Adventure

A handful of New Zealand’s most charming vineyards

 

I’m definitely no expert on wine, but I wanted to share a few of the idyllic wineries we uncovered in New Zealand. If you’re partial to a glass of vino, spend some time cycling among the verdant vineyards and cellar door hopping, just make sure you don’t get too tipsy to cycle back. But when the wine is this good, it’s no easy feat…

 

New Zealand

Central Otago
Located in the south of New Zealand's South Island, this region is world-famous for its Pinot Noir, and more recently its Pinot Gris. The long sunshine hours, clean air and pure water make the region ideal for growing vines and producing the finest wines.
location
open

New Zealand

Mount Difficulty
Located in Central Otago, this little vineyard is famous for its delicate yet distinctive Pinot Noirs. Their bistro is located at the top of a hill overlooking Otago’s verdant vineyards and desert landscape, and serves up incredible platters and locally-sourced main dishes.
location
open

New Zealand

Rippon
What a place for a vineyard, overlooking Lake Wanaka and the picturesque Ruby Island where all of Rippon’s vines are planted. The high sunshine hours and pure alpine air in Central Otago provide the ideal climate to produce some of the world’s finest Pinot Noirs and that’s what Rippon Winery is famous for.
location
open

New Zealand

Terra Sancta
This boutique winery is just down the road from the aforementioned Mount Difficulty and is just as delightful. Their cellar door is by appointment only, but offers great insight into their award-winning Pinot Noirs. They are truly passionate about sharing their love of wine with anyone who is interested.
location
open

New Zealand

Amisfield
My favourite of all the vineyards we visited. Located just outside of Queenstown, Amisfield produces some extraordinary wines. I was particularly partial to their refreshing Pinot Gris, but picking a favourite is a challenge. Trust the chef at the iconic bistro and let him whip you up your most memorable meal in New Zealand using all local and organic produce.
location
open

Waiheke Island, New Zealand

Waiheke Island
Waiheke Island is a beautiful and unique destination off the coast of Auckland that grows and produces its own wines. Most famous for its rich reds, particularly the full-bodied Syrah, but lately there has been a boom in production of white wines on the island. There are few places in the world where you can go vineyard-hopping on an island as rugged and charming as this one.
location
open

New Zealand North Island

Cable Bay
Cable Bay spoils guests with its outstanding location overlooking rows of vines and the sea in the distance. Get comfy on one of their slouchy beanbags and watch the sunset with a glass of wine in hand. They make exceptional reds made with grapes grown on Waiheke Island, but you would be silly not to stay for a bite to eat as well.
location
open

Waiheke Island, New Zealand

Tantalus
This recently renovated cellar door looks more like a Spanish church from the outside, but there’s no confusing it for a vineyard once you’ve stepped through the doors. Opt for a seat on the sun-drenched terrace which overlooks a blanket of vines. The estate also features a microbrewery, so hop fans can oft for beer tasting in place of wine tasting.
location
open

Waiheke Island, New Zealand

Mudbrick
Set amongst lavender bushes and manicured gardens, it’s easy to see why Mudbrick is often picked as a wedding venue. This award-winning vineyard also houses a bare bones bistro with a fantastic menu and loyal following.
location
open

New Zealand

Marlborough
Marlborough is world-famous for its Sauvignon Blancs, producing and exporting them all across the globe. The landscape is made up of vineyards as far as the eye can see.
location
open

New Zealand

Hans Herzog
Hans Herzog is a unique artisan vineyard that produces all of its own organic wines from seed to bottle. All of the wines are grown and produced in New Zealand, but inspired by the Herzog Swiss heritage. The hidden courtyard surrounded by lavender bushes, roses and vines is an idyllic spot to enjoy one of their wines and a bite at their bistro. Reservations must be made.
location
open

 

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *