Wairarapa
Sample from NZDH Wairarapa chapter
The scenery of the southern Wairarapa is ruggedly dramatic: rolling tablelands end
abruptly and form high textured cliffs which plummet to meet the seaweed and driftwood-strewn
coastline; the Rimutaka Ranges cast shadows over the shimmering expanse of Lake
Wairarapa; and to the north the Tararua Ranges tower over fertile plains. At the
centre of all this wonderful scenery is Martinborough, a town dubbed NZ’s pinot
noir capital and one that is well known not only for its quality wines, but also
for its top winemakers who have earned international recognition for their award-winning
pinot noir and sauvignon blanc. We take two days to explore the region and visit
Cape Palliser lighthouse, meet seals on the beach, dine on crayfi sh and delicious
green-lipped mussels, call into the cellars of several of Martinborough’s top vineyards,
follow the local arts trail and take an unforgettable quad bike ride on Lachie McLeod’s
farm.
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Day One
Wellington to Martinborough with a side trip to Cape Palliser
We leave Wellington in the early morning and reach Featherston, the gateway to the
Wairarapa, by 9.30 am. Breakfast – stacks of Vogel’s toast washed down with copious
cups of tea – is enjoyed in a good old fashioned kiwi tearoom on the main street.
“Have you seen the Fell engine?” enquires our waitress when she delivers a fresh
pot of steaming tea to our table, “It’s the only one left in the world.”
We decide to stretch our legs around the museum after breakfast and discover that
it houses not only the fell engine, the sole survivor of the rolling stock of the
Rimutaka Incline, but also an incline brake van and many other items of railroad
memorabilia.
From Featherston we head south, skimming the shores of Lake Wairarapa - the largest
wetlands in the lower North Island and home to both native and migratory birds -
before crossing the Ruamahanga River to Lake Ferry.
This small settlement has views overlooking the pounding waves of Palliser Bay and
across the tranquil waters of Lake Onoke. The lake is fed with fresh water from
the Ruamahanga River and is sheltered from the ocean by a narrow sandy spit. Bob
and I kick off our shoes and walk the length of the spit - the contrast between
the two is quite astounding.
Before we leave town Bob, ever mindful of his stomach, makes a note that the hotel
serves steamed green-lipped mussels, “Let’s come back for lunch,” he says.
We drive slightly inland before meeting the coast again at the Putangirua Pinnacles,
where we hike upstream to these huge, organ pipe-like columns which were formed
over the past 120,000 years by heavy rain washing away silt and sand to expose the
underlying bedrock. Bob takes several photos and on the return we notice that there’s
also a small amount of erosion on the rocks above the car park – they provide an
ideal glimpse for visitors who are unable to hike in to see the pinnacles.
In Ngawi, a picturesque fishing village located at the base of the towering Aorangi
Range, we’re greeted by rows of rusty, brightly-painted bulldozers parked on the
beach. We watch the fishermen as they haul sturdy fishing boats ashore using the
bulldozers and then stack crayfish pots in neat piles around the village.
“The seafood looks promising,” remarks Bob, as we pass wooden houses surrounded
by wire fences which are draped with strings of faded buoys.
Shortly before Cape Palliser Lighthouse Bob spots some seals lazing on the rocky
shore and we stop to admire these beautiful beasts, making certain that we keep
the recommended ten metre gap between us and them.
“They’re a lot bigger than I’d imagined,” says Bob, cautiously pulling out his camera
as a seal raises his head and warily opens one eye to see who his visitors are.
Above the beach, high on the edge of a weather beaten cliff, the lighthouse stands
sentry. It was constructed in 1896 from materials brought here by boat, as there
was no road for many years.
We hike the 258 extremely steep steps to the top from where, at the southern most
point of the North Island, we gain magnificent views across the wide boiling expanse
of Cook Strait to the snowcapped mountains of Kaikoura. Thunderous surf crashes
onto the rocks below and sends sheets of salt-laden spray flying. As we gaze across
the windswept horseshoe of Palliser Bay, it’s hard to believe that these shores
provided the principle point of access for early European settlers to the region.
“It’s rugged but breathtaking,” says Bob, as we watch the spaghetti-like kelp weave
a never-ending pattern.
We return along the coast enjoying reverse views of the picturesque coastline and
stop in for a late lunch at the hotel in Lake Ferry. Bob chooses the crayfish while
I have the deliciously fresh, steamed green-lipped mussels before we drive inland
to Martinborough, a peaceful town where life revolves around a leafy town square.
There are many notable buildings built around the square which have been restored
to their former glory, including the landmark Martinborough Hotel. We check into
stylish rooms and then head across the road to the Martinborough Wine Centre, a
good first stop in this town for those planning to discover local wines. Here we
learn that the district’s dry alluvial river terraces provide ideal conditions for
growing healthy vines. This combined with low rainfall and a temperate climate -
hot summer days and reliable dry autumns - encourages winemakers to hang their grapes
later and results in a more intense flavour with no obvious loss in acidity.
We sample wine styles from a variety of local vineyards, choose our favourites,
then head out to explore - armed with a copy of the Martinborough wine trail map.
Our journey begins at Te Kairanga vineyard. The site upon which this vineyard stands
was the first place in Martinborough to be planted in vines. The cellar door is
positioned in sheltered gardens and here we meet Catherine Hannagan, who guides
us through our tasting. A local through and through she tells us that she was in
Martinborough before the vineyards started. Impressed with their Pinot Noir - not
to mention Catherine’s friendly manner - Bob purchases a couple of bottles.
Then we call into Ata Rangi and Chifney vineyards where we enjoy a tasting, and
on to Martinborough Vineyard where we strike it lucky and delight in a relaxed conversation
with winemaker, Claire Mulholland. She tells us that she has spent several vintages
overseas – three in France, two harvests in the US and one in Australia. “You learn
something from every harvest,” she says, going on to explain how vine age influences
the depth of structure in wine. “Our vineyards in NZ are still very young compared
to anything in Europe,” she says.
We pass Benfield and Delamare where workers are busy ‘tucking in’ the vines and
then at Winslow we strike a rapport with Jenny, who, as well as producing wine with
her husband Steve, works as an artist and is well known for her mixed media masks.
‘Petra’, a stunning mask on the wall behind the tasting bar features on their Cabernet
label. “Steve and I bought the property 20 years ago,” she says, “Three paddocks
and a couple of cows. It’s been a lot of work. Our wines must be exceptional to
compete with the big wine makers.” But as Bob notes from reading a brochure, even
Martinborough’s largest producer, Palliser Estate, began production on a small scale
and grew as demand increased, today exporting their wine around the world.
Our wine-tasting tour complete for the day – thank goodness, because as the driver
I’m thoroughly tired of tasting and spitting and I feel like I’ve earned a glass
of wine – we head to The Martinborough Hotel’s corner Settlers Bar for a pre-dinner
drink. Locals have told us that this is the place to rub shoulders with well known
winemakers. Instead we meet a happy-go-lucky group of mud-splattered Wellingtonians
who have apparently just returned from quad biking at McLeod’s Farm. “Haven’t you
heard about Lachie’s?” they ask when we enquire, “It’s the best ride in town by
far!”
Over a light supper of seafood chowder – fresh fish, mussels, prawns, calamari and
summer vegetables bound in a light veloute – in the hotel’s stylish Bistro we decide
that quad biking at Lachie McLeod’s farm is simply a must-do.
I’m keen to see the magical views described by the group, while Bob, who learnt
to ride a quad bike on our West Auckland sojourn, wants to put his new skills to
the test, and so we make a double booking for the next afternoon before retiring
to our rooms.
+more
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Day Two
Martinborough
After breakfasting on crumpets inhouse we decide to spend the morning discovering
Martinborough’s boutique stores and arts. We begin with a visit to Artrageous, which
has displays of contemporary NZ art and sculpture by local and national artists.
Here we admire Scott Tulloch’s wildlife studies and landscapes, but it’s his cartoon
series “A Vineyard Year at the Frolicking Pig Estate” that tickles Bob’s fancy and
before we leave he purchases a print of a hilarious looking pig pushing a wheelbarrow.
Then we pop into the Barbara A. Ross Studio which specialises in traditional Maori
weaving and displays a range of textile art, before calling into Barrows Gallery
where there’s further contemporary NZ artworks on display.
A quick visit to the information centre proves there’s no shortage of fun in Martinborough.
You can take a spin in a jet boat up the mighty Ruamahanga River with WetnWild,
kayak, trek with llamas (if you have a few days up your sleeve), and play golf or
golf cross – a revolutionary new game similar to golf but played with an oval ball
and goal posts rather than holes to score in!
But for Bob and me, like many other holiday makers, the perfect vacation activity
involves the simple act of teaming a good bottle of vino with gourmet food – and
in Martinborough it’s unlikely that you will be disappointed. The town boasts a
number of fine cafes and restaurants, among them the Flying Fish Café, The Vines
on the Square and La Mousse, but if you wish to dine in a vineyard setting there
is only one place to go and that’s to Riverview Café at Murdoch James Estate. It’s
situated on an elevated slope overlooking Martinborough township, the Dry River,
and the Tararua and Rimutaka Ranges. It’s a family operation, owned and operated
by Jill and Roger Fraser and their son, Carl.
“When we saw the property we realised that we wanted to do more than just have a
vineyard,” says Roger when Bob and I turn up for an early lunch.
We sit on a terrace table watching children splash in the sparkling river below.
The menu is extensive but centres around fresh seasonal local fare which is organic
whenever possible. I try the spinach and goats cheese ravioli with a walnut beurre
noir, while Bob goes for the cold smoked salmon with pink grapefruit salad and mandarin
yoghurt. Both dishes are divine and the setting is so relaxing we’d be happy to
stay all day.
But quad biking calls so we take our leave and drive the short distance to McLeod’s
Quad Adventures. Here we’re provided with a helmet, leggings and gumboots and Bob
gets me to take several shots of his pristine outfit before we start.
After the training and confidence building course (where Bob gets to show off all
he learned in West Auckland) we leave in a convoy, following Lachie out across his
massive sheep station on the slopes of the Nga-waka-akupe hills. Up hill and down
dale we race, our skills increasing with each new manoeuvre. We splash up the rocky
Ruakokopatuna River and cross several other clear streams and deep muddy holes before
we climb to the summit of the Nga-wakaakupe. The views are fantastic: the plains
of Martinborough’s wine country are spread immediately below us framed by the sweeping
curve of Palliser Bay, the rugged ridgeline of the Rimutakas and the towering Tararua
Ranges.
“It’s a grand view,” Bob says to Lachie who stands with his hands on his hips smiling
at our group of muddy quad bikers who peer through their camera lenses trying to
get the whole view in one shot.
“How’d you hear ‘bout us?” he asks Bob, grinning.
“Oh you know,” says Bob about to wipe a dirty smudge from his face then quite clearly
deciding against it. “Through the grapevine...”
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