Filed in archive New Zealand Wines by tammy on January 8, 2007

This get away sounds like so much fun. I actually like riding my bike, though I've never been on a tandem. I'm sure that would be a challenge, especially after visiting a few of the wineries as described in this article, Wobbling Through New Zealand's Vineyards on a Tandem Bicycle:

An hour and a half's drive from New Zealand's capital, the village of Martinborough holds all the ingredients for a perfect weekend: A luxury lodge, fine dining, beautiful countryside and 30 wineries within staggering distance.

Wellington is just 90 kilometers (56 miles) to the east, but by the time you've negotiated the hazardous, twisting mountain pass you're deep into sheep-farming country. The town's vineyards date back only to 1980, making it one of the newer wine-growing regions in the world. In a single generation it has earned an international reputation for wines from two of the more challenging grapes: pinot noir and sauvignon blanc.

Before invading the tasting rooms, it's best to secure comfortable lodgings to sleep off the effects. So first we checked in to Peppers Martinborough Hotel, a renovated 1882 building on the town square that combines antique charm with well-appointed rooms and modern features behind its whitewashed colonial facade.

Chief among its attractions is the Bistrot, a homely dining room with an open kitchen that dishes up a Provence-influenced menu dominated by fresh local produce: Natural Clevedon rock oysters with green apple and chardonnay vinegar; porcini crusted lamb loin and mustard custard.

A two-night package for a suite with breakfast and one dinner cost just over NZ$800 ($544) plus wine. And it's the plus wine that brings people to Martinborough.

Tandem Tasting

Finding the wineries is as simple as stepping out of the hotel and walking down the road. Or you could do as my wife I did and instantly mark yourself out as a foreign tourist by hiring a tandem bicycle.

Martinborough is pretty flat, lying in the floor of a valley surrounded by mountains, so cycling among the vineyards isn't too strenuous. The wineries are grouped in the northern part of the village, with trellises of grapes interspersed with houses and lush green fields replete with sheep and cows.

The greenness of the place is a clue to a potential drawback, especially for cyclists: Rain is common virtually all year round. It's easy to see why so many Scottish immigrants found New Zealand an antipodean version of their homeland. Summer is still wet, but the mild temperatures from December to February make it the best time to go.

Our first destination was Alana Estate, not one of the best-known Martinborough vineyards, but one that should be. We struggled to find a better sauvignon blanc elsewhere and it wasn't for lack of trying.

My wine's intense herbaceous flavors and lots of citrus zing made it the standout in a fine range that required us to sit down for a light lunch of pate and asparagus on the veranda.