I was sitting on my hotel room balcony in Napier, sipping on some spring water, listening to Van Morrison, and looking out over Hawke’s Bay. Brad and Alex had gone to the beach across the street for a swim. It was a sunny late afternoon with temperatures around 80 degrees F, and I was quite content to relax, read an occasional line or two of my book, and soak in the scenery. At six o’clock we were going to be picked up and taken to our final appointment in New Zealand.

We were met promptly at six by Günter Thies – who was a longtime business friend of Brad’s from Günter’s days at Schloss Schönborn in the Rheingau – and who is now Managing Director of Elephant Hill Estate and Winery here in Hawke’s Bay. When Günter heard that Brad was visiting New Zealand he extended a warm invitation for us all to come and visit the winery. So, we dutifully climbed into his Rolls Royce – you just know you’re in for a special visit when you’re picked up in a Rolls! – and headed for the coastal village of Te Awanga.

Elephant Hill was the result of owners Reydon and Roger Weiss visiting the area in 2001 and falling in love with it. Together they envisioned creating a state-of-the-art winery that produced world class wines. The first plantings were made in 2003 and their first vintage was as recent as 2008. Cooled by nearby Pacific Ocean sea breezes – the winery is as coastal as you can get – and warmed by long sunshine hours and low rainfall, the wines show wonderful purity and elegance, rich concentration, and a lively acidity. The grapes are 100% hand-picked and 100% sustainably farmed. Walking around the winery you immediately get the impression that every detail has to be just right.

   (Günter Thies and Brad Lewis at Elephant Hill)

 Elephant Hill is not just a state-of-the-art winery in a gorgeous coastal setting. It is also a renowned restaurant that was a finalist in Cuisine’s 2010 NZ Restaurant of the Year Awards.

We sat in the comfortable sunken lounge where we were met by winemaker Steve Skinner who was to join us for dinner, and tasted a couple of wines. Günter and Steve could not have been more gracious, and from our first sip we knew that the wines were something special.

It was a beautiful evening so we sat out on the huge terrace that hugs the restaurant and ordered dinner. Everything was so relaxed and yet meticulously organized. The food was excellent, as were the wines we sampled. Though certain of the quality of all the Elephant Hill wines, Günter seemed less interested in showcasing their Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir – we also noted with a little surprise that they made no Riesling – than emphasizing the varietals that truly reveal the terroir of Hawke’s Bay in general and Te Awanga in particular. What truly stood out among the whites was the Viognier and Chardonnay, and among the reds were some world-class Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.

By the time we finished, the sun had set behind the mountains and now the faces of the many guests were warmed in the glow of soft candlelight – or perhaps it was the wine. Feeling fully content with so much excellent food and wine, we said our thank yous, climbed back into the Rolls and returned to our hotel, agreeing to meet Günter again in the morning. And so I sat once more on my balcony, at midnight, sipping on some spring water and listening to the silence and the soft roll of the surf before going to bed.

The next morning – Sunday – we met Günter once more at Elephant Hill. At our request he showed us around the winery which was, as expected, impressive; and then he took us on a drive to Te Mata.

  (Alex, Bill, and Günter Thies atop Te Mata)

 Te Mata o Rongokako (to give its full name) is a limestone peak that takes you up 399 meters (1309 feet) above sea level and looks down on the village of Havelock North, the east coast beach of Mahia and, in the distance, the volcano of Mount Ruapehu. The views are spectacular whichever way you look and the walk along the peak quite bracing. Then it was back to Elephant Hill for a delightful lunch before saying goodbye to Günter and beginning the journey home.

There was still the long drive back to New Zealand’s capital city of Wellington where we spent the night. There was still the three hour ferry trip to the South Island, and the taxi ride to Blenheim where we boarded plane number one on our thirty hour trip back to Florida. We were a little tired of our life on the road by then, but beneath it all felt a sense of calm achievement, of a visit successfully completed.

It had been a fascinating trip to a country we had never visited before. We tasted wines that surpassed our expectations, and food that was so much more than plain fare. And we met so many kind and friendly faces who were dedicated to their craft and who relished our positive response. The entire visit was pleasure.

Kia ora, New Zealand!

  (Bill Stobbs and Günter Thies at Elephant Hill Winery)

 (Previous blogs of our trip to New Zealand were posted on Feb 24, Mar 10, Mar 24, Apr 7, Apr 21, and May 5.)

Bill Stobbs, Wine Supervisor