Made reservations for lunch and a tasting. The wine was very good and I really liked the Pinot…read moreNoir. The food plates were very eclectic and flavorful. The hummus and black olive paste were delicious on the bread chips. The restaurant and tasting rooms are really beautiful. There are larger gathering rooms and an outside terrace. It would be a fantastic location for a wedding. I posted some pics of the large rooms and you'll see the many options for this room.

My wife and I spent a weekend in the lovely town square for some R&R, and planned to spend our…read morefinal day post-check-out exploring the surrounds, about which we'd heard talk of vineyards and expansive green fields with wooden fencing, and of long paved driveways leading to large and palatial homes with late-model Range Rovers parked in front of them. The rumors were absolutely true, and if you head in a northeasterly direction, approximately four minutes drive from the Martinborough Hotel and nearly half-way down Puruatanga Road, you will come across Poppies on your left-hand side. There's a parking area that almost looks like it was built with the expectation that they may have to cater to Asian tour groups or European tourists in large RVs. According to people on the internets who write about wine for a living, the trees out front are bay, cypress and plane. I didn't notice, but a quick consultation with the Google Maps does indeed confirm the existence of trees in the parking area. Upon entering this magnificent establishment - imagine an Italian villa minus the frescos but properly built by someone who clearly has an eye for understated luxury - we were warmly welcomed by a lovely lady who invited us to taste test five or six offerings seemingly on standby just for us. Now, lets make one thing perfectly clear, I understand wine and its numerous variants, complexities and subtleties about as well as I understand nuclear fission, or neurosurgery, or conservative politics. I don't smell hints of forest floor and pencil shavings when I stick my nose in a glass of pinot, nor do I taste complex bean curd midtones with oaty mustard flavors when I sip a Chateau Pompeux du Chatte. Up until my visit to Poppies, my wine expertise was limited to profound commentaries such as "yeah, that wasn't too bad, I suppose." But yeah, this tasting session changed all that. As soon as the first glass - I think it was the Pinot Gris or something - slid down my throat leaving a residue of crisp, abundant fruity freshness in its wake, I knew that I was experiencing something special. This was no $12 supermarket wine. This was different. This was wine that you present to visitors and discuss at length before opening. This ... THIS was a freaking revelation. And it went on. Five glasses. Five different wines. All mesmerizingly good. All delivering the full spectrum of tastes, from light and subtle to bold and explosive. I bought three bottles on the spot. Believe me I would have purchased enough to fill the trunk of the Mazda 3, but I am a man of limited means, and we hadn't yet had lunch. Oh yes, lunch. The attached photos show a platter of various cheeses, dips, cold cuts, olives and other raw delicacies that the young lady who served us explained would go well with the wine we ordered or some such thing. I don't remember what she said, to be honest, because I was too busy surveying the immaculately prepared, exquisitely arranged kaleidoscope of color and texture that lay before me. And again, I wasn't disappointed. It was superb. It tasted how it looked. It complimented the wine just as our waitress said it would. I'd had most of these ingredients in some form or another before, but somehow, this was better. Somehow, they'd unlocked the mysteries of food pairing, which I thought up until that point was simply blue cheese and crackers with red, and Dunhill cigarettes with white. Everything worked here - the light, the rustic chic of the dining hall, the layout of the tables and chairs, the positioning of the kitchen and attentiveness of the staff - each of these elements combined to offer an overall experience that had a purpose to it, not in a pretentious or overly-business like way, but in a way that left me feeling as though there was a tangible sense of pride and a shared ownership and goal to create something great. Mission accomplished.

It's a little unusual that tasting rooms offer a taste of their full line, but that what Palliser…read moredoes. They introduce you to the lighter styles and bubbles, before introducing you to their two labels of pinot gris, and their famous sauvignon blanc and pinot noir. We were not rushed and all questions are satisfactorily answered by Malcolm, on duty that Sunday.

Some great wines. I am partial to reds and the have a couple of great Pinot Noir. Shipping to the…read morestates is expensive but you are able to get ir through "Total Wine"

This is THE place to buy your wines in Martinborough. They carry all the local producers, and many…read morefrom other regions as well. Of course they specialize in local wines, and occasionally they can offer the same wines cheaper than at the winery, as they get special deals from time to time, especially when they have a "Winery of the Month". Tanya, the new owner, has a broad and deep experience in the local wine industry, and her knowledge is without compare. She will honestly guide you to the best wine/value, or whatever your interest is. They have a tasting machine for several wines, which was under maintenance when I was there.

Another example of a trading room that allows you to sample their entire production. Neil, the…read morecellar door manager on duty when I arrived, was most positive and communicative. .. on both the wines he was pouring and restaurants for me to consider in Wellington. After he sensed that I wasn't in awe of one of the basics, he went back to the storeroom and poured me a taste of a special bottle that had been opened the night before. Now that's great customer service! Great wines too!

We came here on our first stop of our bike wine tour. All the wines were super tasty and the staff…read morewas really nice and explained all about each wine and answered our questions. There are outdoor seats which are good in the sun, but the wind is quite strong.

The food is delicious and the wines come with a funny set of tasting notes. Try to come earlier as…read morethe place does tend to fill up around the lunch hour.

Coney wines We biked out from Martinborough about 8km flat…read moreride through a pleasant countryside. The effort did not disappoint. Greeted at the sore by warm and friendly smiles we sat in the lovely shady courtyard looking into the vineyards sampling some lovely wines. The lunch menu had a selection of small entrees for $12 each and mains from $25-35. I went for ordering lots of entrees and the wife a main. Started with lamb garb (hints of lime coconut and spice) easily my favourite. Then onto crayfish croquettes which were packed with flavour and comfort. The pork belly was succulent and sticky. We then enjoyed lamb blackstrap; perfectly cooked. The main was a green curry inspired cumin chicken with rice. The amazing food was accompanied by an amazing prompt, warm and friendly staff. Do not overlook this if your heading into Martinborough

What a beautiful location. Service was good. A little…read moresnobby Food was okay. Pricey.

Delicious and artful food served in a wonderful setting. Natural complements for the good wine!read more

Quite possibly one of the most pleasant little getaways to have a cheese and meat platter and sip…read morewine in this region. Laid back and pleasantly appointed outdoor chairs and tables, where you can get the tastings brought to you.