Well known for its wineries, and the self-proclaimed “Chardonnay Capital” of NewZealand, wine lovers will find plenty to explore in Gisborne. Here are some local spots fans of the grape should see while they’re in town:
Lake Road Wines
Most well known for their Chardonnay and Pinot Gris, this is a white wine aficionados’ haven. Their cellar door offering includes a wide range of local and international wines, so there’s plenty of opportunity for compare and contrast tastings here.
Matawhero Wines
Matawhero has been making wines in Gisborne since the 1960s so they have plenty of older vintages to try. Importing rare varieties of grapes from Austria, Italy, France, Spain and Portugal there are a lot of regional flavours on offer. If you fancy an overnight stay, they also have a delightful vineyard cottage listed on Airbnb, which would be a lovely place to spend a wine-filled weekend.
Wrights Vineyard and Winery
Focusing on organic wines and sustainable farming practices, if you’re looking to avoid hangovers and enjoy some of the best local wines the region has to offer, you’ll want to make a stop here. They also have a small olive grove, so you can pick up a bottle of their organic olive oil while you’re here too. Their cellar door has a festive feel to it - with a pizza oven, a range of gourmet platters on the menu and live music this is a lovely place to settle in for a few hours.
Bushmere Estate
With a generous 17 hectares, this estate produces a substantial amount of wine for both locals and the export market. In addition to their cellar door offerings, they also invite you to “dine in the vines” at their restaurant, which often hosts up-and-coming chefs focussing on wine matching. If you’ve had enough of the excellent white wines on offer, then try their Diavolo Rosso Fortified Sweet Red – perfect with their dessert platter of fresh berries and locally made chocolate truffles.
Gisborne Wine Centre
If after your wanderings you’re wishing you picked up one more bottle (or a carton or two) then the Gisborne Wine Centre is the perfect place to see the very best of all the local wines on offer. With the most extensive selection of wines from all the local vineyards (and beyond) this is an excellent one-stop-shop. They also have an onsite restaurant and bar where you can enjoy lunch, dinner or drinks overlooking the harbour – perfection.
