Location: Nayland Road, Nelson, New Zealand
Delectable food and drink play a key part in what helps make the Nelson region so attractive, with fresh fruit, wine and seafood combining to form a cavalcade of delights just waiting to delight the tastebuds of prospective visitors.
Vineyards in the region are numerous, and wine aficionados will be in their element while in Nelson as it's a location that annually comes out on top when wine awards season rolls along each year; while it's not as big in physical size as some of NZ's other wine capitals, Nelson more than holds its home in producing some of the best sauvignon blancs and chardonnays in the country.
The climate helps in this regard, as its fertile landscape couples with over 2500 sunshine hours per year to make for some ideal grape-growing conditions.
Nelson is home to 25 boutique wineries spread out amongst the rolling hills and verdant plains of its wine country and those with a taste for a drop of the good stuff will likely want to take a tour and pay a visit for some tastings to get a sampling firsthand.
Wine tour options are plentiful here, and Gentle Cycling provide one of the most healthy and enjoyably laid-back ways to do so - their tours allow for visitors to visit a variety of different cellar doors at a relaxed pace while taking in all the fresh air and scenery that Nelson has to offer while on two wheels.
Vineyards in the region are numerous, and wine aficionados will be in their element while in Nelson as it's a location that annually comes out on top when wine awards season rolls along each year.
Those who prefer amber to red will also be happy to know that Nelson's beer brewing culture is also very much alive and well; it's got a strong brewing history and its range of craft beer producers is extensive with breweries of all sizes offering samplings at the bar and the chance to take in some of the history of the brewing culture and the Nelson region in general from the famously friendly families than run them.
On the food side of the equation, the coastal location of Nelson and its bordering sea is the source of some of the best and freshest seafood in New Zealand, and is home to the largest fishing port in the Oceania region.
There's a bevy of tasty ocean bounty to be sampled, with the area specialising in shellfish including clams, salmon and scallops that are often incorporated expertly by local chefs to produce some truly delightful dishes. In this vein, Nelson has a wide range of excellent restaurants that cater specifically to seafood-oriented meals, with smoking being a favoured technique by many cooks to help enhance the already impressive flavours on offer.
Lastly, the produce available in the area extends to other delights typical of wine-producing regions, and fruits, berries, yoghurts, olives and honey all contribute to the array of tastes to try.
With a relatively compact overall size, it's easy for visitors to experience most of the offerings of Nelson's culinary scene with a minimum of fuss; the majority of wineries can be navigated around in a single day, while the various other kinds of fare are available to sample at the large number of cafes, pubs and quality restaurants dotted within its borders. If you're looking to “get your dine on”, Nelson will be guaranteed to satisfy.