Another glorious day greeted us as we left Napier and headed south to Pukeora estate in Waipukurau.
Pukeora
Max and Kate Annabel run this amazing 80 acre site which is home to an old hospital that was used to recuperate injured WW1 soldiers.
Pukeora now operates as a convention centre, wedding venue and home to various relatives.
Max always dreamt of owning a vineyard on limestone soil and grows Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Syrah, Pinot Noir and Merlot. Lovely ripe wines are made in a Heath Robinsonesque style winery that just shows you don’t need expensive, shiny kit to make a great glass.
Cambridge Road
From Waipukurau we continued our journey south to Martinborough – the key district in the fabulous Wairarapa region. Famed for its chardonnays and pinot noirs this area is often likened to Burgundy. Staying in the lovely Claremont motel it was a quick turnround as we drove the centre of the lovely Martinborough town centre (at the centre of a grid of roads modelled on the Union Jack!)…blink and you miss it…and arrived at Cambridge Road winery. Owner Lance Redgwell has created a highly individual name for himself in a small 5.5 acre plot. A real innovator, Lance has created his Papillon white – amazing blend of all sorts of grapes; fabulous Pinot Noir that showed wonderful expression of each vintage; the highly unusual Dovetail wines – a blend of Pinot Noir and Syrah – a first in Martinborough and some truly delicious Syrahs.
Lance is a great communicator as well as a great cook and we enjoyed some delicious scallops, chicken and fresh strawberries in what was an extraordinary evening with 13 wines tasted.