My parents met us in Auckland on October 1 to spend a whirlwind three weeks together traversing New Zealand's north and south islands. If there were to be an official theme for this leg of the trip, it would undoubtedly be wine and adventure.

We visited over 40 wineries across six regions and tried many other wines at restaurants. It was a thorough (and thoroughly enjoyable) crash course in New Zealand wine. The Kiwis have made a big name for themselves in Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, and most wine drinkers are familiar with big exported labels like Nobilo, Monkey Bay, and Kim Crawford. The scope of New Zealand wine goes well beyond those in terms of variety and quality.

I learned A LOT about viticulture and wine production, as well as how varietals vary in various climates (alliteration intended). Sauvignon Blanc from Martinborough on the North Island is consistently grassy, fuller-bodied and herby, which I prefer. In Marlborough on the South Island, it is more often citrusy, tart, and refreshing - the style that Lindsay prefers. In addition to the expected Pinot Noir and Sauv Blanc, NZ produces some incredible Syrah, Pinot Gris, and Riesling. We shipped home 15 bottles of wine, and it was tough to narrow down the competition to fill that case. We focused on sending home wine that isn't available in the U.S. Luckily, many of these producers export at least a few of their styles to the States.

Below are my overall favorites, then read on for a regional run-down of the wineries we visited. For a broader view of our time in New Zealand, check out our Oceania blog.

All Stars

Craggy Range
Craggy Range has it all. This internationally-respected winery produces some of NZ's best French varietals. We visited twice! After a delicious dinner at Terroir, their on-site restaurant, we returned the next day for a full-range tasting. This winery was our favorite in the Hawke's Bay region. We brought home three bottles: a 2014 Avery Sauvignon Blanc, a 2013 Le Sol Syrah, and a 2013 Aroha Te Muna Road Pinot Noir.

Felton Road
The Felton Road Block 5 is the best Pinot Noir in the world. That's an outlandish statement to make by a man with an amateur's palate and no formal wine education. But I dare you to find a bottle of Pinot that is more fine, balanced, and smooth as this one. This winery is tucked back off a gravel road outside of Queenstown and is worth going out of your way to visit. It's also worth scouring the internet to see if you can procure a bottle of this very limited release wine. If not, good luck waiting on the mailing list for years to acquire it.

Quartz Reef
Tucked into an industrial park, this unassuming tasting room and wine production facility exceeds expectations. Owned by an Austrian transplant, this New World wine has Old World character. They create very good Bendigo Estate Pinot Noir, although their top prize is a vintage Methode Traditionelle (champagne). It's one of the best bottles of bubbly I've ever had. Sadly, we couldn't bring any back to the States, but they do have a distributor in Colorado.

Highfield/Terravin
Highfield Estate winery, in the western Marlborough town of Renwick, sits atop a small hill overlooking the Wairau Valley. This lovely winery also has an on-site cafe, a sun-soaked patio, and a three-story faux-Tuscan tower overlooking the vineyards. Highfield has merged with TerraVin, and both line-ups are available for tasting here. Each label was impressive and had their own standouts. The TerraVin "J" Merlot blend was phenomenal: rich body, smooth tannins, and full of fruits. The Highfield Riesling is a semi-sweet delight on a warm day, as well as a perfect accompaniment to Thai food.

Schubert
Schubert's winery in Martinborough is located next door to Ata Rangi, one of the most consistently high-rated Pinot Noir producers in New Zealand. Frankly, I enjoyed Schubert's offerings much more. Their Pinots are perfectly balanced, fruity, and interesting. I brought home a bottle of their 2013 Marion's Vineyard Pinot. We also loved their Dolce desert wine, a sweet white blend with low 9% ABV, and bought one of those, too.

Waiheke Island
A quick day-trip from Auckland by ferry, Waiheke Island is a semi-secluded place reminiscent of New England vacation spots like Martha's Vineyard.

Wild on Waiheke - This is a party spot, with a focus on fun more than quality wine. It's worth a stop for lunch, like we did. They've got tons of outdoor family fun, like archery, horseshoes, and digital trap shooting. Yes, digital trap shooting with fake shotguns and sensor-equipped clay pigeons; it's like single-player laser tag and looks just as dumb. Not only are they a winery, but also a microbrewery. The wine nor the beer are outstanding, but there are some refreshing options like Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Ginger Beer and Wheat Beer for a warm day. The gourmet food is excellent: venison salami pizza, fresh oysters, and charcuterie are perfect for sharing. The views aren't anything to brag about, but the setting among vines and hedges buffering the road is fine enough. Wild is a great spot to have casual lunch and some fun, although I'd skip it if you're serious about wine quality.

Stonyridge Vineyard - Stonyridge is a delight, all around. The large tasting area patio faces sharply rolling hills of vines and olive trees. Ample seating and plenty of grassy area for picnicking allow you to take in the perfect views and channeled breeze. The setting truly is unbeatable. Stoneyridge produces a cult-quality Bordeaux blend, the Larosa. This Cabernet-based wine has won countless awards over the years and is extremely pricey. But it is delicious and merits the praise. The Pilgrim, their GSM blend, is also very good. If you visit Waiheke Island, a stop at Stonyridge must be on your list.

Cable Bay - This ultra-modern winery and restaurant sit perched on a hilltop, a few minutes' walk from the ferry landing at the town of Oneroa. Their building is split into a casual tasting room and cafe on one side, and a formal dining room on the other. It's great that they offer two types of experience. The cafe serves mostly tapas-sized plates for sharing and a few mains. The highlight of the property is the wide vista of Church Bay (bet you thought I'd say Cable Bay) and the skyline of Auckland beyond. We visited for dinner at sunset, and I could hardly keep my eyes off the windows. Cable Bay produces a wide variety of wines sourced from their vineyards on Waiheke, in Marlborough, and Central Otago. Although we didn't do a full tasting, we shared glasses of wine over dinner. The 2014 Waiheke Chardonnay and 2014 Waiheke Syrah were our favorites.
​

Hawke's Bay

Elephant Hill - Set on a coastal road overlooking Cape Kidnapper's, Elephant Hill is a beautiful place to visit in Hawke's Bay. Their modern tasting room with a curving bar is full of natural light from floor to ceiling windows. A large patio surrounded by fountains provides a chance to bask in sunlight with direct views of Hawke's Bay. While the setting of Elephant Hill is charming, the wine is less seductive. They produce a nearly-full range of French varietals. Unfortunately only their lower label wines are available for tasting, and they are fair. Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Pinot, Chardonnay... all were good but none stood out to me. Elephant Hill produces a few high-end wines called the Hieronymus (Bordeaux blend) and Airavata (Syrah). These wines are produced from the Gimlet Gravels subregion, where the best fruit in Hawke's Bay grows, so I'll safely assume these wines are excellent. Elephant Hill exports to the States. If you come across it, pick up a bottle and see what you think. If you are driving around Hawke's Bay, definitely stop in for lunch at a lovely spot.
​

Craggy Range - As stated above, Craggy Range was one of our favorite wineries. The property is situated across from a unique mountain ridge whose shape lends its name to the winery. If you have more time in the area, you can hike that ridge to enjoy vistas from Te Mata peak. We first visited for dinner at the highly-rated Terroir restaurant at Craggy Range. Oysters, lamb, filet - the classical menu is expertly executed and the Le Sol Syrah paired stunningly with the lamb. After enjoying our experience and the wines thoroughly, we knew we had to return in the daytime for a wine tasting. Both my parents and we walked away with three bottles each the next day. If I had had enough money to splurge, I would've bought a whole case of Le Sol. The ONLY criticism I'll make about Craggy Range is an architectural one. Their facility is located in the flat spot of the valley and is oriented to face some unremarkable hills to the east. You get views of their vineyard from the dining room, but the alternative is much more alluring. I wish they had oriented their restaurant and cellar door to take advantage of the namesake Craggy Range to their west. However, this slight architectural critique should not deter you from spending some significant time there.
​

Clearview Estate - Located down the road from Elephant Hill, this very laid-back Hawke's Bay winery is nice to visit. It has a shady seating area outside their cellar door and friendly staff. They offer big pours of nearly their full range of wines. Sadly, the quality of wine is not very good, but the price reflects that. Lindsay, who loves rose, was not impressed with the minerally character of theirs. Their signature red, Enigma, is a lackluster Bordeaux blend. I purchased a bottle of Syrah to drink while on the trip because it was a good value for the price, however, not good enough to take up one of my 15 slots in the case to ship home. If you're looking for an affordable buzz on your wine tasting trip, stop at Clearview. If you want a great experience at Cape Kidnappers, go to Elephant Hill. If you're focused on finding New Zealand's best wine, skip Clearview altogether.

Esk Valley - As you approach the Hawke's Bay region from the north Lake Taupo area, you emerge from green mountain passes and arrive at the sparkling blue Pacific. This is the prime real estate that Esk Valley Vineyards occupies north of the city of Napier. Most of their fruit grows in Hawke's Bay, but they do source a few varietals like Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc from the South Island. The tasting was quite the experience, but not for the wine quality. Our tasting guide was a harmless-looking older woman named Sue. For some reason, the pleasant conversation detoured from wine to immigration. She felt compelled to lay out all her thoughts on immigrants in New Zealand - opinionated and borderline offensive. None of the reserve wines were available for tasting, and the estate range were frankly unimpressive. We left without a purchase, only with a satisfaction for leaving an odd situation and the mediocre wine behind. American mega-corporation Ste. Michelle Wine Estates of Washington owns a stake in Esk Valley, so you should be able to find the wines on American shelves regularly. I would only recommend buying them if you promised a friend that you'd pick up New Zealand wine and have no other options.

Mission Estate - One of the oldest wineries in New Zealand dating back to 1851, Mission Estate's name doesn't attempt to hide it's pedigree - it was founded as a Marist mission by French priests. They started growing grapes for sacramental wine and the rest is history. Mission Estate wines are now fairly well-distributed in New Zealand. The tasting room is housed in the old seminary, along with a restaurant. This winery is a big operation - not a hidden boutique place - but the tasting experience is relaxed as you can explore the lobby of the wood-paneled cellar door and museum room next to it. Their Pinot Noir is the most award-winning of their varietals. However, one had an odd nose that our tasting host accurately described as "band aid". It didn't sound good at the time, but you take tasting staff at their word sometimes. Researching the "band aid" smell post-visit, I unsurprisingly discovered that this is not a desirable character of wine, and is in fact a sign of bad aging. Anyhow, we purchased a bottle of 2014 Reserve Gimblett Gravels Syrah which we enjoyed and sent it home. Upon opening it for Christmas dinner, we were disappointed. It was an average tasting wine and probably not worth sending home. We liked the experience at Mission and would go again, but wouldn't spend the extra money to send the wine home.

Martinborough

The Martinborough wine region is about 80 kilometers east of Wellington, New Zealand's capital city. Centered around the small town of Martinborough, this area is compact and quaint. The laid-back vibe carries through to every aspect of the wine industry here. Wine tourism isn't overblown or seriously commercialized.

Te Kairanga - Locally know as TK, Te Kairanga is a winery owned by the American-based Foley Family Wines group. Because my parents are Foley wine club members, we went out of our way to visit TK. It's situated on a beautiful little property with a picnic area. The tasting building is actually the restored cottage home of town founder John Martin, with an warm wood-paneled tasting room. Cellar door manager Paul led us through their range of wines, lacing in plenty of anecdotes and dry one liners. He and my dad hit it off, which led to the tasting dragging on unbearably long. TK boasts of their specialized Pinots, which we found to be average in quality. Overall, TK doesn't shine, but it is a quaint and historic place to visit.

Poppies - On our bike tour of Martinborough, we "popped by" Poppies, and met the eponymous owner - Poppy Hammond. She was delightful and hospitable, and is one of the few female winemakers in this region. Her husband Shane is the viticulturist, so this is a true family operation. This relatively new winery has a farmhouse-chic tasting room and event hall. It's a beautiful building and a popular lunch spot. Poppy specializes in white wines, and offers a Pinot Noir in addition to the spectrum of whites. Despite Poppy's hospitality, we weren't wowed by the wines. It's not necessarily fair, since I am red-biased. But I did really enjoy her Rose of Pinot Noir. We recommend a stop at Poppies, especially if you have time for lunch.

Ata Rangi - Numerous wine reviewers have consistently ranked Ata Rangi Pinot Noir in the 90s, including Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, Decanter, Bob Campbell, and even a 99 from James Suckling for the most recent vintage. On the international scene, it is Martinborough's most highly-regarded wine. There is no doubt when the praise is so universal, but it does exemplify the difference in palate preference. Ata Rangi was not my favorite NZ Pinot, although it is very good . This is a wine that benefits from some age. To me, it needs that time to soften the tannins and develop the fruit. Ask yourself if you're a wine drinker or wine collector. If cellaring a wine for 5-10 years is your game, then you've got a terrific deal on your hands with this wine for just NZ$75. The tasting room at Ata Rangi is small but cozy, an understatement compared to their presence in publications and the wine's fame.

Schubert - One of our favorites in Martinborough was Schubert. Owned by German transplants, they have mastered the elegant and drinkable Pinot Noir style I love. They are complex and balanced, delicious young but also age-worthy. The Schubert tasting room is in a small, simple building which we visited by bike. There is no pretense to the visit here, just good wine. They don't have much of an ambiance - no outdoor seating area, no food, no fancy art. But who needs the frills when the wine is so good? The woman guiding our tasting was an Italian named Martina, another Old World connection, who was friendly but to the point. We bought 2013 Marion's Block Pinot and a 2013 Dolce, their sweet dessert wine. Other wineries like Ata Rangi and Palliser may get more international attention, but Schubert was my favorite Pinot, and some of the best in all of New Zealand.

Palliser Estate - A member of the famed "Family of 12" premier wine producers, Palliser bottles Pinot Noir and a variety of white wines. They offer an entry-level range called Pencarrow, and a premium range of Pinot Noir called the "Great Dogs", each named after a real-life former vineyard dog. The Great Dogs are a barrel-select wine fermented with native yeast, and only released in exceptional vintages. Obviously it isn't available for tasting! Their standard range Palliser Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc are well-balanced and of very high quality. 

Margrain - Our friend Corinne, who we shared our 25 day African Safari with, is an Aucklander. When we visited her in Auckland, she said we couldn't miss Margrain in Martinborough. We're glad we took her advice. Owner Graham Margrain still works the tasting room on Fridays, and we were lucky to have him pouring for us that day. The guy is a real side-splitter with an infectious smile and spirit. The tasting room has a nice small patio where you can enjoy your wine with a view of the vineyard. All the wines were pleasant, drinkable, and affordable. We bought a bottle of the 2013 Reserve Pinot Noir, which we recently shared with friends over dinner. It was a delightful Burgundian-style Pinot: light in body, not a fruit bomb, yet aromatic and delicious. 

I've been at work for months on a comprehensive review of the 40+ wineries we visited during our month-long stint in New Zealand last October. Now that I'm back at work, it's hard to find time for writing. I'm over halfway done, but getting impatient! I want to share with everyone how much we loved the wine and the beautiful regions where it's made. Here's a quick preview of my review, starting with my top 5 favorites.

(Click on the linked name to visit their website, where you can usually find distribution info.)

Craggy Range
Craggy Range has it all. This internationally-respected winery produces some of NZ's best French varietals. We visited twice! After a delicious dinner at Terroir, their on-site restaurant, we returned the next day for a full-range tasting. This winery was our favorite in the Hawke's Bay region. We brought home three bottles: a 2014 Avery Sauvignon Blanc, a 2013 Le Sol Syrah, and a 2013 Aroha Te Muna Road Pinot Noir.

Felton Road
The Felton Road Block 5 is the best Pinot Noir in the world. That's an outlandish statement to make by a man with an amateur's palate and no formal wine education. But I dare you to find a bottle of Pinot that is more fine, balanced, and smooth as this one. This winery is tucked back off a gravel road outside of Queenstown and is worth going out of your way to visit when in the Central Otago region. It's also worth scouring the internet to see if you can procure a bottle of this very limited release wine. If not, good luck waiting on the mailing list for years to acquire it.

Quartz Reef
Tucked into an industrial park, this unassuming tasting room and wine production facility exceeds expectations. Owned by an Austrian transplant, this New World wine has Old World character. They create very good Bendigo Estate Pinot Noir, although their top prize is a vintage Methode Traditionelle (champagne). It's one of the best bottles of bubbly I've ever had. Sadly, we couldn't bring any back to the States, but they do have a distributor in Colorado.

Highfield/Terravin
Highfield Estate winery, in the western Marlborough town of Renwick, sits atop a small hill overlooking the Wairau Valley. This lovely winery also has an on-site cafe, a sun-soaked patio, and a three-story faux-Tuscan tower overlooking the vineyards. Highfield has merged with TerraVin, and both line-ups are available for tasting here. Each label was impressive and had their own standouts. The TerraVin "J" Merlot blend was phenomenal: rich body, smooth tannins, and full of fruits. The Highfield Riesling is a semi-sweet delight on a warm day, as well as a perfect accompaniment to Thai food.

Schubert
Schubert's winery in Martinborough is located next door to Ata Rangi - one of the most consistently highly-rated Pinot Noir producers in New Zealand. Frankly, I enjoyed Schubert's wines much more. Their Pinots are perfectly balanced, fruity, and interesting. I brought home a bottle of their 2013 Marion's Vineyard Pinot. We also loved their Dolce desert wine, a sweet white blend with low alcohol content, and snagged one of those, too.

In 2000, the first Tomb Raider movie was filmed at the Bayon and Ta Prohm temples surrounding Angkor Wat In Cambodia.

During down time from filming, Angelina Jolie supposedly hung out at a joint called the Red Piano in the nearby city of Siem Reap. Her drink of choice stuck with the bartender, who named it after her character. Now, the Tomb Raider is available in every bar in town.

I gave this cocktail a whirl at the Temple Bar next door to the Red Piano. It was really refreshing, although a bit heavy on the tonic. If you like bittersweet apertifs like Campari, Gancia, or Aperol, you'll enjoy this drink.

Tomb Raider

2 oz Cointreau

1 oz lime juice

Top with tonic over a full glass of ice

The Thai Sabai has been called the national cocktail of Thailand. I stumbled upon it on the menu of ESS Restaurant on the Bangkok riverfront. After a quick internet search, I learned of its prominence.

The drink is based on Mekhong Whiskey, native to Thailand. This liquor is somewhere between rum and whiskey, possessing a totally unique barrel-aged flavor.

The recipe is simple (the best cocktails are) and is similar to a basil gimlet. I was impressed at the first sip. The interplay of Thai basil and Mekhong Whiskey is complex and delicious. This drink is at the same time familiar and unlike anything I've ever had.

At home, big stores like Total Wine or ABC should be able to acquire Mekhong if they don't already stock it. If you can find real Thai basil at an Asian grocer, I would make this the next new cocktail you try at home. It is one of my favorites of this whole trip around the world.

Thai Sabai

1 shot Mekhong Whiskey

1 shot lime juice

1 shot simple syrup

6 leaves Thai basil lightly muddled

Shake ingredients together and serve over ice with lime wheel and basil garnish

*Interesting note: most of the rest of the world doesn't differentiate between limes and lemons. Many places we've been don't even get yellow lemons. This recipe from the bartender says lemon, but lime is actually used.

"Alcohol, because no great story ever started with someone eating salad..." - Lantern Town menu

I found a recommendation online that Lantern Town restaurant in Hoi An had some unique, quality cocktails. My search for Vietnamese cocktails in Hanoi was a bust, so I was still on the hunt.

Lantern Town mostly had run-of-the-mill tropical drinks on their menu, but there were three interesting items.

Elizabeth and I tried a Miss Hanoi, and Lindsay ordered the Miss Hoi An.

Miss Hoi An was a rum-based tropical cocktail. It was refreshing but not revolutionary. It would make a nice cooler for a hot beach or boat day.

Miss Hanoi was our favorite of the two. It is a Vietnamese twist on a mojito made with vodka. The highlight was the spicy ginger lemongrass simple syrup that gave it a flavor kick similar to ginger beer.

The fresh ingredients for these two drinks shouldn't be too hard to find in the U.S., and I think they're worth a try again. I didn't get the ingredient proportions from the restaurant, so these are my best approximations.

Miss Hanoi

2 oz Vodka

1.5 oz Ginger lemongrass simple syrup

1 oz Kumquat juice

1 oz Lime juice

6 Muddled mint leaves

Miss Hoi An

2 oz Gold rum

1.5 oz Pineapple simple syrup

2 oz Passion fruit juice

1 oz Lime juice

Stellenbosch is the most widely-known and highly-regarded wine region in Africa. It is located 50 km east of Cape Town.

This region has their own signature varietal, Pinotage, which is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault created about 100 years ago in Stellenbosch. Pinotage is very earthy and acidic, and we don't particularly care for it. After trying many different winemakers' offerings, there were only a few we truly enjoyed.

We stayed at Marianne Wine Estate in south Paarl, the town just north of Stellenbosch. The views were beautiful and our room was spacious and luxurious. We really recommend a stay there, although their wine was overpriced and not very good.

Overall, Stellenbosch is one of the most affordable wine regions we've ever visited. The food and wine are very high quality, the people are welcoming, and the attitude is laid-back. We only made to a handful of wine estates over three days and will definitely go back in the future to spend more time exploring.

Fairview

The first winery we visited in Stellenbosch was Fairview Estate. They are known in the U.S. for their budget label Goats Do Roam, which is pretty decent. Their upmarket labels under the Fairview name are incrementally better. We did a private tasting of all their premier labels with cheese pairings for only about $8 per person. We really enjoyed the Extraño, a Rioja-style blend, and the Chenin Blanc.

We also didn't realize Fairview is a major cheese producer in South Africa. The cheese was as enjoyable as the wine. They make a soft cow/goat cheese blend called Roydon in a style similar to Brie. It is rich, creamy, and the goaty sourness is well-balanced. We bought a big block to eat later on a picnic.

Fairview Estate is large and I imagine quite busy in the tourist season, but it is really worth a visit. We also ate lunch at their restaurant which has an impressive farm-to-table menu and is reasonably priced.

Spice Route

Just up the road from Fairview is Spice Route, which has a community of shops on its property. It has a really cool artisan village feel to it and is perched on a hill overlooking the vines. On site there is a craft brewery, a chocolatier, a sausage and biltong (cured meat) maker, a hand-tossed pizza cafe, and of course, a winery.

We did a chocolate tasting and a wine tasting, one paired with homemade cured meats. The chocolate tasting was outstanding. Each type of cocoa is single-sourced from countries like Uganda, Venezuela, Trinidad, and Madagascar. All are at least 60% dark chocolate and produced on site. It is a really interesting experience to taste chocolate with the equivalent of a sommelier guiding you through and teaching you about the differences.

The wine at Spice Route was unimpressive. Lindsay had a list of the 100 best South African wines, and Spice Route's signature Chakalaka blend was pretty high up. We didn't care for any of the wines we tasted, and I wouldn't put Chakalaka on any of my top lists.

However, a visit to Spice Route is still a culinary joy and worth a full afternoon.

Mulderbosch

This place is easily our favorite Stellenbosch vineyard in terms of wine and food quality. We went to Mulderbosch specifically for lunch because their gourmet pizzas were supposed to be outstanding. Not only were the pizzas excellent, the wines were, too.

Our favorites were the Marvelous Blue, a Bordeuax-style blend, and Marvelous Red, a Cotes du Rhone-style blend. Both are full-bodied and fruit-forward and are available in the U.S.

Vergenoegd

This winery was recommended by our friend Brandie Miklus from her visit the previous year. It did not disappoint!

Vergenoegd is a bit far away from town, and we were the only people at the estate that afternoon. Our hostess was a riot. She shared in the tasting with us, and we are certain she was a bit toasty after a full day of tastings. She taught us some words in the indigenous "clicking" language. Our tasting was also interrupted by a curious goose who announced his presence in the manor with an ear-splitting honk. Our new friend picked him up like a pet and told us he is a frequent guest.

The tasting was the cheapest one we've ever done, at about $5 for two people for their full range of wines. The wine is pretty decent, especially the Estate Blend, but isn't available at home. You'll have to go to SA to experience it yourself!

Spier

This wine estate is supposed to be one of the best in Stellenbosch. We had previously tried their Pinotage and Shiraz varietals off the supermarket shelf and thought they were good. After visiting other wineries, though, our bar had been raised.

Spier did not impress us, not even their signature Frans K. Smit lineup. The wine estate itself is gigantic and includes an upscale resort, conference center, and restaurant. The tasting center is huge and the tastings are pricey compared with other places. None of the wines stood out to us, especially after visiting Fairview and Mulderbosch.

Jordan

With any wine region comes a bevy of highly-ranked restaurants. After much research, Lindsay decided on a reservation at Jordan Wine Estate. It was our fancy pre-birthday dinner, since both our birthdays were within the next week.

That day we visted the Cape of Good Hope and drove the grand Chapman's Peak drive, then cut back across the city through rush hour in order to make our reservation.

We changed into nicer clothes in the car and headed inside early. This is one of the top-ranked restaurants in wine country, but it was a bit of a letdown. The sommelier was snotty and we had three different waiters who never left us alone. We felt so much pressure to just hurry up and order. It was really uncomfortable.

After ordering, we finally got some peace and enjoyed our starters. We also splurged to order a bottle of their signature wine, Cobblers Hill 2012, which was delicious. Brian's meal of springbok filet was very good, but Lindsay's fish was so average she didn't even finish it. Dessert consisted of a visit to the cheese room, but only three out of our five picks were palatable.

For such an expensive and highly-ranked restaurant, we were disappointed. However, the wines were very good. The Cobblers Hill was one of the best we had in Stellenbosch.

Beyerskloof

The final wine estate we visited in Stellenbosch was Beyerskloof. It is a large producer whose wines can be found in most South African supermarkets.

We visited on a Saturday and the tasting room was packed. We still got good service, and the tasting menu is affordable and pours are generous.

Their Pinotage Reserve was quite good, especially given that we don't care much for Pinotage. We bought a bottle and stayed for lunch, which was delicious. Lindsay had a juicy gourmet burger and Brian had a very cheap, but super quality, filet au poivre.

Beyerskloof is definitely worth the visit if you go for lunch, although probably not for just the tasting alone. Make sure you call ahead for a reservation, especially on weekends, because this is a popular place for Cape Towners.

At the Orange River, on the border of Namibia and South Africa, we stayed at a riverfront campsite with an earthy, eco-friendly styled bar.

The river rats that worked there had a nice little cocktail menu. We enjoyed the night sharing drinks with them and hearing stories of why they left it all behind from the big city to lead kayak/rafting tours for a living.

One of their cocktails, the Baboon Juice, is a twist on a planter's punch or a hurricane, and might make you act like a baboon after drinking a few.

Baboon Juice

1/2 shot vodka

1/2 shot brandy

1/2 shot dark rum

1/2 shot light rum

Top off with tropical juice blend (pineapple, peach, apple)

Several dashes of bitters

Chibuku is a type of African fresh malted sorghum and maize beer with a shelf life of a week. It's now commercially made but is traditionally a cheap home brew. I remember seeing it long ago on Bizarre Foods as some hideous drink made in a clay jar and open fermented in a hut for a few days.

I bought chibuku in Zimbabwe when my curiosity was peaked at the grocery store. Our safari guide Justin laughed at my puchase and told me I wouldn't like it. He was right, but I'm still glad I tried it.

It is incredibly strange. Entirely unfiltered, you can feel the maize grit in every sip. The flavor is very sour with a lingering aftertaste. And it looks like muddy river water. The whole combination makes for an unappealing drink, but I still convinced our whole safari group to take a taste.

If you visit Zimbabwe, or another rural area in southern Africa, give it a whirl. The only thing I can think of that is similar is old style Peruvian chicha. We never found that in Peru, and modern chicha is more like a soft drink. Drinking chibuku is a totally unique African experience.

The perfectly picturesque island of Hvar is a short distance off the mainland Croatian city of Split. It has been one of our favorite destinations for a number of reasons (just see our other blog posts).

Due to a transportation snafu, we missed the public bus upon arriving to Hvar by ferry. The ferry dropped us at Stari Grad, across the island from our destination of Hvar Town. The kind hostel owner offered to pick us up when I called him, but we had over an hour to kill in this tiny, unimpressive town.

We heard a winery was nearby, so we walked over. The wine looked terrible, but this winery happened to also be a soft drink producer. That gives you a hint about their quality.

They make an orange soda called Pipi (pronounced pee pee), which seemed worth trying. We bought a bottle and walked back into town to sit down at a cafe. With a light bite to eat, we also ordered a bottle of local Grasevina white wine. Grasevina is a uniquely Croatian grape that resembles a Pinot Grigio in flavor.

The idea struck me to make a little spritzer, and it turned out pretty refreshing. The tart wine balanced out the super-sweet orange soda nicely. The waiter looked at me strangely, but I was onto something... The Hvar Spritzer. Or the Pipi Spritzer if you want to chuckle when saying it.