By place · WINE TASTING TOURS IN NEW ZEALAND
This is the shortlist you would send a friend: 10 wine tasting tours in New Zealand worth the money, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the one thing to check before you commit.
Join guides such as Oliver, Glenn, or Melita for a six-hour Waiheke tour capped at 11 people. Visit three different vineyards, enjoy premium tastings and a food pairing, hear island stories, and finish with lunch time in Oneroa. Ferry tickets are not included.
“Loved going to the wineries and learning about each one. They were all unique! Tour guide was great.”
Spend about six hours visiting five Marlborough wineries with a guide such as Gavin, Lynley, Hamish, or Keith. Expect several tastings at each stop, relaxed vineyard time, air-conditioned transport, hotel pickup, and a lunch break at Saint Clair or another local winery.
“An exceptional day with tour guide Gavin. He was outstanding and really made the day with our family. The tour was comfortable, giving us time when we needed it and unpretentious if you are new to wine. Gavin really made the day with our group!”
Join a local Kiwi guide such as Nooroa or Caleb for a scenic Waiheke wine tour from Matiatia Wharf. Choose four wineries over five hours, or a four-hour double-decker route with two wineries, onboard tastings, a charcuterie board, Oneroa Village, and a beach walk.
“We had an excellent time on the tour and enjoyed the company of the guide / driver who was called Rob - he was informative.”
Spend about five and a half hours tasting Hawke’s Bay wine without driving. Guide Ross collects you from your accommodation, visits Mission Estate and other local wineries, adds cheese and biscuits, and finishes at Silky Oaks Chocolates. Small groups, bottled water, and a Mission tasting glass are included.
“We’d never been to the Hawkes Bay and wanted to experience the local wines so booked this tour. Our tour ditector, Ross turned up on time. The vehicle was spacious and clean. He was very knowledgable about the wine and the history of the local area. The cheeseboard and home grown avocado was quickly devoured - very delicious. I tried a few chardonnays on this tour but am still looking for tge right one. We would highly reccommend this tour.”
Leave Queenstown around 10am in a premium Mercedes van for four cellar doors in Gibbston. Taste 18-plus wines, explore Gibbston Valley’s underground cave, and stop for lunch at Kinross. Guides such as Do, Shanay, and Alana bring local wine stories to life. Return around 4pm.
“It was my partners and I first wine tour and we absolutely loved it. We enjoyed Kinross, cellar doors the best and thought the Frenchman was great. Really enjoyed Trish at Mt Rosa but not the wine as much and lastly loved trying 2019 Devil Staircase from Rockburn. We both have a new appreciation for white wine, particularly Pinot Gris and Riesling.”
Join Ross, John, or another local guide for a 3.5-hour Napier shore excursion in a small minibus. Visit Te Mata Peak, Bluff Hill, a private garden, Art Deco Napier, and Askerne Estate for a seated tasting of at least five local wines.
“Ross was a great guide. He reached out to each participant to inform again about meeting time and place. The tour included multiple good stops for pictures and/or some shopping. The vineyard he picked had a great selection of different vines and offered options for everyone.”
Travel from Queenstown through Gibbston, Cromwell, and Bannockburn, stopping at four premium vineyards for tastings, local cheese, and a five-dish wine-paired lunch cooked in wine barrels. Guides such as John, Lindsay, Paul, and Muza add local stories to this small-group day.
“If you’re unsure which trip to book, book this one!!! We had such a great day trip with lunch. John, our travel guide was very knowledgeable and made the experience fantastic. There was plenty of good wine stops before a big lunch and then the last tasting also had cheese boards offered which really finished the day beautifully. The stop into Arrowtown was great to look around, and just enough time to spend there which saves you a trip another time if you don’t have transportation. John was a great, safe driver and I would do this wine tour again when we return to NZ!”
Start with guided tastings at two Marlborough wineries, then enjoy a light lunch and a seafood cruise through Queen Charlotte Sound. Hotel pickup, wine tastings, lunch, and salmon and greenshell mussels are included. Guides such as Heather, Matt, Sam, and Job add local color.
“This was an excellent experience. Very well planned and great content. Wine tasting and cruise on Marlborough sounds”
Travel from Auckland to Kumeu with a guide such as Annie, Erin, Meredith, or Mairi, tasting wines at three family-run wineries and having lunch at Soljans. The half-day outing also includes Muriwai Beach, black sand, and distant gannet views. Pickup is offered for selected inner-city hotels.
“Really enjoyed the wines, the wineries, the countryside, and the beaches. We bought several wines which we truly enjoyed!”
Spend four to five hours visiting four Marlborough cellar doors with a local driver-guide such as Nic, Phill, or Jess. Taste sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, and other wines, ask questions in a small group of up to 11, and arrange pickup anywhere in the Blenheim area.
“We had a great tour with Nic as our guide. In each of the wineries we had a separate wine tasting for our group with very good presentations of the wines.”
Pick a bottle and see where it is poured properly.
