We returned home last night at about 12:30am after a wonderful trip to New Zealand where we were with the Washington State University winery tour group. Our trek began in the middle of November. After we landed in Auckland, Terry and I went to visit two boutique wineries on Waiheke Island. After that we visited 18 more wineries from Auckland south to Christchurch.

The schedule left little time for shopping which was good although we thought the prices were high in most stores.

Things that surprised us were the size of many of the wineries as well as the up-to-date equipment they are using. We visited one winery producing 200,000 cases of wine and the winemaker commented that was on the low end of the middle of wine production for New Zealand wineries. Many of the wineries are exporting their wines. We sampled many Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir wines plus other familiar varieties including Syrah, Riesling and Gewürztraminer. Many wineries are using sustainable methods in their vineyards. We enjoyed visiting Seresin Estate winery that focuses on organic and biodynamic methods.

Although we had a wonderful time in New Zealand, it’s nice to be back home.

Cheers! Kathy