Events Diary

January

Taste Nelson Experience, held in January at Founders Park, Nelson. For information telephone 03 546 7198.

March

New Zealand Seafood Chef Awards, 22 March 2002, the Boathouse, Nelson. For information telephone 03 546 0254.

Hooked on Seafood, New Zealand seafood and wine festival, 23 March 2002, Nelson. For information telephone 03 546 0254.

September

Montana World of Wearable Art Awards, 13 to 28 September 2002, the WOW Complex.

Nelson is located at the tip of the South Island and is said to resemble the prow of the waka (Maori canoe) of Maui, a famous Maori hero and explorer.

Nelson is a two hour drive from Marlborough, or a short flight from Wellington. It is a paradise for potters, painters, alternative life-stylers, foodies and wine lovers. It enjoys a lot of sun, has undisturbed golden sand beaches, beautiful scenery, fertile plains and snow capped mountain ranges.

A significant proportion of the region's energy goes into growing, harvesting and eating fresh food and wine. Wineries in the Nelson region are picturesque and many offer the chance to taste wines the way they should be tasted. That is with fresh local cuisine.

Amongst the best of Nelson's thirty wineries are:

Nelson is the country's eighth largest wine region. The vineyards occupy scattered pockets  with orchards, market gardens and farms. Soil structure tends to clay loams over hard clay subsoil. The region is sheltered from rain by mountains to the west while proximity to the sea has the effect of moderating temperature extremes.

Nelson vineyards concentrate on grape varieties suited to cooler conditions, with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Pinot Noir accounting for over 80% of the grapes grown. For more information on Nelson visit http://www.nelsonnz.com.

New Zealand wine regions - follow a link for visitor information and listings of top wineries.

Auckland

Gisborne

Hawke's Bay

Martinborough

Nelson

Marlborough

Canterbury

Otago

Greenhough Vineyard & Winery was established by Andrew Greenhough and Jennifer Wheeler and has been operating since 1991. It is gaining a good reputation forits production of top quality Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines. Greenhough's Hope Vineyard Pinot Noir 1998 was awarded a gold medal at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards 1999. Definitely worth a visit.  For more information contact: Andrew Greenhough & Jennifer Wheeler, Patons Road, RD 1, Richmond, NELSON, phone: +64 3 5423868, fax: +64 3 5423462, e-mail: greenhough.vineyard@clear.net.nz.

Neudorf Vineyard is situated in the Upper Moutere Valley of Nelson. It is credited with producing one of New Zealand's best Chardonnay's. UK wine writer for the Independent, Anthony Rose, described Tim Finn's Chardonnay as "New Zealand's convincing answer to premier cru Puligny Montrachet". It is a powerful Chardonnay made from ripe fruit and exposed to the softening effects of melolactic fermentation. The Chardonnay is competitively priced, cellars well and is exported to the United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Australia, Singapore and the United States of America. If visiting the winery over summer, enjoy a glass of Neudorf Chardonnay at the winery's own restaurant. Neudorf is an interesting winery to visit, with its welcoming cellar door, secluded location and outdoor sculpture. Take our advice and pack a picnic lunch for your visit. For more information contact: Tim & Judy Finn
RD 2, Upper Moutere, NELSON, phone: +64 3 5432643, fax: +64 3 5432955, e-mail: wine@neudorf.co.nz.

Spencer Hill Estate is owned by Philip Jones and produces the award winning Tasman Bay Chardonnay as well as other wines under the Spencer Hill label. Recent success included a gold medal for the Tasman Bay Chardonnay at the Royal Ester Wine Show 2001. It is smooth and creamy, and drinks well while young. Spencer Hill Winery also makes a very good Sauvignon Blanc. It also makes a good Pinot Noir with the 199 Tasman Bay Pinot winning silver at the International Wine Challenge 2000 in London. Spencer Hill estate wines are exported to Australia, the United Kingdom, North America, Hong Kong and Japan. For more information contact: Phil Jones, PO Box 3255, Richmond, NELSON, phone: +64 3 5432031, fax: +64 3 5432031, e-mail: spencer.hill@clear.net.nz.

Seifried is the biggest and one of the oldest established wine producers in Nelson. Hermann and Agnes Seifried established their first vineyard in 1973 in the Moutere Valley between Nelson and Motueka. The original winery has since been outgrown, and Seifried is now located in the district of Redwood. Main varieties grown include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. Seifried wines and priced competitively, and represent very good value. The Winery's Barrique Fermented Chardonnay 1997 and its Old Church Road Chardonnay both won gold at the International Wine Challenge 2000 in London . Seifried's Winemakers Collection Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 1999 picked up gold at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2000 and its Barrique Fermented Chardonnay 1998 at the same awards in 1999. Seifried wines reasonably priced, made in commercial volumes and exported to England, The Republic of Ireland, Germany, Austria, Thailand, Taiwan and Canada (Ontario), Australia, the US, Hong Kong and Japan. For more information contact: Hermann & Agnes Seifried, PO Box 7020, NELSON, phone: +64 3 5445599, fax: +64 3 5445522, e-mail: wines@seifried.co.nz.

Te Mania Wines is a small family vineyard owned by husband and wife team Jon and Cheryl Harrey. The "Home Block", situated in Pughs road, was established in 1990 and comprises some 4.5 hectares (11 acres) planted in equal proportions of Riesling, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. A second 4.0 hectare property in McShanes road, known as the "Bartlett Block", was established in 1994 and comprises additional plantings of the same white varieties together with Pinot Noir, Merlot, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc. Te Mania puts emphasis on vineyard management, believing that the production of quality wines can only stem from the production of quality grapes. Hands on viticulture is practiced, including shoot positioning, crop thinning and leaf plucking to provide good fruit exposure and intense flavours. All of this effort is paying off. Te Mania's Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2001was awarded gold at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2001 and its Nelson Chardonnay 1998 gold at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards 1999. For more information contact: Jonathan Harrey, Pughs Road, RD 1, Richmond, NELSON, phone: +64 3 5444541, fax: +64 3 5444541, e-mail: temania@ts.co.nz.