Pick up a wine map from your nearest i-SITE and spend the day exploring the Nelson Wine Trail at your own pace or join a guided tour so you can taste as much as you like. Visit the various cellar doors across the Waimea Plains and Moutere Hills, taste wine straight from the barrel at Gravity, enjoy lunch at one of the vineyard restaurants, walk through the vines at Flaxmore or hire some bikes to explore wine country.
New Zealand Winegrowers
describes Nelson as a boutique wine region that produces outstanding Pinot
Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and aromatics, along with several
‘impressive’ emerging varieties.
‘Nelson’ wines are produced in
Tasman, but the regions’ promoters refer to the two districts like a Siamese
twin, Nelson-Tasman.
Wine varieties are classic New
Zealand, but the wine makers capitalise on the unique terroir and plentiful
sunshine to bring out the region’s distinct flavour notes.
There are some very well-known
labels made in Tasman, and they join marketing forces and collaborate with the
smaller winemakers. Some of the cellar doors offer luxury accommodation, art,
and food. All well worth exploring if you’re a ‘taste seeker’.
Of the 18 cellar doors listed
on the Taste Nelson
Wine map,12 are within riding distance from the Great Taste
Trail. We recommend you plan to allow enough time to visit a cellar door or
two.
The sub-region ‘Tasman Coastal’
lies roughly between Māpua and Riwaka. You can detour from the Great Taste
Trail to discover Riwaka River Estate, Kina Beach Vineyard, Kina Cliffs
Vineyard, Blackenbrook Vineyard, Ruby Bay Vineyard and Rimu Wine Bar (right in
Māpua).
The subregion ‘Waimea Plains’
takes in the well-known Seifried Estate and its restaurant, and five other
vineyards, again all pretty close to the Great Taste Trail.
Do check the websites prior as
some close for the winter months, and others have limited or by-appointment
opening hours.
The best place to start is Wine Nelson Download the cellar door map
or use the Nelson Tasman
Wineries Google map.
