We had quite a full day on Saturday around Napier despite the unseasonably cold and wet weather. Judy and Colin took us out to visit a variety of the local wineries along with their son Brett who works in the industry here.
Our first stop was the very plush Craggy Range where we sampled a few of their whites and reds – all very nice. We bought a bottle of Chardonnay which we liked which we’ll save for a special day.
Next stop was to visit some good friends of Judy and Colin, Roz and Mike, who had recently visited the Abel Tasman national park which we plan to visit sometime soon. They had a wonderful home and gave us some helpful insights into the park.
From their house we drove up to the top of the ridge for the view. We were able to see some distance but the weather limited what we could see and it was a bit chilly so we didn’t stop long.
Next stop was another winery, Ngtarawa, where we again sampled some wines and this time bought a Syrah – a red wine which we don’t usually drink but quite enjoyed. Before eating we stopped off at Trinity Hill to take a look around.
We stopped for a late lunch at The Filter Room where the food was excellent. The place was a brewery so Helen and I had a six glass sampler of their beers.
Our last stop was another winery called The Mission which was frequently (and currently) used for wedding functions. We had a brief look around but passed on additional tasting. We were all about pooped by now. Brett was dropped off at his car which was left at Judy’s parents who we briefly met before we all returned to The Barnz to rest the remainder of the afternoon.
Brett and his wife Michelle joined us for dinner in the evening and we enjoyed all their company.
This morning we’re heading off in the continued rain to Wellington in time for our ferry ride tomorrow. Fortunately the bad weather plaguing us at the moment is not affecting the south island so we should be seeing sunshine soon.
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