Known around the world for its fruit-forward Sauvignon Blanc, the Marlborough is New Zealand’s largest wine region. Any good wine buff could tell you that New Zealand’s Marlborough wine is among the best. And what better way to explore it than by bike?
Getting ready to explore New Zealand’s wine country with the slick bikes from Bike 2 Wine.
Okay, I know some of you are thinking… Biking and drinking wine? Clearly, a recipe for disaster! But it isn’t so crazy. Biking is an ideal way to pace yourself and you’ll burn off all that alcohol (and calories) with some exercise. We did a bike tour through South Africa’s Stellenbosch wine region a few years back (check out our 2-week itinerary here). And it was perfect, especially if you love the outdoors and don’t want to hit up a lot of wineries like on a shuttle tour. Now that’s a recipe for a sloppy day.
Each bike is adjustable and includes a lock and pouch where you can fit in 2 bottles of wine per bike.
Kevin and I rented our bikes from Bike 2 Wine, strategically located near many of the top wineries in the region. It’s a flat rate of just around $20 USD per person, and they can even pick you up if you’re staying nearby. Janice and Mark run the operation along with the Olde Millhouse B&B (insider tip: if you stay there, the bikes are included).
The Olde Millhouse B&B, where we picked up our rentals from Bike 2 Wine.
The Marlborough wine country is mostly flat with paved roads and clear signage. So it’s virtually impossible to get lost. Before we headed out, Janice gave us a map as well recommendations on her favorite spots. We ended up combining some of her suggestions along with my favorites when I visited as a student 16 years ago. Check out our itinerary below, which includes a nice mixture of small mom n’ pop producers along with the bigger guys. But best of all? We broke it up with some shopping and some dessert.
The flat and easy-to-follow route along the New Zealand Marlborough wine trail. Follow the route clockwise from the Bike 2 Wine rental shop.
Stop #1: Gibson Bridge Winery
The tiny tasting room at Gibson Bridge.
This spot was one of the recommendations from Janice at Bike 2 Wine and it didn’t disappoint. Gibson Bridge Vineyard has one of the smallest tasting rooms in the area. So if you’re not up for mingling with others, you’re probably in the wrong place. We ended up tasting 5 wines with a group of Australian tourists who definitely hit up a few tasting rooms before here! They were a lively bunch.
Tastings were free (score!). It’s a small producer, so you won’t likely find it in the New Zealand wine section at your local grocery story with the biggies like Kim Crawford and Cloudy Bay. Howard and Julie Simmonds run this boutique winery with grapes grown from their vineyard on the banks of the Gibson Creek. But there is more than just Sauvignon Blanc on hand. Howard planted the block with Pinot Gris as a mainstay but also has cultivated small amounts of Syrah, Malbec, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Gewürtztraminer. We enjoyed the wines here, but decided to skip buying a bottle since our day was just beginning. And I wasn’t ready to be a Sherpa just yet.
Stop #2: Honing our Oenophile Skills at Framingham
Kevin is excited to try out Framingham. This was one of my favorite wineries.
Framingham Wines was one of my favorites spots when I lived in New Zealand. On every trip to the South Island, I’d make sure to spend a night in nearby Blenheim and make a detour before heading back north on the ferry. I was excited to take Kevin here since I was hyping it up. And luckily, it was as good as I remembered. I’m normally ALL about setting the bar low, but I couldn’t help myself!
Enjoying our tasting at Framingham.
Framingham is significantly larger than the previous wine tasting room. With that said, New Zealand is still a very small place. And yep, we ran into those same Australians. We soon realized this is not like your big Napa experience — more than likely, you’ll keep running into the same people. So the lesson is be on your best behavior. Framingham’s focus is on aromatic white grape varieties (think Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Viognier). They offer free tastings where you can try 3 different wines. Though, our server either didn’t hear that (or thought we could use more wine). After our 5th pour, we knew that we probably were paying for the tasting. Oh well. We didn’t mind since it wasn’t very expensive (around $5 USD a taste per person). The paid tasting allows you to try 6 wines total. Though, we literally lost count at how many we tried. Good sales technique? Maybe? But it worked since I ended up buying a bottle of their famed Riesling.
Before you leave, be sure to check out their basement, which has a rotating exhibit of art by local artists in the area. The winery is also known for its live music and hosts an annual concert that sells out every year in March. Maybe another trip?
Stop #3: Cheese Souffle Lunch at Wairau River
Just a short bike ride away is the Wairau River Restaurant. As our readers know, I pour my heart into researching the best places to eat and drink. I could tell from everything that I read that this would be the perfect spot for lunch. It’s located among all the big wineries. But more importantly, it had a blue cheese souffle on its menu. Kevin knew what he’d be ordering.
The large salad and the cheese souffle, which came out piping hot.
We ended up ordering the souffle ($27 USD), a side salad ($10) and an order of bread ($12). Normally, I’d moan about having to pay for the bread, but in this case, the bread was actually worth it. It was served with locally-produced olive oil and vinaigrette. We grabbed a table outside that was fully in the shade since we basically are pale as ghosts! But they have some sunnier spots too if that’s your thing.
Stop #4: Big Flavors at Nautilus Winery
The largest of the 3 wineries is Nautilus, based on production output, but it still feels very intimate.
Nautilus Winery was another favorite spot of mine. This is a fully family-owned operation and a member of the “Family of 12” — 12 prestigious family-owned wineries around New Zealand. There is so much Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling grown in this region, it’s easy to forget about the reds. That’s where Nautilus shines with its bold Pinot Noir.
We opted for the $5 USD tasting, which includes 4 wines. Kevin was excited to take the first sip — and with a sweeping hand gesture, knocked over his full wine glass. Well, that got everyone’s attention! “It happens all the time,” our wine server said sympathetically (which I didn’t believe for a hot second!). Where are those rowdy Australians when we need them? I ended up buying a bottle of the Pinot Noir here, mostly because it was good. And okay, maybe I felt guilty about the mess we made!
Being very careful not to drop this bottle.
Stop #5: Getting Our Shopping on at The Vines Village
The final stop was a great surprise to us both. We were done with wine tasting — not just because rumors were likely swirling at this point that a wine glass was thrown across the room! No, we were ready to shop. Or let me back track… I was ready to shop.
Locally made gifts inside one of the shops at The Vines Village.
And while I was shopping, Kevin was ready for some ice cream. The Vines Village is a collection of boutique stores and a must-visit destination for lovers of wine, food, art and design. There are games for the kids, ducks in a pond and bean bag chairs. It’s the perfect place to wrap things up.
Enjoying the comfy bean bag chairs at The Village Vines.
I decided to keep my dessert pretty small, and ordered an Afghan cookie. If you haven’t ever had one, you’re probably not alone. This is a traditional treat in New Zealand and are rich chocolate cookies that have a crunch (since one of the main ingredients is corn flakes). It’s topped with chocolate icing and a walnut half (that easily can come off if you aren’t a big fan of walnuts like me).
The Afghan cookie, a traditional New Zealand treat. A must order.
The pond at Village Vines.
After we finished up our dessert, oh and Kevin got his ice cream, it was time to start peddling our butts back to the shop. We took the back roads and there were no cars in sight (though we saw many sheep).
We couldn’t believe the day went by so quickly. Talk about a great way to see wine country!
THE LOW DOWN:
- Bike 2 Wine offers competitive rates, a pickup service and recommendations for your tour to experience the best of what the Marlborough region has to offer.
- If you’re looking for accommodations, you should check out Olde Millhouse B&B since every stay includes free bike use.
- Bikes can be checked out as early as 10 AM, and you can have it all day until 5 PM.
- The cost to rent is about $20 USD per person. What a deal!
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