Tips for Enjoying Winery Tours in New Zealand
Make the most out of your winery tour experience
Apart from the invaluable knowledge you gain about wines, heading out on a winery tour in NZ allows you to free yourself and release the tension and thoughts about the real world. It truly is an escape quite literally and figuratively.
To enjoy the wine tasting tour to the maximum, consider these critical points:
- It’s advisable to embark on the tour as early as possible. Towards the afternoon, wine tasting rooms become busier, and visitors inundate staff with questions and requests. Try to plan the day by ensuring you’re at a reputable winery for lunch. Consider visiting the winery during the week to avoid large crowds.
- Once you’ve decided to visit the local wineries, you should endeavour to ask questions. Finding out about the history of the winery or the story of how a particular bottle of wine came about adds a degree of intrigue to the tour. Obtaining this knowledge will enable you to appreciate the bottle of wine you’re enjoying in the time after your visit. The staff at wineries are usually eager to share their stories, so don’t be afraid to enquire about various aspects of the winemaking process.
- We advise you to drink water in between to keep you hydrated and level-headed.
Winemakers have their own fermentation and maturation techniques for various types of wine such as a Merlot or Chardonnay. As such, the taste will vary with each winery so it’s wise to try options that aren’t your usual selection. When you’re at the winery, enquire about purchasing wines that aren’t commercially available. It’s not uncommon to find old wines or those that the winemaker produced in small quantities which, more often than not, are spectacular.
Don Bird is your experienced, 3rd generation winemaker guide
Private Wine Tour’s are hosted by experienced guides with many years involvement in the wine industry.
Don Bird who hosts The Winemakers Tour is a third generation Hawke’s Bay winemaker who has developed special relationships with winemakers in the region which makes it possible to do special private tastings.
Don takes great pleasure in sharing his many years of winemaking knowledge with his guests.
Our Offerings
All Tours Hosted By Don Bird. Read His Outstanding Reviews On Trip Advisor
The Winemaker's Private Tour
Travel through stunning river valleys with Don, wander hillside vineyards and discover the magnificent patchwork quilt of the world-famous Gimblett Gravels as we try some of the most divine wine and food that Hawke’s Bay has to offer.
Bespoke and Tailored Wine Tour - for larger groups
Explore award-winning wineries & vineyards with our Bespoke and Tailored Winemaker’s Tour. Try some of the most divine wine and food that Hawke’s Bay has to offer.
The Grange Lodge - World Class Accommodation in Esk Valley
Featuring river views, The Grange Lodge provides accommodation with a garden and a patio, around 16 km from McLean Park. An unforgettable experience in Esk Valley.