Winter Vines - Marlborough Wine Region

For me, there's something quite mesmerising about soldier-like rows of grapes marching across the the landscape.

I took these photos in the autumn of 2010, when I was travelling in Marlborough.

A rolling, twisting, undulating mass of vines lurching over the low hills.

Green, gold, brown bleeding together.

Smoke from an autumn fire swirling lazily toward the hills.

May 2010, Ajr.

Staying in Style - Peppertree Lodge

Blenheim's Peppertree Lodge is named after the Pepper trees (Schinus molle) that line the driveway to this lovely Edwardian villa. Built in 1901, it sits back from the road at the south entrance to Blenheim, surrounded by waves of grapevines that have made the region famous.

I called into the Peppertree on my recent travels, to chat with owners, Werner and Heidi. It was mid-winter but the Peppertree was warm and inviting, each of its five guest rooms glowing. The home is set on 10acres and since settling in New Zealand, Swiss businessman Werner, has studied viticulture and now tends his own tiny boutique winery and olive grove at the front of the property. The large gardens are filled with large vegetable gardens and orchards, a small selection of cows and sheep; and together, Werner and Heidi produce their own olive oil, wine and assorted preserves. Each vintage of their Peppertree Chardonnay is labelled with distinctive labels, produced by leading local and New Zealand artists including Wellington's Michael Fowler and Blenheim artists, Clarry Neam and Betty Eaton.

Heidi has a background in hotel management and airline service in Switzerland and given that she and Werner have travelled extensively themselves, they know just when to leave their guests alone. Each of their five rooms is a large private retreat and guests have individual views into different parts of the garden. My pick is the large William Morris room (above), which features William Morris fabrics and a large bathroom, complete with clawfoot bath and a separate fireplace. And personally, I can't imagine anything nicer than stretching out in that bath with a good book and a glass of house Chardonnay, with the fireplace crackling a few feet away. www.thepeppertree.co.nz

The Intensity of Autumn

Vibrant Autumn Gold

All the Richer

Against Wet Day Skies

Raupara Road

Blenheim

Marlborough

May 2010. Ajr

Winter Vines - Marlborough

Drop me off in the middle of a wine region anywhere in the country - anywhere in the world for that matter - and I'll be as happy as a pig in mud, as I wander about taking photographs.

On my recent road trip around New Zealand (just on the turn of autumn) I was somewhat hampered by a strict timetable but I still managed to come home with more vineyard photographs than I care to admit to. These shots were taken in the Wairau Rver Region, in Marlborough, just south of Blenheim, where there has been an explosion of vine planting in recent years. If you stand on any high point here, you'll see vines marching across the landscape in soldier-like rows, as far as the eye can see. That holds for most parts of Marlborough actually - a region that, in the last 25 years, has established itself as one of the world's premier wine-producing regions, responsible for over 50% of New Zealand's total wine production. There are now over 110 wineries in the region - probably more since I acquired that statistic and if you're keen to know more, check www.winemarlborough.net.nz

Rural History

One Small Out-Take from History

An Old Sadllery at Grovetown

Near Picton in Marlborough

April 2009. Ajr

The Negative Versus The Positive

Marlborough. May 2009. Ajr

I drove through Marlborough a few weeks ago on my way to Nelson and as I motored along Raupara Road - famous for its many wineries and vineyards - I ground to halt to photograph this amazing driveway... at Wairau River Wines if my memory serves me correctly. I'm a sucker for a good tree-lined driveway, especially one that hints at the spaces beyond; and this one, with it's perfect house-shaped ending, was too good to drive by. It's a classic example of how negative space can be just as interesting (if not more so) than the positive space. www.wairauriverwines.co.nz

Sounds Lovely!

Picton. April 2009. Ajr

It was a perfect day when I arrived in Picton on April 10th - the first day of this year's Frommers New Zealand road trip. Everyone was out enjoying late autumn sunshine - eating icecreams even; sunbathing even! The waters in Marlborough Sounds were calm and electric blue and I couldn't have wished for a better start to my adventures.

On the Wine Trail

Images supplied. Top: Church Road wine Cellar Hawke's Bay; Bottom: Marlborough Wine Region

I don’t know about any of you but when I’m travelling I’m constantly thinking about food and drink. It’s all about indulgence for me and I defy anyone to tell me that that’s not exactly the way personal travel should be. Enter The Classic New Zealand Wine Trail – a food and wine extravaganza undertaken at your own pace and tailored – by you – to suit your time and taste preferences. Even better, the new 50-page Trail Guide is free and all you have to do is get in your car and follow the brown signs and the bunches of grapes – how hard can that be? As it takes you 380 kilometres, through some of New Zealand’s most scenic regions, the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail introduces you to three of our major wine regions – Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa and Marlborough - that collectively represent 74% of the country’s total wine production. The guide also offers you suggestions for places to stay, things to do, farmers’ markets to visit, fruit to pick and restaurants to visit – and that’s just the beginning. As the people at CNZWT would say: Go Slow and savour! It’s all about indulging in the best of provincial New Zealand. www.classicwinetrail.co.nz

The Fan Club

Marlborough Farm Buildings, NZ 2007. Ajr

And speaking of rugby, I spied these two farm buildings near Picton, in Marlborough last winter as I was driving home from my Frommers Trip. Definitetly the home of rugby fans I'd say.