Back to Waipara Valley. If you recall on our 17th day in New Zealand we made our first trip out to Waipara Valley wine region. There are 31 wineries in this region and yes my goal is to visit them all. At about three wineries per visit, it is going to take a few trips. It’s a tough job but someone has to do it!

This region has been growing wine for about 35 years and labels from this region are starting to get noticed. The region is best known for Riesling and Pinot Noir but we are discovering some others that are quickly making “my must have” wine list.

On this trip, we made it to two wineries.

Stop 1: Waipara Hills, this winery is a great spot for lunch with ample outdoor seating and a lovely cafe with an impressive menu. We were able to do our wine tasting outdoors so we got to take advantage of the wonderful weather. We didn’t have lunch at here this time but plan to on a future visit. Their Chardonnay is pretty interesting with a long hazelnut finish not buttery and not overly oaky. My favorite from here though is their Sauvignon Blanc, crisp and clean, the perfect outdoor wine.

Stop 2: Terrace Edge, another winery on a beautiful property with views for miles. This property also has olive trees so they also produce olive oil as well. The Rose and Syrah were amazing. The best part of my visit here is that I discovered a new grape – Saint Laurent. This is by far the most amazing wine I tasted on this visit and I am excited to have something new to add to my knowledge of wine.

Terrace Edge