Zealand...Otago.

Either way you go, you should do the other way coming home, as the third option is no good.

Whatever you do, don't miss the opportunity to drive to Milford Sound. This even stuns the Swiss!

Cheers for now

Glen wrote:Whatever you do, don't miss the opportunity to drive to Milford Sound. This even stuns the Swiss!

If on limited time, fly in - spectacular way to see it - providing it's clear. If not then you hope the pilot knows the way through the mountains!

And if you go on the Milford Cruise, take your own wine! I recall they only served Montanna.

Mt Cook airlines will fly you on a ski plane up to the top of the two big, aforementoned glaciers. Take a half bottle of sauvignon blanc on the flight. The view is spectacular, the silence eery and a glass of wine makes it one of life's indulgent moments!

No problems for me getting 12 bottles of NZ wine back through customs.

JamieBahrain wrote:And if you go on the Milford Cruise, take your own wine! I recall they only served Montanna.

Mt Cook airlines will fly you on a ski plane up to the top of the two big, aforementoned glaciers. Take a half bottle of sauvignon blanc on the flight. The view is spectacular, the silence eery and a glass of wine makes it one of life's indulgent moments!

No problems for me getting 12 bottles of NZ wine back through customs.

The 2004 Montana Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is the best they have produced in this label for some time - fresh, crisp, clear and as scintillating as the scenery - I would happily drink this wine while cruising the deep waters of the fiord or atop one of the glaciers - although the scenery alone is enough to get high on.

Thanks for all those suggestions guys, some great ideas and we're definitely planning on getting down to Milford Sound and the winery itinery sounds brillinat Sue although it sounds like we'll be spoilt for choice for lunch - decisions, decisions! Also hoping for a fine dining night out at Arrowfield and I hear there's a good movie theatre there too.

This is the first trip to NZ for me (unforgivable I know) and the first ski trip in over three years so I'm peeing my pants with excitment.

Thanks Sue.

May revisit the Montana.

Recall diving into the icy waters of the fjord, in hope it would clear the rough wine hangover from the night before.

Vickie,

2 wines fr CO that bowed me over;

Chard Farm Riesling(the closest thing to a top Mosel Saar, racy, gilted knife-edge intensity, pristine with purity of fruit flavours)

Kawarau Reserve Pinot (together with Fromm "Clayvin", it's the most impressive P/N, I ever had. Huge, intense but still maintainning the quinessential P/N characteristic)