Wineries of Marlborough New Zealand

Marlborough New Zealand, the capital of Sauvignon Blanc, is an excellent stop for some of the best wineries of this varietal in the world.

Marlborough Wineries of New Zealand
Marlborough, New Zealand

Even if you’re not a big Sauvignon Blanc fan, it’s still a great way to spend a day. Maybe you’re more into Pinot Noir, which is the second varietal by volume here, and gaining international attention. Or, maybe you’re just onto enjoying a sunny day in a beautiful area with great food!

About The Wineries in Marlborough, New Zealand

The best areas in Marlborough for wine tasting are in Renwick and Blenheim, as many great vineyards and wineries are clustered there. I’ve attached a link to the latest trail map and the wineries in it (below).

Renwick and Blenheim Trail Map 2024

The trail map list the website, address, phone, destination highlights, types of wines, if the location serves food or not, EV charging, and if tours are available by appointment.

Key Renwick & Blenheim Wineries

It’s helpful to review the website of the places you want to visit in advance. Also make sure to verify hours of operation for each and closures. Note that some wineries recommend booking your tasting in advance.

All Marlborough, New Zealand Wineries

The establishments listed above are just the wineries listed on the Renwick and Blenheim trail map. Overall, there are between 150 and 200 wineries in Marlborough. See this link for all the Marlborough Wineries.

Special Events In Marlborough

You can also coordinate your visit with a local special event, like International Sauvignon Blanc Day (usually the first Friday in May), or the annual Food & Wine Festival, which is usually held in early February.

This looks like a ton of fun! Of course, rooms will book up well I. Advance for this, so make sure to get tickets and plan early.

Getting Around The Wineries of New Zealand

Since the wineries in Renwick and Blenheim are relatively close together, it’s easiest to make a day of wine tasting there.

A great place to start is to visit one of the I-Site visitor center locations in the area. They are very extremely helpful and can advise on the best stops based on your taste preferences. They also will have all the latest information and can suggest the best tours.

As an overview, however, there are several ways to get around the area.

Self Drive 

A rental car or motorcycle gives you the most flexibility, but if you don’t have a designated driver, please skip this option.

DIY Bicycle Tours

Renwick is a flat area with wineries fairly close together so you can easily do a bicycle tour. Some even offer tandem, roadster, and motorized bikes, making it even easier.

They all offer pick up/drop off to locations/hotels in the area. If you’re outside their area, consider taking a bus to a location where they may pick you up (like the Blenheim I-Site).

Be cautious of drinking and bike riding, however. It can be dangerous. Ask for the latest NZ rules about driving while intoxicated (DWI). Where I live in Arizona, riding a bicycle while intoxicated is also considered a DWI and can result in jail time. The tandem and roadster bikes help some, by allowing a designated driver.

You can also find bicycle tours on Viator, Trip Advisor, and, of course, visit the I-Site to learn the most up-to-date details.

Hop On Hop Off Shuttle

Hop-On-Hop-Off Wine Tours is a shuttle that offers afternoon and full day tours. They provide a map of the locations and the route, you get to decide which venues to stop at.

This option is ideal as you don’t need to worry about drinking and driving/riding, plus it gives you some flexibility on wineries to stop at.

The afternoon tour starts at noon and lasts 4 hours. Its stops at 4 venues. The full day tours start at 10:25 and 11:25 and last 6 hours. It stops at 7 venues. You do need to pay for the tastings.

Van Tours & Private Tours

There are also a variety of van and other private tours, but too many to list here. Therefore, it’s best to find the latest on Viator, Trip Advisor, and AirBnb Experiences. You can also stop into the I-Site for options.

Some of these operators have set stops, and some will cater a tour to your tasting desires. Of course the later, will be pricier.

Manaka Confections

If you like chocolate, plan a stop at Manaka Confections to taste hand made chocolate and other sweet treats. In addition to sampling a few delights, you can get to see how they are made.

Manaka is located closest to the Saint Clare winery.

My Visit

I decided to do a full day tour that stopped at 8 wineries and included a fabulous, and well needed, lunch.

It’s easy for the wine to add up as you get ally have multiple tastings at each location. Overall, I think I tasted 40 different wines, so I’m certainly glad I wasn’t riding a bicycle! It’s also probably why I ended up with so few pictures of this spectacular area (LOL). Guess I need to go back.

Marlborough Wineries of New Zealand

My first stop was to Hunter’s Wines. This is the first winery that helped put Marlborough, New Zealand wineries on the map (see history below). I definitely recommend stopping here, not only to taste the wines, but also for the historical perspective.

After Hunter’s I also visited, Whitehaven, Geisen, Allen Scott, Omaka Springs, No. 1 Family Estate, Nautilus, and Lawson’s Dry Hills. It was a perfect day! And I would have loved to have visited more, but that will need to be another visit.

Overall, I really enjoyed my stop here. I love the crisp, dry flavors of the Sauvignon Blancs, and to visit these wineries in person was definitely one of the highlights of my visit to New Zealand.

Plus, New Zealanders are such nice, down to earth people, it really makes it a fabulous experience. Although they have excellent wines, there’s no wine snobiness here. If anything, since visiting, I’m even a bigger fan of New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs.

History of Wines in Marlborough

Amazingly, for all the awards and international acclaim, the Sauvignon Blanc vines in Marlborough are relatively young.

1970’s – The Search For The Perfect Growing Location

In the early 1970’s growing grapes for wine was not a serious consideration in Marlborough. That all started to change when Montana (now Brancott Estate), who had vineyards in the Hawkes Bay area, wanted to expand their offering. 

They evaluated areas in New Zealand, looking for new places with ideal growing conditions. After careful research, they decided on Marlborough and secretly bought almost 3,000 acres (1,173 hectares) of property.

When locals finally learned who bought the land and why, they did not take it seriously. This was understandable as previous wine attempts here were less than stellar. However, they had never tried to grow European varietals here.

1980’s – Early Failures Turn to Sucesses

Unfortunately, early attempts of these new varietals had their share of trial and error, even though growing conditions here were perfect. In fact, in the mid 1980’s, there was actually a glut of wine here.

To help, the government actually started offering to pay farmers to pull their vines in Marlborough.

Around this same time (1986), Ernie Hunter from Hunter’s Wines, entered a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc into London’s Sunday Times Vintage Festival, an important venue for award winning wines.

There were over 100 other entries from 13 different countries, but the Hunter Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc won the best non-Chardonnay full dry white of the show. In fact, Hunter’s won the next three years in a row. 

Cloudy Bay also launched it‘s second vintage around this time, also receiving rave reviews in the UK. Both of these events were pivotal in putting Marlborough, New Zealand wineries on the global wine map.

As the government had already funded removal of vines, and no stipulations had been made on replacement, farmers kept their irrigation systems and vine supports and used government funds to replant with Savignon Blanc.

This incredible timing is one of the reasons there are so many amazing wineries in Marlborough.

Today

Today, the area once considered laughable for growing wine, now makes up 70 – 80% of all New Zealand wines, with 90% of it Sauvignon Blanc.

In fact, now it’s hard to even think about Sauvignon Blanc without thinking of Marlborough, New Zealand.

Want More of New Zealand?

New Zealand is truly an amazing place and there’s a lot to see. For amazing hiking adventures, see my posts on hiking the Routeburn Track, Mount Tongariro, Abel Tasman Coastal Track, and Cape Brett Walkway.

And for other top sites on the South Island, you can’t miss stunning Queenstown, Milford Sound, Franz Joesef Glacier, or Wanaka.

If you’re looking for a great overview of them all, check out my New Zealand Travel Guide, where you’ll learn more about the top destinations, how to get around, when to visit, tips, and more.

Hello! I resigned from a corporate career in product development to explore the world. Although my goal was to travel for a year, 8 years later, I’ve been honored to have explored more than 60 gorgeous countries and met some unbelievably amazing people. Our world truly is a beautiful place! Follow me into the gorgeous unknown by subscribing below. You’ll receive details on fabulous destinations, comprehensive travel guides, travel tips and tidbits, and information on travel trends, like experiential, sustainable, and transformational travel. Where is your next gorgeous unknown? Julie

One Comment

  • Kerry Dare

    Aside from the obvious > wine > what a beautiful place. My sister lives in a expanding winery area around San Luis Obispo, CA. Its great to wander the area and listen to each story. I believe your place much prettier

    Thanks for sharing

    Oh, by the way, Its 9:30 Monday morning, at work. Go ahead be jealous

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