February 24, 2026

Timber is big business in New Zealand. Most of New Zealand’s timber industry runs on radiata pine. It grows fast, machines easily, and is super versatile. China is the huge importer of timber from New Zealand used in its enormous construction boom. Many forest owners now plan both timber harvest income and carbon credits earnings when managing forests. It was no wonder that when we arrived at the port of Picton, New Zealand the pier was active with logs ready to be exported.

We assumed that timber would be all that Picton had to offer. We were wrong.

We saw a quick 2-hour tour of “Picton Wine Country” and we had such a fun time on Waiheke Island while in Auckland we decided to jump on the bus. We were not disappointed.

As the map above shows, Picton sits right at the northern end of the South Island and is one of the most scenic gateways to, unbeknown to us, New Zealand’s largest and most famous wine region, Marlborough, world-renowned especially for its Sauvignon Blanc. Unlike the red wines of Waiheke Island, this grape of the Marlborough region produces an amazing white wine. This Sauvignon Blanc didn’t just become famous; it basically redefined the grape worldwide for New Zealand.

I am by no means a wine expert, but the grapes from this region ripen slowly and keep their electric acidity. Hot days build flavor and cold nights lock in freshness. The result? Explosive aromatics and razor-sharp crispness. Experts say this isn’t a shy, polite Sauvignon Blanc. You can smell it from across the table. It basically announces itself. When this wine hit export markets in the 1980s, people were blown away. Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc became New Zealand’s signature wine and still dominates exports. It basically put New Zealand wine on the global map. Although we did not have time for any wine tasting, the landscape was beautiful and we sure learned a lot about this region and its wines.

When we arrived back at the pier, we saw that the town of Picton was offering a free shuttle into the town about a 20-minute ride away. We decided to jump on another bus. Think of a place where you just like to walk a bit, wandering in and out of shops, stopping at a cafe/coffee shop and watching the world go by. Winter Park, Florida, Lake George, New York, Mackinac Island, Michigan and Victoria, British Colombia come to mind. Welcome to the town of Picton, that same relaxed atmosphere.

One of the nice things we liked about Picton were the many consignment shops here representing The Red Cross, Hospice, and a few other organizations. I always say if you want to find out about a community visit “The Three C’s” churches, cemeteries and consignment shops. Not that we ever purchase anything, but there is so much to learn about a community by what they once owned/cherished. I like scanning through the t-shirt rack to see what the logo shirts reveled. Here in Picton, a real love of rugby!

And we found a cafe with the best peaches and creme muffin ever. How could you pass that up!

Sometimes the ports you know little about upon arrival become favorites upon departure.

Thanks for traveling with us.