Aside from Hawaii in 2014, this was my first island excursion! My two friends from America and I have been trying to take the ferry the past two weekends, but the weather was like "yeah no, I think we're going to rain today." However, Saturday was beautiful and no sign of rain.
We took the bus (my new favorite mode of transportation) to Devonport and then took the ferry to Waiheke Island. The bus system has been extremely reliable and made getting around quite easy without a car. A quick trip under an hour to Devonport followed by a 40 minute ferry over to Waiheke Island, we were there in no time.
We arrived an hour before our wine tour, so, of course we decided to walk around and explore! Oneroa Village was a cute small town (expen$ive) overlooking the bay. The breathtaking view was filled with the pure blue ocean, a fancy restaurant with the sun gleaming in through the large open windows, and the most lovely plants filling the surrounding grassy hills. Let me tell you, it was quite the sight. The only catch, was the hills getting us here...and the fact the hills on the way to the winery were even steeper. But don't worry, mom, I wore my comfortable walking shoes!
After about a half hour walk, we made it to the Cable Bay Winery! It was very...posh. Everyone was looking quite formal and I felt like super adult. We walked in, after taking plenty of pictures of the winery (holy cannoli the vineyards seemed unending and filling the entire side of the island). The first thing you see when you walk in was the astounding view. A very modern approach to a 20 year old vineyard. The dark features and glass windows created a bright glow inside the more casual restaurant, whereas the more formal restaurant had more mood-appropriate lighting. We weren't dressed (or had enough money budgeted) for the formal dining, but we were hype to join the party in the Verandah where the party was after our winery tour and tasting. Traveling Tip #17: Try to keep in mind attire before going on certain adventures. Casual is usually appropriate, but definitely don't plan on wearing jeans and a t-shirt to a winery! We were a little early to the tour, so thankfully we got to relax after that nice stroll uphill.
Once our tour guide gave us the ok, we headed out back to where they hold their
wedding services. The stroll down the make shift aisle was surreal. I could only imagine
getting married on this wonderful island with this beautiful view in the summertime. Thankfully it was just imaginary and I didn't have to think about which 5 guests I could invite to afford something like that. The tour guide was quite knowledgeable on the specific grapes and berries that are grown on this island versus their vineyard in Marlborough, in the South Island.
Some quick facts about Cable Bay Winery:
While the vines on Waiheke experience more dryness and heat, the vines in Marlborough go through snow and humid weather.
The berries in Waiheke aren't kept too long on the vine in order to keep the deep flavors and leave out the water.
In addition to vines, Cable Bay - Waiheke grows olive groves and organic gardens, too.
Cable Bay winery opened in 1998 and first bottle, Chardonnay, was produced in 2002.
This location grows their restaurants' vegetables and ingredients in a garden right outside their restaurant.
After touring the grounds, a few vines, the tanks, and their downstairs cellar, we were ready for some wine tasting!
We tried Waiheke's Chardonnay and Malbec, but Marlborough's Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc. The tour guide explained how their top wines from Waiheke Island were so popular during the summer (their January - March) they cannot serve them during the tastings. However, I was able to finesse a few extra samples...had to get the most of the experience, of course. I had never heard of Syrah, so I was able to get a little taste and learn how unique it is the the island. What a unique taste I could never find words to describe. So, here's what their website described this sophisticated wine as:
"Boysenberry, red plum, cracked pepper with hints of cocoa . The palate is full bodied, with juicy fruit and spice paving the way to great mouthfeel and sculpted tannin structure. It has great integration, even in it’s infancy, it’s harmonious, the length prodigious."
So, obviously I had to get a bottle, right? I'm used to the little crackers at Oliver's Winery in Bloomington, IN, so not having any snacks to "clean my palate" was slightly disappointing. However, the wines were delicious and I was eager for lunch!
What's better than pizza and wine??!??!? I'll wait...because the El Diablo Pizza satisfied all my little tastebuds. It was the perfect combination of chorizo, parmesan, and sauce mixed into a delicious flatbread. Again, everything's expensive, but gotta say, very worth it. The girls and I sampled Waiheke's Viognier and Marlborough's Pinot Rosé, and decided to stick with a lighter white and go with the Viognier. Fabulous choice. Went with all our meals. One of my friends got a Napoli Pizza and the other chose chicken gyros, both looking quite tasty. We shared the bottle and finished our dishes in no time. Then, we had to capture some candid pictures in the hills and beautiful backdrop. Traveling Tip #18: Take a variety of pictures; you can always go back and delete them, but you can't always go back and take them.
Once we got back to the restaurant, I knew I would regret not purchasing a bottle or two. But, if you know me, this could've taken years to decide. The time crunch to catch our ferry back to Devonport required me to speed up this process. Therefore, the island's famous Syrah (red) and the Viognier (white) wine we had at lunch were my two final choices. We caught a bus back and set sail on the ferry for Devonport. The sun was setting and it was a beautiful ride home. My American friends had their host mum drop me off at home and I was able to relax the rest of the night while enjoying a fresh glass of wine and watching the Titanic with my roommate.
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