Wine Tour by bike

Cycling around the vineyards

After breakfast of tea and toast, we were off to Blenheim at half nine so we could be back in time to do our wine tour. Found the place where we had to pay our parking fine, but after establishing that we were on holiday, and had been on the South Island for only a day, the woman very kindly agreed to cancel it. We assured her that we were now well aware of how to park!

Back at the hostel for 11.30am, we collected our bikes from the guy that runs the hostel, and off we went on our wine tour. First on our list was Allan Scott vineyard, where we decided to stop for lunch. We shared salmon, artichoke and cream cheese pate, with crusty bread and olive oil to start. To follow, Diane had lemon chicken with parmasan and salad, and Emma had lamb fillet on a bed of salad.

 

A Lemon Tree in the Garden

This was accompanied by a very good bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, for which the Malborough wine region is famed. To finish, Diane had caramelised lemon tart and Emma had homemade blueberry and white chocolate cheesecake. The food was excellent, and very good value; the same meal would have cost double at home. We are finding that our money is going a lot further in NZ than it did in Canada.

Back on the bikes (even though a sleep under the vines was tempting) and onto our next vineyard, Forest Estate. For a pound each, we bought our own tasting tray which consisted of three whites, three reds and a dessert Reisling. All very good, and then onto our final tastings of the day at Cellier le Brun. This vineyard specialises more in bubbly, and so we tried a couple of bruts and their Sauvignon Blanc. We decided to buy a bottle of bubbly to save for Christmas Day in Sydney.

Feeling very giddy at this point, we decided to cycle back to Renwick, where we recovered from the day's gluttony in the hammock with a book. It had been a really enjoyable day, cycling along quiet lanes past all the vines, sunshine and mountains in the distance. We relaxed in the garden and on the veranda in the last rays of the evening sun.