The Marlborough Sounds Region is the home to New Zealand’s wines and wineries. There is over 160 just in the Marlborough Region. Once you drive through Blenheim for a solid hour of driving all you see is the vineyards. Only about 50 of them allow tastings though. I was lucky enough to do a tour of four of the regions wineries. Though it is New Zealands Winter season, there are still ample opportunities to do a wine tour. I chose to do a Highlights wine tour and was so happy I did!
Tour guides Colleen and David were so so awesome! David actually picked me up from my hostel in an awesome old school car to take me to the tour van about an half hour away from my hostel( I felt so cool this car was retro 50s and bright yellow, and David was a cute little old man who reminded me of my grandpa).
The tour started in the afternoon and took us to four wineries where we were given between 4-6 samplings at each winery. Our group consisted of myself, an older Kiwi man named Angus, and a daughter with her two parents from Singapore( quite the motley crew we had here).
I took a liking right away to the mom of the group(Genny.. Jenny still not sure im so bad at names) she was a fan of Riesling (quite like myself) and also the sweeter wines we tasted.
The wine was phenomenal!! Even the reds( which I am SO not a fan of) I could tell were magnificently made. I also felt extremely cool and like a bad ass when I told my tour group I have had previous wine tasting experience while doing a Tuscan region tour throughout Italy with my madre( I try to make myself sound cooler than I really am, because I am still a cheap college student who couldnt tell you the difference between redcat and a red chardonnay.. ok I guess I could but anyways)
Aside from half the wineries asking for my ID( Im aware I look like im 16 -_-) and people confusing me and the 40-year-old man Angus (tour group member) for being either my father or lover, it was a successful day!
The day was amazing the tour included all of the tastings, transportation, stops to a chocolate and cheese factory ( score) and history of the wineries. This is something I would love to do again during New Zealand’s summer months( apparently they have huge wine festivals then!)
