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Hosted tour · 5 hours
Great Wine Capital Signature, five hours.
Three internationally acclaimed wineries, a guided tasting at each, and light platters along the way. Private and hosted.
The Great Wine Capital Signature is a five hour private hosted wine tour in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, priced from $445 NZD per person for a party of seven and $795 NZD per person for two, GST included. The suggested route runs Craggy Range, then Te Mata Estate with an additional Coleraine tasting, then the Smith & Sheth Lieux-Dits tasting flight in the Oenotheque at the Village Exchange.
This is a tasting tour rather than a lunch tour. At Craggy Range the platter is cheese and charcuterie. At Smith & Sheth the Lieux-Dits flight is served with a cheese platter. Neither is a full lunch. If you would like a seated lunch, the Reserve includes a two hour set menu at Craggy Range.
Lieux-Dits translates as "named places". The flight pours five single-vineyard Smith & Sheth wines from three vineyards: Omahu in the Gimblett Gravels, Fratelli in the Bridge Pa Triangle and Two Terraces at Mangatahi. Three sub-regions, three soil types, poured side by side in one sitting, which is the fastest way to understand why Hawke's Bay is spoken of as several regions rather than one.
Craggy Range sits directly beneath the Te Mata Peak escarpment and farms fruit from the Gimblett Gravels, the stony former riverbed that produces the region's most serious reds. Te Mata Estate, founded in 1896, is New Zealand's oldest continuously operating winery, and its Coleraine, first released in 1982, is among the country's most celebrated wines. The Smith & Sheth Oenotheque sits in the courtyard behind Porters Boutique Hotel in Havelock North. Oenotheque means wine library.
Hawke's Bay wineries sit ten to twenty minutes apart. That is the quiet advantage of this region: five hours here covers ground that would take eight anywhere else.
Guest price, per person
New Zealand dollars · GST included · minimum 2 guests
The vehicle is private to your party for the duration. Lunch is not included. Beverages and wine pairing are not included. Infants aged 0 to 4 travel free. Children aged 5 to 12 receive 50 percent off the per-person rate.
What the five hours include
- Guided tastings at three wineries
- An additional Coleraine tasting at Te Mata Estate
- The Smith & Sheth Lieux-Dits flight, five single-vineyard wines, with a cheese platter
- A cheese and charcuterie platter at Craggy Range
- Commentary on the region's varietals and winemaking
- Private vehicle and local host for the duration
- Pickup and return to your accommodation in Napier, Hastings, Havelock North or Cape Kidnappers
The three sub-regions you will taste
Gimblett Gravels is a former riverbed of stony, heat-retaining soil that produces the region's most serious reds.
Bridge Pa Triangle sits alongside it on red metal soils over limestone.
Te Mata and Havelock North hold the region's oldest vineyards on the limestone hills.
Add a premium tasting at Craggy Range or Te Mata Estate for $165 NZD per person, including your host's wait time, or a set menu lunch at Craggy Range for $185 NZD per person.
The suggested route
Three estates, one afternoon.
Tours run by arrangement rather than to a timetable. Tell us the start time that suits your day and we build the tour around it, in New Zealand time.
Craggy Range
A guided tasting beneath the Te Mata Peak escarpment, with a cheese and charcuterie platter, looking out over the vineyard to the cliffs.
Te Mata Estate
New Zealand's oldest continuously operating winery, founded 1896, with an additional Coleraine tasting.
Smith & Sheth
The Lieux-Dits flight in the Oenotheque at the Village Exchange, Havelock North, served with a cheese platter.
The five hours, in order
- 0:00Pickup from your accommodation in Napier, Hastings, Havelock North or Cape Kidnappers
- 0:20Craggy Range, guided tasting with a cheese and charcuterie platter
- 1:40Te Mata Estate, guided tasting with an additional Coleraine tasting
- 3:10Smith & Sheth, the Lieux-Dits flight with a cheese platter, Oenotheque at the Village Exchange
- 5:00Return to your accommodation
Times are elapsed hours from pickup, not clock times. The Oenotheque opens Tuesday to Saturday, so on a Sunday or Monday we substitute a cellar door of the same standard and tell you before the day.
★★★★★
"We had Bronnie as our driver for 2 whole days. She was amazing and exceeded our expectations. They went above and beyond to accommodate our needs."
Questions
Signature questions, answered.
How much does the Great Wine Capital Signature cost?
From $445 NZD per person for a party of seven, rising to $795 NZD per person for two guests. All prices are in New Zealand dollars and include GST. The tour is private to your party.
Which wineries does the Signature visit?
The suggested route runs Craggy Range, Te Mata Estate with an additional Coleraine tasting, and Smith & Sheth for the Lieux-Dits flight in the Oenotheque at the Village Exchange. We adjust the route where a venue is closed or where you have a preference.
What is the Lieux-Dits flight?
Lieux-Dits translates as "named places". It is a flight of five single-vineyard Smith & Sheth wines from three distinguished vineyards across three Hawke's Bay sub-regions, served with a cheese platter and included in the tour.
Does the Signature include lunch?
No. The Signature is a five hour tasting tour with light platters at Craggy Range and with the Lieux-Dits flight. For a seated lunch, choose the Reserve, which includes a two hour set menu lunch at Craggy Range, or add a Craggy Range lunch for $185 NZD per person.
How long is the Signature, and where does it start?
Five hours, beginning and ending at your own accommodation in Napier, Hastings, Havelock North or Cape Kidnappers.
Is wine included in the price?
Guided tastings at the three wineries are included. Beverages beyond the tastings, wine pairing and bottles you buy are not. Wine you buy travels securely in the vehicle and comes back to your accommodation with you.
How far apart are the wineries?
Ten to twenty minutes by road. That is why a five hour day in Hawke's Bay covers three estates comfortably.
Enquire
We would be delighted to host your day.
Tell us your dates, your party size and where you are staying. We reply by email, usually within a few hours between 04:00 and 23:00 New Zealand time.