Wanaka wine tour: 6 vineyards, 30 wines, lunch included

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.88 (51 reviews) 94% rated it 5 stars

Likely to sell out

1/6

Duration6h 30m

GroupUp to 8

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Taste your way through Central Otago without driving or planning the stops

A full-day small-group wine tour in Wanaka and Central Otago takes you to 6 boutique vineyards where you taste approximately 30 hand-crafted wines, meet the owners and winemakers, and sit down to a five-course barrel-cooked banquet matched with five award-winning wines. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, along with a guide who explains the region's geography, soils and winemaking characters. The tour runs 6.5 hours and suits everyone from complete novices to dedicated enthusiasts.

The Experience

What makes this region punch above its weight? That's the question your guide will answer as you move through six of Wanaka and Central Otago's premium boutique vineyards. You'll taste Pinot Noir, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Rosé and Sauvignon Blanc—roughly 30 wines in total—while the guide walks you through the geography, history and soils that shape each one. These are the little gems quietly building a big reputation, and you'll get close to the people making them: the vineyard owners and winemakers themselves, not just the tasting room staff.

Halfway through, you stop at a popular local vineyard restaurant overlooking the vines for a gourmet platter. But this isn't a quick snack: you're sitting down to a five-course barrel-cooked banquet, each course matched with one of the region's award-winning wines. There's time built in for photos and conversation—the day moves at a pace that lets you absorb what you're tasting instead of rushing to the next stop.

Your knowledgeable guide picks you up from your Wanaka accommodation and brings you back when the tour ends, so you're free to taste without worrying about driving or navigating between vineyards. Whether you know nothing about wine or you've been collecting for years, the tour is built to work for both: the commentary is entertaining and insightful without being condescending, and the wines themselves—world-class, well-balanced, delightful—do most of the talking.

What’s included

Hotel pickup and drop-off from your Wanaka accommodation.
a professional local guide providing live commentary in English.
tastings at 6 boutique vineyards.
a five-course barrel-cooked banquet matched with five award-winning wines.
approximately 30 hand-crafted Central Otago wines tasted across the day.
gourmet food and vineyard views.
GST.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Wanaka Wine Tours

Is this one for you?Small groups mean you're tasting alongside other wine lovers rather than on a crowded coach, and the pace—6.5 hours with time at each vineyard and a proper sit-down lunch—lets you absorb what you're learning instead of moving fast to hit a checklist. Book this if you want to taste serious Central Otago wines and meet the people making them, without the logistics of driving between vineyards yourself.