WAIRARAPA WARMTH
Just a quick drive from Wellington, the Wairarapa is a region full of character. This stop on the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail is where country warmth and hospitality meets world-class food and wine. Under its big skies, Wairarapa offers wildly different experiences from the intimate and cosy through to exploration of the wide-open spaces.
Several towns make up the Wairarapa region. Martinborough is a genuine ‘wine village’, perfectly set up to cater to tourists and wine lovers alike. Relative to other wine-producing areas, the wineries in Martinborough are small and largely family-owned; everything is so close. You can walk (or bike) from one winery to the next. Being able to cycle the vines using quiet, small-town streets, fanning out from the central Town Square, is a special Martinborough experience.
Wairarapa is home to plenty of passionate producers. You’ll find anything a foodie would desire. The hands-on growers, makers, and bakers are masters of their craft; whether they’re family farmers or gutsy newcomers, the watchword’s quality, not quantity.
In neighbouring Greytown, you’ll find a country village with metropolitan style. Impeccably preserved Victorian buildings house design and gift shops. On your list should be The French Baker and Schoc Chocolates, a gourmet chocolate studio.
If culture and art are your kicks, Aratoi-Wairarapa Museum of Art and History in Masterton is a great place to start, featuring Māori taonga, ceramics, paintings, textiles, and more. While in town, check out the Masterton Arts Quarter, a colourful conglomeration of Wairarapa based artists gathered to create, exhibit, and sell original artworks.
Alongside the rural and quaint town settings, there are dramatic coastlines. In the south of the region is Palliser Bay, home to one of the region’s most luxurious accommodation options, Wharekauhau Lodge, based on a 3,200-acre working sheep station that overlooks the bay. There are several other accommodation options, including the historic Martinborough Hotel and the Copthorne Hotel and Resort Solway Park.
COLOMBO
Colombo Martinborough crafts wines by hand in small batches with a focus on harnessing the region’s distinctive conditions to produce elegant and expressive wines. The home block, established in 1999, provides Pinot Noir and Pinot Noir Rosé, and other varietals are sourced by working with local growers.
PALLISER ESTATE
Specialists in Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, Palliser Estate firmly sets its wine practice in nature. The soils and natural environment are emphasised in the wine.
ALEXIA
Alexia offers a modern take on winemaking while respecting tradition. Wives Jane and Lesley craft wines described as uncompromising single vineyard expressions of the varieties they are obsessed with making and evolving year on year. Alexia is closed for the season until the spring, so keep an eye out.
GLADSTONE VINEYARD
Established on the old riverbed of the Ruamahanga River, Gladstone’s focus is to craft wine that expresses the exceptional characteristics of the soil, the climate, and the region. The Cellar Door platter food complements your tasting.