Blenheim

People mostly come to Blenheim (pronounced bleh-num by the locals) for the wine. There are dozens of wineries in the area, and Blenheim is developing fast, though it still has a small-town veneer, with narrow streets, paved crossings, and low-slung buildings.

In 1973 the Montana (pronounced Mon-taa-na here) company paid two Californian wine authorities to investigate local grape-growing potential. Both were impressed with what they found. It was the locals who were skeptical—until they tasted the first wines produced. After that, Montana opened the first modern winery in Marlborough in 1977, although there had been fledgling efforts 100 years earlier by pioneering wine growers. The region now has more than 100 vineyards and wineries.

Marlborough has lots of sunshine, and this daytime warmth combines with crisp, cool nights to give local grapes a long, slow ripening period. The smooth river pebbles that cover the best vineyards reflect heat onto the ripening bunches. All these factors create grapes with audacious flavors. Although Marlborough made its name initially on sauvignon blanc, it's now also known for its excellent Riesling, pinot noir, chardonnay, gewürztraminer, and pinot gris wines. The Marlborough Wine and Food Festival held in mid-February each year celebrates the region's success in suitable style.

Don't bury your nose in a tasting glass entirely, though; the landscape shouldn't be overlooked. The vineyards sprawl across the large alluvial plains around the Wairau River, ringed by high mountains. On clear days you can see Mt. Tapuaenuku, which, at 3,000 meters (10,000 feet), is the tallest South Island mountain outside the Southern Alps.