Muriwai Scenic Wine Tour from Auckland
Description
Discover the delicate wines of New Zealand’s North Island on this 3.5-hour wine tour from Auckland at Soljans Vineyard. Travel through the scenic Waimauku, Kumeu and Huapai regions with a guide and enjoy sweeping views over the pretty countryside. Stroll along the black sands at Muriwai and watch native gannets in the distance in rock outcrops- their natural habitat at Otakamiro Point. Then, visit another local winery and sample some of their Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling, or Sauvignon Blanc.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Soljans Estate was established in 1937 and is owned and operated by the 5th generation of the same family. They produce Estate Chardonnay and Pinot Gris and well as Marlborough Riesling , Gewurtztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. They produce Syrah and Cabernet Blends from Hawkes Bay and Sparkling Muscat from Gisborne. The also have an enviable reputation for their Tawny Ports.
Visit family owned West Brook Wines established in 1935 for a cellar door tasting. Situated in the picturesque Waimauku Valley you can try award winning Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Malbec from their own vineyard as well as Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir from their estates in Marlborough
Next you’ll be taken through beautiful rolling sheep and cattle country out to Muriwai, a seaside enclave popular with surfers and famous for its black sand beaches. Here you can watch the Gannets August to May courting, mating and rearing their young preparing them for the winter migration. There are spectacular views of the Tasman Sea and rugged West Coast from the lookouts.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Minimum drinking age is 18 years
- Child rate applies only when sharing with two paying adults
Reviews(132)
Great tour with John. We were fortunate to have a private tour with John today. He was fantastic. He gave us so much good information about the area and tailored the wine tour to our taste. We visited Soljans and Hunting Lodge cellar doors as well as the gannet colony at Muriwai Beach. It was a perfect day.
Very knowledgable and informative guide. Nice, personble touch. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience.
Knowledgeable guide. The wines were surprisingly good. Scenery was spectacular. Good value for the tour
Hi Nishea, Thank you for taking the time to write your positive review. I'm glad the experience met with your approval. I enjoyed spending the afternoon with you both. Kind regards - John McFarlane
John was very knowledgeable and friendly! A great trip!!! The wineries were quite good and the gannets fantastic! We definitely recommend the tour.
Hi William, Thanks for your excellent feedback. So pleased this tour worked for you. I hope you'll follow NZWINEPRO® on Insta or Facebook to stay in touch All the best John McFarlane
We really enjoyed our wine tasting and trip to see the gannets. John was excellent we learnt a lot. I would definitely recommend this tour
Great small group tour with a wonderful guide. He was very forthcoming with great stories and insights. Saw breathtaking views of the coast with black sand.
Great experience with an even greater guide. The wine tasting was great and the gannet visit was incredible!
This half day tour is highly recommended! If we had time, we would have done the full day tour, especially after having such a great time in only 4 hours. From start to finish, the tour was fun and as informative as we wanted. John answered all of our questions and gave us heaps of background knowledge. His story is amazing to hear too. The wineries were a delight, with tasting guides at each one. We had options to shop the gift store, eat snacks or meals if needed. Plus we stopped at a beach and saw all kinds of bird life. Although we didnt need any - John had water bottles on hand for us if we wanted. Even though it was a rainy day, we had a blast regardless. If you choose to tour with John, I think it will be one if the best tour decisions you make :D
Hi Joy, Thanks fo such a great review of the Muriwai Scenic Wine Tour. I am delighted that this tour met your best expectations, and that the inclusions, wineries and attractions all made you feel you had made a sound choice. I do hope you'll follow @NZWINEPRO on Facebook or Instagram where I post things of interest I come across on my travels. Best regards - John McFarlane
Great tour of some lovely vineyards with great wines. The ride through the countryside was beautiful and the guide was very knowledgeable about the area and viniculture.
BOOK THIS TOUR or at least a tour with THIS tour guide/company!!! It was such a blast, the day really flew by. The wineries were stunning and tasteful wines - curated tasting to our palates and a little outside of our "taste bud box" as well. We visited Soljans first. Denise was delightful sharing her knowledge and family history. Hearing of 5 generations and the family ties was heartwarming and I think, came through in the beauty of their wines & port. Oh the port! Yummy! I took a whole bottle home 🤭. I like the little gift shop as well - very reasonable priced. We then visited a black sand beach and could take enough photos of the birds (gannet). Followed by visiting Westbrook winery - with stunning scenery /vineyard. It was rainning so we sat inside which was pretty and cozy as well. Not to mention the step by step tasting session. Another lovely set of 5 wines & fabulous food menu (charcuterie, pizzas, & more). They even allowed us to try some grapes off the vine on our way out. I've saved the best for last, if you've read this far.. rhe tour guide, John, has an astounding depth of wine knowledge! I can't even begin to tell his story - that is for him to tell, so I beg you to ask him because it is truly beyond fascinating! He could go deep into the science or worldly experiences or explain why certain notes appear in a wine due to the growing process. Not to mention he can explain things in simple terms too if needed 😊 I am beyond grateful to have taken this tour and highly recommend it, if you can! Cheers & enjoy!!!
