I’m back in Auckland over the Christmas and my cousin and I who both live in London thought it would be fun to sample award-winning wines from world-renowned vineyards in one of the world’s best islands (as voted by World’s Best Awards).

So for only 150NZD, I booked our Wine on Waiheke Tour with Fullers.

A few years ago I did my own self-guided wine tour by selecting the wineries I wanted to visit in advance and making my own way around them by bus.  It was good however, we found ourselves waiting for extended periods between wineries for the bus to show up so decided to do an ‘official’ tour this time.  If you do decide to do it yourself, keep in mind most wineries are open from 10am-5pm and some may be closed for events like weddings, so call first if you are making your own itinerary.

We took the ferry from downtown Auckland over to Waiheke Island and were met at the terminal by our incredible guide.  I feel awful for not remembering her name, but she truly was wonderful – a Waiheke local and everything you expect from Kiwi hospitality.

MUDBRICK VINEYARD AND RESTAURANT

Our first tasting was at Mudbrick. Lined with olive trees and lavender, this lovely vineyard and restaurant is the perfect setting to try their Viognier, Rose´and Syrah. The spectacular view of the Hauraki Gulf doesn’t hurt either. Mudbrick is home to award-winning winemakers and viticulturists, and produces a variety of Chardonnay and Bordeaux blends. The stunning winery and restaurant is surrounded by breathtaking gardens and their namesake mudbrick buildings.Will definitely come back here to lay about on the beanbags in the sun on a beautiful afternoon because our stop was a little rushed and it would have been fab to relax and explore this beautiful property.

CABLE BAY VINEYARD

This was a fascinating behind-the-scenes tour of the wine-making process at Cable Bay Vineyards. We started in the Cellar which although was underground was lovely as it was a VERY hot day.  They served us some amazing cheese alongside their beautiful wines. Here we were able to enjoy tasting four Cable Bay current releases, witness a wedding ceremony and take in the beautiful ocean views.

TE WHAU VINEYARD

With panoramic views of the sea and Auckland on the other side of the island, stands this award-winning restaurant and vineyard. We had the pleasure of tasting their flagship Bordeaux-blend that has earned praises nationally and internationally.  It is a lovely location but we did find the staff to be rude and unfriendly which put a slight dampening on our experience.  Our wonderful tour guide did have words with the staff and they then offered us an additional tasting. My cousin and I then wandered the vineyard and styled our own hilarious photoshoot among the vines.

Watch this video to see a round up of our tour:

We had our guide drop us off in Little Oneroa after the tour to explore the shops and enjoy a late lunch at The Oyster Inn, which is just divine. You’ll notice in the ‘where to eat’ section of this blog that I’ve visited this restaurant before.

We finished the afternoon with a few drinks on the beach before taking the ferry back to Auckland.

Ferries back to Auckland run 22 times daily with last trip from Waiheke to Auckland at 12.30AM, so there is definitely more time to explore this gorgeous island! Here’s the Ferry Timetable: Waiheke to Auckland.

Here’s to amazing travels, good friends and good wine!