Central Otago New Zealand
The next stage of our travels took us from cool, moist east coast through the heat of central Otago.
This large inland region completely surrounded by mountains is strikingly different from anywhere else in New Zealand with much of it coming as close to desert as we get in NZ. Yet it has some of our mightiest rivers running through it, irrigation from which means this hot dry climate with very cold winters produces some of our best fruit (especially stonefruit) and best wine (especially pinot noir).
Central Otago New Zealand
The next stage of our travels took us from cool, moist east coast through the heat of central Otago.
This large inland region completely surrounded by mountains is strikingly different from anywhere else in New Zealand with much of it coming as close to desert as we get in NZ. Yet it has some of our mightiest rivers running through it, irrigation from which means this hot dry climate with very cold winters produces some of our best fruit (especially stonefruit) and best wine (especially pinot noir).