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New Zealand may be famous for sheep, milk, Hobbits, and odd-sounding accents, but it is also one of the world's leading wine-growing regions with some of the most bouquet and beautiful wine estates to visit. New Zealand has many reasons to visit - its main city, Auckland, was even named the best city by Lonely Planet to visit in 2022.

About two-thirds of the wine grown in New Zealand is Sauvignon Blanc and most of it is exported - mostly to the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia. Many critics claim New Zealand's Sauvignon Blanc to be some of the best in the world.

Wine Growing In New Zealand

New Zealand has a fairly varied landscape and so has a number of distinct wine-growing regions. New Zealand is best known for its Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and after that its Pinot Noir.

  • Famous For: Sauvignon Blanc

Wine-growing regions can be found over most of New Zealand - with the largest region being Marlborough in the northern South Island. They range from the sup-tropical reaches of the northern North Island to the southern part of the South Island. Vineyards are found as far south as Otago and are some of the southernmost in the world.

  • Southernmost: New Zealand Has Some Of The Southernmost Wineries

New Zealand's wine sector has boomed in the last few decades and its wines have quickly been met with international acclaim. Today New Zealand's wine regions attract hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world as people flock to see how it is done in the remote South Pacific country.

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The Classic New Zealand Wine Trail

To see some of the best of New Zealand's wines, consider following the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail. On the route, one will see stunning New Zealand scenery, forest parks, nightlife, and of course the best of New Zealand's wine-growing regions.

This wine trail runs from the North Island's Hawke's Bay to Marlborough in the South Island taking the ferry between the islands.

  • Route: Hawke's Bay to Marlborough

The Classic New Zealand Wine Trail starts in Napier and Hastings. One should spend the first night in either town and spend the day with a winery map - and even squeezing in the gannet colony on Cape Kidnapers time permitting.

The next day, head to Martinborough and sample some of its 20 wineries (most are within cycling and walking distance of the village square). It is also home to some of New Zealand's best pinot noir.

  • Martinborough: Home of Some of NZ's Best Pinot Noir
  • Tip: Check Out The Stonehenge Aotearoa - A Replica Of England's Stonehenge

After that head south to Marlborough taking the Inter Islander Ferry through the picturesque Marlborough Sounds. If one has time, it is well worth it to spend a day in New Zealand's capital city Wellington along the way.

After one of the world's most scenic ferry trips, one will be in the small port town of Picton, feel free to spend another day there exploring the Marlborough Sounds and attractions, otherwise one will be right on top of New Zealand's main wine-growing region of Marlborough.

  • Marlborough: Produces 60% of New Zealand's Wines

The main town in Marlborough is Blenheim and there are some 20 or more wineries within easy reach of the town. Sauvignon Blanc is the main variety of notes here. After that head down into the heart of the island to Central Otago near Queenstown and see New Zealand's southernmost and alpine vineyards

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Take A Winery Tour In New Zealand's Marlborough Wine Region

Most tours in New Zealand are self-driven and self-guided. But Marlborough alone is home to over 60% of New Zealand's wine production, and it is worth it to book a tour to see its over 100 wineries. On the tour, one will get a deep dive into New Zealand's wines and learn much about the country itself.

Marlborough Tour Company offers a range of tours all around the region and an example of one of their full-day wine tasting tours is their Blend Premium Winemaker Tour. On this tour, guests get to be a winemaker for a day.

The tour begins with a walk through an organic vineyard to the winery. One will see the process of how the wine is produced along the way ending up in the wine bottle. Guests a given a blending tutorial by the experts and then will be able to blend a bottle of their own sauvignon blanc.

  • Highlight: Blend One's Own Bottle Of Marlborough Sauvignon Black
  • Cost: $370 NZD ($240 USD)
  • Age Restriction: 18 And Over
  • Duration: 5 Hours
  • Includes: Pickup and Drop Off

After that, it's time for a private tasting of the winery's very own wines with a charcuterie board featuring local cheeses.