Gourmet road trips: Chardonnay, and lots more in Gisborne

By JO-MARIE BROWN

Gisborne is the self-proclaimed chardonnay capital of New Zealand, so summer visitors to the region should set aside plenty of time to indulge in the food and wine on offer.

The drive south from the Bay of Plenty through the Waioeka Gorge leads to the outskirts of Gisborne, surrounded by fertile paddocks in which fruit and vegetables flourish under the hot sun.

After a long drive, the historic Bushmere Arms restaurant and bar is an ideal place to stop for lunch or dinner in a relaxed country setting.

The two-story wooden building, built in 1910 on the site of area's original hotel, is on State Highway 2 on the way to Gisborne's town centre.

The interior resembles an English country pub, and a beautiful rose garden with large shady trees is outside the door.

Owner and chef Robin Pierson has won beef and lamb excellence awards for the past five years, and all his dishes and desserts are meticulously prepared.

Another local treasure is tucked away nearby on Harper Rd.

A small sign at the end of Sally and Mike Willis' driveway marks the home of Clifton Country Preserves.

They prefer visitors to phone first, but are happy to let them sample their 50 or so products made from locally grown produce.

Winter pear and walnut jam, chardonnay and sherry jelly, and roasted feijoa and manuka chutney are among the delights on offer.

For a complete list of Gisborne's wineries, visit the city's information centre or see the links below.

Most prefer visitors to make appointments for tastings and not all have restaurants or cafes.

The Milton Vineyard encourages people to bring picnics, and food is available at Lindauer Cellars and Matawhero Wines' Colosseum cafe.

For something a bit different, the Bulmer Harvest Cidery beside the wharf and Waikane Beach Reserve on Customhouse St is well worth a visit.

It is the largest cider-maker in New Zealand and offers free tastings of all its products, including honey mead wine and ambrosia honey mead liquor which comes with 23ct gold flakes.

Gisborne is also known for its seafood and on the other side of the wharf, Moana Pacific Fisheries has a small shop where fresh fish can be found each day.

Further along the same street, The Works cafe is the place to go to sample Gisborne's famous Waimata cheeses.

For $10, visitors can try five wines, all processed on site, and three cheeses which incorporate unusual touches such as port and the ashes of burned chardonnay vines.

The Works has an impressive regional menu with a strong emphasis on seafood. Paua, crayfish, mussels, scallops, salmon, hapuka and bluenose make frequent appearances.

Visitors exploring Gisborne's city centre will also find a few surprises in the industrial area around Awapuni.

Just Herbs, run by ex-police dog-handler Cary Walker and his wife, Denize, produces gourmet foods in a bright yellow and purple shop on Solander St.

Everything from hot chilli sauce, through to honey corn relish and flavoured sugars are for sale, with beautifully presented herb oils and vinegar.

For the sweet tooth, Fouette icecream should not be missed. Handmade by Di Sherratt at her home in Tahunga, 60km west of Gisborne, tubs of varying sizes can be found at the Carpe Diem gift shop on Gladstone Rd and at several takeaway outlets and cafes in the city.

The 22 flavours include lemon crunch, lavender and honey, licorice and prune, boysenberry marsh, celtic creme, marbled chocolate and coffee praline.

TOMORROW Hawkes Bay

More information

Gisborne


Gisborne Information Centre - 209 Grey St, Gisborne, ph (06) 868 6139.

Places to visit Bushmere Arms, SH2, Waerenga a Hika.

Clifton Country Preserves, 235 Harper Rd.

Bulmer Harvest Cidery, Customhouse St.

The Works cafe, Kaiti Beach Rd.

Just Herbs, 1 Solander St, Awapuni.

Fouette icecream at Carpe Diem gift shop, 111 Gladstone Rd.

Gisborne Wine - Features a list of wineries in the area

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