20 Top Wine Country Retreats

VIC
Kangaroo Ridge Retreat
38 Turners Ln, Healesville, (03) 5962 1122, www.kangarooridge.com.au.
There are few things more relaxing in this world than a glass of wine at sunset. It’s even better if the wine happens to be one of the Yarra Valley’s finest and you’re taking in breathtaking views as you sip.

Welcome to Kangaroo Ridge Retreat, two luxury self-contained cabins set high in the hills on 20 hectares in the heart of the Yarra, 9 kilometres from Healesville. For the record, the wine was a Coldstream Hills pinot noir and we were enjoying spectacular views across the valley.

The one-bedroom cabins are made of cedar, glass and mud brick, and have floor-to-ceiling windows designed to make the most of the stunning backdrop. Even the double spa bath has glass windows from top to bottom, but you’re totally secluded.

The cabins are designed for couples, with only the kangaroos and other wildlife to keep you company. All the modern comforts are on offer – queen-size bed, polished timber, airconditioning, a wood fire, television and DVD player, barbecue, quality bathrobes and linen – and there’s a complimentary cheese platter to welcome you.

You’re right in the heart of the wineries, with Tarrawarra, Long Gully, Yarra Track and Outlook Hill less than 10 minutes away.

It’s a tremendous spot for a relaxing  weekend. Our only moment of stress came when my wife decided to let some water out of the spa. Unfortunately, she let out a little too much and suddenly she had jets of water shooting in all directions throughout the room. Yarra Valley pinot noir can do that sort of thing to you. RICK ALLEN

Lilac Cottage
23 William St, Beechworth, (03) 5728 1357, www.beechworth.com/cottages/lilac/index.htm.
Beechworth, in the northern Victorian high country, has a rich history – gold mining and bushrangers, mostly – and today is rated one of the best-preserved mining towns in Australia, with many buildings heritage listed. So if you’re going to get into the swing of things, a miner’s cottage is the way to go.

Lilac Cottage is a beautiful old granite stone building right in the heart of town, built during the gold rush days in the mid-1860s. Miners’ cottages can be somewhat cramped, but Lilac Cottage is positively spacious by comparison.

It has two bedrooms (a queen-size and twin), instant gas and wood-burning fires, airconditioning, television, CD player, off-street parking and a private cottage garden.

In the tradition of the time, the kitchen was built separately, but this has been incorporated, with the rear veranda converted into a charming sunroom. The kitchen, bathroom and laundry are modern, but the historic ambience has been retained.

For all its attributes, the real strength of this place is its atmosphere. You’re taking a step back in time, but with a modern twist. The cottage is an easy walk to the centre of town, which swells over the weekends when tourists flock to taste the local food and wine.

There are several wineries a comfortable drive away, with Sorrenberg and Pennyweight the closest. Wardens Food & Wine in the main street is certainly worth a visit too. The beauty of Beechworth, aside from its wineries (Giaconda, Castagna and Savaterre are among our finest), is that it’s a relaxing drive to Rutherglen and the King Valley. RICK ALLEN

Balgownie Estate Vineyard Resort and Spa
Melba Hwy & Gulf Rd, Yarra Glen, (03) 9730 0700, www.balgownieestate.com.au.
Balgownie is probably best known for the gorgeous reds produced from its Bendigo vineyard under Stuart Anderson’s stewardship. But since its acquisition by the Forrester family in 1999, it has expanded in many exciting new directions. Under winemaker Tobias Ansted, the wines are as good as ever, and now the Balgownie experience extends beyond Bendigo to a lavish new 65-suite resort development in the Yarra Valley.

Each beautifully appointed suite looks out over the 2001-planted vineyard that has already garnered high praise for its pinot noir, many of the rooms offering that same viniferous vista from spa baths large enough in which to swim laps.

For those who feel they’ve overindulged, there’s a fully appointed health club, while anyone who wants to indulge even further can submit to a range of vinotherapy spa treatments at the on-site Natskin Day Spa.

If you have a head for heights, and like vineyard views from above, the resort also plays home to Balloon Sunrise, Australia’s first commercial ballooning operator. But if you’d rather be more grounded, many of the valley’s highlights are within a short drive. Apart from Balgownie’s own cellar door, the award-winning wines of De Bortoli are just a few minutes away, while the highlights of Healesville, namely the Healesville Hotel and Giant Steps Cellar Door, are located less than 10 minutes by road.

Other nearby wineries include Yering Station, Tarrawarra and Sticks. NICK RYAN

Redesdale Estate
North Redesdale Rd, Redesdale, (03) 5425 3236, www.redesdale.com.
After hectic careers in the fields of finance and pharmaceuticals, respectively, Peter Williams and wife Suzanne Arnall-Williams went looking for a bit of wine country to call their own. They found it in 1988 in the Redesdale area at the southern end of Heathcote.

Any thoughts of taking it easy soon disappeared as the pair set about restoring the vineyard, planting a substantial olive grove and eventually launching their own Redesdale Estate label in 1999.

You can now add “gracious hosts” to their long list of daily tasks, with the opening of Auberge de la Rose, a charming self-catering cottage set in an immaculate garden.

This a cosy-couples kind of place where the little details count: fine cotton sheets, a private veranda overlooking the vineyards, a pot-belly stove for romantic winter nights.

There’s plenty to do without leaving the estate. Take a walk to the Campaspe River and wet a line at the 150-year-old convict weir, explore the garden or laze by the pool.

For those wanting to wander further, the various cellar doors of the Heathcote region are within easy reach, as is the Goldfields tourist trail that stretches through historic towns such as Castlemaine and Bendigo.

Nearby wineries include Shelmerdine, McIvor and Heathcote Estate. NICK RYAN

NSW
Tonic Hotel
251 Talga Rd, Lovedale, (02) 4930 9999, www.tonichotel.com.au.
Nici Stanford, owner of Tonic Hotel on the Lovedale side of the Hunter Valley, loves to shop. For that reason, all the accessories in her luxury suites are for sale. That’s right, from the tables and chairs to the lamps and bathrobes, your room is a shop.

When you make a purchase, Stanford rubs her hands together in anticipation and heads to Sydney to find a replacement. Sound a bit different? There’s more. She wants your stay to be as stress-free and informal as possible, so there’s no formal check-in. You’re given a pin number for your door before you arrive and just check out when your time is up.

The fridge is invariably well stocked with regional sparkling drops and Champagne, the best local wines, three different beers and local produce (olives, cheeses and chocolates). This place is luxury all the way, with television, DVD, stereo, broadband internet access and airconditioning. There’s a king-size bed and even the bathroom floor is heated.

In total, there are six one-bedroom suites and one two-bedroom apartment set on 10 hectares. All rooms have access to the pool and a communal lounge.

Tonic is built of steel and glass, with polished concrete floors and very individual interiors – funky and modern, but, in the words of Stanford, “chintz free”.

The balcony offers some wonderful views of the valley, and the kangaroos are regular visitors at dusk and dawn.

Want a little more luxury? After a day of wine tasting – the nearest wineries are Warraroong, Wandin Valley and Sandalyn– how about one of the massage options, or a manicure and pedicure? This place really is appropriately named. RICK ALLEN

Tower Lodge
Halls Rd, Pokolbin, Hunter Valley, (02) 4998 7022, www.towerlodge.com.au.
As Australia’s most visited wine region, the Hunter Valley is hardly lacking in places to rest your semillon-soothed head, but there’s nothing in the valley quite like Tower Lodge.

Tower is the product of the extraordinary vision of one man, the irreplaceable Len Evans. It represents a particular Evans ideal, a place to indulge yourself in every way. The ambience here is all about character, not cookie-cutter conformity, and each room is decorated in a distinctively different style.

Evans’ love of golf is quixotically captured in an 18-hole pitch and putt course, while the grounds also offer a walking track, heated pool, sauna and massage treatment room.

From Tower’s centrally located position in Pokolbin, guests can set out to explore the valley’s wineries, starting (or finishing) with the Tower Estate property next door before venturing on to industry stalwarts such as Brokenwood and Tyrrell’s or emerging stars such as De Iuliis or Glandore Estate.

Guests who share Evans’ love of belting a little white ball around the countryside should tackle the challenging Greg Norman-designed course at the Vintage. Legendary Hunter restaurant Roberts is also part of the complex and offers diners a wonderful insight into the Hunter’s regional cuisine.

Whatever you choose to do at Tower Lodge, do as its founder would have done: do it well and make it fun. NICK RYAN

WA
Cape Lodge
Caves Rd, Yallingup, Margaret River, (08) 9755 6311, www.capelodge.com.au.
Situated on Caves Road near Yallingup, close to Wilyabrup in the heart of the Margaret River wine country, Cape Lodge has been the area’s premium accommodation for more than a decade. Recent upgrades mean that 22 rooms or suites are situated in five separate wings around two lakes. All have king-size beds and most have spas.

The restaurant overlaps the main lake with alfresco decking and an elegant dining room. Long-term Margaret River resident Tony Howell, who has been chef since the restaurant opened, is one of the region’s best. The seasonal menu – à la carte or five-course degustation – focuses on local produce. The wine list is impressive, featuring current and back vintages of Margaret River classics such as Leeuwin Estate, Cape Mentelle, Howard Park, Voyager Estate, Moss Wood and Cullen. Breakfast, too, is hard to fault – with guests invited to choose between light and healthy and temptingly decadent.

Cape Lodge is a 10-hectare property with manicured lawns and gardens, natural bushland, tennis courts and its own vineyard. Beaches, wineries and art galleries are minutes away. A wide range of tours is available: trips to wineries with the “Margaret River Lady”, scuba diving or surfing, horse riding or whale watching. Wineries to visit nearby include Cullen, Vasse Felix, Pierro, Juniper, Laurance, Lenton Brae, Windance, Clairault, Gralyn, Thompson Estate and Hay Shed Hill.

What sets Cape Lodge apart in the Margaret River is its attention to detail and the quality of its service. That as well as the beauty of its surroundings and the understated elegance of its rooms. PETER FORRESTAL

Constellation Apartments
153 Bussell Hwy, Margaret River, (08) 9385 5611, www.constellationapts.com (also see www.margaretriverwa.com).
Margaret River’s newest accommodation is situated in the main street of town, but at the rear of a new building and perfectly insulated so that no noise from the outside intrudes. There are two apartments, called Cygnus and Aquila. It’s tailor-made for the couple for whom the finest things in life are bare necessities. The attention to detail is so fastidious that the appliances that furnish the apartments are world’s best: the washing machine and dryer are ASKO (from Sweden), the Rainmaker shower and tapware is by Hansgrohe, the lighting is iGuzzini, the knives are Henkell and the stemware is Riedel. The original artworks enhance the sense of style and elegance. The open design of the kitchen, living room and the high ceilings give a sense of unlimited space. To take full advantage of a stay in one of the Constellation Apartments, you’ll probably want to cook in the superbly equipped kitchen. The Vintec wine fridge contains a range of Cullen, Howard Park, Moss Wood and Pierro wines.

There are some outstanding wineries (Cape Mentelle, Xanadu, Voyager Estate, Leeuwin) and the ocean close by. The town has several excellent art and craft galleries, several wine bars (Wino’s and Vatini Cocktail Lounge and Bar), some good restaurants  (Vat 107, Wino’s and the Arc of Iris) and excellent cafes (the nearby Urban Bean and the Good Olive at the bottom of town). PETER FORRESTAL

SA
Thorn Park
College Rd, Sevenhill via Clare Valley, (08) 8843 4304, www.thornpark.com.au.
Set in 26 hectares of classic Clare country, Thorn Park has been one of the region’s most significant properties for more than 140 years, but never has it been more important than under the stewardship of David Hay and Michael Speers.
Thorn Park offers accommodation in either the main homestead, the Coach House or in the self-contained Barn, with each option giving another spin on the place’s distinctive sense of rural grandeur.

Food is an important focus, with Hay preparing some of the best plates in the valley enhanced by a cellar stacked with some of the great wines of the Clare.

Thorn Park operates an extensive program of live-in cooking schools that are renowned for their lively interaction and focus on the artisanal produce of the area. The property also provides the perfect home base from which to discover the Clare Valley. Those who feel the need to work off their indulgence should consider tackling the Riesling Trail, a reasonably comfortable cycling track that winds through the valley’s small towns and allows for those all-important stops at some of Clare’s best cellar doors.

Imbibers with a love of history should take time to explore the nearby Sevenhill estate, established by Jesuit priests in the 19th century and still operating. Other nearby wineries include Pikes, Knappstein and Mount Horrocks. NICK RYAN

Punters Corner
Riddoch Hwy, Coonawarra, (08) 8737 2007, www.punterscorner.com.au
Of all our big wine regions, Coonawarra asks the most from the thirsty traveller. While most are a relatively comfortable drive from the nearest capital city, Coonawarra is more than three hours from Adelaide, and closer to four from Melbourne.

Such intrepid effort deserves suitable reward, and while the wines have always offered that, the options for resting a weary head have been somewhat lacking. Until now, with Punters Vineyard Retreat one of the best – an architectural marvel nestled against a spectacular tableau of distinctive gum trees and grapevines.

With four tastefully appointed bedrooms and a large dining table seating eight, this is the perfect place from which to explore Coonawarra and the Limestone Coast.

All Coonawarra’s cellar doors are within a 10-minute drive of your front door, which makes for the most convenient and relaxed cellar door hopping imaginable.

Having plundered the region’s vinous treasures, strike out further by heading to the idyllic coastal town of Robe, or visit Mount Gambier with its famous Blue Lake and one of Australia’s best steakhouses, The Barn.

There’s also plenty to do for those who want to stay closer to home base. The retreat provides petanque and croquet sets, and four mountain bikes if you feel like exploring the region’s mercifully flat terrain. Nearby wineries to visit include Zema, Balnaves, Majella and Katnook. NICK RYAN

Chapel Hill Gourmet Retreat
Cnr Chapel Hill & Chaffey’s Rds, McLaren Vale, (08) 8323 9182, www.chapelhillwine.com.au.
While slaving over a hot stove may not be everyone’s idea of a relaxing holiday, those who understand the nexus between wine and food will be in hedonist’s heaven at Chapel Hill Gourmet Retreat.

Set in the middle of a vineyard, Chapel Hill Gourmet Retreat offers a unique experience for groups of 10-20 people who really want to discover why McLaren Vale is one of the most naturally blessed and thoroughly well-fed places in Australia.

A key feature of the retreat is its cooking  classes, which guests undertake after sourcing the raw materials at the local Wilunga Farmers Market. After each intensive teaching session, participants can enjoy the fruits of their labours matched with Chapel Hill wines in the beautifully appointed dining room which has views that stretch from the vineyards to the sea beyond.

The living quarters are just as well  appointed as the kitchen, offering stylish  suites in which to recharge the batteries.

Trips can also be organised to explore the huge diversity of produce available in the McLaren Vale region and the area’s renowned restaurants. This is a unique and exhilarating experience for the fanatical foodie, satisfying the stomach and the soul in equal measure.

Nearby wineries are d’Arenberg, Coriole, Kay Brothers Amery and Penny’s Hill. NICK RYAN

The Orangerie
4 Orley Ave, Stirling, (08) 8339 5458, www.orangerie.com.au.
If your idea of a b & b revolves around stale Weet-Bix, needlepoint cushion covers and a dog-eared Scrabble set, then you’ve clearly never been to the Orangerie, in the bucolic Adelaide Hills of Stirling.

Set in a sprawling English garden dotted with gazebos, petal-strewn ponds, swimming pool and tennis court, The Orangerie offers a stylish and luxurious base from which to explore the beauty of the Adelaide Hills and the diversity of its wines.

The Orangerie feels secluded and very private; your own French provincial hideaway, with an elegantly appointed sitting room opening onto a private courtyard and terrace, and a French country kitchen that has everything the hungry foodie might need after trawling the Hills for its famous produce.

The region’s many highlights are within easy reach. A long, lazy lunch at the legendary Bridgewater Mill can be walked off in minutes, and you can be back at the Orangerie with the chill still on the chardonnay you bought at the Petaluma cellar door.

An exploratory trip of the Hill’s rapidly growing cellar doors can be easily devised from the Orangerie, and should include the  low-key Ashton Hills, the spectacular The Lane vineyard – another must for lunch – and the cerebral Shaw and Smith.

To go with your cellar-door purchases, wonderful local produce can be sourced from the likes of Woodside Cheesewrights or Springs Smoked Salmon. NICK RYAN

Peppers The Louise
Seppeltsfield Rd, Marananga, (08) 8562 2722, www.peppers.com.au.
A welcome addition to the accommodation scene in the Barossa, Peppers The Louise offers 15 luxury suites set among the vines on the valley’s western slopes.

This is a place that understands the value of privacy, with each suite featuring individually gated courtyards, intercoms and silent signals to service staff. This latter inclusion is important when you decide to freshen up in the suite’s outdoor showers.

The real appeal of The Louise is how the place intimately understands the Barossa’s unique food and wine culture. Not only does the property boast one of the region’s best restaurants, the award-winning Appellation, it also allows you to interact with chef Mark McNamara and his extensive foodie network, with weekend guests able to accompany him to the Barossa Farmers Market for an informed look at the amazing local produce.

Guests are given the chance to become a winemaker for the day, with tours of Penfolds’ Nuriootpa winery culminating in an exclusive tasting in which you construct your unique Penfolds red blend. McNamara will then match a dish to your particular blend.

Nearby wineries to visit include Torbreck,  Seppeltsfield and Two Hands. NICK RYAN

TAS
Hartzview
70 Dillons Rd, (03) 6295 1623, www.hartzview.com.au
Although mainstream Aussie reds have a no-nonsense directness about them, sensual cool-climate pinot noirs gently sidle up to you. Then, almost before you know it, your shoes are under its bed.

What, then, could provide a better home away from home than a self-contained hideaway in one of the Huon Valley’s tiny pinot vineyards? Robert and Anthea Patterson’s Hartzview is on Gardners Bay, barely 40 minutes south of Hobart, and includes a cosy cellar door and 2 hectares of vines.

Hartzview’s homestead accommodation is quiet, comfortable and informal, with wedge-tailed eagles and 90 species of native birds the only passing traffic.

When the Pattersons arrived in the 1970s, the site was home to 40 per cent of Australia’s gooseberry production. Today, the valley has fallen under the spell of wine grape and organic fruit production. There’s plenty of farm-gate produce – apples, pears, berries and organic cheeses, to name a few – while nearby wineries to visit include Panorama, Home Hill and Grandview. MARK SMITH

NZ, NORTH ISLAND
Carrington Lodge
Maitai Bay Rd, Karikari Peninsula, RD3 Kaitaia, (09) 408 7222, www.carrington.co.nz.
This is may be New Zealand’s most luxurious vineyard accommodation. It’s also the country’s northernmost vineyard. If you love wine, golf and spectacular ocean views, this is about as good as it gets. In addition to an 18-hole golf course, Carrington Lodge features a skeet and trap shooting range, tennis courts and a heated swimming pool.

Adjacent to the lodge is Karikari Estate winery, with 40 hectares of vines. The vineyard was established in 1998 and the winery built six years later. In just a few short years, the winery has become one of Northland’s largest wine producers, with a handful of gold and silver medal awards from the 2003 and 2004 vintages.

Carrington Lodge has its own horses if you care to tour the large estate or simply canter along the white sands of the local beach. You can swim to your heart’s content in the hot tub, pool or ocean. Scuba diving, boat trips, escorted hikes, birdwatching, mountain bike riding and canoeing are other options to stimulate your senses.

For sheer scenic beauty, top-of-the-line luxury plus a working winery and vineyard on your doorstep, this is hard to beat. BOB CAMPBELL MW

Omata Estate
Aucks Rd, RD1, Russell, Bay of Islands, (09) 403 8007, www.omata.co.nz.
Omata Estate is a 25-hectare coastal property on the Russell peninsula in the beautiful Bay of Islands. Its fabulous restaurant, overlooking the sea at Pipiroa Bay, is one of the few places you can taste the wine made by Omata Estate – chardonnay, merlot and one of Northland’s best examples of syrah.

Continue down along the drive, past the restaurant through neat rows of vines, and you enter another world. The road swings through a small forest to reveal a picture-book setting: a magnificent homestead and converted boathouse sit on the edge of a beach with its own jetty. The small bay is absolutely private; dense trees screen it from the rest of the property.

There is a host of activities, such as game fishing, whale watching and golf – as well as other nearby wineries (Marsden Estate and Cottle Hill), but I preferred to relax in the tranquil setting, enjoying the birdsong and view across the water to a distant peninsula.

The homestead has every imaginable luxury, including library and wine cellar. The Boathouse is a one-bedroom suite on the beach; the Loft is a one-bedroom suite just a short stroll from the beach. BOB CAMPBELL MW

Black Barn Vineyards
Black Barn Rd, Havelock North, Hawkes Bay, (06) 877 7985, www.blackbarn.com.
If you’re in search of some classy vineyard accommodation in Hawkes Bay, Black Barn has a great range on offer in many locations. You can choose to be nestled in a vineyard, perched high above with a panoramic view of the bay or frolicking on the beachfront with the water practically lapping at your front doorstep. In all, there are eight properties at a range of prices, all tastefully decorated and well equipped.

The properties are not advertised or offered through a wholesaler – you need to contact the winery for bookings. Eighty per cent of the guests are repeat bookings or have been introduced to the properties by someone who has stayed there. Wineries close by include Craggy Range and Te Mata Estate.

Black Barn’s very efficient accommodation manager will move mountains to make sure you have an enjoyable stay. She will organise everything from food shopping to fly fishing, find you a personal assistant or arrange to supply prepared meals. In short, she will go out of her way to ensure that you have the best time possible.

I’ve stayed at two Black Barn properties and on each occasion was as impressed with  the location and layout of the lodges as I was with the attention to detail, all of which ensure a relaxed and comfortable stay. BOB CAMPBELL MW

NZ, SOUTH ISLAND
Herzog Vineyard Cottage
81 Jeffries Rd, Marlborough, (03) 572 8770, www.herzog.co.nz.
Hans and Therese Herzog owned a winery and Michelin-starred restaurant in their native Switzerland but chose to transfer their passion for making great wine and serving  classy food when they moved to Marlborough.

Step into Herzog’s restaurant and you are transported to Europe, with immaculate service, a truly great European menu and an award-winning wine list that is breathtaking in its breadth and careful selection.

Both dining at the restaurant and staying at the vineyard cottage are highly recommended. What was once a tiny house is now a spacious retreat for two people. The cottage is surrounded by flower gardens in a peaceful setting well away from the road and nestled among vineyards. It has an open fire for winter evenings and a north-facing veranda with a vineyard view for sunny summer days.

Touches of luxury make you feel especially comfortable: freshly ground coffee, cut flowers, organic eggs, newly baked bread from the restaurant, high-quality cotton sheets and the sort of comfortable bed that makes you vow to replace your own.

A tour of Herzog’s winery is essential. Hans will invite you to try a selection of his  outstanding wines in more adventurous styles (don’t forget to try the viognier and his take on Montepulciano) and will share his obvious enthusiasm for fine wine.

Herzog is in the heart of Marlborough’s wine country and a short drive from many of the Wairau Valley’s best producers, such as Hunter’s, Cloudy Bay and Allan Scott. In the unlikely event you feel like a change from Herzog’s restaurant, there are several good vineyard restaurants nearby. BOB CAMPBELL MW

Timara Lodge
Dog Point Rd, Marlborough, (03) 572 8276, www.timara.co.nz.
Timara Lodge is one of New Zealand’s most luxurious private lodges. Set on 230 hectares of land and surrounded by 10 hectares of immaculate English-style gardens, complete with a 2-hectare lake, the gracious property provides the country’s grandest vineyard accommodation.

More than a dozen wineries (including Spy Valley, Grove Mill, Isabel Estate, Te Whare Ra) can be reached in a few minutes by car, with another 30 wineries in a 10-minute radius. Other local attractions include the beautiful Marlborough Sounds, while the famous Queen Charlotte Track gives an introduction to native bush and bird life.

Neighbouring Spy Valley is the source of some of Marlborough’s best-value wines, including sauvignon blanc, riesling, pinot gris, gewürztraminer and pinot noir. If you visit this delightful winery, be sure to taste its newly released premium wine range called Envoy, which includes some of the region’s finest varietals.

Timara’s cuisine matches the quality of its accommodation due to its very accomplished host, Louis Schindler. The Austrian-born Schindler has worked at some of Europe’s finest restaurants, such as the Michelin-rated Taggenberg Luxury Restaurant in Switzerland and, more recently, Marlborough’s Herzog restaurant (see above), where he was head chef and restaurant manager.

Timara Lodge has its own tennis court and is close to the Fairhall Golf Course. Guests can recover from strenuous activity by relaxing in the library while enjoying a glass of wine, malt whisky or Cognac. BOB CAMPBELL MW

Kina Beach
Dee Rd, Kina Beach, Upper Moutere, (03) 526 6252, www.wairarapa.co.nz/anticlock/vineyard/enquiries.html.
The old schoolhouse caught my eye during a tour of local vineyards. It’s in an elevated position above north-facing vineyards with a glimpse of the sea. Closer inspection revealed a comfortable and well-equipped building that was moved to its present site before extensive decks were added. Facilities include one large room for kitchen/dining and living plus a spacious double bedroom. There’s also a divan/single bed for an additional guest in the large room.

Visitors who love fishing and golf can indulge their passions without driving more than a few minutes, or walking more than 10 minutes. The surrounding countryside is  dotted with wineries (Himmelsfeld, Neudorf, Woollaston) which make wine that’s so classy the locals drink most of it.

The old schoolhouse has a wonderfully laid-back feel to it. Sizzle a few steaks on the barbie while relaxing with a glass of Neudorf pinot noir and gazing across verdant vines to the distant sea. You’ll experience an inner peace that is rare and profound.

The Schoolhouse is not the Ritz, but it is  tastefully furnished with everything needed to enjoy a relaxed holiday. It’ll do me. BOB CAMPBELL MW

PHOTOGRAPHY BLACK BARN VINEYARDS

This article appeared in the December/January 2008 issue of Gourmet Traveller WINE.