What to do and see in Blenheim, South Island: The Best Wineries & Vineyards

June 26, 2021 Deane Carmody

Sample the beloved vintages of the Marlborough Wine Region in Blenheim, an agricultural town in the heart of New Zealand’s renowned wine hub. More than 20 wineries are just a hop, skip and a corkscrew away from Blenheim, where a stream of cafes and restaurants serve up tasty, artisan fare. One of the sunniest towns in New Zealand, Blenheim is the perfect destination for foodies and wine lovers who love to soak up the sun while sipping the fruits of a vineyard’s labor.
Restaurants in Blenheim

1. Eradus Wines Cellar Door

193 Rapaura Road Rd 4, Blenheim 7273 New Zealand +64 3-577 5177 [email protected] http://www.eraduswines.co.nz
Excellent
100%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 8 reviews

Eradus Wines Cellar Door

Eradus Wines Cellar Door Winetasting, Wine/food match and Import wines

2. Terravin Cellar Door

367 Brookby Road, Blenheim 7272 New Zealand +64 3-572 9890 [email protected] http://www.terravin.co.nz
Excellent
94%
Good
6%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 17 reviews

Terravin Cellar Door

The TerraVin Cellar Door is located on a North facing slope in the Omaka Valley. A beautiful site with the most amazing views.Come and try our hand picked, hand crafted wines in our little Cellar Door hosted by Nicki.

3. Huia

22 Boyces Road R.d.3, Rapaura, Blenheim 7273 New Zealand +64 3-572 8326 [email protected] http://Www.hunkydorywine.co.nz
Excellent
86%
Good
14%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 14 reviews

Huia

Reviewed By ericmK8735LG - Villeneuve d'Ascq, France

On a seriously rainy day, cycling through the Marlborough wine country (wine tours by bike !) we stopped at Huia cellar door to a brilliant welcome and the most informative and interactive tasting of the day. We even learnt that smelling coffee is the best way to clear your nose for wine tasting. Great wines, we particularly enjoyed Vanilla notes in the Chardonnay, a truly unique and complex Rose and the fabulous 2013 Pinot Noir

4. Sugar Loaf Wines

230 Rapaura Road, Blenheim 7273 New Zealand [email protected] http://www.sugarloafwines.co.nz
Excellent
100%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 3 reviews

Sugar Loaf Wines

A small family owned winery and vineyard with a focus on premium estate grown Riesling, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Come and knock on our door us and taste some wines with the people who really make the wine - we don't have dedicated cellar door staff, our winemakers run the tasting room and love to share the passion for what we produce. Unfortunately we're unable to cater for large groups.

Reviewed By L0zzaH - London, United Kingdom

This winery was a bit further to cycle to than some of the big names, but we’re very glad we did. We tried 9 wines with no charge and bought 2. The wines were the best we’d tasted on our tour of 4 wineries. The cellar door is small and service friendly.

5. Wither Hills Cellar Door

211 New Renwick Road, Blenheim 7272 New Zealand +64 3-520 8284 [email protected] http://www.witherhills.co.nz
Excellent
67%
Good
22%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
4%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 310 reviews

Wither Hills Cellar Door

Our Cellar Door allows you to appreciate the true beauty of Marlborough while enjoying a comprehensive tasting of the wines we are so passionate about. Open seven days a week, we also offer tours of our vine library and barrel hall. Our cellar door is a blend of contemporary design and character – the perfect location for a leisurely break with friends and family. We also serve lunch at the Wither Hills Restaurant - please see our other listing for more information.

Reviewed By themusketts - Auckland, New Zealand

My hubby and I decided to pop in to see the wines, we had a delightful wine tasting and enjoyed the amazing service, we loved it so much ended up having a delicious lunch - thank you

6. Spy Valley Wines

37 Lake Timara Road West, Blenheim 7276 New Zealand +64 3-572 6088 [email protected] http://www.spyvalleywine.co.nz/
Excellent
71%
Good
26%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 107 reviews

Spy Valley Wines

Spy Valley is a New Zealand Family owned must-visit winery with a reputation for consistently producing great value, sustainable, award-winning wines. Come and experience complimentary tastings of our wines, see award winning architecture and learn the secrets behind the name, Spy Valley. Family friendly with a large picnic area overlooking the vines. We are the 2013 Winner of the "Best of Wine Tourism" award for Architecture and Landscapes. Summer Hours: Open daily 10.30am - 4.30pm October- April Winter Hours: Mon-Fri 10.30am-4.30pm May - October

Reviewed By morganicchemistry - Wisconsin, United States

I visited Spy Valley with my mom and overall we had a good experience. The tasting includes the more common varieties they produce (sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, gewurztraminer, riesling, chardonnay) so there's little introduction necessary, in my opinion. I found the space to be open and welcoming, and Della was pleasant and helpful as we planned our day.

7. Clos Henri Vineyard

639 State Highway 63, Blenheim 7271 New Zealand +64 3-572 7923 http://www.clos-henri.com/
Excellent
76%
Good
16%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
0%
Terrible
3%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 55 reviews

Clos Henri Vineyard

Reviewed By comtois2570 - Besancon, France

I went here to discover the french touch in Marlborough's wines. It was an amazing experience. This place is very nice and their staff professional. She explains to me a lot about this property in New Zealand and their other one in France. I recommend it. A must to do in Blenheim for a wonderful tasting!

8. Saint Clair Family Estate Vineyard Kitchen

13 Selmes Road Rd3, Blenheim 7273 New Zealand +64 3-570 5280 [email protected] http://www.saintclair.co.nz/vineyard-kitchen/
Excellent
72%
Good
22%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 288 reviews

Saint Clair Family Estate Vineyard Kitchen

Come and visit Saint Clair Family Estate Vineyard Kitchen to relax, sit back and enjoy the Saint Clair experience. The newly renovated establishment is situated within a unique vineyard setting with views extending past the vines towards the ever changing and dramatic Richmond Range. The sunny courtyard offers outdoor dining with some dining options amongst the vines. On a cooler day an extended veranda section can ensure customers continue to have the vineyard feel while being sheltered from the elements through extensive floor to ceiling glass sliding doors. A cosy fire provides ambience and warmth during the New Zealand winter, an ideal settling to relax and enjoy Saint Clair's award winning wines. A perfect place for a visit for morning or afternoon tea with a selection of muffins and hot drinks available all day. The extensive menu constantly changes reflecting some of the best seasonal produce and finest delicacies Marlborough as to offer. There are a range of options available to meet any dietary requirements. The wine tasting counter is an area to discover the diversity of Saint Clair with a large selection of award winning wines available for tasting daily via an impressive wine preservation system. In addition to these wines there is an extensive range of craft beers from kiwi breweries including Pan Head, Parrot Dog and Marlborough's own Renaissance. A couple of different flavours of locally produced Adam and Eve Cider are also on offer and New Zealand owned brands make up the eclectic array of non-alcoholic beverages. The Saint Clair Vineyard Kitchen is available for private functions and offers catering options to suit all budgets with flexibility to ensure a successful event. Please contact us to discuss further. When visiting the Saint Clair Vineyard Kitchen make sure you cross the car park to Pātaka - a gourmet food store proudly specialising in New Zealand artisan food and offering uniquely New Zealand inspired gifts.

Reviewed By 007_Richard_E - Thame, United Kingdom

This was the first stop on our wine tour, we enjoyed a relaxed wine tasting session which included a wonderful lunch, in fact during the six weeks that we were in New Zealand this was definitely in the top five meals we had.

9. Auntsfield Estate

270 Paynters Road, Blenheim 7272 New Zealand +64 3-578 0622 [email protected] http://www.auntsfield.co.nz
Excellent
60%
Good
40%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 5 reviews

Auntsfield Estate

Auntsfield Estate is the home of Marlborough's first colonial vineyard and winery. Auntsfield specialises in producing hand crafted Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of uncompromised quality from grapes grown on the family vineyard. Visit the Auntsfield Cellar Door to taste the selection of wines and olive oil on tasting.

Reviewed By 644KateR - Hamilton, New Zealand

My partner is a Paynter and this was the estate his father grew up on (it was my partners great-great grandfather that originally owned it and planted the first vines there). We were in town for a family wedding and one of the family members arranged a private family tour of the estate for the Paynter family. It was a wonderful tour and Luke was very informative and seemed to have a lot of knowledge of the history of Auntsfield. He also enjoyed hearing about Auntsfield from my father-in-laws perspective and seemed to appreciate hearing about my father-in-laws experiences of growing up on the farm. My father-in-law enjoyed seeing how hard the current owners have worked to research the history of the farm and preserve it. We also had a wine tasting and although I could not indulge in the alcohol due to being pregnant, the others assured me that the wine was beautiful. Would definitely recommend to others.

10. Rock Ferry Cellar Door

130 Hammerichs Road, Blenheim 7272 New Zealand +64 3-579 6430 [email protected] http://www.rockferry.co.nz/
Excellent
68%
Good
26%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
2%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 65 reviews

Rock Ferry Cellar Door

In 2020 we moved to our brand new Cellar Door on The Corners Vineyard. This bigger space allows us to accommodate bigger groups and boasts a large deck to soak up the Marlborough sun. Today Rock Ferry makes fifteen wine styles sourced from three vineyards & from two wine growing regions! The wine styles range from classic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc to silky smooth Central Otago Pinot Noir, from an elegant Marlborough Blanc de Blancs to a mineral Pinot Blanc from Marlborough’s Rapaura sub region to a Tempranillo from Trig Hill Vineyard in Central Otago.

Reviewed By BarryM117 - Wellington, New Zealand

Wine tasting on a summer's day doesn't get much better than this. The new cellar door is stylish inside with great outdoor sunny verandah which is where we sat at a table with the wines brought to us for tasting while we ate from their standard delicious platter of local produce. The wines are varied and interesting with the very knowledgeable Julie taking us through them. I particularly liked their Pinit Noir and also the Gruner Veltliner ( which we bought). They have an interesting oaked Sav Blanc and fruity Chardonnay which my wife loved and I liked though I'm a "big gutsy oaked Chardy man. The salmon mousse, the liver pate tapenade and Monello cheese were particularly delicious. There's also a separate restaurant which has a good reputation too. We ate there well some years ago, but saving it up for next time. We will be back next time in Wairau Valley.

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