Page 75 - Travel + Leisure India & South Asia (January 2020)

Pinot Noir grapes amid autumn foliage.

Mount Diffi culty was
named by an explorer
who failed to guide

his flock of sheep GETTING THERE
across River Kawarau Queenstown is the nearest
due to steep slopes of airport, 54 kilometres by
the mountain. road. Singapore Airlines
(singaporeair.com)
connects Delhi and
Mumbai to Queenstown
Mt Difficulty Wines has focussed on blocks in when a bottle of Syrah is produced in with two stops en route.

Bannockburn for single vineyards (also because front of me for tasting. STAY

Bannockburn has an appellation), but they are now Mt Difficulty Bendigo Ghost Town Olivers Lodge and Stables
opening up to other vineyards like Gibbston Valley Syrah 2016 is nothing like any Shiraz I in Clyde is a heritage

and Lowburn Valley. have tasted before—its distinct flavours house dating back to
1869. It is 30 kilometres

The flavours of Gibbston Havoc Farm are fill the entire mouth beautifully. How from Mt Difficulty Wines
distinctly different from Bendigo Ghost Town—even successful is Syrah in a region that is (mtdifficulty.nz). Tariff

though both are labelled Pinot Noir 2016. Gibbston dominated by fine varieties of Pinot starts from `
18,000 for
two, including breakfast;
has spicy notes and reminds me of mulled wine on Noir? “This one was presented for blind holiverscentralotago.co.nz
Christmas. On the other hand, Bendigo is smoother, tasting among 44 New Zealand Syrahs DO
though a bit tannic. “Gibbston has an ageing and came third. I believe it did quite well Participate in a variety
potential of seven to 15 years,” Mel added. considering it is the only Syrah grown in of races at Highlands

But I was still curious as to why Mt Difficulty this region,” Mel summed up. Motorsport and Tourism
Park (highlands.co.nz);
Wines chose not to age its reds, unlike Europe. I brought home a bottle of the pedal on the scenic Otago
“Central Otago’s Pinot Noir has been made as a beautiful wine. When I recently opened Central Rail Trail with Trail
variety that you don’t need to put away for 30-50 it for a group of friends, they were Journeys (trailjourneys.
co.nz); visit the many art
years. In just five years, it levels out,” Mel said. intrigued by the ‘ghost town’ on the label. galleries here, including

The fact that the winery itself is just 20 years I happily narrated the story of Bendigo, Alan Waters’ Art Gallery
(alanwatersart.co.nz)
old allows it to experiment with its viticulture and which was once a gold-mining region. It and the Höglund Art Glass
wine production. Even though they unanimously now lies abandoned with old machinery Gallery (hoglundartglass.
DAVID WALL/ALAMY (2) Noir 2013 (single vineyard) is their best vintage huts—a ghost town. pan for gold at the
com/new-zealand);
and remnants of the former residents’
agree that the Bannockburn Mansons Farm Pinot
Goldfields Mining Centre
(goldfieldsmining.co.nz);
Pinot Noir produced till date, they continue to
I suppose New Zealand has found
gear up for adventure
its best keeper of history and master
experiment with different varieties and their
with Goldfields Jet
clones. This enthusiasm and passion is personified
storyteller: wine.
(goldfieldsjet.co.nz).
TR AV E L A NDLE I S U R E IND I A .IN 71