The Ultimate 2 Night Taste Marlborough Package . . .
(Available 1 April 2010 to 30 September 2010)
$725.00 per person / twin share
*extra nights' accommodation special rate $150.00 (Bed & Breakfast)
Accommodation & Inclusions
Staying in a vineyard suite at the beautifully appointed Marlborough Vintners Hotel, this package includes 2 nights' accommodation, a bottle of MVH wine on arrival, a 5 course degustation menu for two matched with local wines, our splendid table breakfast each day and the fabulous Taste Marlborough Tour on one day and the world famous Icons tour on the other. Additional nights can be added if available at our special extra night rate.
Taste Marlborough Tour
Taste Marlborough has been created for visitors who love great wine and those who want to learn more about the region, the wineries, the wines and the people who create them. Each winery experience has been specially created and privately hosted away from the public areas. You will not only receive fabulous private service but you will also get to see areas of the winery that are not normally accessible.
Taste Marlborough tours through a select number of boutique and iconic wineries, a group of wineries selected for their history, fabulous service and stunning range of wines. They are also a group of wineries where you will get to meet great people who know wine and love sharing their passion for wine.
Wineries in the tour include Auntsfield Estate, Te Whare Ra, Cloudy Bay and Nautilus, with time out for a divine lunch at Drylands winery restaurant*.
* Please note that all the wineries included can and do change on certain days as we are very dependent on availability of winemakers and senior wine staff. Where required we will substitute for other wineries that can also provide a stunning wine experience.
Daily Itinerary*
Start the day with a tour around the vineyards at Auntsfield. We are taking you back to where it all started. Auntsfield Estate is the home of Marlborough's first colonial vineyard and winery. The original vineyard was established in 1873 and the original cellar in the hillside can still be viewed today. Now over 100 years later the vineyard has been re-established and produces a stunning range of wines.
Visit the boutique winery of Te Whare Ra where owners and winemakers Jason and Anna Flowerday have built a reputation on aromatic whites and divine Pinot Noir. Today we will get to see behind the scenes with a tour through the winery and a selection of special tastings along the way.
Iconic Cloudy Bay is our next stop for a structured wine tasting of the range of world renown wines. This privately hosted wine tasting takes the group away from the public areas to your own private tasting room, a very exclusive and enjoyable tasting.
After a morning of stunning wines its time to really taste Marlborough with lunch at the Drylands winery restaurant. Enjoy fresh local produce and local wines in a delightful setting. (lunch at clients own cost).
After lunch we depart through to Nautilus Estate winery for one last special tasting. Enjoy fabulous hospitality with a private tasting in the specially designed Pinot Cellar. Enjoy a tasting of a selection of Nautilus wines including the multi-award winning Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.
* Please note that all the wineries included can and do change on certain days as we are very dependent on availability of winemakers and senior wine staff. Where required we will substitute for other wineries that can also provide a stunning wine experience.
Collection Time Blenheim Accommodation 9.45am* (timings may fluctuate by 5 to 10 minutes to allow for travel time)
Tour Duration 6 hours
Inclusions
- Touring vehicle and senior wine tour guide
- Privately hosted winery tours and tasting fees
Exclusions
Tour is not suitable for children.
Seasonality Tour operates daily, year round, starting 1 November 2009 with the exception of no tour available on :
- Christmas Day (25 December 2009)
- Easter Friday (2 April 2010)
- Easter Monday (5 April 2010)
- ANZAC Day (25 April 2010)
The Icons Tour :
Departing by mini-coach each day this "Icons" tour takes in the very best that Marlborough has to offer with a visit to some superb Marlborough wineries in the morning then through to the Havelock Marina for lunch and the afternoon Greenshell Mussel Cruise.
10.15am collection from MVH.
Head out into the stunning Marlborough wine region to sample the world famous Sauvignon Blanc. Marlborough is renowned as the wine capital of New Zealand with over half of New Zealand’s wine grown in the region. Marlborough has gained a reputation as one of the finest wine-growing regions in the world. See why our Sauvignon Blanc is world famous, try the aromatic Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer or sample the complexities of our Merlot and Pinot Noir.
Visit Marlborough's Icon winery, Cloudy Bay, for a tasting of the range of award winning wines. Enjoy the Pelorus Bubbles, the Sauvignon Blanc, and the complexities of Te Koko Sauvignon and Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir.
Visit "The Village" where you can try stunning wines from a selection of boutique wine companies, along with Prenzel Schnapps, Marlborough Olive oils or view the crafts of Quilters Barn.
After a morning of wine tastings we will head through to Havelock, the gateway to the Pelorus and Kenepuru Sounds. Time to enjoy a nice lunch (own cost) at the Slip Inn Cafe before boarding the Marlborough Travel launch for the Greenshell Mussel Cruise.
Enjoy an informative and relaxing afternoon cruising the inner Pelorus and Kenepuru Sounds. Take in the natural beauty of this tranquil environment; learn about the history of the Marlborough Sounds and the pioneering families who have settled here.
As we cruise out into the Marlborough Sounds you will be taking in the natural beauty and tranquility of this stunning area. Your experienced skipper has a wealth of knowledge about the Marlborough Sounds and the people who live here. His informative commentary will keep you entertained as you cruise through the inner Pelorus Sound and into the Kenepuru Sound.
This is truly unique area, distinctively different from the Queen Charlotte Sound that most visitors get to see while travelling on the Interisland Ferry.
During the cruise you will get to visit a Greenshell™ Mussel farm where your skipper will explain the intricacies of growing this delicacy in the Sounds. Learn the history of aquaculture in the Marlborough Sounds and the history of the pioneers who created this industry.
See the Mussels growing on long lines in the clean waters of the Marlborough Sounds.
While at the mussel farm your Skipper will serve freshly steamed mussels and serve them with a glass of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. This is a really neat wine and food experience in a beautiful part of Marlborough.
This really is a real "Taste of Marlborough" .
Fresh New Zealand Greenshell Mussels (Perna Canaliculus) are a native New Zealand Shellfish. Found nowhere else in the World, these jade shelled beauties are cultivated on long lines throughout the Pelorus and Kenepuru Sounds.
They are easily recognised by their vibrant green and gold shell colouring. The plump tender meat is creamy white when the mussel is male and apricot to orange when the mussel is female.
4.30pm arrive back in the marina and re-board the coach for a 5.00pm drop off back to MVH.
The end of a fantastic day out in Marlborough.
MVH 5 Course Degustation Menu
Your package includes the MVH 5 course degustation dinner incorporating local produce and even some things fresh out of the kitchen garden. The menu is created to match a selection of equally stunning local boutique wines. They also have the ability to cater for specific dietary requirements. Make sure you allow a generous couple of hours to fully appreciate the wine and food matches.
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