Get away to Martinborough

NICOLE CURIN-BIRCH enjoys a getaway in the wine and food lovers' town of Martinborough.

There is a good reason the "open" sign that hangs from the porch of the General Store holiday cottage in Martinborough is usually turned to read "closed".

Often, people passing by have mistaken guests dining alfresco on the sunbaked deck for customers at a country cafe and have popped in looking for a bite to eat and a good cup of coffee.

And they haven't been far wrong. As well as owning and operating the General Store, hosts Jan and Roger Barrett also run Providore, one of only a handful of catering businesses in the area. Consequently, the cottage is always stocked with scrumptious food, such as the home-made hot cross buns that greet us as we arrive on a crisp Good Friday morning. They are quickly devoured by the four of us before we even unpack the car.

Although in unfamiliar territory, we had no trouble recognising the General Store. In Wellington, I had driven past the 108-year-old building almost every day while it was the front end of a family home in the seaside suburb of Eastbourne. But that is just one of its incarnations.

Before then, the General Store had been exactly that. Built in 1896, it was Eastbourne's Post and Telegraph office, before being transformed into the local dairy. It was such a fixture it even rated a mention in Katherine Mansfield's short story At the Bay.

Eventually, it was converted into a family home and remained that way until two years ago when a fire destroyed everything but the facade and the front room.

"It was amazing that the original shop front, the oldest part of the house and the driest, managed to survive the fire," says Jan.

Rather than demolish what remained of the shop, the owners offered it to Jan, who brought it on a seemingly perilous journey over the Rimutaka Hill.

"We had bought property in Martinborough several years earlier with the intention of running Providore and a holiday cottage but hadn't really begun to develop it much when we got the shop.

"It sat out in the paddock for about two years until we got ourselves organised enough to renovate it and when we did we were careful to make any additions stay true to the look of the original building."

The Barretts have done a good job. The new lean-to at the back appears seamless, and I am sure that the General Store is more than happy with its retirement spot.

Sitting well back from the road, the cottage overlooks a vineyard and is nestled between Martinborough's longest-established olive grove, Olivo - guests can pop next door for a spot of oil tasting - and lush green farmland.

Inside, the walls are painted in a comforting shade of cream, offset by polished rimu floors.

A roomy leather armchair dominates the cosy living room and is the perfect spot for sitting and enjoying the view and the warmth of the old-fashioned wood burner.

The beds in both bedrooms - one double, the other twin - sport cosy mohair rugs and I make good use of mine the following morning when I venture outdoors, coffee in hand, at 7am to watch my children hunt for Easter eggs in the small field of lavender directly outside the front doors.

After a hearty breakfast of fresh farm eggs, bacon and orange juice, the children head up to the main house, where they meet George, the happy black Lab, the Barretts' pet sheep and their two cows.

The main attraction for them though is the trampoline, followed closely by the opportunity to chase the chooks roaming around the yard.

We grown-ups are more interested in getting into the village 3km away to explore Martinborough's many vineyards and olive groves that have placed this pretty-as-a-picture former farming town firmly on the food and wine lovers' map.

It's easy to understand why so many of the Barretts' guests want to extend their stay at the General Store. The instant relaxation derived from our one-night visit was so intoxicating we were keen for another fix.

We will be back and next time we'll make it a child-free experience.

Where to find it:

Oxford St, Martinborough

Email General Store Holiday Cottage

Tel (06) 306 8912 or mobile 027 2498024

What it costs:

The General Store sleeps four: $150 a night for the first couple and $30 for each additional person. Prices can be negotiated for more than three nights.

Pets: By arrangement

Smoking: Outside only

Food:

Accommodation is self-catering with the exception of breakfast provisions and the odd treat Jan leaves for her guests. Meals from Providore can be arranged, and Jan can pack a picnic hamper for lunch. Martinborough is home to several restaurants and cafes.

What else to do:

Vineyard tours and wine tastings are almost obligatory, and one of the best ways of getting around is by bike. These can be rented from Martinborough Bicycle Hire phone (06) 306 8920.

McLeod's Martinborough Quadbike Adventures allow you to blat around a working sheep station. Mcleod's also offers claybird shooting and heli-hovering. Email info@mcleodsadventures.co.nz

Tel: 0800 494 335

Greytown is a short drive away and has many antique and curiosity shops. If you are interested in history, visit the Cobblestone Museum. Chocolate lovers should visit boutique chocolate shop Shoc Chocolate next door.