While Blenheim is very close to Picton, I made the decision to stay here for a few days because most of the Marlborough wine tours depart from here.

Our accommodation here is certainly newer than the Picton motel but I’ not sure it is better. I selected all our accommodation by the proximity to our transport options. Here we are 300m from the bus and train station, making the dragging of suitcases less challenging.

My morning walk took me around the main part of town and along the edge of the Taylor River. It was a pretty bleak morning.

This town certainly does not seem to have the charm of the little village of Picton. There are 32,000 people who live in and around what is touted as the ‘hub of the famous Marlborough wine district’, and ‘the southernmost region of the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail.’

Classic Trail comprises Hawke’s Bay (NZ’s oldest wine growing region), Wairarapa, Wellington, and Marlborough.

We were a little worried when the owners of the Picton motel where we had stayed seemed pretty confident in telling Mick yesterday morning that most wineries will have closed their doors now that the vintage had been completed and would not re-open until is was a bit warmer.

According to tourism brochures there are more than 30 cellar doors to be found and visited in this region. I have booked two different wine tours (with the same company) and don’t imagine I would have been able to do that if there was nothing open for us to visit.

Today we were booked on the half day ‘Sip and Taste Tour’ and were collected from our motel by a fellow named Bruce, who later we discovered had something to say about everything.

Our first stop was Saint Clair where we were led through a wine tasting by a young woman named Bella. She made our experience very enjoyable. Here we tasted four wines – Sauvignon Blanc (of course); but this was even too passion-fruity for Mick, then a Gruner Veltliner (an Austrian white wine) which was very enjoyable (although Mick preferred thte Sauvignon Blanc to this one), followed by their 2021 Pinto Noir – which we both really enjoyed. For the final tasting Mick tried the Cabernet Merlot (with fruit grown in Hawke’s Bay) and I had the 2019 Merlot (and Bella said this was special as she had worked on the vintage).

We left here with a bottle of their Pinot Noir for $40NZ. The best of their wines that we tasted.

We then met Clare and Rick, a couple from Bristol who had been enjoying lunch here, and who had already visited three wineries beforehand with Bruce – so now the group was 4 plus Bruce.

A stop to the nearby Chocolate factory was next on the itinerary, and Mick was not too happy about that. He was here for the wine. But Bruce did not keep us there for too long.

While the sign said “Closed”, it was here we met Vince from Washington DC who took us through a guided tasting of 6 Villa Maria wines.

He told us the very interesting story behind Villa Maria and the then young man George Fistonich, who at the age of 21 in 1961, started to make wine on his father’s land. George then went on to bigger and better achievements and is now Sir George Fistonich (recognised for his contribution to the NZ wine industry and the only person to be knighted for such work). He no longer owns the vineyard as he has sold it to a (Blenheim) local Greg Tomlinson of Indevin fame.

We were not going to buy any wine here until we saw they had some museum wines for sale. So Mick went back to Vince and asked which one was the best. Vince said he had 2 bottles of the 2013 Pinot Noir left for sale and one of them had Mick’s name on it. For $59.99 NZ it could be a bargain – but we will find out in a day or two.

Final stop was Fromm Winery. An organic vineyard claiming to be the first winery in the Marlborough, the third one in New Zealand to be organic and the 9tht best winery in New Zealand.

We had a very good tasting experience here with three side-by-side tastings in some beautiful glasses (and that can make a difference) of a) 2 x Pinot Noirs, b) 2 x Syrahs and Viognier and c) a Malbec / Merlot and a Malbec.

They were all excellent wines and we left with a bottle of the 2021 Merlot (75%) / Malbec (25%) for $45NZ.

For dinner we went back to the wine bar nearby – Fidelio – to try their speciality – fondue.

We also chose a glass of the wine that was recommended to match the fondue.

A blend of riesling and pinot gris. Unusual, but perfect with our meal.

Finally, what is it about cheese and New Zealand?

We have already tasted the famous “toastie” – a toasted sandwich with 4 different types of cheese and red onion, a cheese scone (with grated cheese on the top), and now the fondue.

And, just about every pie filling includes cheese as well.

Anyway… tomorrow we have a full day’s wine tasting plus lunch. We cannot buy a bottle of wine at each cellar door – otherwise our luggage will be filled with bottles of wine.

Not that there is anything wrong with that.