Updated February 2021
Classic New Zealand Wine Trail
When embarking on the New Zealand Wine Route, you’ll most likely find yourself departing from Auckland. We recommend taking some time to explore the area near Auckland including the Waiheke Island wine region.
However, we realize that time may be short. If so, hire your car at the Auckland airport and drive down south. Also, make sure to utilize our New Zealand wine driving route guide as the ultimate resource.
Where is Hawke’s Bay?
New Zealand’s 2nd largest producing region (to Marlborough) is called Hawkes Bay. This region is well known for their bigger reds and is a great stop along the New Zealand wine route.
Auckland to Hawke’s Bay is a 7+ hr drive, so we’d recommend splitting the trip up with Rotorua for some world class mountain biking or the Tongariro crossing (aka Mt. Doom in the Lord of the Rings films).
Where to stay
Once in Hawke’s Bay, settle into Havelock North, a quaint little town with a few nice eateries and wine bars. This is a better place to base yourself in versus the busier, less atmospheric Napier to the north. We enjoyed Busby Hill B&B – a short walk to the downtown area and run by Karen, the sweet-as-can-be B&B owner, with a live “chook” farm (chickens) and organic vegetable garden.
Wine tasting guide to Hawke’s Bay
Warm winds and hot dry summers make it an ideal climate for bigger varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Chardonnay. The soils are are mostly volcanic with some famous gravel-filled terroir known as the Gimblett Gravels–deposited by the Ngaruroro river in 1867 after changing its course from a flood. Some of our favorite Wineries in Hawks Bay include:
- De la Terre: Small batch producer with only 5 hectares which is tiny for New Zealand. Has a beautifully delicate Syrah that’s not so in-your-face like the Australian Shiraz equivalent. The 2015 Vigonier was delicious as well–made with a purposeful oxidization, giving the white wine really unique amber color and nutty flavor.
- Trinity Hill Limited: Awesome Syrah and a great tasting room experience. The cellar door staff are extremely knowledgable about the history of the region as well as the winemaker’s process for each wine.
- Craggy Range: They are a bigger producer with operations scattered through the country, but their best is here in Hawke’s Bay. Pony up the extra cash and try their best Gimlett Gravels flight–it’s worth it.
- Elephant Hill: They offer tremendous course menu for lunch, so we’d recommend timing this venue accordingly. They also have a tasting room if you didn’t get enough with your meal.
Where to eat
Aside from Elephant Hill on the wine trail, Havelock North has some great dining options to consider: Deliciosa Restaurant, Pipi Café and Alessandro’s Pizzeria to name a few.
What else to do
Assuming the weather is cooperating, drive along the bay and stop for a hike around Cape Kidnappers. Also, the small town of Havelock North routinely has festivals and live music to enjoy.
