MARLBOROUGH New Zealand: Brilliant one day - Sublime the next #brillianteveryday It was a journey long overdue, back to a region that had enchanted me years before, because of the Marlborough Sounds and the natural beauty of this region of New Zealand. The visit was less about personal leisure this time, but to see it as an incentive destination for our corporate clients. And we learnt very quickly, the comradery of suppliers make the incentive experience magical. We also learnt the magic conference size is 350! – which is the ideal group number for Blenheim. Many thanks to Nikki Roche at Business Events Marlborough, Destination Marlborough, for welcoming a group of Australian buyers to the region, to Sharon Auld at CINZ and Kirstie Kirstie Dyer-Grose at Air New Zealand for making it all possible. In a long weekend we whet out collective appetite for more, as we were in awe of the great taste experience of what Picton, Blenheim and the Sounds had to offer. The Marlborough region is about world-famous Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand’s largest winegrowing region, and the soils and enviable climate that create it – cold nights and sunny days. It’s about delicious fresh seafood and produce admired by chefs preparing the finest of cuisine. It’s about diverse landscapes, from valleys of vines to sheltered waterways of the Marlborough Sounds … and so much more for the corporate incentive and association conference. It was thanks to winemaker David Hohnen from Cape Mentelle, Margaret River, Western Australia, that put Cloudy Bay and Sauvignon Blanc on the world stage. Now it is no longer just a Sav’ Blanc experience, as the wine options are expanding to riesling, gewürztraminer, chardonnay and pinot noir, and my new favourite, sauvignon blanc after 6 months on oak. The sparkling wine of Daniel Le Brun under the Wither Hills label and his own Methode Traditionelle ‘No 1 Family Estate in Wairau Valley’, and Pelorus from Cloudy Bay Vineyards are all world class bubbles. MARLBOROUGH New Zealand: Brilliant one day - Sublime the next #brillianteveryday As a participant in a pre-MEETINGS 2018 famil program courtesy of #CINZ and #brillianteveryday we were taken on a degustation tour of only a small part of the Marlborough region of New Zealand. The highlights, in consideration of ‘what’s the best for corporate clients’, include: CLOUDY BAY VINEYARDS: Nicky Hewett and Brand Experience Ambassador, Matthias Seijo, showcased one of the most well-known vineyards of New Zealand. A must return to experience ‘FORAGE – The Ultimate Cloudy Bay Experience’, a two day gastronomic dream. The winery was named after Cloudy Bay, a body of water explorer Captain James Cook came across during his voyage to New Zealand in 1770. His discovery coincided with flooding in the region, which washed large amounts of sediment into the sea. Noticing the water’s opaque appearance, Cook christened the area Cloudy Bay. A perfect inclusion for a VIP Executive Experience, with high-end accommodation on-site for approved guests. MARLBOROUGH New Zealand: Brilliant one day - Sublime the next #brillianteveryday WITHER HILLS: A cellar door, dining and incentive experience wrapped into one with views overlooking vineyards as far as the eye can see. ALLAN SCOTT FAMILY WINEMAKERS: After enjoying the restaurant and wines of Allan Scott there is always time for a winery tour and maybe a bit of chess in the tranquil landscaped gardens. MARLBOROUGH New Zealand: Brilliant one day - Sublime the next #brillianteveryday BRANCOTT ESTATE CELLAR DOOR & RESTAURANT: A great location for a sunset drink overlooking the Brancott Estate and the Wither Hills in the distance. A group dinner with Brancott wines, why not! ON POINT EVENTS: The old Montana Winery with a distinct impact on the landscape of Marlborough is now a function centre operated by On Point Events. It has the charm of fireplaces, diverse rooms for business meetings and great location for conference & incentive programs, a long lunch and an off-site gala dinner. MARLBOROUGH New Zealand: Brilliant one day - Sublime the next #brillianteveryday ACCOMMODATION: High end properties exist in the region with the exceptional Marlborough Lodge and Bay of Many Coves Resort. We recognize the accessibility by foot between hotels in town and the meetings and conference facilities, staying in Blenheim at the Chateau Marlborough and Scenic Hotel Marlborough or out of town at the Marlborough Vintners Hotel. Marlborough Lodge Photo courtesy of Destination Marlborough Marlborough Vintners Hotel Photo courtesy of Destination Marlborough MARLBOROUGH New Zealand: Brilliant one day - Sublime the next #brillianteveryday BAY OF MANY COVES RESORT: Taking a morning dip in the Marlborough Sounds in winter is not recommended, but it fulfilled a late evening bet as we embraced the warm hospitality of our hosts at the magnificent Bay of Many Coves, a 5 star resort in pristine Arthurs Bay, Queen Charlotte Sound. Photo courtesy of Destination Marlborough The WILDERNESS GUIDES NZ offer adventure tours throughout the region, in kayak, on foot, by bike or on a cruise through the sounds. Highlights include the Queen Charlotte Track and Kaipupu Wildlife Sanctuary in the Marlborough Sounds. MARLBOROUGH New Zealand: Brilliant one day - Sublime the next #brillianteveryday CUISINE: We ate exceptionally well at wineries, cruising in the Queen Charlotte Sound, at our accommodation venues and special mention to the creative style of excellent food at Arbour Restaurant in Blenheim. Photo courtesy of Destination Marlborough NZ WINEEXPORT AUSTRALIA: When a group or individual buys more than they can carry, fear not, there is a solution which is incredibly efficient. We bought a collective of wines from throughout Marlborough and were able to arrange delivery on-line to Sydney within a short delivery time and minimal fees and taxes. And the packaging was impressive for both wine and bubbles. Highly recommended! TRANSFERS: We had the pleasure of touring with MARLBOROUGH TOUR COMPANY, TARQUIN CRUISES and hiking with WILDERNESS GUIDES. Thank you Steve!!! TARQUIN CRUISES: We were transferred by luxury vessels through the Marlborough Sounds. The skipper, owner and crew were the best of hosts offering fresh mussels, salmon and clams from Marlborough Sounds. A luxury transfer through beautiful waters and great company. MARLBOROUGH New Zealand: Brilliant one day - Sublime the next #brillianteveryday THE MARLBOROUGH FLYER: Although we didn’t travel on The Flyer, the concept is brilliant. The Marlborough Flyer is a heritage steam train from a majestic bygone era. The journey between Picton and Blenheim travels on the historic World War I Memorial Locomotive, Passchendaele (1915) through Marlborough linking the Sounds and wineries in and around Blenheim. CLOUD BAY WINERY ACCOMMODATION: A special mention to Cloudy Bay for the high-end accommodation for very exclusive small groups by invitation only, accompanied by some of the best contemporary cuisine and hospitality in the region. MARLBOROUGH New Zealand: Brilliant one day - Sublime the next #brillianteveryday ASB THEATRE MARLBOROUGH: Absolutely fabulous multi-purpose venue with flexible spaces and state of the art technology as a contemporary theatrical stage, for meetings, conference, dinners, team building and performances. Use your creative imagination to design a program and let the flexible minded staff and management of ASB create what your vision began. MARLBOROUGH CONVENTION CENTRE: Adjacent to the ASB Theatre is the convention space that adds exhibition and conference capacity that punches Blenheim well ‘above its weight’ as a MICE destination. Located in central Blenheim in walking distance to hotel and town, on the banks of the river, the Centre is positioned perfectly for association and corporate events with a difference. Photo courtesy of Destination Marlborough MARLBOROUGH New Zealand: Brilliant one day - Sublime the next #brillianteveryday OMAKA AVIATION HERITAGE CENTRE: A visit to the internationally acclaimed Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, with its theatrical displays of WWI and WWII aircraft and memorabilia is far more than a static museum, thanks to the Peter Jackson touch. It is a brilliant gala dinner venue and an educational on what we didn’t know about who really won the Second World War and The Battle of Stalingrad. Photo courtesy of Destination Marlborough MARLBOROUGH New Zealand: Brilliant one day - Sublime the next #brillianteveryday POST SCRIPT: What I’d love to do on a repeat visit is to join a guided bike tour, and choose from more than 30 cellar doors, tasting award winning wines along the way, indulge in a leisurely lunch at a vineyard restaurant, with wine paired with local produce to create the ultimate match made in Marlborough. And definitely sign up for the FORAGE experience at Cloudy Bay! Then spend more time in a kayak and a cruise exploring the Marlborough Sounds, where 1,500km of winding coastline is home to secluded bays, historic sites, marine reserves and precious island sanctuaries, which foster kiwi and other native species. Marlborough is one of New Zealand’s sunniest places, so why not choose to stay for a weekend or a week, summer through winter, in a vineyard villa or a hideaway on the water’s edge, and discover why Marlborough is Brilliant Every Day. CREDITS Nikki Roche – Business Development Manager – Business Events Marlborough Destination Marlborough Rachel Brown – Marketing Manager – Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre Graeme & Kim Smith – Managing Director [your hosts] – Bay of Many Coves, Queen Charlotte Sound Karen McDonald - Lodge Manager – The Marlborough Lodge Travis Moriarty – General Manager – Marlborough Vintners Hotel Liz Buttimore – Owner – Arbour Restaurant Blenheim Nicky Hewett and Matthias Seijo – Cloudy Bay Vineyards Scott, Stephen and The Godsiff Family of Marlborough Tour Company Kathy Hughes – On Point Events & The Function Centre Kylie Cornelius – Allan Scott Family Wine Makers Andrea Johnston Taylor – Brancott Estate Cellar Door & Restaurant Kirstie Dyer-Grose, BDM Groups, International Sales - Air New Zealand Sharon Auld – Manager Australia – Conference & Incentives New Zealand .