I asked my wife, "how did you find and decide on this winery, The Cloudy Bay Shed?" Because it was an amazing experience!
We passed by at least half a dozen wineries/vineyards, driving from Queenstown to Wanaka. One of the reasons besides its beautiful views, was that it wasn't touristy. There's no tours available to take you here, so it's not those tourist trap places where you get the generic experience that'll usually involve shopping. That's a good point!
You can make reservations online for lunch or wine tasting, or both. It wasn't busy when we went, but still recommended.
While driving on the highway, don't be too focused on the beautiful, pristine, majestically blue body of water known as the Clutha River, because the entrance to the Cloudy Bay Shed is right across. You'll drive up a dirt driveway, and make a left to another dirt path. You'll see a small parking lot, which might suggest you park there, but keep driving up, and you'll reach the correct parking lot at the main entrance.
We arrived much earlier than our reservation time, which gave us the chance to freely walk around the grounds, and wow, what a beautiful and relaxing place! The trees, grass, bushes were green and very well-maintained. There's even a small pond right in the middle adding onto the already picturesque landscape of the snow-capped mountain range and Clutha River. I feel I could sit here for hours! But lunch awaits!
In "The Shed", there's a wine tasting room where you can also purchase many different types of Cloudy Bay wines from different years. After that is the dining/restaurant area, which is big and spacious with only a few tables, and big glass doors and windows that faces the beautiful scenery of the pond, mountain range, and rows of trees. It is definitely quite homey and comfortable, quiet and peaceful.
The menu is not expansive, but it was hard not to order everything! There's a little Asian/Japanese influence is a few of the dishes. We thought the Chef might've been Japanese. Her name was Chef Momo. We found out she is Nepalese, but studied Japanese cuisine. Nice!
We started with the Tuna Tartare Taco. This was delicious! Uber fresh cubed of diced ahi tuna that was very nicely seasoned, topped with fried shallots, chili pepper, and pickled onion. The creme fraiche went really well with this, and the wonton skin was fried nicely, and held onto it's crispiness.
Next was the Fiordland Venison Tataki, and WoW, what an amazing dish that was wonderfully prepared, and visually pleasing. The venison was really fresh, tender, and very well seasoned. The highlight of the dish was the char and smoky taste that added new dimension to the already flavorful sauce with the beetroot, quince, chestnuts, and edible flowers and herbs.
The Market Fish for this menu was the Blue Warehou with spring greens and cauliflower. The fish was nicely prepared--moist and fresh with a meaty and flaky white flesh, and a crispy crust.
Lastly we had the Lake Ohau Wagyu Short Rib in a BBQ Glaze with Jerusalem artichoke and silverbeet. The short rib was amazing! Tender, well seasoned, and perfectly cooked. Personally would have like a bit more of the BBQ glaze. The roasted artichokes were really good. Crispy skin, and soft and toasty meat. The silverbeet or Swiss chard was almost Kim chee like in taste.
Don't forget the wine! We ordered the Te Koko Sauvignon Blanc and Te Wahi Pinot Noir. These two wines were very smooth and the tastes were really clean with distinct notes. We learned these wines go through strict evaluations, and would only proceed with the winemaker's approval, which has been disapproved before.
Overall, The Cloudy Bay Shed was a memorable and an amazing experience. The whole property was very well maintained with stunning views. It was quiet and peaceful, and just an overall relaxing environment. The Shed itself was clean, spacious, comfortable, and quiet and peaceful as well. The staff there were very friendly, informative, and pleasant. Our server was attentive and friendly, and gave clear descriptions of each dish. I highly recommend stopping by here! read more