Well, I'm in vineyard country...  Make the most of it. While the weather was still holding, we had a drive around Hawkes Bay and picked off a few I hadn't visited for a while.

Craggy Range, near Havelock North, has the breathtaking backdrop of Te Mata peak and a lovely restaurant and terrace to while away some time over coffee and a drink, overlooking the vines. A great atmosphere and quite buzzy with visitors filling in their time between Xmas and New Year....



Elephant Hill is a new one for me - out on the coast near Te Awanga.  Set up by a German couple with a thing for Thai elephants.  Most noble I'm sure, although the Thai (and elephant) themes that are reflected around the place sit a little self consciously in the NZ landscape.

And of course, Sileni.  Mum and Dad aren't too keen on this winery and reckon it's been set up for all those flash Aucklanders flying down on weekends.  Sure, it is a pricey place, but still interesting and a good place to visit.



Ngatarawa (built around some stables so with a horsey theme to their label ) and Alpha Domus (ditto airfield and the Navigator/Pilot ranges) are next on my list post New Year.  I'm on the lookout for some good stickies to take back to London with me and feel they might be a good place to start....