Blanc Statement
This article first appeared in the Weekend Australian on 30-31st July 2005.
We fly into Blenheim on a rickety 12-seater that’s connecting us from Wellington. It’s certainly not our favourite way to fly, so we concentrate on the landscape. Immediately one thing becomes obvious: the sheep and cows have moved out and the vines have moved in. Now we’re excited because this is the home of New Zealand’s glorious sauvignon blanc.
This place, in the heart of NZ’s South Island Marlborough wine region, is one of incredible natural beauty: hills, mountains and fjord-like waterways and channels. Of course there’s all that extreme-sport stuff here: hiking, sea kayaking, trout and salmon fishing, whale watching, skiing. But the most extreme thing we have in mind will be ordering that extra bottle of white when perhaps we shouldn’t.
Indeed, it’s the wine that has really drawn us here. The Marlborough region boasts the best of Kiwi sauvignon blanc – fruity and pungent with tantalising fresh passionfruit flavours – including the world-famous Cloudy Bay. And then there’s the food, too. We don’t really know what to expect but we’re hoping for fresh and unspoilt flavours straight from the beautiful land that surrounds us.
We’re staying in the centre of Blenheim, which, with a population of 28,000, is the capital of Marlborough and, coincidentally, one of the sunniest towns in NZ. On our first night we stumble on the upmarket D’Urville Wine Bar and Brasserie (52 Queen St). We eat good, rustic fare: wild mushroom tart, poached ballantine of chicken and spiced roast salmon. After dinner we hit one of the many pubs and sample some great Kiwi beer. There is such a thing.
The next day we explore the hinterland surrounding Blenheim and find an abundance of wineries with restaurants. We stop at Hunter’s Restaurant (Rapaura Road), run by Jan Hunter, a doyenne of the NZ wine industry. Since her husband Ernie’s death in 1983 she has single-handedly established a world-class winery with an adjoining artists’ retreat.
We decide to let our appetites hold off until we get to Highfield Estate (Brookby Road), which serves great comfort food and, of course, local wine. A seafood chowder of mussels, salmon, squid and shrimps is hearty and delicious while the porterhouse steak is succulence itself.
By day three we’re chilled. We take a drive around the stunning Queen Charlotte Sound and stumble on the seaside town of Havelock. Here we discover Musselboys (73 Main Rd) and learn that the biggest industry in the Marlborough regions isn’t wine but green-lipped mussels. Mussels served here included fresh flats, where the mussel is grilled on the half shell with a variety of toppings, and fresh steamers, which are served whole in the shell in special pots with a selection of different sauces.
Just down the road and slap bang on the Pelorus Sound is Slip Inn Cafe and Wine Bar (Havelock Marina). We can’t squeeze in another mussel, but this is a great place to kill a few more sav blancs.
My liver is starting to ache, so on our final day we try to lay off the wine by making a 90-minute pilgrimage to the Store (Kekerengu State Highway 1, Kaikoura Coast). This cafe has gorgeous views over the Pacific Ocean and if you ring ahead, owners Richard and Sue Macfarlane will prepare fresh crayfish from the sea below. Served with a simple avocado and lemon salad, fresh greens and hot new potatoes this is a dish of simple beauty.
It’s also a perfect spot to knock back more of this region’s stunning array of wines. Why waste the opportunity?