Perched high above the Bay of Islands within an elegant boutique winery, Sage is Russell’s worst-kept secret for fine dining escapism. Here, panoramic ocean views and refined cuisine vie for your attention – and both dazzle. The kitchen, helmed by chefs with a passion for local provenance, presents the region’s bounty with creative flair: line-caught seafood (perhaps a silky crayfish risotto or a famed pāua pie) and organic farm produce are transformed into artful, contemporary NZ dishes. The service is polished yet warm, the atmosphere relaxed-luxe. Sage offers that rarefied combination of world-class food and a million-dollar view, without a whiff of pretension.