Head chef Nigel Marriage is the gourmet genius behind Glen Aros Country Estate in Hastings. Photo / Hawke's Bay Today
Diana Balham enjoys culinary masterpieces and vintage tipples in Hawkes Bay.
There is a god of travel writing. I don't know his or her name but I must have paid my dues because this divine being usually sends down sunbeams to warm me when I'm out in the world.
And so it is in the reliably clement Hawkes Bay on a boastfully fine spring weekend. The region knows how to tug at your inner English immigrant (five generations ago, in my case), with its lush and glorious country spreads set among deciduous trees. Hawkes Bay isn't big on native bush but it sure can do blossoms and sweet green foliage.
Glen Aros turned 100 last year. The gracious Hastings homestead has possibly never looked prettier than she does today: trees and flowers nod in full luminescent bloom, the lawn is a shining sea of green and the only thing missing is a gundog on the porch.
Meg, the manager, welcomes us and we sit down to feijoa and almond friands with tea before proceeding to our rooms.
There's something almost surreal about being in absolutely the right place at the right time. Right friend, right weather, right time of year, definitely the right location for pampering on an intimate scale.
Glen Aros Country Estate is Kiwi-owned and operated with a tiny staff and accommodates just 12 people.
Chef Nigel Marriage has worked in Michelin-starred kitchens and is a one-man culinary marvel who does everything from washing the dishes to bottling the jam. Even the cat is perfect, but he's a little on the shy side.
If this weekend is going to be about fine food and produce, we're going to give it death. This begins with pinot gris from Church Road and Nigel's canapes from heaven, including paprika and olive oil-infused walnuts from a massive tree outside; they are so fresh and crunchy I swear I can hear them breathing.
Our "more relaxed" dinner (than tomorrow night) includes cream of Jerusalem artichoke soup with portobello mushrooms, white truffle oil and chives and my friend Gill seems to be having either a fit or a food epiphany.
A late-night spa in the garden after a Trinity Hill pinot noir leaves me feeling slightly less professional than I should but it's so late everyone's gone to bed, except poor Nigel, who's still shucking oysters or something.
Saturday morning brings a little Hawkes Bay mist but the sky is piercingly blue and begs me to take photos, which, frankly, a short-sighted two-year-old could manage under these conditions.
After breakfast (homemade muesli with macadamia nuts, bottled plums and feijoas), we head south to the Waipawa Spring Festival - otherwise known as Duck Day. It's a gentle community event with market stalls, a pipe band and a mad fundraiser involving 500 yellow plastic ducks, a river and a healthy dose of competitive spirit.
Then it's on to the real business of the day: visiting wineries on bikes, throwing back a mouthful of this, this and this and then cycling to the next one - with lots of knowledgeable brow-furrowing about vintages and varieties.
Nigel whips up a four-course dinner for us when we have recovered. Three sorts of asparagus with a duck egg, whitebait souffle, navarin of Hawkes Bay lamb, marinated strawberries with lemon creme and we haven't got the energy for a spa ...
Next morning we head to the source of many gourmet treats. The Hastings Farmers' Market, in the A&P Showgrounds, is unequivocally one of the best, and most picturesque, in the land and in spring is awash with blossoms and sunshine. I buy lime and passionfruit curd, walnut brittle and fancy cheese. Life is good here.
CHECKLIST
Further information: Glen Aros Country Estate is at 1549 Raukawa Road, Hastings 4174, Hawkes Bay. Phone: (06) 874 8885.
Luxury summer getaway offer: Two people double/twin share: two nights for $1749*, which includes two nights' luxury accommodation (double / twin share), daily full country breakfast, pre-dinner drinks and canapes and use of all facilities, complimentary bottle of Hawkes Bay wine, Glen Aros produce goodie bag, complimentary unlimited golf at nearby Hastings Golf Club (Bridge Pa).
* Subject to availability.