Wine Trails in Hawkes Bay

With over 100 vineyards and 80 wineries, Hawkes Bay is the first stop on the classic New Zealand Wine Trail, and a perfect opportunity to sample some of the country’s finest wines. The second largest and oldest wine region in the country and with a climate similar to that of Bordeaux the area is dominated by reds, with grapes including Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon making up the majority of the vineyards plantings.

The last thing you’ll probably want to be doing is driving when you’re visiting the wineries, so we really recommend a wine tour of the local vineyards to make the most of the regions wonderful wines.

We’ve spent many an afternoon enjoying a glass of New Zealand’s finest with Greg at Great Escape Wine tours. He started his career at Oddbins in Glasgow, but now spends his days in the sunnier climes of Hawkes Bay as Chief Wine Tasting Officer (what a brilliant title!) at Grape Escape Wine Tours.

Enjoy a fun, blissfully relaxing and unhurried wine tasting afternoon with Greg as he takes you out through the beautiful countryside of Hawkes Bay to some of his favourite wineries where you’ll sit out in the sunshine, sampling some fantastic wine, accompanied by delicious local food and enjoying the company of new friends.

You’ll get to taste around 30 wines including the main varieties, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, as well as Pinot Gris, Viognier and the lesser known aromatics such as Gewurztraminer and Riesling, and there are plenty of opportunities to buy a bottle or two to take away with you!