E-biking makes light work of Wanaka's hills. Photo / Good Rotations
E-biking makes light work of Wanaka's hills. Photo / Good Rotations
Not everyone is into sliding down snowy slopes. Kaye Mueller goes off-piste to explore Wanaka's other winter delights.
SIP
Terroir, according to the famous American winemaker Robert Mondavi, can be described as the lie of the land, the fold of the hills, the sun, the rain, the mist, and everything that is blown upon the wind. Rippon, a family-owned winery surrounded by snow-capped mountains with views to Ruby Island rising from the glacial waters of Lake Wanaka, makes wines that perfectly embody this sentiment. The Mills family planted the first parcels of experimental vines in 1975 and, following Rudolf Steiner's biodynamic philosophy, allowed the strongest to prevail. This turned out to be pinot noir, sauvignon blanc, riesling, gewurztraminer, gamay, and osteiner, a beautifully structured, zingy riesling-sylvaner cross. To sample their clean, schisty, mineral-driven wines, Rippon hosts free tastings at the cellar door from 11am-5pm daily. Groups of seven or more should book.
Rippon cellar door manager Leslie Johnston. Photo / Kaye Mueller
It'll take several visits to chomp through Wanaka's mouth-watering range of eateries. Start with the thriving international food-truck culture: for Italian go to Francesca's pizza; Burrito Craft has Mexico covered; Charlie Brown offers sweet and savoury crepes and galettes; The Dripping Bowl creates homemade soups to warm your cockles; and Buddha's Corner makes curries and Naughty Naan. For gourmet burgers, Red Star Burger Bar is easily a worthy equal to Queenstown's famous Fergburger. For some serious chill on a crisp, sunny winter afternoon, grab a seat outside Kai Whakapai — the best place to people-watch with a pint and chips. Another lakeside favourite, Relishes Cafe, offers fresh dishes sourced locally, including organic Venus coffee and home-baked goods. Big Fig, with its modern Middle Eastern twist, has slow food served fast. For $10 you can get warmly-spiced meat with three veg or salad sides. Kika is getting rave reviews for its upmarket tapas-style dishes, especially the "Just Feed Me" option of three chef-picked courses. Finish up at chocolate heaven: Patagonia Chocolate's Tramontana icecream with swirls and soft chunks of caramel will make you weep.
MOVE
Wanaka is famed for its outdoor activities, whether it's a winter bluebird day or bleak and bone-chilling.
Wildwire Wanaka on the road to the Treble Cone Ski Field is the world's highest via ferrata (iron path) waterfall adventure. The gnarliest on offer is the Lord of the Rungs, a seven-hour climb up Wanaka's Twin Falls involving 1km of cables, 2500 iron rungs, wire bridges and a horizontal zipline, finishing with a helicopter descent.
Enjoy cycling but hate hills? Throw on your warmest lycra, pop a beanie under your helmet and hire an electric bike from the guys at Good Rotations. E-bikes are fast, they make climbs disappear and they're no sweat to master — literally. Ride the undulating Newcastle loop down the Clutha River, or an easy cruise on a dedicated path along the Hawea River track.
For hikes, there's the Millennium Track from Waterfall Creek to Glendhu Bay around the shoreline of Lake Wanaka, the 90-minute loop up Mt Iron for great views of Lake Wanaka and Lake Hawea, or the more challenging Rob Roy Glacier Track through dramatic alpine landscapes.
And now for something completely different: check out one of the hippest tips in the country: Wastebusters on the corner of Ballantyne and Riverbank has become a bit of a tourist attraction. Each year, more than 80,000 visitors drop into the community-owned not-for-profit site to rummage through the Op Shop, to recycle, donate second-hand stuff or simply hang out. Plus it's a great place to pick up some awesome second-hand ski gear. Wastebusters also supports the "Love Food, Hate Waste" campaign, providing tips on reducing food waste, and is the venue for some of the best off-piste shredding: For the past 18 years, the Scissor Sisters (aka Cotton Rippers) have gathered to cut old sheets, pillow cases and T-shirts into rags to sell. This hub for reuse and recycling also runs gardening and composting workshops, and on July 8 at the Lake Wanaka Event Centre, the team will demonstrate how to live a zero-waste life at the Waste Free Fair.
INVEST
A "spiritual" experience awaits at the Cardrona Distillery 20 minutes from Wanaka on the Crown Range Road. Since opening their stunning schist premises late in 2015, Desiree and Ash Whitaker, the brains and the brawn behind the distillery, have collected a raft of accolades for their single malt vodka, The Reid, and The Source gin. Liqueurs (under the Rose Rabbit label because there are plenty of both) include an orange-infused spirit, a limited edition elderflower liqueur and a small batch of butterscotch liqueur released at the end of May. Like wine, spirits take on the environment, and these artisan spirits and liqueurs have truly captured the clean taste of the seasons that sweep through the Cardrona Valley. Tours and tastings are a must. What's more, the fledgling distillery offers private casks of single-malt whisky: a 200-litre "barrel'"or a 500-litre "butt". As with all good investments, they just need a little time to mature.
FACT BOX
Getting there Jetstar and Air New Zealand fly direct from Auckland to Queenstown. Wanaka is an hour's drive from Queenstown airport.
