Wanaka Wine Tours — Local services in South Island

The highlight of our trip to New Zealand! Amazing experience biking from Lake Hāwea to Roys Bay in Lake Wānaka, followed by an excellent lunch and wine tasting with Scott at three local vineyards.

Scott picked us up in the morning right outside our accommodation in Wānaka, and to our surprise we were the first and only two people on the tour that day! As we drove to our starting point at Lake Hāwea, Scott educated us on the history and recent developments in the area, while also pointing out some of the highlights we would see on our bike ride. He provided very clear directions for our route, and ensured we were safe and comfortable on the bikes before we set off.

The ride was absolutely stunning, taking us from the tracks along Lake Hāwea, connecting us to the Hāwea River Track, Clutha River, and eventually riding from all the way around to Roys Bay. We had about 4 hours to complete the ride and connect with Scott back in Wānaka, which was more than enough time to capture dozens (if not hundreds!) of photos along the way, and even stop for a coffee! The e-bikes themselves were comfortable and easy to use, I have a bad knee and the support provided by the e-bike allowed me to take on the terrain without any pain during or after the ride. If you are new or not too confident in biking off-road, don't be deterred as the e-bike truly does all the hard work for you!

After meeting back up with Scott, the wine tour began with an excellent lunch and wine pairing at the Stoker Room. My fiancé and I know very little about wine, and Scott proved to be a wealth of knowledge, answering every serious and silly question while providing tremendous insight into why the Otaga region was so perfect for wine. Since it was just us three, the afternoon quickly began to feel less like a formal tour, and more like a visit with an old friend who just happened to be a wine connoisseur! Aitkin's Folly was our favorite stop on the tour, as the owners and their two dogs were right with you as you sipped and chatted.

The care and preparation Scott put in to crafting this unique experience made this a day we will never forget. I highly recommend this particular tour for anyone seeking a breathtaking outdoor biking experience, followed by a delicious meal and intimate wine tour with an excellent person and...

We had such a good time on this wine tour. Robin took the tour and drove us to four local boutique wineries, all different and all well set up for groups like ours. We were a group of seven, a real mix of nationalities and ages, and we all got on well and had a great laugh along the way.

We tasted five wines in each place, mainly pinot noir, sauvignon blanc, pinot gris, rosé, riesling, chardonnay, and a very special ginger wine. A good range of different styles, with some common characteristics of the region. The fruitiness was the main feature I found in most of the wines we tried. Quite different from Marlborough and other regions.

It was lovely to see some more of the countryside and beautiful scenery outside Wanaka on the trip. It took about five hours and was well-paced. The platters of food at Allan Scott Winery were generous and delicious...and necessary! The winery staff were friendly and informative and each place very much had its own style.

Robin is a great tour leader. We had fun with him and he made the whole trip feel relaxed and informal. I would highly recommend this trip to get out of town and try some delicious local wines at small local wineries. Five...

What a fantastic way to spend a day with friends - all involved absolutely loved the day we spent with Wanaka Wine Tours. The boutique vineyards we visited were consistently welcoming and friendly, and were all slightly off the beaten track, offering a nice surprise for the locals in our group. Management of the actual event was seamless (thanks Scott!) - we were provided with clear communications throughout, handy advise and friendly customer service from start to finish. Our tour guide Heidi was lovely, some how patient with us all, shared stories and information with us and was the perfect addition to our group. I'd recommend highly to anyone looking to try out some Central Otago vineyards (including Wanaka locals!), thanks again for a...