Marlborough - great wine region (Marlborough)

Member Name: motokak

Product:	Marlborough
Date:	30/11/08 (8 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great wine, picturesque area

Disadvantages: None

Marlborough is a region in the North East of the South Island in New Zealand. It is a very picturesque area with some stunning scenery. It is also within easy driving distance from the great Abel Tasman National Park and the more southern towns of Kaikoura and Christchurch. The main town in Marlborough is Blenheim which can again be reached easily by car from Picton. (Picton is the main port for crossings from the North Island to the South Island). The town of Blemheim is very clean and a typical busy town, plenty of shops and cafe's, a lovely place. There are plenty of places to stay, and we stayed at the Top 10 Campsite, just out of the main town, but only a 1 minute drive!
The region is best know for its wine, something we did not miss out on! There are plenty of wineries in the area, and we visited the largest - Montana Winery. This place is hugh and the tour was well guided and it is good to see how they process the wine once it is picked. However, with any tour like this, the highlight was the tasting session! We got to try 3 top of the range wines and a desert wine. We got taught how to sample the wine properly and the tastes were amazing. As I said there are plenty of these wineries so pick and choose at your will. I do recommend that you book if you can as all tours are very popular! If you are not in a rush to visit the more popular areas I definitley recommend a stay of 1 or 2 nights here!

Summary: A must stay, even if it is for one night