My first-ever wine tasting in New Zealand was a letdown. The cellar smelled musty, the wine tasted like overripe feijoas left in the sun, and the host delivered her spiel with all the enthusiasm of a Monday morning traffic report. 

When I asked why their prized Pinot has a bitter taste, she looked at me as if I’d just questioned the All Blacks’ haka. I was rushed out before I’d even finished my glass.

That day made me wonder if wine tasting was just hype. But after visiting a few more places, I realized my first visit was a rare outlier. 

Because if you know where to go, New Zealand offers some of the most unforgettable wine experiences on the planet—generous pours, epic scenery, and all. And here, I’m letting you know exactly where to find them. 

1. Lawson’s Dry Hills Winery & Cellar Door

Lawson’s Dry Hills is all about sustainable winemaking, and you can really see that in their wines. 

The Sauvignon Blanc 2024 really impressed me with its strong aromas. You get a blast of passionfruit and honeysuckle right away, which is so typical of Marlborough. There were also some nice hints of lemon and red capsicum that added to the flavor. 

I loved how well the fresh fruit flavors and the light acidity worked together, making it super easy to enjoy. 

The Max Chardonnay was great too, with nice stone fruit flavors and a light buttery touch that doesn’t overpower. Their Pinot Noir is smooth and has rich cherry flavors along with a bit of earthiness. 

You can taste for just $10, which gets waived if you buy a bottle—pretty good deal for a carbon zero-certified winery. The staff is also really friendly and helpful, especially Nigel, who made my visit even better with his helpful wine facts.

My only complaint is that I wish they had more food options to go with the wines. They have some snacks like cheese and crackers, but a few more choices would be nice.

Did a great job introducing the wines

”We came here for a wine tasting with Carol. She was helpful, knowledgeable, and did a great job introducing the wines. It was a nice day for us and we enjoyed the view of the vinyard with our wine in the outdoor seating area.“

• Alicia B, Google Reviews

Had a really lovely visit and tasting here

“We had a really lovely visit and tasting here! Nigel was really knowledgeable and gave great insight into the wines we were tasting, as well as the winemaking process in general. I had only intended to do tastings today, but liked the wines enough that we ended up with two bottles. We highly recommend visiting Lawson’s!”

• Gretchen H, Google Reviews

2. French Peak Vineyard and Accommodation

French Peak Vineyard is one of the oldest vineyards on the peninsula. It’s a great spot to enjoy top-notch wines and friendly Kiwi hospitality. 

The fact that kids and leashed dogs are allowed contributes to the family-friendly vibe that the entire vineyard gives off. They even have a resident cat called Kumara!

For just $15, the tasting experience was not too shabby. Carolyn and Simon, the owners shared stories about each of their award-winning wines, and then I went on a self-guided tour of the vineyard. 

In terms of the wine, I really loved their 2023 Pinot Noir, which is rich in red fruit flavors with a hint of minerality that lingered nicely. 

Their Chardonnay was also a standout, blending crisp acidity with complexity from their careful hand-harvesting and barrel fermentation.

The only downside was that their food platters, like the Taste of Akaroa (mix of cheeses, olives, dried fruits, and nuts), needed to be booked in advance. There wasn’t anything to snack on if you didn’t pre-order a platter.

Their wine is delicious!

“Wonderful place! We stopped for a wine tasting. The owners, Simon and Carolyn are so welcoming and friendly. And to top it off their wine is delicious!”

• Sophie Baucet, Google Reviews

If you love wine, this is a must-visit.

“I went for a tasting and found the best Chardonnay. All the other wines were excellent as well. The place was beautifully decorated, making it a pleasure to look around. If you love wine, this is a must-visit.”

• Jane C, Google Reviews

3. Yealands Estate Winery

At just $10 for tastings of up to four wines, Yealands is a great deal. You can even create your own platter with local bread, grapes, cheese, and olives, which makes it even better. 

The estate has a cool tasting room that’s perfect for trying their tasty vegan-friendly wines while enjoying some amazing coastal views. Their Reserve Sauvignon Blanc really impressed me with its bold, classic flavor. 

The fresh, green aromas really took me to Marlborough’s sunny vineyards. I loved the crisp taste that had hints of passionfruit and guava, ending with a nice minerality—it was all nicely balanced. 

The Rosé was great too, with delicious flavors of strawberry and juicy watermelon, plus a hint of red apple that lingered nicely. 

I wasn’t as sold on their Albariño—while the fresh apricot and orange flower smell was nice, I thought the lime was a bit too strong for me. 

The wines were all delicious

“Thank you Billy for such an awesome and fun tasting!  The wines were all delicious, and if I had more space in my luggage, way more would be coming home with us! Very much wish we’d gone a bit earlier so we could spend more time on the White Road Vineyard Tour – incredible views along the bit we had time to drive around.”

• Leana Siochi, Google Reviews

The tasting was informative and interesting

“We enjoyed a great wine tasting today, Billie was awesome, along with his side kick Sally – we had so much fun and laughter with both of them. The tasting was informative and interesting and we learnt a lot. Would highly recommend, what a great spot.”

• Anita, Google Reviews

4. Terrace Edge Wines

For just $20, at Terrace Edge, you can try an organic wine tasting with five great wines. You can also enjoy some tasty extras like house-made olive oil, local salami, and artisan cheese. 

I really enjoyed their Riesling from the Library Collection—the 2016 vintage has a nice complexity while still keeping that refreshing acidity that Waipara Rieslings are known for.

I was also impressed by the 2024 Pinot Gris, with its lovely notes of pear, apple, and citrus. The way they fermented it—60% in aged oak barrels and 40% in stainless steel—really brings out different layers.

The Saint Laurence 2020 was another standout. This Austrian red was packed with blackberry and plum flavors and had some interesting spicy and earthy hints, really showing off what makes Terrace Edge special.

The only small downside? The wine pours could be a bit more generous for the price. 

All our group enjoyed all of the beautiful wines 

“This winery is not to be missed. All our group enjoyed all of the beautiful wines at the tasting. Our friendly host Kerrie was knowledgeable and made the whole experience relaxing and jovial. The scenary adds another delight to this lovely experience.”

• David Hickling, Google Reviews

Wines we tasted were all delicious 

“Wow! We chose to visit this winery on the strength of their 5 star rating. We were not disappointed. The 6 wines we tasted were all delicious (but we limited ourselves to buying 3 bottles) as was the olive oil (bought 1 bottle) and the Kalamata olives (yep, bought a jar of those, too!) And the gourmet toasties were the perfect accompaniment. We signed up to their wine club on the spot and can’t recommend this place highly enough.”

• Jilliene Beale, Google Reviews

5. Torlesse Wines

Just an hour from Christchurch, Torlesse Wines is one of the area’s first vineyards. It’s known for its unique hand-crafted, barrel-fermented wines. 

I really enjoyed their 2024 Albarino, which has fresh apple scents and a nice lightness on the palate. The 20% barrel fermentation adds a bit of complexity without taking away from its crispness. 

Their 2023 Omihi Road Sauvignon Blanc was also great. It’s made from grapes from three top vineyards in Waipara and aged in small oak barrels, giving it some hints of vanilla and toast that nicely balance the wine’s freshness. 

Unfortunately, the service didn’t quite measure up to the excellence of the wines. The biggest issue was that they didn’t change glasses between samples, which really affects how you taste each wine, especially when you go from heavier reds to lighter whites. 

We were offered several samples of the various options

“Excellent experience. We had the tastings hosted by one of the owners. I loved the family vibe. We were offered several samples of the various options. Many were unique wines. We enjoyed several and purchased 2 bottles. Compared to similar experiences, this one stands out. I’d definitely recommend stopping here if you’re in the area.”

• Eric Scott, Google Reviews

One of the best wine tastings we had done

“This was one of the best wine tastings we had done. The staff were friendly and had an excellent knowledge of the wines they offered. They were super busy…but were still able to take time to explain the wines and make it a personal experience. We had the cheese platter with our favourite red wine…which was excellent. The best part was we could freedom camp n the gardens right near the vines. Highly recommended…..especially the Tawney port.”

• Jackey Hubbard, Google Reviews

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