Food and Wine in New Zealand

Auckland is foodie heaven. This harbour-hugging region boasts more restaurants per head of population than Sydney or Melbourne.

Mediterranean food is big news, and many dishes also borrow ideas from Asia. The result had been called Pacific Rim cuisine, and Auckland chefs do it better than anybody. They also make good use of local ingredients. Kumara, a local sweet potato that has sacred significance to maori people, is a restaurant regular, as are our unique shellfish, greenshell mussels, pipis and tua-tua. New Zealand's excellent honey, often based on the blossoms of the native manuka plant, also makes frequent appearances, and not only on the desert list.

Most restaurants and cafés have a good selection of wines by the glass - a particularly sensible move given the dangers of drinking and driving.

Some establishments will also allow you to take your own wine. Look for the symbol 'BYO' (Bring Your Own) in restaurants. You will only have to pay a small corkage fee.

Local food is best enjoyed with local white or red wine to accompany the food. Watch for New Zealand's internationally famous Sauvignon Blancs - aggressively aromatic wines that smell like freshly mown grass, and cut capsicums. The New Zeland Sauvignon Blancs are renowned interntionally as being one of the best, attracting wine lovers from around the world to the vineyards in NZ.

But New Zealand is no one grape wonder. Enlist the restaurant or wine shop's help to choose Gisborne or Marlborough Chardonnay, Marlborough, Canterbury or Hawke's Bay Riesling, Waiheke Island or Hawke's Bay Cabernet Sauvignon, Martinborough or Central Otago Pinot Noir, as well as sparkling and dessert wines from various parts of the country.

Many of the Auckland restaurants are likely to place an emphasis on the city's own wines. Industry giants such as Montana, Corbans, Villa Maria and Nobilo are all based in Auckland, but make some of their wines from grapes grown in other parts of the country. Kumeu River uses exclusively Auckland fruit, and Collards, Matua and St Jerome are among several producers that place a major emphasis on local crops. A good wine waiter should be able to guide you in the right direction as they are knowledgable about what wines and foods are a good match.

If you are thinking about going on a Food and Wine holiday in New Zealand, March through May is a good time to go out of season to save a few dollars. Accommodation in New Zealand can be booked online through Kiwiaccommodation.com