Winter is here and there’s never been a better time for hitting the road, driving somewhere gorgeous, holing yourself up in snug accommodation and using it as a base for a delicious food and wine holiday. A roaring fire, a gorgeous New Zealand red and your favourite people and culinary treat - is there actually anything better? Two of our favourite places for a foodie road trip are Martinbrorough and Hawke’s Bay. Here’s what we think you shouldn’t miss.

Martinborough

Pick up a rental car from Wellington Airport and drive an hour and a half to the Martinborough region, known for its standout wines. Pinot noir is the hero here but the syrahs, sauvignon blancs, chardonnays and aromatics are also excellent. The best thing is that the 20 plus cellar doors (and gin distillery) are all in the same area - and you can cycle or even walk between many of them, if no one wants to drive! The gorgeous historic centre of Martinborough - dominated by the 1800s architecture of the grand-looking Martinborough Hotel - is the perfect place to base yourself in terms of proximity to great food. The delights of C’est Cheese are only fifteen minutes one way in Featherston, and Schoc’s incredible chocolat only 15 minutes the other way in Greytown (plus all its fantastic shopping). The Clareville Bakery has a New Zealand wide reputation and is only 25 minutes away too. And as for Martinborough itself, it’s not just about wine - Cafe Medici, Union Square Bistro (Adam Newell has worked under some of the best chefs in the world) Mesita (Latin American bites) and others are all fabulous places to grab a bite.

Hawke’s Bay

No surprises that Hawke’s Bay is where all food and wine lovers regularly go for a winter holiday. In fact twice a year it becomes home to one of the country’s best loved culinary festivals, F.A.W.C. Grab a car from Napier Airport for a quick thirty minute drive to gorgeous Havelock North, the perfect base for wine adventures with Black Barn, Te Mata, Craggy Range, Elephant Hill and Clearview all close by and Alpha Domus, Sileni, Te Awa, Trinity Hill, Pask and others not far in the other direction. Hawke’s Bay Farmers market is an absolute must and there are plenty of cute places to eat in Havelock itself (in between poking through the quirky shops). Don’t miss Napier for its art deco chic and excellent eating options like Bistronomy, Hunger Monger, Funbuns, Pacifica and Mister D. And anyone who is a fan of Tony Bish’s well known Chardonnays won’t want to miss his Urban winery complete with French Oak and concrete ‘eggs’.