Villa of The Month: The Whitehouse

Villa of the Month: The Whitehouse: Winery Accommodation in the Heart of Martinborough

The picturesque, colonial town of Martinborough is small enough to walk across in twenty minutes, which is precisely the appeal. The town square, laid out in the shape of a Union Jack by the surveyor who founded it in the 1870s, is ringed by more than twenty vineyards, most family-owned, most within cycling distance of the centre. Locals will tell you the region makes some of the best pinot noir in the country, and they’re not being parochial about it; it’s a fair claim.

The Whitehouse (Te Whare Mā) sits on the edge of the village, on its own five-hectare vineyard, and it’s our Villa of the Month. 

Inside The Whitehouse

This is a 350sqm farmhouse wrapped on three sides by twenty-year-old Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris vines - so the view from the kitchen window is, quite literally, the source of dinner’s wine pairing. It sleeps eight across four suites: three king rooms plus a fourth with two queens, each with its own ensuite, dual vanities, walk-in shower and walk-in wardrobe.

The design brief was clearly American ranch rather than Kiwi farmhouse; the furniture throughout is almost entirely Restoration Hardware, imported from the US, paired with St. Regis beds and linen. The kitchen runs on a freestanding Wolf gas range, which is a small but telling detail: this is a house built for people who love to cook and entertain (or better yet, hand the reins to a private chef). Underfloor heating in the bathrooms and central air throughout mean it works as well in July as it does in January.

Outside is where the property earns its keep. A gas fire pit looks straight down the vine rows, there’s an outdoor dining setup for evenings when the light does that long golden thing over the hills, and a welcome hamper with local wine, artisanal cheese, proper NZ skincare, is waiting when you arrive. 

Martinborough, and Why It’s Worth Exploring

Martinborough is one of the most celebrated wine regions in New Zealand. Palliser Estate, one of the region’s founding wineries, has become a genuine food destination since chef Norka took over the kitchen, expect sopaipillas, paua, and a new Syrah that’s the first the estate has produced. Poppies, run by Poppy and Shayne Hammond, is more about the ritual than the menu: a seasonal vineyard platter, a spicy house pinot gris, and no rush to move on. For something with a bit more room to move, The Runholder, home to Te Kairanga, Martinborough Vineyard and the Lighthouse Gin distillery, has a sun-soaked terrace built for a long lazy afternoon. And Karahui, tucked into the old BNZ bank building in town, is the pick for dinner: modern, shareable, and a proper wine list to match.

Beyond the cellar doors, the region has more range than its size suggests. The Patuna Chasm Walkway offers a scenic morning workout before the wine starts flowing, Cape Palliser Lighthouse and the Pūtangirua Pinnacles reward the drive further south, and Martinborough’s new status as part of an International Dark Sky Reserve means the stargazing after dinner is unexpectedly excellent. If timing allows, Toast Martinborough, the region’s long-running wine and food festival, takes over the town every November and is well worth planning a trip around.

Wellington is a little over an hour by car, which makes The Whitehouse just as suited to an extended long weekend from the capital as it is to a slower stay built entirely around the vineyard outside the door.

The Details

• Sleeps:

  8 guests across 4 suites

• Bedrooms:

  3 King Suites + 1 Suite with 2 Queen beds, all ensuite

• Location:

  3 minutes to Martinborough village, 60 minutes to Wellington

• Helicopter landings available