A brand new biking path opens up on the finish of the month in Alexandra known as Pedal for Pinot. Rebecca Fox took one for the group and volunteered to be the primary to strive it.
Dangle a couple of tastings of pinot noir in entrance of a lady and the very fact you must cycle 25km to get them does probably not register.
When realisation strikes although, the phrases “electrical bike” eases the concern.
In actuality, biking from Clyde to Alexandra and again through the Otago Central Rail Path and Alexandra river observe shouldn’t be onerous, particularly when stopping frequently for a tasty tipple.
It’s estimated to take about 4 to 5 hours relying on how lengthy you spend at every spot.
We picked up our bikes from Simon at Path Journeys and after a fast tutorial — “turbo” sounded good to me — we had been off.
Our first go to was at Dunstan Highway Vineyard, a tiny 2ha winery run by Marc Hatfield and Sarah Reynolds.
Nearly all of the winery is pinot noir with particular person rows of every, pinot gris, gewurztraminer and riesling.
Reynolds is the mind behind Pedal for Pinot, having all the time thought given the vineyard is on the rail path it might be good to present guests to Alexandra the knowledge for a unique exercise.
She joined up with Ruru’s Lucienne van der Wal, whose winery is simply down the rail path, who agreed it was an ideal thought.
It took a couple of years to return to fruition, as van der Wal and her husband had been constructing a brand new dwelling, which is simply accomplished.
They are going to be internet hosting tastings of their open plan residing, eating and kitchen space which overlooks a pond.
They named their wines, that are made by an area winemaker, after a morepork they heard one night time after which noticed on a submit the subsequent day.
Subsequent up, we headed down the rail path towards Alexandra, diverting up Hillview Rd to go to Decide Rock’s Paul Jacobson and Angela Chaironi’s boutique winery.
Otago Farmers’ Market guests may recognise the label from their stall on the market. Tucked away up a lane, the pair host on their veranda, if the climate is sweet.
Their level of distinction is that together with their pinots and rose they develop the St Laurent grape which they imported in 2001 and produced New Zealand’s first St Laurent wine in 2009. Extra lately they’ve been making the grape right into a moreish port.
In addition they make the much less well-known pet nat, a pure glowing wine, and blanc de noir, a white pinot noir.
By this time lunch is known as for and we’re proper on Alexandra’s doorstep with selections together with Eat, Style Central individuals Ferris Rd Brewery and the Courthouse Cafe.
Then it’s over the Alexandra bridge and right down to Legacy. It pays to maintain a really shut eye out for the marker to search out this tiny 1ha winery of pinot noir vines.
Sadly we missed the marker and sailed handed on our turbocharged electrical bikes down (or ought to I say up as it’s a steep hill to the vineyard from the observe) to Three Miners the place we had been met by proprietor Paul Wright.
We tasted his riesling, pinot gris and pinot noir as he informed us about shopping for the rundown winery in 2014 with spouse Kristin, who has a PhD in plant pathology and turning it round.
He confirmed off their new wine labels that includes bearded locals dressed as miners.
The river observe gives loads of shade or shelter relying on what the climate is doing opening up as you attain Clyde and the tip of the journey.
Afternoon tea beckons at Dunstan Home Cafe the place we deal with ourselves to a few of proprietor Meredith Kerrisk’s raspberry and cacoa uncooked slice feeling quite virtuous. A robust espresso gives us with the vitality required to ship the bikes again to base.
