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A grape time in Marlborough
There’s vast potential for wine and food decadence in the Marlborough region, but any over-indulgences can be nicely balanced with hiking, biking and kayaking adventures around the sounds. It’s truly a landscape to savour.
In Marlborough, Bender and Mark discovered surf, seafood and sensational sauvignon blanc - a combination that many travellers would find hard to resist. Vineyards are thick on the ground, and where there’s wine there’s nearly always a delectable menu to explore. The sublime climate that produces world class grapes is also highly conducive to outdoor fun in the mountains and around the spectacular coastline.
The attractive town of Blenheim makes an excellent base for pleasure seekers intent on exploring Marlborough’s wine country. There are about 70 wineries to discover, and to avoid the complications of driving under the influence you can organise a local driver or join a wine tour. Another option is to hire mountain bikes so that you can pedal from vineyard to vineyard - the plains are as flat as a billiard table, so there’s little chance of over-exertion. Just outside Blenheim is an accommodation option you’ll never forget - a converted convent set in 20 acres of parkland.
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This region’s other major drawcard is the Marlborough Sounds, a spectacular area of bays, beaches, coves and islands created millions of years ago when a mountain range tipped into the ocean. Picton is the launching point for most Marlborough Sounds adventures - you can arrange to go sea kayaking, fishing, hiking or mountain biking. The iconic challenge here is walking the Queen Charlotte Track, a 71 kilometre adventure that travels through native forest, along skyline ridges and past innumerable exquisitely beautiful bays - luxury lodges provide food and accommodation along the way.
Expand your holiday to the west and you’ll find yourself in the Nelson region, which has an arty focus, yet more vineyards and three magnificent national parks. Key activities here include browsing Nelson City’s market on Saturday morning, walking for a day along the coast of Abel Tasman National Park and exploring the honeydew forests around the shores of Lake Rotoiti. Boutique accommodation is abundant around Nelson - there’s even a wellness retreat that offering yoga, massage therapies and organic food.
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Episode 2 - Marlborough
You could say that Bender flipped over Marlborough, because this episode opened with him experiencing aerobatics over the vineyards in a Pitts-Special biplane. Back on terra firma, the chefs went diving for green-lipped mussels with local lad Dion Paul before meeting a Swiss couple who make new-world wines with old-world passion. In their relentless search for great ingredients and awesome waves, Bender and Mark found some superb venison conveniently close to one of New Zealand’s best surf breaks. To finish, a visit to a Marlborough Sounds salmon farm provided the raw materials for another amazing recipe.
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BEN & MARK'S RECIPES
Check out the recipes cooked in this episode and try to replicate the guy's meals at home using the best of New Zealand's produce.
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Starting and finishing in Nelson this route takes you over to the West Coast and back to the east coast through Hanmer Springs, Kaikoura and Marlborough.
