Wine Tasting in New Zealand
When I traveled to New Zealand, I knew I needed to go wine tasting. I love good wine and decided what better way to try the wines of New Zealand (specifically the South Island) than to book a guided wine tour.
How I Booked this Activity
I booked this day trip through Viator. There are so many different wine tours that start in Queenstown and most, if not all, had great reviews. Since I was traveling solo so I wanted to make sure I was taken care of with transport and in a group. This day trip provided everything I needed and a delicious lunch.
Here is the one I booked: Central Otago Wine Tour from Queenstown Including Lunch through viator
I also was told this one is very good too!
The wineries
Nockies Pallete: This was the first stop of the trip. The grounds there were fabulous and there was even a little dog named Kevin that I absolutely adored. There was a private wedding going on while we were there so we couldn’t see the small chapel that was said to be very pretty. The wine was good but I didn’t feel compelled to buy anything. The staff had great information about the region and the wines we tasted.
Carrick Winery: This was probably my most favorite stop of the day! I loved their wines, the grounds, and the lunch that was provided. If you are a fan of pinot noirs, then you will love this place. They also had a white pinot which I have had before but this was a new one and it tasted very good. Besides grapes, they also harvested olive trees to make olive oil. The grounds were beautiful and had great views.
Misha’s Tasting Room: This was the third stop but we were falling behind schedule so the tasting was very quick so I didn’t get too much information about the wines. They tasted well and fell on the sweeter side. I personally don’t like sweeter wines so this wasn’t my favorite of the four. But the service was great and the person that was in charge of the tasting was super kind and tried to take care of everyone with little time we had.
Brennan Wines: This was our last stop of the day and we did an experimental flight. The wines were very good and they had a great pinot noir as well. The grounds here were amazing and they developed the tasting room at their vineyard. The tasting room maintains its rustic with kiwi charm, and looks out over a large garden at the base of mountains. The employees were super kind and I would go back here in a heart beat.
Good to Knows
Transportation: The trip included pick up and drop off at or nearby your hotel in downtown Queenstown. The day is pretty long but they break it up with multiple stops. The longest we drove was to the first winery which was about 20-30 minutes. The tour guide did provide info about the area while we drove. The only bummer was that this day in particular got warm and the AC didn’t work in the van so it got pretty hot.
Overall
What did I think of the wine?
Honestly, I am a wine snob. I hate to admit it but I am and I have been spoiled living in California and Oregon which are top wine producing areas in the US. With that said, the wines were pretty good! I did like certain winery wines more than others but if you are a wine lover or just someone looking for a different type of activity while in New Zealand, I highly recommend spending a day wine tasting.
