A Wine Tour

I've been on a number of tours of the wineries of Hawkes Bay of which I understand that there are about 172 in Hawkes Bay and I've visited less than 10 of them (some more than once).  On Friday Gaz, Carol and I went on a tour run by a company, Vince's World of Wine, which I've not been with before and it's a company I will certainly recommend to visitors in future.  The wineries were very well chosen and the wines of a very high standard.   Vince drove one mini-bus but our driver/knowledgeable guide/good-fun-person was Lynn, Vince's wife.  We visited 4 wineries and ended up at Moana Park, a winery just by the Pukatapu School where all Wendy and Martin's children have gone and the younger children still go.  Despite its closeness I had never been into the winery.  I am ashamed because as a package the wines were far and away the best we tasted.

I think Gaz and Carol were enjoying themselves

Lynn looked on with a typical Kiwi smile

Pedro, Moana Park Winery's chief rabbit hunter

Moana Park's Cellar Door

Curious Object No Longer

Every morning around 0600 the bird scarers to protect the grapes start banging. They are some sort of automated and random explosive charge. A farmer told me that they are one of the methods (and an expensive one) used to protect the grapes. For people who live near them it must be quite unpleasant. Anyway I discovered what the curious object in the posting for Friday 22 February entitled Curious Object is a quieter bird scarer.

Curious Object

I'm sure that it must have a purpose. But what could it be. It stands alone at the end of a row of vines in the middle of the countryside.

Sileni's for Lunch

Anna (one of Wendy and Martin's friend's Mum) returns to Glasgow on Monday and it's also her Birthday today. So June, Anna and I went to Sileni's Winery (half an hour away from the centre of Napier just South of Hastings) for lunch. As with all the prestigous wineries the food and wine were excellent as was the service and the ambience. Sileni is a place where you go for the outside experience. Today was perfect: not too hot.

Impressive drive

Impressive facade

View from one of the seating areas

The return journey

The drive out

Especially for Mark: a corkscrew forest

The Beat Girls

Every year about this time lots of the wineries have open air concerts. The most famous are The Mission Concert (this year Englebert Humpadink - substituting for someone who is still alive - last year it was Eric Clapton) and the Church Road Jazz Concert.

Askerne Winery has The Beat Girls. The Beat Girls present a high energy, fully choreographed and costumed show featuring classic hits from the 60's to the 00's. There is absolutely nothing flashy about the presentation it is just a really good show of musical and visual fun with a string of hits by everyone from The Beatles and Abba to The B52s and Kylie Minogue. The audience ranged from 2 to 92 and many of those were dancing! The Girls mingle with the crowd and are happy to chat to the youngsters and, in Catriona's case, they all autographed the peak of her lovely pink cap. I must get a photo.

As you can see the setting is wonderful in the midst of the vines and the countryside. The whole thing is a onderful excuse for a family picnic with music and dancing and friends (and good wine). We teamed up with Greg and Kendall and family. It was fun.

I'm over here! or Please Sir!

The Mission Winery

Last evening (Friday) we went to The Mission Winery for dinner. It is reputed to be one of the best eateries in Napier. Our experience last evening would confirm that. The service was exemplary being informed, friendly and efficient ie everything that service should be. The menu is varied and perhaps a bit pretentious and, for the quality, reasonably priced and by UK standards for that quality remarkably inexpensive. The quality of the food was excellent by any standards. The wine was, of course, superb. All in all the four of us had a lovely evening.

The Mission Winery is the oldest in New Zealand and has a wonderful history. My understanding is that the main building which is pictured in the black and white image and the colour image was originally built down at Meanee where we ate at The Old Church a few weeks ago. A brief and well worth reading history of the winery can be found at http://www.missionestate.co.nz/history/

The Mission Building as it was

And as it is

The Chapel and outside dining

View from The Winery to Napier Hill