Yesterday we had a great experience, courtesy of New Zealand Wine Growers and Air New Zealand. It was a specially chartered flight over four wine regions, beginning in Wellington and ending in Hawke’s Bay. Along the way we took in Nelson, Marlborough, Martinborough (now re-badged as Wellington Wine Country) and Hawke’s Bay.

We began flying over the Marlborough Sounds

This is the town of Nelson

The Waimea Plain of Nelson

The Moutere Hills of Nelson

Heading over the Richmond Ranges to the Marlborough region

This is a great view of the Wairau Valley, Marlborough, heading inland from left to right.

This is looking outwards over Blenheim airport, the town of Blenheim, and the sea

This is looking the other way, inland, with the airport in the foreground

This is a great view of the Southern Valleys, where a lot of the Pinot Noir is grown. The Wither Hills are on the left, and beyond these lies the Awatere Valley

This is the Awatere Valley, looking inland

This is the Awatere Valley, looking out to see. On the upper right is the large Yealands Estate.

Another view of the top of the Awatere

A wider view of the Awatere

Then it was over to Martinborough, now part of Wellington Wine Country, which is the new name for Wairarapa

Martinborough

Hawke’s Bay, the final stop

Here’s a short film of the flight: