Waiheke Island

Our Intrepid tour started last night when the group met at 6:00 pm to meet our fellow travelers and the tour guide.  There are 11 travelers plus the tour guide, Robbie John. Six travelers are from the United States; five are from Perth, Australia.  Our initial impression is that it’s an interesting group of nice people – Kevin and Lynn, former elementary school teachers in Florida, who quit their teaching jobs (she after 30 years, he after 20), sold everything that wouldn’t fit in the car, and took off towards Spokane, Washington where they have since relocated.  Harry (40 years old) and Meghan (36 years old) from Perth, Australia (real names, not The Harry and Meghan of Royal Family and media fame) recently sold their farm and decided to travel while they could. They’ll figure out what to do in a year or two.  Lyndsay, an executive coach, his wife, Ros, and their 17-year-old daughter, Hannah, are on a family journey before Hannah goes to university in Sydney.  Lyndsey, Ros, and Margo geeked out the first night, talking about stages of adult development, assessments, and other executive and leadership coaching topics.  We haven’t talked as much with Mary Kay (Wisconsin) and Linda (Tallahassee), but Margo did learn that they, too, like good wine.

Today, we boarded the ferry for a 35-minute ride to Waiheke Island, formerly a “hippie hangout” but now an expensive island famed for its sandy beaches and glorious wines.  It was a beautiful, lush island with amazing trees (unfortunately, we didn’t learn their names) and abundant bright, large, colorful flowers. Being an island, beautiful beaches were on all sides of the land. It was interesting when the tour guide would talk about how “Of course, the north side gets sun all the time,” which is completely opposite to what we are used to. We guess that’s how it is in the Southern Hemisphere!

Our first stop was at a winery where we did wine pairings – a Rose’ paired with a cucumber slice, herbed goat cheese, and dill; a Chardonnay paired with a beet “thing” on a piece of bread; a red blend with some orange stuff that neither of us cared for, and a Syrah paired with mascarpone cheese on a hard cheese, topped with sweetish red sauce.  The little cracker on the end and glass of water were to clean the pallet between bites if needed. Margo particularly enjoyed the Rose’, Mark enjoyed the Chardonnay, and we both liked the Syrah (called a Shiraz in Australia, and you see both names at home).

Our next stop was at Allpress Olive Groves.  The founder-owner’s name is Allpress, which is quite convenient for a former coffee grower and an olive farm owner. We learned that Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) does not mean the first press, as we long believed. To be classed as Extra Virgin, olive oil must have an FFA (free fatty acid) less than 0.8%. The lower the FFA, the higher the antioxidants, making it healthier for you. Allpress Olive Groves was proud to point out that their olive oils had an FFA of 0.36%. As the Olive Oil ages, the amount of FFA will increase. If the FFA is between 0.8 to 2 percent, it is considered Virgin Olive Oil, and above 2 percent, it is considered not for human consumption. To achieve a lower FFA, the picking to oil extraction is in hours, not days. Otherwise, the olives/oil oxidize, raising the FFA.

 We also learned that the difference between green and purple/black olives is how ripened they are.  We both erroneously thought they were different varieties. The greener olives are less ripe and firmer; the purple/black olives are more ripe and softer.  This farm grew olive varieties from Italy, Greece, Spain, and France.

Our next stop was at Casita Miro winery and restaurant, owned by Barnett and Cat Bond, who have been making wine for over 25 years.  The story goes (according to our guide) that Barnett and Cat went to Spain for a visit and became fascinated with all things Spanish.  Casita Miro was named after the Catalan painter Joan Miro (from Barcelona, Spain).  Barnett focuses on the grapes, and Cat on the award-winning restaurant.  She is known throughout the island for her focaccia bread, which they call olive oil bread. She guards the recipe so closely that even her best friends can’t get it.

In addition to focusing on the grapes, Barnett likes to dabble in Gaudi-inspired mosaic art.  He created this wall, which depicts a uterus, with sperm headed towards the uterus.  Within each of the “sperm,” he has one of his children’s names.  If you didn’t know what the wall was meant to depict, it would be easy to walk by and think, “hm, interesting.”  But once you know the story, it’s fascinating and entertaining to explore the artwork more deeply.

After admiring the grounds and artwork, we had a four-course tasting menu with wine pairing, which is misleading because each course consisted of 2 – 5 dishes! We started with a warmed goat cheese fritter with honey and almonds, and gazpacho paired with a Rose’. 

Our second course was four different offerings – buffalo mozzarella with tomatoes and the freshest, lightly sweet vinaigrette; grilled prawns in a tasty red paste; herb-roasted potatoes; and the amazing olive oil bread with three different dipping options along with fresh EVOO. This was paired with a Pinot Grigio, which was light and delightful.

For the main course, the options were tender, delicious lamb, and fresh snapper in a sauce, with an asparagus salad.  This course was paired with a Syrah.  To finish off the meal – which had taken almost two and a half hours – was an olive oil cake with fresh fruit and a touch of whipped cream.  This was paired with Sherry, which both of us declined!

All the food was served to share, which meant you could get just a taste or have a bit more.  We finished our meal at about 3:20, so we decided there would be no dinner for us tonight!

After the delicious meal, we had the option of shopping in the local shops on Waiheke Island or taking the 4:00 ferry back to Auckland.  Mark and Margo and three others from our group opted for the 4:00 ferry.

Auckland has been enjoyable and interesting. VERY friendly and proud people. You can see a real commitment to the wise use of resources and lowering its carbon footprint. Littering on the streets is unheard of.

Tomorrow, we leave at 7:30 am with our luggage for a long day of activities and on to our next stop.  It looks to be an exciting day with a tour of the Waitomo Glow Worm Cave, then on to visit Hobbiton and the Lord of the Rings Movie set, and have a drink at the Green Dragon Inn, the meeting place for all residents of Hobbiton.

 Stay tuned!