Boardwalk and Wineries in Picton

Our next stop in South Island, New Zealand, was in Picton.  We had time to actually take in the small port town of Picton, before heading out on our excursion of wine tasting!

The boardwalk in Picton was just a very short (5 minute) shuttle ride away.  Yes, we could have walked it, but the dock where our ship was at is a working dock and full of logs waiting to be shipped out.  The authorities felt it wasn’t safe for us to walk thru it, so it was a mandatory shuttle.  Still, worth the short ride for this very picturesque boardwalk.  A lovely park and bay full of sailboats (and other boats!).

The downtown area was also cool, with a number of different shops and eateries – we got a chuckle from the fact that this one pub had “drinking consultants” there to help out with beverage choices!  The white structure at the head of the stairs is actually an arch that is the entrance to the boardwalk from the business section of Picton.

But, on to the wineries.  New Zealand, especially the South Island, mainly produces white wines.  Jeff and I aren’t really white wine drinkers, and typically, I’m not a Pinot Noir fan, fun the pinots here were pretty tasty.

The next winery was Forrest Winery, which has a clever label on some of their wines.  The owners are both doctors – one a medical doctor and the other holds a PhD.  Therefore, the label for some of their wines has an old fashioned doctor on his bike making the rounds, as its logo!  I couldn’t resist – I actually got a t-shirt with this logo on it!

Our third, and last, winery of the day, was one called Spy Valley.  It’s a playful reference to the military satellite downlink station located near the vineyard and winery.  It was just a bit chilly to sit out and enjoy the wines at the picnic table, but I’ll bet during the summer months, this is a great way to spend an afternoon!

Enjoy!