Classic NZ Wine Trail - a journey of the senses
Take three major wine producing regions add gourmet food, a buzzing capital city, charming small town life and sparkling coastal waterways and you’ve got an unbeatable holiday experience.
The Classic New Zealand Wine Trail is a self-drive expedition for food and wine lovers taking them on a journey of the senses through some of New Zealand’s most picturesque countryside.
At around 380km long the trail covers both the North and the South Island and is reportedly one of the best wine drives in the world.
More than 230 wineries are found along the trail and around 100 of them have a cellar door open to wine lovers. An increasing number of vineyards also offer dining, accommodation and tours for visitors.
Each region on the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail is famous for its own distinctive wine style thus offering a unique experience for wine enthusiasts.
Hawke's Bay
Most visitors choose to travel North to South and start their journey in Hawke’s Bay on the east coast. The region, which is the second largest wine producer in the country, has some of New Zealand’s highest sunshine hours - a climate that brings out the best in the region’s award-winning wine and gourmet food.
Hawke’s Bay is New Zealand’s oldest wine region. As early as in 1851 a group of French Missionaries founded the Mission Estate Winery with the vines tended by the Marist Brothers.
Since then the stony old river bed of Gimblett Gravels (a defined wine region within Hawke's Bay) has quickly established itself as the terroir for outstanding New Zealand cabernet-merlot.
Next to its legendary food and wine, Hawke’s Bay is also known as the place to best explore Art Deco architecture.
After a massive earthquake in 1931, which destroyed the twin cities of Napier and Hastings, both were entirely rebuilt in only two years in the distinctive 1930s style of that era.
Napier has one of the highest concentrations of Art Deco architecture in the world and a colourful heritage story to tell.
Wairarapa
The journey on the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail continues on to Wairarapa a boutique wine destination, renowned for its Kiwi hospitality and a laid-back lifestyle.
Famous for its pinot gris and world-acclaimed pinot noir, many vineyards are within short distance of Martinborough village making it ideal for visitors to stroll or cycle between wineries.
The Wairarapa region has an innovative and vibrant group of eateries. From Wellington it is an easy day trip and a popular destination for locals who come to shop and sample gourmet bread, chocolate, cheese and olive oil from artisan food producers.
A local favourite is the tiny Schoc Chocolates shop in Greytown. Schoc combines the enjoyment and health benefits of consuming quality chocolate with an understanding of what chocolate preferences reveal about a person. Unusual flavours include chocolate with chilli, lemongrass, Earl Grey Tea and even pink peppercorns.
Wairarapa is also known for its rugged coastline. Nature and wildlife attractions include the Cape Palliser seal colony, rare native bird species at Pukaha Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre, and a variety of nature tracks.
Wellington
From rural towns and picturesque vineyards the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail moves into Wellington, New Zealand’s capital city.
Although not the largest city in New Zealand, Wellington is famed for its lively down town cafés, shopping, nightlife and entertainment venues.
The city has more restaurants, bars and cafes per head of population than New York and claims to be New Zealand’s coffee capital. From roasting your own coffee to meeting top professional chefs, Wellington is a renowned ‘foodie’ heaven.
Many Wellington chefs have an international reputation including Rex Morgan (Citron), Steve Logan and Alistair Brown (Logan Brown) and Ruth Pretty.
Marlborough
After crossing the Marlborough Sounds by ferry from Wellington to Picton visitors reach the trail’s final destination - Marlborough.
The area at the top of the South Island is the country’s largest wine growing region representing 56% of New Zealand’s total producing area.
Marlborough’s unique soil of free draining, alluvial loams over gravel and its sheltered climate, provide the ideal conditions for producing world-acclaimed wines.
The Wairau and Awatere River valleys have become renowned for Sauvignon Blanc and other varietals now produced there include Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling and Pinot Gris.
Many of Marlborough’s vineyards (there are more than 100) have restaurants on site and offer locally-sourced food to go with their wines. Visitors can explore the vineyards on self-drive, bicycle or guided tours, and enjoy cellar door wine tastings or alfresco dining.
The region is famed for its great seafood. The deep, clean waters of the Marlborough Sounds provide ideal conditions for farming New Zealand green shell mussels.
Marlborough produces 80 percent of New Zealand’s aquaculture exports - king salmon, pacific oysters, paua (abalone), kingfish, and koura (crayfish).
The Marlborough Sounds are noted for their scenic beauty and abundance of bird and marine life.
Passengers on cruises or guided sea kayaking trips in Queen Charlotte Sound can see dolphins, seals, whales, king shags and blue penguins playing in their natural environment. The five dolphin species found in the Sound include the rare Hector’s, Dusky and bottlenose varieties.
Year-round trail
The trail is an all year round adventure - each season bringing its own attractions with enticing coastlines and waterways to enjoy in the summer and dramatic snow-clad landscapes in the winter.
British travel writer Jonathan Ray sums it up: "The distances aren’t long, the food and wine are of outstanding quality (and differ so much between the regions) and... there are a million things to do.
"I have just had the time of my life, and it would be fair to say that I have returned home with my gob not so much smacked as pinned to the wall and trussed up, and well and truly spatchcocked."
Classic New Zealand Wine Trail statistics
6 - Farmers Markets along the Trail offering fresh seasonal produce for sample and sale as well as a great opportunity to meet the meet growers and locals
25 - Female winemakers along the trail. Jane Hunter is the most awarded female winemaker in New Zealand with an OBE and Honorary Doctorate
74 - Percentage of New Zealand’s total annual wine production coming from the regions on the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail
100 - Road signs on the main highways guiding visitors through the regions of Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa, Wellington and Marlborough
Events on the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail
February - Art Deco Weekend, Hawke’s Bay; Wine Festival, Marlborough
Easter - Classic Fighters, Marlborough (biennial)
June - Matariki Festival, Hawke’s Bay
September - World of WearableArt Awards, Wellington
November - Toast Martinborough; Wairarapa Garden Marlborough, Marlborough
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