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Venture above Auckland to the Bay of Islands to discover a world of delights — breathtaking scenery and award-winning food and drink.
The Bay of Islands is a magical place in itself and the Cellar Door Lunch experience at The Landing is the ultimate cherry on top.
Our day starts mid-morning when we are picked up in style at Russell pier by The Landing’s private boat. Off we cruise across sparkling turquoise waters taking in the picturesque scenery and eagerly awaiting our arrival and what is about to come next.
Before we know it, we arrive at The Landing’s jetty located in Wairoa Bay. We disembark and are met by two open-air, comfortable trucks that make us think perhaps we are about to head off on safari! Off we go, weaving uphill higher and higher over the vast 1000 acres of sun-kissed land for a tour of the vineyard and the estate’s historical sites.
Our very engaging guides both enlighten and remind us how the vast whenua we are exploring is steeped in history, being one of the first regions in New Zealand for settlement and trade. We also learn that the depiction of the three wakas on The Landing’s wine label signifies the journey of those that have inhabited the land before us. This emphasises to us that we are in a very special place. To entwine this narrative with how viticulture came about, our story gets even better when it is explained to us that it was thought the missionary the Rev Samuel Marsden planted Aotearoa’s first grapevines here in 1819. Just incredible! As we sip The Landing’s very own rose among the vines in the last days of 2021, we decide that the Rev Samuel was really on to something.
Back on our safari trucks we are driven up to the beautifully appointed tasting rooms where we sample more wonderful wine out of beautiful barrels. The lovely coolness of the inside is a welcome respite from the heat of the day. Next we settle into the serious business of the day, tasting seven of The Landing’s very own wines — including the Boathouse chardonnay and pinot gris, the vino rosso and the montepulciano. We are then seated outside the tasting room to enjoy a superb two-course lunch with wines of our choice. As we eat, we take in the majestic views of the land and sea that surround us and feel into the uniqueness of New Zealand. After a delicious first course, the orange shortcake for dessert, made with local fruit, is a complete stand out and devoured by all.
Feeling super relaxed and with our bellies full, we purchase some great wine from the cellar door to take away on our journey yonder. Our 4WD trucks gently manoeuvre us back down to the jetty where our boat awaits. On the way we pass the two-bedroom, waterfront Boathouse, one of four luxury residences available to hire across the estate — we’re told they’ve been occupied by some very famous people.
As we jet off back towards Russell with the smell of fresh salt air and the sea breeze in our hair we look back at the truly magical place that we have just enjoyed and realise what a "pinch yourself" day we have all just experienced.
— Alex Hannagan is a Dunedin travel agent.
