Rippon Vineyard overlooks Lake Wanaka, one of the most spectacular backdrops in the area, which feels like something out of Peter Jackson movie Lord of the Rings. Photos by Elizabeth Kerr / For China Daily

Exploring the wine regions beyond New Zealand's well-beaten path, Elizabeth Kerr gets a taste of Kiwi hospitality.

Strange as it may seem, New Zealand has only recently found a place on the mainstream global travel map after Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings film trilogy put its physical beauty in front of billions of eyes. For some consumers, however, Aotearoa - the land of the long white cloud in Maori - has been on the radar for a while. It's a wonderfully cheeky country (the departure gate sign at Auckland airport reads, "This is it, folks. Time for last goodbyes."), with a generally relaxed attitude. Sophisticated without being pompous.

Adventure and eco-travelers love it, and as one of the most prominent New World wine producers of the last decade or so, it's worth a trek for wine lovers.

But in the way the American wine industry stretches past California and there's more to Australia than Barossa Valley Shiraz, there's a treasure trove of curious, unique and, most crucially, delicious wines at vineyards scattered beyond Hawkes Bay and Marlborough Sounds.

Those two "prime" regions effectively put New Zealand's vintners on the global wine map but the time has come to give the lesser known and equally deserving independent and/or family-owned boutique wineries a try.

New Zealand is small (winding and hilly, but small) and the steep cost of gas won't break the bank, so traveling by car is the best way to do a wine tour.

Major urban centers are well-served by rail and bus, but the hidden gems are tucked on the back roads.

Making things easy to do on the fly are the knowledgeable and helpful staff at the i-SITEs that dot the roads in every corner of the country. The tourist information centers (look for the bright green signs) are an incredibly comprehensive resource for all kinds of travelers.

If they're not overwhelmed, you're also likely to get suggestions on undocumented things to see or do from staff that lives in the area.

They also stock complimentary Jasons hotel and motel guides - a valuable tool for road trippers looking for last-minute (or advance reservations) accommodation at their next destination. Ditch the Lonely Planet.

The start of a wine tour will likely be Auckland, a small city worth a few days and home to something of an unsung wine region of its own.

Plan for a day and from the ferry pier in the city center, take a 40-minute ride to Waiheke Island.

Well over a dozen wineries are scattered between Matiatia Bay and the east side of the island between Rocky and Onetangi bays.

Buses run regularly, but infrequently, and so if you find yourself lingering at one vineyard be prepared for a taxi ride (NZ$25 and up, $20) back to the pier.

About 8,000 people live on Waiheke, a lush, low-key hamlet marked by rolling green hills and relaxing dining on Onetangi Bay at The Strand.

A good place to start would be Cable Bay near Matiatia pier. Cable Bay's small vintage of local grapes (notably the Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and red blends) can be sampled with lunch at the vineyard's restaurant or with its seasonal tasting menu for dinner if you stay that late.

But the star of Waiheke is undoubtedly Stonyridge Vineyard (www.stonyridge.com), an organic producer specializing in Bordeaux-style reds.

The atmosphere in the tasting room and restaurant at Stonyridge tells the story of the winery: boisterous and irreverent.

Noisy lunches carry on for hours and the attitude toward consuming the premium wines - its complex Larose blend and GSM Pilgrim - is decidedly anti-wine snob.

Stonyridge is among New Zealand's most lauded wineries and it's easy to see why. Stonyridge's relatively small vintages sell out regularly.

Once you've dragged yourself from Waiheke (overnight stays are possible) and set yourself up with a car, maps and a Jasons (this really is essential), it's time to hit the road.

Take State Highway 1 north from Auckland to Warkworth (about an hour) for a tour along the Matakana Wine Trail.

Its rocky coastline and sparse beaches define the region but winegrowing is among the oldest in the country.

Its maritime climate and north-facing slopes make it an ideal grape country even though few would imagine vineyards so close to a major city.

Of the nearly 20 estates in the area, half feature tastings and cellar doors open all day, with more flexible hours in the summer months.

One of those, Ransom Wines (www.ransomwines.co.nz), also has a chic cafe, and it's worth a stop to try Ransom's Carmenere, an extremely rare red varietal from Bordeaux said to be lost to a plague in the mid-19th century.

Extinct in its native France, Carmenere has surfaced in Chile and the US as well. Ransom's Carmenere is the only one of its kind in New Zealand, and its unique, dry fruitiness can be enjoyed immediately or cellared.

From Matakana, it's back toward Auckland and on to the east coast of the North Island down to Wellington.

A stop in stinky Rotorua for some hot-springs relaxation and another in the deco town of Napier at Hawkes Bay are options on your way.

Now there are several ways of getting to the South Island from Wellington, including short flights or ferry services that cross to Picton daily, and car ferries.

Most car-rental agencies will allow for a drop-off on the north side and a new car pick-up on the south. If you keep the car, rental companies often include a ferry ticket in the total rental price.

Once on the South Island, the first stop is Kaikoura on the way to Waipara Valley.

About midway between Christchurch and Kaikoura's whale watching (also well worth a stop) in Canterbury, Waipara is getting towards the heart of pinot noir country.

But for the adventurous, there's far more to sample than the go-to varieties.

Waipara is much larger, and cooler, than the first two wine districts, with well-organized cellar doors and easy access.

Among the standouts are Torlesse (www.torlesse.co.nz), whose premium Omihi Road Pinot Gris is downright buttery and Sticky Riesling is reminiscent of Ontario ice wines; Mud House (www.mudhousewineryandcafe.co.nz), with its mammoth showroom and diverse range of estate wines as well as Marlborough and Otago vintages; and the sprawling Pegasus Bay (www.pegasusbay.com), among whose best include a lemony late harvest riesling.

The last leg of the journey will take you toward the country's southern tip and through the Central Otago region, at the heart of which is Queenstown, one of prettiest towns on either island (and a good place to dump the car and fly home from).

Grapes have been a crop since the mid-1800s and currently there are literally dozens of wineries to investigate.

Wanaka, about 45 minutes from Queenstown, is home of Rippon Vineyard (www.rippon.co.nz).

A family business in the heart of ski country, Rippon's vines overlooking Lake Wanaka started out as something of a radical experiment in the 1970s and cast its founders as modern pioneers.

The standouts here are the spicy and rich mature-vine pinot noirs: Tinker's Field (named for founder Rolf Mills), Emma's Block and Rippon.

The winery doesn't have a cafe, but the surrounding landscape and tucked away vibe make it easy to see why the function room is so popular: the lake makes for one of the most spectacular backdrops in the area ... like something out of a Peter Jackson movie.

Contact the writer at sundayed@chinadaily.com.cn.

New Zealand's sprawling Pegasus Bay wine district's best vintages include a lemony late harvest riesling.

(China Daily 05/13/2012 page16)