Al-fresco Tasting

Al-fresco Tasting

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New Zealand sheep and vines

New Zealand sheep and vines

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New Zealand Wine Tour

15 - 28 February 2010, 14 - 27 February 2011

New Zealand including the Art Deco Festival in Napier

New Zealand is a country blessed with spectacular natural scenery, open space, quality wines in a wide variety of styles and a high standard of accommodation. Meeting wine-makers who put the country on the wine world map offers you a privileged insight. Established wine regions are found on both the northern end of the North Island to the southern end South Island, so a serious wine tour in fact covers most of the country. The range of wines is outstanding in terms of quality and the vastly differing terrain and climate makes for a diverse range too.

For this wine holiday we have selected good quality accommodation throughout the tour, all hotels are 4*, and there are many superb meals too at New Zealand’s top winery restaurants.

We begin our tour in Auckland, which holds over half of New Zealand’s population. Auckland is a modern, vibrant harbour city with excellent restaurants, shops and cafés. The area is an important centre of wine production, and we visit the Kumeu district to the west of the city, as well as exploring Waiheke Island with its unspoilt beaches, stunning scenery and excellent wines.

Leaving Auckland, heading south we head to Lake Taupo, New Zealand’s largest lake, via the Bay of Plenty, where we stay right on the shores of the Lake. For our next wine region, Hawke’s Bay, we will stay in the Art Deco city of Napier. We are here in the full swing of the Art Deco festival, which is one of the highlights of this holiday. Napier was destroyed by an earthquake in 1931 and was rebuilt in the fashionable Art Deco style as a result. Much of the city's buildings still retain the glamour of this elegant period and its inhabitants are very proud of their uniquely stylish city.

To the south of Napier, at the foot of the North Island, we visit Martinborough, New Zealand’s premier Pinot Noir region where there are several outstanding exponents of this notoriously ‘difficult’ grape. On arrival in Martinborough we will drop you in the pretty town centre where there are plenty of places for lunch. The Martinborough Wine Centre houses the Village Café which is perfect for a light lunch accompanied by a glass or two of local wine!

We then have a full day in the capital, Wellington, to explore the museums, botanical gardens and shops. You might like to take the cable car up to the Botanical Gardens and enjoy lunch (and spectacular views) at the Skyline café. Also the Te Papa museum is well worth a visit. It is housed in a striking building which dominates the waterfront

We cross from Wellington in the North Island to Picton in the South Island by ferry, which travels through the spectacular Marlborough Sounds. Then on to Marlborough, NZ’s most famous wine region and renowned for its Sauvignon Blanc. Here we spend a couple of days exploring the region’s top producers, including, of course, the famous Cloudy Bay.

After a morning tasting in Marlborough, we head down the coast on the Coastal Pacific Train which is considered to be one of the world’s most scenic train journeys. We then spend a few days in Christchurch visiting wineries in the area. There is also time to explore Christchurch itself which is on the banks of the River Avon, it is very reminiscent of a 1950s English town.

From Christchurch, we fly to Queenstown and New Zealand’s fastest growing wine region - Otago - which is producing some stunning Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs and lately Pinot Gris. The tour ends here in Queenstown, but there is always the option to stay on here and add even better value to your holiday by spending a few days on our suggested extensions, please see below.

Join us for two weeks to tour the entire country, have superb meals of Pacific rim cuisine and be privileged to meet the wine-makers of such an extensive variety of wine styles.

Extend your holiday

To the beautiful Bay of Islands; explore the glaciers of Mount Cook or fly home via the South Pacific, Hawaii or Asia.

Please call us for more information, there are many different ways to extend your holiday and this can be tailored to your interests. Queenstown is the adventure sports capital of the world and has many sporting activities available, there are also options to include golf or fishing and non-sporting activity to your personalised wine tour!

Client comments on this tour:

"Dear Lynette and Tim,
Although I have never met you I feel encouraged to call you by your first names because of the informal atmosphere which pervaded the recent tour to New Zealand.
It was a wonderful holiday - a well planned mix of fascinating vineyard visits, sight-seeing opportunities, memorable meals and magnificent scenery. Everything ran so smoothly and Caron Fanshawe must take most credit for this. Her attention to detail, her courtesy and her humour were exemplary.
Credit must also be given to Derek Smedley. He was able to put across his vast knowledge of wines in a most acceptable way, of interest to the experts and amateurs alike. He considerably enhanced our visits to the vineyards and learning experience.
All in all, another success for Arblaster & Clarke Wine Tours.
Your Sincerely, Jennifer"

"We have just arrived back from an outstanding tour of New Zealand. We had high expectations of the trip and these were in every way lived up to. Rosemary George was a first class wine host. Alex Lacey was always well organised with good humour and enthusiasm.
We were advised about the Art Deco weekend in Napier, but in our view, even more could be made of this. It was terrific fun, and the ladies would have enjoyed the dressing up for it.
Thank you to all concerned."

15 - 28 February 2010

£3,199.00 per person

Tour completed.

Price Includes: 13 nights 4* hotels, 12 meals with wines, breakfasts, visits & tastings, plus train, internal flight and ferry crossing and Andrew Williams as Wine Guide.

Travel: Meet in Auckland
Sole Occupancy: £575.00
Deposit: £550.00
Room Upgrade: by request
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New Zealand Wine Tour

New Zealand Wine Tour

Outline Itinerary:

Day 1. Meet in Auckland. Dinner in Auckland. 4* hotel Auckland.
Day 2. Winery visit Kumeu River. Free time in Auckland. Dinner in Auckland. 4* hotel Auckland.
Day 3. Waiheke Island. Visit & Lunch at Stonyridge. Optional Wine visit. Non-included Dinner in Auckland. 4* hotel Auckland.
Day 4. Lake Taupo, lunch at Mills Reef on the way. Non-included dinner. 4* hotel Taupo.
Day 5. Hawke's Bay, lunch at Esk Valley. Free time in Napier. Non-included dinner. 4* hotel Napier.
Day 6. Wine visit Te Mata. Free time in Napier for lunch. Dinner in Napier. * hotel Napier.
Day 7. Transfer to Martinborough, then free time for lunch. Afternoon winery visit Palliser Estate. Dinner in Martinborough. 4* hotel Martinborough.
Day 8. Wellington, lunch free time in Wellington. Ferry to Picton, non-included dinner. 4* hotel Blenheim.
Day 9. Visit Cloudy Bay Winery. Visit and lunch at Hunter's wine estate. Free time in Blenheim. Non-included dinner. 4* hotel Blenheim.
Day 10. Visit Seresin winery. Train to Christchurch (through the Kaikoura mountain ranges), picnic lunch onboard. Free time in Christchurch. Non-included dinner. 4* hotel Christchurch.
Day 11. Visit Muddy Water wine estate. Visit and lunch at Pegasus Bay winery. Early afternoon back to Christchurch in good time for relaxing non-included dinner before tomorrow morning flight. 4* hotel Christchurch.
Day 12. Free time in Christchurch before flight to Queenstown. Dinner in Queenstown. 4* hotel Queenstown.
Day 13. Visit Felton Road winery. Free time in Queenstown. Last Evening Dinner in Queenstown. 4* hotel Queenstown.
Day 14. Tour ends in Queenstown, please call the office for extension possibilities or to discuss flights.

This tour does not include flights although there are many airlines that fly to New Zealand and we will be pleased to book your flight on the airline in the class and dates of your choice. This gives you much more flexibility than including a group flight which offers restrictions on changes to the dates.

14 - 27 February 2011

£3,499.00 per person

Places available.

Price Includes: 13 nights 4* hotels, 12 meals with wines, breakfasts, visits & tastings, plus train, internal flight and ferry crossing and A&C Wine Guide/Tour Manager (Wine Guide not yet confirmed).

Travel: Meet in Auckland
Sole Occupancy: £600.00
Deposit: £650.00
Room Upgrade: Request
Book
Ask a question
New Zealand Wine Tour

New Zealand Wine Tour

Outline Itinerary:

Day 1. Meet in Auckland. Dinner in Auckland. 4* hotel Auckland.
Day 2. Winery visit Kumeu River. Free time in Auckland. Dinner in Auckland. 4* hotel Auckland.
Day 3. Waiheke Island. Visit & Lunch at Stonyridge. Optional Wine visit. Non-included Dinner in Auckland. 4* hotel Auckland.
Day 4. Lake Taupo, lunch at Mills Reef on the way. Non-included dinner. 4* hotel Taupo.
Day 5. Hawke's Bay, lunch at Esk Valley. Free time in Napier. Non-included dinner. 4* hotel Napier.
Day 6. Wine visit Te Mata. Free time in Napier for lunch. Dinner in Napier. * hotel Napier.
Day 7. Transfer to Martinborough, then free time for lunch. Afternoon winery visit Palliser Estate. Dinner in Martinborough. 4* hotel Martinborough.
Day 8. Wellington, lunch free time in Wellington. Ferry to Picton, non-included dinner. 4* hotel Blenheim.
Day 9. Visit Cloudy Bay Winery. Visit and lunch at Hunter's wine estate. Free time in Blenheim. Non-included dinner. 4* hotel Blenheim.
Day 10. Visit Seresin winery. Train to Christchurch (through the Kaikoura mountain ranges), picnic lunch onboard. Free time in Christchurch. Non-included dinner. 4* hotel Christchurch.
Day 11. Visit Muddy Water wine estate. Visit and lunch at Pegasus Bay winery. Early afternoon back to Christchurch in good time for relaxing non-included dinner before tomorrow morning flight. 4* hotel Christchurch.
Day 12. Free time in Christchurch before flight to Queenstown. Dinner in Queenstown. 4* hotel Queenstown.
Day 13. Visit Felton Road winery. Free time in Queenstown. Last Evening Dinner in Queenstown. 4* hotel Queenstown.
Day 14. Tour ends in Queenstown, please call the office for extension possibilities or to discuss flights.

Please note: The wine visits and the outline itinerary for this tour are not yet confirmed for 2011. This information may change by April 2010. Please call us if you would like further details.

This tour does not include flights although there are many airlines that fly to New Zealand and we will be pleased to book your flight on the airline in the class and dates of your choice. This gives you much more flexibility than including a group flight which offers restrictions on changes to the dates.