Wellington International Airport is the nearest international airport. However, our wineries are located around Napier city, where you can start your journey to wine tastings and tours in Hawke’s Bay. There are several flights per day travel between Wellington and Napier. It’s the quickest way of reaching Napier from the capital as it takes only 1 hour.

If you plan to visit Hawke’s Bay by car and experience wine tastings and tours, set the navigator on Napier city. Napier, located off State Highway 2, is well connected to the rest of New Zealand by road. It takes around 4 hours 30 minutes to get from Wellington.

Wine tasting and tours in Hawke’s Bay wineries are open to everyone and offer a great experience. You can visit their wineries, restaurants, where the local meal will find a perfect pair with the wine. Some wineries have a sculpture alley and other outdoor areas, where you can have a Sculpture walk in a picturesque landscape. The team of experts will take you to their winery, where you can get familiar with how the grapes turn into unique wines. Get to know their process and you even can try out their future releases right from the barrels.

Below you will find the wines to try during wine tastings and tours in Hawke’s Bay:

Syrah – perfumed wines, elegant with ripe fruit, lingering spice, and supple tannins.
Merlot – wines of great power, elegance, and longevity. Merlot is increasingly the higher percentage in blends, offering rich, plummy depths.
Chardonnay – wines are full-bodied, lengthy, almost opulent but with finely-tuned acidity balancing the richness.
Sauvignon Blanc – rich, tree fruit-laden wines, underpinned by bright acidity, they often seen a degree of oak fermentation or maturation.
Pinot Gris – bold ripe wines, aromatic, spicy with balanced acidity and good body.

The country’s beauty and diverse landscapes make it an exciting place to visit at any time of the year. However, during the months of December to March, which brings long, bright and sunny days and temperatures from 16°C to 24°C, is the best time to make wine tastings and tours in Hawke’s Bay. They are ideal for visiting beautiful beaches or for many outdoor activities such as hiking and mountain biking.

Discover the place where the time is frozen – Ongaonga Historic Village, enjoy birds watching tour in the natural reserve of Cape Kidnappers, and walk along the banks of the Wairoa River.

If you are on a family trip National Aquarium of New Zealand is expecting you with little Penguins or Kiwis. Biking in the Hawke’s Bay Trails offers endless adventure. Keep in mind that Napier city is now recognized as the most complete Art Deco city in the world, so there is something surprising too for art lovers.

English is the predominant language spoken in New Zealand. However, the Māori language of Indigenous  Māori people is also an official language of the country.

We put together some of  Māori words you might find useful while experiencing wine tastings and tours in Hawke’s Bay:

“Wāina” – Wine

“Winiiti” – Winery

“Māra wāina” – Vineyard

“Harikoa!” – Cheers!