New Zealand: A Caravan Experience
Written By: SUSANNE LOMATCH
PAGE 12....
Central Otago – Second Pinot
Day 19
The plan for the day was winery hopping in the Central Otago wine region, before
landing in Queenstown for the eve. Central Otago is internationally known for Pinot
Noir, and as one might expect, other varietals found in cool climes producing excellent
Pinots are also found here, particularly Pinot Gris and Riesling. Cromwell off R6 is one
of the four Central Otago sub-regions. In town, there are a few winery "cellar doors," or
tasting rooms. One not-to-miss is Rockburn, which in our estimation produces some of
the finest Pinot of the region. Unlike Martinborough, where most of the ’07 vintage
tastings were iffy due to a poor yield year, in Central Otago we found most ‘07s highly
palatable. In general, Pinots of the Central Otago region are lighter-bodied than those of
Martinborough, so of course a side-by-side comparison is not appropriate. We liken the
difference to that between Willamette Valley and Russian River Pinots in the U.S. The
Rockburn ’07 was probably the densest wine we tried, possessing the complexities of fine
Pinots. Terroir of Central Otago yields Pinots typically with mineral and smoke
characteristics, and with the Rockburn we additionally experienced flower pollen, honey
and fruit, and satin tannins. This wine was already near prime, but cellaring for a couple
years would make it complete.
We’d gotten a few tips on other wineries from a NZ wine guide we’d picked up, located
just south of Cromwell near Bannockburn (another sub-region), but the only one we can
recommend is Mt. Difficulty. The ’07 Estate Pinot was worth the trip, as well their
beautiful estate grounds and views. Felton Road, just down the road from Mt. Difficulty,
is internationally renowned for its fine Estate and single vineyard Pinots, and in fact we
couldn’t locate a bottle in NZ when we thought to look in wine shops! The winery was
also only open at that time by appointment (probably to the Robert Parkers). Since then
the world economy has slumped a bit, so we may be on the hunt again.
Alexandra to the southeast is another significant sub-region, but in the opposite direction
from where we were headed: Gibbston and then Queenstown, so we skipped it. Our
favorite in the Gibbston area was Amisfield, located on the western edge of the wine
country, closest to Queenstown. This winery carries several tiers of labels, and our
preference for both quality and value was the Lake Hayes, with their signature estate
label a slight cut above on some varietals. The winery describes most of their wines
(including their luscious Pinots) as "rich and ripe in aromatics" and we’d agree. The
Pinot Gris, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc were equally great and well crafted.
Queenstown
Day 19-20
By the time we rolled into Queenstown in the late afternoon, the rain and wind had
returned, and we found ourselves searching downtown for an Internet outlet
(unsuccessfully). So we looked on the GPS and guided to the closest caravan park,
perched just above the downtown area, Queenstown Lakeview Holiday Park. This was a
very popular place, with caravans streaming in and packed in, tightly – like cars at a
concert parking lot. In the high season, make reservations! The views are mediocre, with
the convenience of a short distance from the centrum. Moreover, everything is extra here;
including coin operated hot showers ($2 for 7-8mins). But the convenience cannot be
understated. If we’d had more time, we would have preferred to locate a park that takes in
the scenery, which is just about everywhere in Queenstown, except the caravan park we
happened to be at. The cure for this is to either walk or drive further up the steep road
(Brecon Street) to the Skyline Gondola. The tram is well worth the cost and time, as it
takes you near the top of the mile-high Bob’s Peak, where there are several recreational
activities and a restaurant. Several tracks (hiking trails) of varying lengths lead further
around and up the peak. At the very top paragliders launch from the annular view
overlooking the horseshoed Lake Wakatipu and winding granite peaks.
After the amusement ride, we drove along the winding lakeside road toward Glenorchy
and surrounds, featured as the Misty Mountains in the LOTR film series. On the route I
captured this beautiful, mystical lake and mountain shot. We didn’t quite make it to
Glenorchy, knowing that any serious activity there would involve a long hike along the
famous Routeburn Track. Given the colder, rain-prone weather, skipping the hike was
prudent, with rumors of mud pits and washouts. (Geez, I have to make a decent excuse
for missing it!) Queenstown Photography.