Chefs Private Martinborough wine tour with Gourmet Lunch
Remutaka Range, Wellington
Enjoy the Martinborough experience and experience the premium wine country of the Wairarapa.
Martinborough Wine Tour with French Chef Guide
Discover Martinborough’s premium wine region with a French-trained chef or expert sommelier guide, ideal for wine enthusiasts exploring local vineyards.
Highlights
- Guided by a qualified French chef
- Personal walking tour with your guide and fellow food lovers
- Explore pristine wine regions around Martinborough
Description
Experience a curated wine journey through Martinborough’s boutique vineyards, led by a French-trained chef or nature enthusiast guide revealing lesser-known landscapes. Tours are subject to availability with some substitutions.
Meet the winemaker and owner on a stroll through an exclusive estate producing fewer than 20,000 bottles annually, focusing on Bordeaux and Burgundy style wines. The 2024 Merlot offers rich viscosity, while the 2024 Pinot Noir features kirsch and cherry overtones with truffle and tobacco notes from river terrace soils.
Meet the Chef tours are available Thursday to Sunday and include decadent, shared gourmet food boards made with locally sourced ingredients paired with eight Alsace-led wine tastings.
Horizontal wine tastings run Wednesday to Sunday, offering expert sommelier-led sampling of vintages from 2016 to 2021 at two estates, totaling six wines.
Martinborough originated in 1870 as Wharekaka, near the Māori settlement of Waihenga. It developed into New Zealand's first private town, primarily settled by Scottish farmers. The region earned acclaim after 1986 for its Burgundy-like climate and soil, producing award-winning wines, especially Pinot Noir, renowned throughout New Zealand and internationally.
Includes
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Three wine tastings with four 50ml samples per venue
- Leisurely lunch with one main course per person
- Expert commentary from your chef guide
- Bottled water
This seven-hour experience reveals the rural heartland of the Wairarapa region and immerses you in Martinborough’s wine culture, just 75 minutes from Wellington.
Excludes
- Wine by the glass
- Wine by the bottle
Cancellation Policy
Cancel up to 24 hours before the tour for a full refund.
Book in advance and bring comfortable walking shoes. The best time to visit is during vineyard harvest or mild weather months for optimal tasting conditions.
