annie

I will be in New Zealand in May and would like to visit a wine region---I don't have time to do both Hawkes Bay and Marlborough so does anyone have any advice? I'd probably stay in either Napier or Blenheim. Thanks for any suggestions.

Bill

I've was in Napier last year and enjoyed touring the wineries there. I'll be doing the same in Marlborough in a few weeks.<BR><BR>Overall, I guess it depends on the varietals that you would prefer tasting. Marlborough is a cooler region, so Sauvignon Blanc is the predominant white and Pinot Noir the red.<BR><BR>Napier is a bit warmer. The main varietals there are Chardonnay and Merlot. You'll find some decent red blends there using primarily merlot. Not much in the way of decent Cabernets though (I don't think the climate is warm enough for Cabs).<BR><BR>Also, there are some decent wineries in the Auckland area (assume that's your point of entry) both on the mainland and on Waiheke Island. <BR><BR>One tip: When you arrive, stop by a local book store and pick up a current copy of Michael Cooper's 'Buyer's Buide to New Zealand Wines'. It will be a big help. It's a directory of most NZ wines. He also lists what he calls Super Classics, Classics, and Potential Classics in the front of the book. I would suggest that you use that a guide as to which local wineries to visit. I did last time and it worked out very well.

annie

Thanks Bill---where will you base yourself while in Marlborough? Was Napier particularly interesting with its Art Deco buildings?

Bill

Napier is a nice-enough town and the art deco is interesting. You can pick up a walking map at the visitor's center. We stay at the County Hotel. It was nice. Don't forget that the Gisborne area (and more wineries) is not far away.<BR><BR>We will be staying in Blenheim for a couple of nights. We also hope to visit wineries in the Martinborough, Canterbury and Central Otago areas with a return to some wineries in the Auckland area. Wish we had time to go back to Hawk's Bay.

Melnq8

Annie -<BR><BR>I've been to both, but much prefer Blenheim to Napier - probably because Blenheim is smaller, and more my style. The Nelson/Motueka areas also have some wonderful wineries and the South Island produces the most intensely fruity and floral Sauvignon Blanc I've ever had. Hawkes Bay on the other hand, is known for it's chardonnay and reds, so you might want to choose the area that would most appeal to your taste in wine.