Our means of getting between the various wineries was unconventional, as we chose to ride tandem.
 |
| A bicycle made for two |
After a smooth drive up the east coast to Blenheim, we dropped the vans off at the Top 10 campsite and were promptly picked up by Bike2Wine - an outfit run by the good people at the Olde Mill House B&B in nearby Renwick. The owner gave us a map of the area, some orientation, and an incentive that if we were to visit five participating wineries and collect a stamp from each, we could claim a medal for completing the Golden Mile. Silly it may be, but it provided a good structure for our day.
 |
| Glorious grapes |
After a wobbly start (only the second time on a bicycle made for two) we hit the wide, quiet roads for our first stop.
 |
| Forrest cellar door |
Given that it is autumn, this time of year is mercifully free of crowds, although we were still blessed with a blue sky. The leaves on the vines were turning orange and brown, and many harvests are over or entering their final phase. Nevertheless, the product in the bottle was none the worse for the season. We found a very friendly host and K a kindred spirit at the Forrest winery. Sampling three of their wines each, we discovered a preponderance of excellent white wines, especially the Riesling. Although still a young industry, relative to Europe, it has grown a reputation for Sauvignon Blanc, but many wines of this variety are not to my taste.
 |
| Unusual flavours at Bladen |
Having whet our palettes, we moved on to neighbours Bladen. Albeit an established winery, the cellar door is a tiny corner bar, staffed by one of the founders. A friendly welcome and some unique wines awaited us here. The Pinot Noir, we all agreed, was one of the finest of the selection. I struggle with acidity and dryness with this variety, but the Bladen offering is smooth and fruity.
 |
| Funky Framingham |
Next door, we decided to stop briefly at Framingham - mostly, it must be said, to gain another stamp on the Golden Mile. Unlike the minimal cellar door of Bladen, the grounds here were immaculate. We feared a snooty reception - of the kind I had expected but not yet been subject to - but the atmosphere was informal and relaxed.
 |
| Geordie wine maker |
The head winemaker, Andrew Headley, is originally from Gateshead and has a PhD in organic chemistry. Again, unlike Central Otago, the selection cleaved to the white side of things, and we were plied with an astonishingly different range of Rieslings, including a superlative sweet Noble.
By now, hunger had struck, so we made our way to Giesen, where we were assured an excellent platter could be had.
 |
| Cheese coma |
The recommendations were not wrong. A trio of magnificent cheeses with freshly baked bread and spicy chutneys went down a treat. We tasted the Giesen range while we waited for the food, but nothing sang out as from the other wineries.
Purely as it was conveniently located across the road, we pedalled over to Wairau River winery, named after the stretch of water that flows behind many of the vineyards. The wines were all of good quality, but our jaded palates failed to detect anything outstanding. We decided to refresh with some sparkling wine.
 |
| Bubbles!!! *ahem* |
At No. 1 Family Estate, set up by a Frenchman who learned his trade in Champagne, we found a taste bud-tantalising trio of wine. Several of us expected to enjoy the cherry/strawberry notes of the rosé, but found ourselves split over the dry No. 1 Cuvée (my favourite) and a much smoother, more buttery No. 8 (general consensus).
 |
| Looking good |
The wineries were winding up for the day (and some for the season) by now, the wind had picked up, and the sun was setting on the mountains. We refreshed with a cup of tea and a selection of confection from the Fudge Factory before making one final stop.
 |
| The sun sets on a very fine day |
Moa brewery, named after the extinct NZ bird, is nestled among the local vineyards, producing an intoxicating liquor of a different kind. We had a short amount of time before returning the bikes, but the 'cellar door' is well set up for the passing crowd. $5 netted us a sample of six brews, half of which are not available in the bottle. Weiss City, a dark wheat beer, surprised with a funky aroma, but tasted divinely of chocolate.
 |
| Moa is my washpot |
Having been dropped back at the campsite, we were in close proximity for a bonus tasting at nearby Dodson Street, which sits next to the Renaissance brewery. Oddly for being neighbours, there were only two of their beers available among the 22 taps and pumps. Nevertheless, aside from a couple of German and Czech mainstays, the remainder were NZ brews from the likes of Hop Federation, Tuatara, Marlborough, and Sprig & Fern. The Hop Federation WeeWaka provided excellent lemony hops and a biting bitterness just on the right side of palatable for me. It cut right through the sweet and rich pizza loaded with kumara, pumpkin, caramelised onion and feta.
No comments:
Post a Comment