A wine tasting with a bit of exercise thrown in at Cromwell

So, what do you fancy this weekend after a long week at work? A walk to stretch those weary legs, to get a bit of fresh air and feel generally more positive by enjoying the great outdoors. Or do you fancy kicking back with a glass of wine, maybe a cheese platter and some great conversation? Maybe both appeal in equal measure. They certainly do to me especially after a tiring week staring at a computer screen. Guess what? I think I may have discovered the perfect place…..

Up early on a Saturday morning I was keen for a road trip that ended with a day trip with a difference. I made the drive across the Southern Mountain range of New Zealand, through pretty Geraldine, stopping for a breakfast pie at Fairlie Bakehouse followed a little later by a coffee break at stunning Tekapo where the lake glistened in the morning sunshine. The mountain ranges of Mount Cook National Park kindly posed splendidly for me in the clear skies, not a cloud about on this morning. If it had been my first sighting of such a place I would have stopped and stared in amazement. I though still had a way to go and no time sadly on this occasion to so. Instead I threaded my way across the Lindis Pass, the Otago scenery opening up in front of me in all its rugged splendour. My destination for this weekend was Cromwell, one of my all-time favourite weekend spots. I’m not sure why but Cromwell is my ultimate go to spot at the moment. It’s within easy driving distance of home, about 5 hours with decent stops. l love the drive through such inspiring and contrasting scenery and there are a few places I enjoy stopping off at on route. Well, they say the joy of travel is as much about the journey…

My reason for heading to Cromwell on this particular weekend though was to experience their ‘4 Wine Barrels Walk’ an activity that I had been eyeing up for a while but had no gotten around too. The walk sounds exactly what it is – an 8km walk between four of the wineries in the Cromwell area that are open to the public.

I began by walking to the petite cellar door at Mischa’s situated next to a restaurant which apparently comes highly recommended and a fruit store (the fruit in these parts is second to none).

Mischa’s has a small cellar door with a smattering of high tables and stools to perch on. AS all the wineries I visited it had a friendly and helpful host. I popped myself on a bar stool and selected the five wines that appealed most to my taste buds. Mischa’s is unique in that it allows you the chance to choose your wine from quite a long list of tasting opportunities. It’s good for those who are perhaps more selective than me when it comes to their wine likes and dislikes. Some prefer their whites, some rock up to sample the area’s famous Pinot Noir red. My preference was to try a mix of the range. Mischa’s is owned by a couple who set it up after returning to New Zealand after years living the city life in Singapore. They had their own vision and business acumen and planted vines up on a high ridge around the rim of Lake Dunstan. I was informed that the land is affectionately known as the ski slope which gives a good idea of how difficult it is to cultivate. All their grapes are picked by hand, and large wall sized pictures in the cellar door paint a picture of the wine growing area. Personally, I love their wines, especially their whites. The wine tasting here does though begin with their reds and I tried a couple of pinot noirs that were separated by age and cellaring. It was quite a special treat to try both side by side and see for myself the difference years of cellaring can make to such a wine. Happily, you can purchase bottles which they will hold onto for you to pick up later. Who wants to carry around bottles of wine at the start of such a walk? Leaving Misha’s, I was pointed in the direction of the lake front. Be careful as there is a busy highway to cross before you reach this part.

The pathway following the lake front at Cromwell

The walkway is tranquil enough although there is plenty to see water activity wise with paragliders and jet skiers. Several houses back onto the pathway their gardens stretching down to the lakeside beyond. As Cromwell is set down in a valley you are surrounded by mountain ranges, many of them with vines growing up their lower ridges. It’s quite a setting for a small township. Just a short walk from the local boat club is a gate which leads up to the next winery on route. Seemingly

set within a local housing area you can be forgiven for getting confused but follow the clear directions on your map and you will come to the small family owned winery, Aurum. Specialising in organic wines this place is run by the husband and wife team owners who greet you at the cellar door. Their daughter in law, hails from France and is the chief winemaker. One of the more expensive Pinot Noir’s is named after their granddaughter.

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