NZ Herald Travel - Winter in Hawkes Bay Feature June 2022

WINTER IN HAWKE’S BAY, FOOD & WINE COUNTRY.

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2 | Tuesday, June 14, 2022

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Hunker Down or Head Out

IN HAWKE’S BAY Winter in Hawke’s Bay is frosty mornings followed by big blue skies.

Leafless vineyards but full glasses of aromatic red wine. A vibrant arts and culture scene, punctuated only by intimate and delicious dining experiences. And miles of cycleways and walkways that lead to retreat accommodation so luscious you simply never want to leave. With all this and more, it is little wonder that winter visitors to Hawke’s Bay face a constant conundrum — hunker down or head out?

HUNKER DOWN

Hunkering down in Hawke’s Bay is an excellent option when all you want in a winter escape is sumptuous accommodation and delicious food and wine.

Renowned for its award-winning, Bordeauxstyle reds, its innate ability to grow delicious produce no matter what the season and leading accommodation providers, Hawke’s Bay encourages visitors to settle in and truly relax.

Top: Millar Road.

Photo / Supplied.

Right: Mangapapa Hotel.

Photo / Supplied.

Bottom Left: Porters Boutique Hotel.

Photo / Supplied.

RETREAT TO BOUTIQUE ACCOMMODATION Retreat style accommodation is found scattered across ‘food and wine country’, making the most of the region’s stunning panoramas and tranquil seclusion.

Nestle into peace and quiet at Black Barn Retreats and Millar Road. Designed with the cosiest corners and luscious lounges, Black Barn’s 16 luxury retreats

are designed so you will never want to leave, while Millar Road’s clean lines of glass and timber, give focus to the stunning surrounds, including miles of vineyards and the Cape Kidnappers coastline.

Hunker down with the entire family at Lawn Road Retreat in rural Hastings, surrounded by orchards and farmland, or Kiwisque in Esk Valley. While both properties can accommodate couples or smaller groups, they come alive when welcoming extended family and friend groups who are coming together to reconnect.

If it’s a slice of history you’re after, then a stay at Mangapapa is a must. The former home of Sir James and Lady Wattie, this boutique hotel boasts 12 stunning rooms, an incredible restaurant and onsite day spa.

where The Crown Hotel offers accommodation in the heart of bustling former fishing village. Venture out for sandy beaches and some of the best coffee in town before retreating once more. Further afield is Porters Hotel in the heart of Havelock North, where visitors to the Bay can curl up in complete comfort, with the village centre, and everything you could possibly need, only a stroll away.

AN URBAN HIDEAWAY

WILE (OR WINE) AWAY THE HOURS

While it can be tempting to arrive in Hawke’s Bay and head straight for the expansive countryside, the twin cities of Napier and Hastings offer delicious urban escapes.

Visitors wishing to stay in Napier have a wealth of choice at their fingertips. Hunker down in the city’s centre and choose between the Scenic Hotel Te Pania, with its shorefront location and stunning coastal views, the Art Deco Masonic Hotel, rich with history and decadently designed, or the region’s newest offering, Swiss-Belboutique Hotel, where contemporary ease and classic Art Deco style meld beautifully into one.

Or perhaps venture around the coast to Ahuriri,

Hunkering down in Hawke’s Bay allows plenty of time to indulge in intimate, premium wine tasting experiences the region is renowned for.

Whatever the weather, you won’t be the slightest bit bothered when you curl up with a glass of wine at Smith & Sheth Heretaunga Wine Studio. This multisensory experience is one of a kind, and offers visitors an exploratory taste of Hawke’s Bay, and New Zealand’s, wine story.

Church Road’s TOM Experience is another that takes you far away from the outside world.

This experience is a masterpiece that combines premium wines, stunning food pairing and incredible history.

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VISIT TH E URBA N W INERY Ph. (06) 650 3353 e. manager@theurbanwinery.co.nz w. www.theurbanwinery.co.nz Open Wednesday to Sunday from 12pm 3 Ossian Street, Ahuriri, Napier, Hawke’s B

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Sweet tooths should look no further than Askerne Estate Winery where dessert is an all-day affair. Visitors can sample a selection of the winery’s award-winning dessert wines alongside specially designed delicious bite-sized desserts.

Craggy Range Winery Ultimate Prestige Wine Tasting will whisk you away to a world of wine. Taste through their Prestige Collection wines and learn the in-depth history of Craggy Range before finishing with a guided visit of our underground barrel hall.

PROVENANCE HEROES When it comes to hunkering down in Hawke’s Bay, even the locals like to do it. So, it’s a good thing the region produces and provides its own delicious, produce year-round.

St Georges Restaurant in Havelock North is a haven of seasonal, homegrown produce. Head Chef and owner Francky Godinho grows and produces 90 per cent of produce found within the restaurant’s menu, with chefs harvesting daily from the onsite gardens.

Sam Clark, Head Chef and proprietor at Central Fire Station, shares Francky’s focus on seasonal cuisine. Sam spends his mornings with the region’s

HEAD OUT

When bright blue skies emerge from cool, crisp mornings, and the horizon stretches all the way from the Pacific Ocean in the east to the snowcapped ranges in the west, Hawke’s Bay is ripe for exploring.

Whether by foot, by bike or even by brew, Hawke’s Bay offers a mid-winter escape that implores active relaxers to step out the door.

growers and producers, sourcing the freshest, quality ingredients for that evening’s menu, where graceful touches elevate the ingredients even further.

Teresa owner Andrea Marseglia is in tune with the Bay’s seasonal offerings. His ever-changing menu at speakeasy Teresa delivers a range of theatrical cocktails, full of foraged ingredients, and all stunningly presented. Whatever the season, you can taste it at Teresa.

In Central Hawke’s Bay, Wallingford is another where provenance and seasonality are critical.

While chef Christopher Stockdale sources ingredients from his countryside neighbours yearround, winter is truly special as on-site trufflery offers perigold truffles fresh for the taking.

WINTER WALKS Hawke’s Bay’s abundance of day walks offers the perfect opportunity to get out and explore this vast region.

In northern Hawke’s Bay, Wairoa’s Riverside Walk & Cycleway is a 5km journey along the banks of the Wairoa River. Rich in history, the river and coastline were densely populated before settlers arrived and this fascinating history is noted along the way.

Ahuriri Estuary in Napier is a beautiful meander through one of the region’s critical wetlands and a sanctuary for a wide variety of birdlife. Further south, Pekapeka Wetlands covers 98 hectares and is one of the few remaining freshwater, inland wetlands in Hawke’s Bay. It is also home to elusive bittern.

Te Mata Park in Hastings is one of the region’s most famed outdoor escapes, and for good reason. Te Mata Peak, provides a 360 degree view of Hawke’s Bay and visitors can run, walk or mountain bike through 99 hectares of beautiful parkland on well graded tracks. Longer walking circuits take about two hours but shorter walks are signposted along the way.

Heading out is easy in Central Hawke’s Bay thanks to its abundance of short walks through native bush. A’Deane’s Bush, near Ashley Clinton, is an easy, 2km walk children will relish, especially the majestic 600-year-old totara tree that looms high above the rest of the forest.

Stay 4, Pay 3 - Book your escape now

Top left: Heretaunga Wine Studio. Photo / Supplied.

Top Center: Andrea Marseglia of Teresa.

Photo / Supplied.

Middle Center: TOM Experience, Church Road.

Photo / Supplied.

Top Right: Te Mata Park, Havelock North.

Photo / Supplied.

Bottom: Francky Godinho of St Georges Restaurant.

Photo / Supplied.

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ON THE GREEN

Hawke’s Bay is renowned for its golf courses, and with reliably high sunshine hours whatever the season, it is always a good idea to grab the clubs and head out to the green.

Whether you want to test your precision on the country’s leading courses or prefer the charm and quiet of the region’s spectacular rural courses, every skill level is catered to in Hawke’s Bay. Designed by acclaimed golf course architect Tom Doak, Cape Kidnappers Golf Course is a mustdo for golf aficionados. With cliff-edge fairways perched 140 metres above sea level and a surface that remains firm and fast, this course offers holes unlike anything else in the world.

Hastings Golf Club is ranked among the top club courses in New Zealand, thanks to its impeccable championship conditions, set amid picturesque surroundings. Their highly acclaimed 18-hole Championship course offers a thrilling day out to golfers of all abilities, while the Maraenui Golf Club offers a superb tree-lined course, with tightly sculpture fairways, creative greens complexes and bunkering for all levels to enjoy.

Quaint, country charm is the winner at Waipawa Golf Club’s gorgeous 12-hole course, nestled beside the Waipawa River and amid beautiful Central Hawke’s Bay scenery, while Māhia Golf Course is a very popular nine-hole course on the isthmus sand dunes of Māhia Beach.

FULL-BODIED ADRENALIN Hawke’s Bay’s mountain-biking tracks will leave you both exhilarated and exhausted, but certainly not disappointed. With more than 100km of trails across all corners of the region, bikers of every ability will be heading for the hills.

Just north of Napier, is Pan Pac Mountain Bike Park, where a 78km network of trails awaits. Purpose-built downhill, cross-country, freeride tracks and gentle rolling trails are connected by a backbone of wide, smooth forestry roads. With a variety of trails ranging from grades one to five, there is riding for all abilities here.

Te Mata Park ups the ante again, featuring trails from kids’ beginner and easy grade two trails, to grade six, extreme routes, not for the faint hearted. Designed by one of New Zealand’s foremost builders of mountain biking trails, the result are fun, flowing trails cleverly built through the outstanding landscape of Te Mata Park.

Central Hawke’s Bay too is making a name for itself among mountain bikers. After tackling the mountain bike trails alongside the Tukituki River, riders can test the new tracks at Gum Tree Mountain Bike Park, where a range of rides are designed for all levels of ability.

Two years in the making, Wairoa’s MTB Park serves up more than 7km of grade two, three and four trails beneath a forest canopy.

HEAD OUT FOR A BREW Some days there’s little better than heading out for a locally brewed beer, and thankfully, Hawke’s Bay serves up plenty of craft brews that will satisfy even the most refined palate.

Brave is Hastings’ friendly neighbourhood brewery where the beer is hoppy and pub eats delicious. Their quality, flavourful beer is awardwinning and making a real name for itself, with their Tigermilk ale garnering a cult following.

If you’re after somewhere the kids can play while you enjoy a pint in the winter sun, then Cone & Flower is a must-visit. Cone & Flower is the home of Zeelandt Brewery and is the newest garden bar in Hawke’s Bay. It also has an epic playground for kids!

It’s always a good idea to head out to Giant Brewery in Havelock North. Beer spans from session IPAs to the more hoppy varieties, the food is excellent, and there’s always a rotating guest list of brews from other New Zealand

Independents too.

One of the first craft beer breweries in Hawke’s Bay, Roosters has been batch brewing sessional beers since 1994. Pop in here for a taste of Hawke’s Bay – while you might have travelled far to get there, the team at roosters ensure your beer and meals are as local as they come.

Home to the Hawke’s Bay Brewing Company, The Filter Room is a great venue for a relaxing, enjoying locally crafted beers and ciders. Hawke’s Bay Brewing Company has been creating honest Hawke’s Bay craft beer since 1995 and have gained a unique reputation around New Zealand. Perhaps it’s time to discover why?

Top: Cape Kidnappers Golf Course. Photo / Supplied.

Left: Giant Public House.

Photo / Supplied.

Right: Pan Pac Mountain Bike Park, Eskdale, Hastings District. Photo / Supplied Bottom: Cone & Flower.

Photo / Supplied.

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Your school holiday adventure experts!

Free Family Pass to Par2 MiniGolf when you spend over $200 with Napier i-SITE. T&C’s apply.

SCAN HERE

0800 84 74 88 | napiernz.com

Watch us eat our lunch!

NATIONAL AQUARIUM OF NZ

KENNEDY PARK RESORT

Discover an exciting world above and below the water!

Visit Penguin Cove, see sharks and stingrays swim over you in the oceanarium and spot kiwi and tuatara. nationalaquarium.co.nz

With a range of accommodation options, there’s fun right on your doorstep with a heated pool, jumping pillow and more to keep the kids entertained for hours!

PAR2 MINI GOLF

MTG HAWKE’S BAY

Par2 is fun for everyone! Choose from two 18-hole courses with unique features or enjoy a round on both.

Open daily with extended summer hours!

Visit our free award-winning museum. Explore artefacts in the Taonga Māori Gallery. Discover the story of the region’s recovery following the 1931 earthquake.

par2golf.co.nz

mtghawkesbay.com

kennedypark.co.nz

Vroom vroom!

FARADAY MUSEUM OF TECHNOLOGY

BAY SKATE

Fuel your imagination as you explore this interactive hands on museum. It’s a fascinating place full of gizmos and gadgets for the whole family to discover!

Let the good times roll at our world class skate park.

BYO wheels or hire from the huge equipment range for a ride in the park or a roll along Marine Parade.

faradaycentre.org.nz

bayskate.nz

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Nestle Winter in Central Hawke’s Bay has a certain charm to it. Perhaps it’s the snow-capped ranges standing tall in the west or the miles of lush countryside that leads to white sand beaches in the east.

Perhaps it’s knowing all of this is there to explore . . . but with accommodation as splendid as it is, adventure can wait for another day.

A boutique luxury stay, Wallingford is one of New Zealand’s oldest homesteads and surrounded by stunning coastal farmland. Designed for those who want to retreat from noise, distraction and the busyness of everyday life, Wallingford is also a foodie delight. Chef Christopher Stockdale’s evening degustation are cited up there amongst the best in

INTO CENTRAL HAWKE’S BAY the country and breakfast here is a work of art.

Visitors can embrace the rhythms of rural Central Hawke’s Bay at Mangarara Eco Lodge.

The perfect place to unwind and rejuvenate, Managarara Eco Lodge invites you to relax in comfort to the sound of birdsong. Enjoy the open fire in the luxurious lounge area or toast marshmallows outside after an evening cooking in the pizza oven.

Groups of family and friends will relish the chance to stay at Mt Vernon, a recently renovated and refurbished a Grade A Heritage Building near Waipukurau. With furnishings from old movie sets, cosy indoor living abounds, and open fireplaces are perfectly paired with a red wine in the evening.

Stately homes and cosy accommodation continue at Ashcott and Gwavas Homesteads.

Now a charming bed and breakfast, the Ashcott Homestead is a 160-year-old building that is steeped in history, once even playing host to the Prince of Wales, later Edward VIII. Gwavas Historic Homestead sits among an internationally renowned nine-hectare woodland garden. Still in the hands of the original family, the homestead has been lovingly restored and has three bedrooms now available as a Bed and Breakfast.

Top Left: Wallingford Homestead. Photo / Supplied.

Top Left: Mangarara Eco Lodge. Photo /Supplied.

Center: Mt Vernon. Photo / Supplied. Bottom: Ashcott Homestead. Photo / Supplied.

Explore

MORE IN WAIROA A weekend well spent in Northern Hawke’s Bay involves both hunkering down and heading out.

Top Left: Mahia beach, viewed from Mokotahi Headland. Photo / Supplied.

Bottom Left: Morere Hot Pools. Photo / Supplied.

Top Right: Manawa Wairoa.

Photo / Supplied.

Bottom Right: The Farm Shop at Waihua Station.

Photo / Supplied.

With pristine white sand beaches, natural salt water hot pools, boutique stores and homely accommodation, a weekend in the Wairoa District is soul restoring.

Arriving at Wairoa on Friday morning is an excellent way to start a holiday here. Visit the Wairoa Museum to view the incredible photographic collection that presents a pictorial history from the 1890s through to present day. Manawa Wairoa is a delicious stop for lunch and to stock up on locally sourced supplies for the weekend.

When it comes to accommodation in the Wairoa District, you can’t go past the Mōrere Hot Springs Lodge. The cosy set up here will encourage you to hunker down, and enjoy the peace and quiet of the surrounding native bush.

Head back out the following morning, this time to Māhia Peninsula. Renowned for its stunning white sand beaches, crystal-clear rock pools, and excellent fishing, Māhia is a true hidden gem. Enjoy dinner at Sunset Point after watching the sunset from Mokotahi Headland. Alternatively, head back to Wairoa to enjoy the town’s river walkways and a movie at the iconic Gaiety Theatre Sunday morning is time to hunker down at Mōrere

Hot Springs, where pools are filled with hot, ancient sea water that bubbles its way to the surface. Enjoy a stunning 10 minute walk through native bush to a series of secluded hot pools, or book a private pool for half an hour and sit back and relax.

As you depart south towards Napier, the Waihua Station Farm Shop, 20 minutes out of Wairoa, is open on Sundays for fresh coffee, a bite to eat and something to take away.

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Outt & About

IN TH HE BAY If you holiday by heading out and getting amongst everything your destination has to offer, then you’ll be enraptured by the arts and culture offerings in Hawke’s Bay this season.

BLACK SEEDS LOVE & FIRE TOUR, Saturday July 2, 2022, Hawke’s Bay Showgrounds, Hastings The Black Seeds are back with their first national tour in five years and they’re bringing it to Hawke’s Bay. The band are excited to be back on the road playing their new material; as well as all The Black Seeds’ classics fans know and love.

WINTER DECO WEEKEND Friday July 15 – Sunday July 17 Napier & Hastings Get out your coats, hats and fur wraps and get cosy with the sophisticated and stylish, Winter Deco Weekend. This is the Art Deco Trust’s

Top Left: The Black Seeds Photo / Stewart Munro.

Top Right: Terminus at Hastings City Art Gallery.

Photo / Supplied. Bottom Left: Winter Deco Weekend.

Photo / Supplied.

Bottom Right: MTG Hawke’s Bay. Photo / Supplied.

You’ll never want to leave....

Summerlee, a self contained luxury retreat set in 10 acres of gardens with spectacular coastal views, a tennis court, large petanque court, separate pool area, spa, croquet and a highly appointed outdoor room.

A coastal village, wineries, restaurants, a renown surf break, rivers and one of the world’s top golf courses at your doorstep. Perfect for groups and extended families

W: summerlee.co.nz | P: 027 408 3005

boutique festival which takes centre stage this July, showcasing the best Hawke’s Bay has on offer.

THE CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN July 25, 2022 Hastings Opera House, Hastings Whether you’re an opera lover or new to the genre, The Cunning Little Vixen offers a fantastic opportunity to witness the first opera performed back in the Toitoi Opera House (formerly Hawke’s Bay Opera House) since 2013.

TERMINUS: JESS JOHNSON & SIMON WARD May 24 – October 24, 2022 Hastings City Art Gallery, Hastings With their pioneering use of virtual reality, artists Jess Johnson and Simon Ward, have created a mysterious universe of alien architecture populated by humanoid clones and cryptic symbols, traversed via a network of travellators and gateways.

MTG HAWKE’S BAY Open daily from 9.30am – 5pm 1 Tennyson St, Napier Award-winning museum MTG Hawke’s Bay is home to the region’s taonga and other treasures. Not only does it house permanent exhibitions on the region’s 1931 Earthquake and stunning Taonga Māori artifacts, but it also features changing exhibitions including Nature Culture, a look at the relationship between humankind and nature and its influence on art making, and Waka Kōrero exhibition which encourages learning the Māori alphabet by pronouncing the names of the kaharehe animal treasures on display

WAIROA MUSEUM Open Monday-Friday 10am-4pm, Saturday 10am-12pm. 142 Marine Parade, Wairoa The Wairoa District Heritage Museum is housed in the old Union Bank of Australia building, which is registered with the NZ Historical Places Trust, and presents historical displays related to the Māori and European history of the Wairoa area and surrounding districts. The strength of this museum lies in its photographic collections that present a pictorial history from the 1890s through to the present day. There is also a very strong collection of Māori taonga.

CENTRAL HAWKE’S BAY MUSEUM Open daily 10am – 4pm, 23 High St, Waipawa Waipawa is one of New Zealand’s oldest inland towns, meaning the district is filled with a rich Māori and settler history. The museum houses a comprehensive collection of photographs as well as an extensive collection of local and national treasures ranging from history, military, taonga Māori and Technology.

Don’t forget to keep an eye out for upcoming events in Hawke’s Bay as well, with the Hawke’s Bay Arts Festival, Central Hawke’s Bay Spring Fling, Hastings Fotofest and Summer F.A.W.C! Food and Wine Classic. Details can be found at hawkesbaynz.com

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SPONSORED CONTENT Top Left: The Figgery Cafe at Te Mata Figs. Photo / Supplied. Top Right: Arataki Honey Visitor Centre.

Photo / Supplied. Center: Telegraph Hill olive grove.

Photo / Supplied. Bottom Right: Y’a Bon French Baker and Cupple cafe. Photo / Supplied.

Add to CART

From delightfully fluffy pastries and the perfectly brewed coffee to olives, figs, honey, cheese and sweet treats, fill your day and your pantry with a visit to Hawke’s Bay’s artisan food stores.

Start your day, mid-morning in Hastings with the perfect pick me up — authentic French pastries from Y’a Bon French Baker and excellent coffee by local coffee roasters First Hand at Cupple.

Peruse Cupple’s deli section and pick up the Bay’s best sourdough.

Next, head out to Telegraph Hill for award winning olives, olive oil and hand-crafted condiments, sauces and drizzles. Nestled amongst an olive grove, Telegraph Hill’s rustic cellar door allows you to sample a range of their most popular products before choosing your favourites to take home.

Continue towards Havelock North to Te Mata Figs. Here at the Figgery Café, you will find an ever-expanding range of organic artisan goodies including fig pastes, fig vincotto, fig chutneys and relishes, salame di fiche and preserved and dried figs. And if you’re feeling peckish, the café’s antipasto platter for two is a truly delightful light lunch.

Stir in something sweet from Arataki Honey. A local institution, Arataki is home to millions of bees and has every kind of honey you can imagine.

Sample a selection of Arataki’s their honeys and choose your favourite from clover, rata, rewarewa, manuka, pōhutukawa and many others.

Next stop is Hohepa’s boutique cheesery for the perfect cheese to pair with your honey.

Hohepa’s award-winning cheeses are equal parts creamy and deep with flavour and character, so it’s worth sampling a few varieties at their onsite food store and select the one (or two, or three, or more!) that you can’t leave without.

Your last ingredient can be found at The Picnic in Ahuriri, Napier. The perfect spot for everyday decadence, Picnic’s gorgeous cakes, sweet treats and slices are designed to be devoured.

With a delicious haul in tow, return to your retreat accommodation to hunker down with a true taste of Hawke’s Bay.

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