The Auckland Wine Story
AUCKLAND
Auckland is New Zealand’s largest city and home to one of the country’s oldest and most diverse wine regions, spanning the narrow width of the upper North Island.
From world-class food and wine, to beautiful islands and amazing outdoors, you’ll find the best of both worlds right here in Auckland.
Auckland’s wine regions produce well regarded wines, specializing in Chardonnay, Bordeaux Blends and Syrah. Enjoy tastings at winery cellar doors, on one of the many wine tours on offer or explore at your own pace. If the sun’s shining, you can’t go past a long lunch overlooking the vines.
WAIHEKE ISLAND
Waiheke Island is one of New Zealand’s premium red wine regions with Bordeaux blends and Syrahs grown here. Being an island in the Hauraki Gulf it is drier and warmer than the mainland.
After a 40-minute ferry ride from downtown or a quick flight in a private seaplane or helicopter, you will enjoy stunning clifftop wineries and small artisan producers. While visiting this beautiful island of wine, we can ensure that you also take the time to see what activities and tours are on offer.
For those wanting some excitement during your visit, EcoZip Adventures offers stunning views of the city, an award-winning winery, and a regenerating forest, while ziplining at over 30 miles per hour!
MATAKANA
50-minutes north of downtown Auckland, Matakana is warmer, perched on the regions east coast with vineyards mainly on gentle slopes
producing rich Pinot Gris and acclaimed Cabernet Merlot Blends.
If you are interested in art, then the Matakana region is the location for you. Outdoor sculptures are a prominent medium on offer in the region at the world class wine and art infused Brick Bay and Sculptureum.
Every Saturday Matakana’s main square comes alive with their renowned Farmers Market. Along with New Zealand’s only Oyster Farm tour, the Matakana Farmers Market is an absolute must. With a focus on locally sourced, artisanal products, it is a foodies’ dream location.
KUMEU
A 30min drive west of the of the city, Kumeu is located in the foothills of the Waitakere Ranges, it is one of the oldest areas of winemaking in the country. The complex clay soils produce some of the best Chardonnay in the world along with classic Merlot based reds which age remarkably well.
Multi-generational Croatian families have been making wine in the region for over 70 years, making some of New Zealand’s most renowned wines.
Auckland’s west coast is famous for its spectacular scenery, native wildlife and rugged black-sand beaches. We can add some adventure to your day with Skydive Auckland. The offer the highest tandem skydive in New Zealand’s North Island, where visitors can jump from a thrilling 20,000ft.
CLEVEDON
Clevedon is the ideal place to experience New Zealand’s genuine country charm. Situated 35-minutes east of Auckland’s CBD, Clevedon is the perfect destination for an afternoon drive or a weekend retreat.
Visit the regions boutique wineries, enjoy a group tasting or dine al fresco overlooking the vines. Pick up fresh produce and delicious homemade foods at the Clevedon Farmers’ Market or join a foodie tour for a culinary tour of the region.
If you’ve got the whole day, visit the nearby Hunua Ranges and walk to the Hunua Falls, or try one of the many other walking trails and mountain biking tracks.
WINE LIST
Kumeu River Crémant
The Kumeu River, Kumeu Crémant is from the world famous Brajkovich Family of Kumeu, West Auckland. The wine is made in an exacting style to qualify for the status of Crémant. It’s a delicious dry sparkling wine. As the saying goes, there should always be a bottle of bubbles in the fridge for a special occasion… sometimes that special occasion is that you have a bottle of bubbles in the fridge!
Kumeu River Maté’s Vineyard Chardonnay
After immigrating to New Zealand from Croatia in 1937, Maté Brajkovich and his parents purchased a small mixed use farm in West Auckland. A small plot of the site was planted with grape vines. That site would go on to be called Maté’s Vineyard. Replanted in 1990 it now produces “New Zealand’s if not the World’s finest Chardonnay” according to wine writer, Jancis Robinson.
Matua Sauvignon Blanc
In Maori, Matua means ‘the head of the family’, so it would be very fitting that in the early 70s Matua Valley Winery, in West Auckland would be the first winery to discover a new grape variety called Sauvignon Blanc. It performed quite well in New Zealand’s climate and conditions. Cuttings propagated from the original West Auckland vineyard were taken to Marlborough as a test. The rest is history.
New Zealand now produces just under 300,000 tonnes of Sauvignon Blanc every year.
Gillman’s Matakana Reserve
With a love of the great wines of Bordeaux, in 1995 Toby Gillman travelled to Château Angélus in Saint-Émilion to learn the craft of making great blended red wine. On returning to New Zealand he discovered that Matakana had a very similar soil and climate to Bordeaux. In the style of a great Bordeaux house, Gillman’s only make one wine. 25 years of crafting the best they can from Matakana.
Puriri Hills Harmonie Du Soir
The first wines Judy Fowler, founder and winemaker of Puriri Hills ever tried were first growth Bordeauxs. Originally from Richmond, Virginia, Judy travelled the world to find a parcel of land that she believed could make wines that would show New Zealand could compete at the top of the wine world.
Te Motu, Dunleavy Nectar
The Dunleavy Family are a third-generation winemaking family based on Waiheke Island, their flagship wine is called Te Motu, which means ‘The Island’ in Maori. The Dunleavy’s specialise in classic Bordeaux-style varieties. The Nectar is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon late harvest wine.