CROMWELL, Central Otago, New Zealand, 9 February 2022 – The 4 Barrels Walking Wine Trail, which has become one of the most popular activities in Cromwell connecting four of Central Otago’s cellar doors for walkers and cyclists alike, will pause over autumn/winter 2022 and reopen in October 2022.
With Aurum Wines currently closed and Scott Base temporarily closed from 14 February, just two of the cellar doors will remain open over autumn and winter – Misha’s Vineyard Tasting Room and Wooing Tree Vineyard – as will the trail link between those two cellar doors. The temporary closure of the 4 Barrels Walking Wine Trail is the result of several factors that will impact visitor volumes as well as making access more difficult. There has been a decrease in visitors with all of New Zealand currently operating at the Red level and visitor numbers for the wine trail also naturally fall off when the weather becomes cooler.
Additionally, from 8 February to the end of November, there will be major disruption to traffic routes due to the construction of two roundabouts – one on the corner of SH6 and SH8B adjacent to Scott Base and the other further down State Highway 8B. During this time, a pedestrian underpass will be constructed to connect Cromwell to the Wooing Tree Estate subdivision, where the Wooing Tree Tasting room is located.
“The underpass from Wooing Tree Estate will actually make it much easier and safer for those completing the 4 Barrels Wine Trail to return to the centre of town” said Steve Farquharson, Wooing Tree owner.
During the period of closure, Scott Base will take the opportunity to make some changes to their premises with an expansion of their kitchen and some outdoor improvements. Scott Base has proven to be a popular spot on the trail, not just for tastings but also as a lunch spot due, in part, to their elevated views.
There will be no changes to the daily operation of Misha’s Vineyard Tasting Room and Wooing Tree Vineyard over autumn and winter. It will still be possible to walk or cycle part of the wine trail by leaving Misha’s Vineyard and heading onto the scenic walking route via the Lake Dunstan Trail and then up from McNulty Inlet to Shortcut Road and along to Wooing Tree Vineyard.
When the trail reopens in spring, both the walk and the tasting experiences will be enhanced and ready to welcome visitors. “Since the launch of 4 Barrels Walking Wine Trail in September 2017, there have been quite a few changes which have enhanced the overall experience on the trail” said Misha Wilkinson, of Misha’s Vineyard Tasting Room. “Although the full trail won’t be operational over the next few months, once it’s up and running again later this year, we’re
expecting to be busier than ever with more people doing the trail either on foot or cycle”.
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About 4 Barrels Walking Wine Trail https://www.facebook.com/4BarrelsCromwell/
The 4 Barrels Walking Wine Trail provides an easy way to navigate around four of Central Otago’s premium cellar doors. The self-paced 8-kilometre loop trail includes Misha’s Vineyard, Aurum Wines, Scott Base and Wooing Tree Vineyard, as well as capturing some wonderful scenery through orchards and around Lake Dunstan. The wine trail, the first of its kind in Central Otago, has a total walking time of approximately 90 minutes and can be completed in 4 hours (min) but can take longer if including a break along the way. All of the cellar doors offer light lunches and/or platters, or there is also the option of bringing one’s own picnic and finding a scenic spot along the trail. The 4 Barrels Walking Wine Trail is free, with the only costs being wine tasting fees at each cellar door (which are redeemable on a wine purchase). Wine Trail Maps are available at the Forage Information Centre & Café at The Gate tourist complex, and also at each of the cellar doors. A range of high-resolution images of the cellar doors, trail route, winery logos, trail map, and two
new videos are available for media via a Dropbox
For further information, please contact:
• Misha Wilkinson, Owner/Director misha@mishasvineyard.com
Misha’s Vineyard Tel: 03 445 4456 Mob: 021 0220 0812
Other winery contacts:
• Scott Base – Carolyn Murray info@spaceatthebase.co.nz Tel: 03 445 4715
• Wooing Tree – Elise Crossman sales@wooingtree.co.nz Tel: 03 445 4142