Rain in Wellington this morning when we arrive. Wellington is the capital, so after a stop to view a few government buildings, we go through the Hutt valley and into the mountains to reach Martinborough - where we will spend the day tasting wine, visiting olive groves, and eating.
Because of the mountains, which are on the East side of Wellington, we avoid the rain for most of the day. The views are spectacular.
The region has been growing olives for about 20 years. Their Extra Virgin Olive Oil has a grassy taste, typical for New Zealand. They make a number of interesting infused olive oils as well.
The featured vineyard is Pallister Estate Wines - where we are greeted by Allan Johnson, chief winemaker. Pinot Noirs are a specialty for this area. We buy a lovely Chardonnay to take back to the ship, but I don’t expect it to survive to reach the US.
We have lunch at Coney Wines, enjoying their wines, as well as a delightful lunch - with more wine. We return to the ship just as it is ready to set sail for Dunedin.
This evening we have a special dinner in the ship’s Veranda Restaurant. June Hunter, owner and managing director of Hunter Wines is on board, and they are having a special dinner, courses paired with some of her wines, to show off both the dishes and the wine.
The evening ends with a folkloric show by a Maori group - dancing, songs, shouts, and Hakka.
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