Wine regions of New Zealand

Begin your holiday in style with included airport lounge access before your flight to Auckland. On arrival, a private chauffeur will be waiting to take you to your sleek boutique hotel in the vibrant Viaduct Harbour district. You’ll be within walking distance of many shops, bars and restaurants, while the hotel’s rooftop terrace bar is the perfect spot for casual dining, champagne and cocktails, accompanied by fabulous views of the city’s skyline and the waterfront below. There’s also the Esther restaurant, which serves delicious breakfasts and punchy, Mediterranean and North African-themed dishes for lunch and dinner. 

After breakfast, you’ll board a ferry to Waiheke Island, an island in the Hauraki Gulf that’s renowned for its beautiful beaches, hiking trails, olive groves and world-class wineries. Thanks to a favourable microclimate, the island enjoys ideal temperatures, sunshine and precipitation throughout the year to produce some of New Zealand’s finest wines, including Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Montepulciano varieties. A guided tour will take you to three of Waiheke’s top vineyards, with an opportunity to sample a range of their wines, while learning about the island’s history and culture and admiring the gorgeous scenery as you go. Cap it off with a delicious two-course lunch and a glass of wine before taking the ferry back to Auckland.

This morning, you’ll be picked up and driven to Matakana, a rural village set among rolling hills around an hour north of Auckland, known for its flourishing food and arts scene. After visiting two outdoor sculpture gardens and several art galleries, you’ll stop by a local artisan chocolatier and two vineyards, with a chance to indulge in some exquisite chocolates and wines. If your visit happens to be on a Saturday, you’ll also get to check out the Matakana Village Farmers’ Market, a haven for local and organic produce. You’ll then be dropped off back at your hotel in Auckland.

Today marks the first leg of your New Zealand road trip, as you collect your hire car and drive south through the lush green hills and valleys of the Waikato region. Your destination is Lake Taupo, New Zealand’s largest lake, which fills a caldera that formed around 25,000 years ago following an enormous volcanic eruption. You’ll be spending the night in a stylish, boutique lodge on a forested hillside with stunning views overlooking the lake and the nearby Kaimanawa Mountains. It’s an area quite literally bursting at the seams with natural wonders, including the belching mud pots and geysers at Orakei Korako, geothermal springs at Wairakei Terraces, and the thundering Huka Falls. Mornings here start with a sumptuous breakfast as the sun rises over Mount Tauhara, while laid-back evenings are spent enjoying fine wines, canapes and gourmet cuisine. 

Your journey continues to Hawke's Bay, a region home to an abundance of Art Deco architecture, spectacular coastal scenery, excellent hiking and cycling trails, and exceptional wines. While staying at a traditional homestead dating back to 1910, expect warm hospitality, sweeping views of the surrounding countryside, and wonderful food and wine, centered around quality ingredients from the hotel’s own farm and local suppliers. On your second day here, you’ll be treated to a full day food-and-wine tour, including lunch at a vineyard, giving you a taste of the region’s proud culinary heritage. The hotel also offers a range of optional activities and excursions, including cooking classes and trout fishing on the Ngaruroro River.

Heading south, today you’ll set your sights on the charming town of Martinborough. Nestled in a wide river valley between the Remutaka Range and the Wairarapa Hills, this is one of New Zealand’s most esteemed wine regions, especially known for its smooth, silky and intensely flavoursome Pinot Noirs. You’ll be staying at an elegant boutique hotel right on the main square, within easy walking distance of Martinborough’s plethora of enticing restaurants, cafes and vineyards. An included ‘Taste of Martinborough’ tour will introduce you to some of the area’s finest wines, many of which are made by family-owned vineyards. 

Wrap up your exploration of New Zealand’s North Island with a stop in the compact capital, Wellington. From your artsy downtown hotel, you’ll be ideally placed for exploring the buzzing waterfront area, as well as the foodie hub of Hannah's Laneway and the superb Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, where you can learn all about the country’s history, nature and culture through a fascinating series of exhibitions. In the evening, take your pick from a vast array of restaurants catering to all different tastes – Wellington is famed for its scintillating culinary scene.

Today, you’ll leave the North Island behind as you take the ferry across the Cook Strait to Picton, from which you’ll make your way to Rowley Estate Homestead, your home for the next two nights. Tucked away among vineyards, farmland and olive groves on a country lane on the outskirts of Blenheim, it’s a delightful haven from which to discover another of New Zealand’s most treasured wine regions. The soil type and climate in these parts creates the perfect conditions for producing some of the world’s best Sauvignon Blancs, which you’ll be able to sample on a deluxe, full-day private wine tour of Marlborough, with delectable food and majestic views accompanying the award-winning wines. 

Swap the flat, mellow surroundings of the Wairau Plain for the more rugged and dramatic landscapes of the Southern Alps, as you drive from Blenheim to the picturesque village of Hanmer Springs. You’ll be staying just outside the village in a luxury lodge with terrific mountain views, stylish suites and a spa offering a wide range of soothing massages and beauty treatments – it’s a wonderfully tranquil place to slow down and unwind. If time allows, a trip to the nearby thermal pools is highly recommended. 

Stay: Braemar Lodge & Spa

After breakfast, you’ll descend from the mountains back towards the coast, passing through the verdant countryside of the Waipara Valley. This region, just north of Christchurch, is renowned for producing aromatic Pinot Noirs and Rieslings, and has one of the driest microclimates in New Zealand. Your journey continues south to Oamaru, the largest town in the Waitaki District. Step back in time at the Victorian Precinct, filled with vintage stores and galleries, visit the Steampunk HQ museum, and spot the world’s smallest penguins in the wild at the Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony. Your five-star boutique hotel is ideally located within easy walking distance of all the main sights, bars and restaurants, where you can enjoy crisp and refreshing wines from the nearby Waitaki Valley. 

The penultimate leg of your New Zealand adventure takes you inland to Gibbston Valley Lodge and Spa in the foothills of The Remarkables mountains, just outside of Queenstown. You’ll be staying in a luxurious villa with views looking out across the vineyards, with the resplendent scenery of the Central Otago wine region right on your doorstep. Choose from a whole host of optional activities, such as hiking and cycling along the Kawarau River, or simply kick back, relax and indulge in a vinotherapy treatment or a soak in the hot pools at the spa. You can also look forward to sublime culinary experiences at the on-site restaurant, whose menu is based around local, seasonal ingredients, from fresh salmon to alpine venison. On your second day, we have also included a private gourmet wine tasting tour and lunch. 

It’s time to embark on the final stretch of your New Zealand road trip – and it’s a rather spectacular one, passing through some of the country’s most mesmerising landscapes en route to Christchurch. You’ll no doubt be making plenty of photo stops as you drive between mighty mountains and glistening lakes, perhaps with a detour or two along the way (such as at Lake Wanaka, Omarama, Lake Pukaki or Lake Tekapo). Your final destination is Christchurch, nicknamed New Zealand’s ‘Garden City’ for its abundance of parks and public gardens. It’s a laid-back, fun-loving place to round off your holiday, with a thriving street art scene, excellent museums and galleries, and a bounty of brilliant places to eat and drink. 

After one last breakfast at the hotel, head to Christchurch Airport to catch your flight home.