Duncan Darroch
Founder. A trained winemaker, with a University of Auckland Postgraduate Diploma in Wine Science with Distinction, the 2007 vintage at Kumeu River and four years at Villa Maria, then a decade teaching science.
Home / Great Wine Capital Signature
Hosted tour · 5 hours
Great Wine Capital Signature, five hours.
Three internationally acclaimed wineries, with guided tastings paired with 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.
Your tastings come paired with light platters, so the Signature is a food experience as well as a wine one. At Craggy Range, a platter of cheeses and charcuterie follows the guided tasting. At Smith & Sheth, the Lieux-Dits flight arrives with a platter of cheeses. The platters do not replace a full lunch. For a full premium lunch, upgrade to the Reserve, which includes a two and a half hour Signature Table 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
2 guests$795
3 guests$595
4 guests$595
5 guests$495
6 guests$495
7 guests$445
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
- Craggy Range: guided wine tasting, followed by a light platter of cheeses and charcuterie
- Te Mata Estate: guided tasting with an additional Coleraine tasting
- Smith & Sheth: the Lieux-Dits flight, five single-vineyard wines, paired with a light platter of cheeses
- 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.
The Signature is sold as a complete tour and its inclusions are fixed. For a bespoke itinerary, see private hire.
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, followed by a light platter of cheeses and charcuterie, 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, paired with a light platter of cheeses.
The five hours, in order
- 0:00Pickup from your accommodation in Napier, Hastings, Havelock North or Cape Kidnappers
- 0:20Craggy Range, guided tasting
- 1:20Craggy Range, light platter of cheeses and charcuterie
- 2:00Te Mata Estate, guided tasting with an additional Coleraine tasting
- 3:10Smith & Sheth, the Lieux-Dits flight with a light platter of cheeses, 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 Black Barn 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."
Your host
A named host, not a driver.
Every tour runs with one host for the whole day. We tell you who it is when we confirm your booking.
Heather Clinton
Formerly of Zest Food Tours Wellington, Heather curates and hosts our Artisan Producers tours, leading with food, people and what makes Hawke's Bay tick.
Niki Willis
Decades of professional driving and wine tour hosting across Hawke's Bay wine country.
Philip Shambrook
A former Royal Air Force officer and community leader who hosts our Te Mata Peak excursions.
Louise Shambrook
A former Royal Air Force officer and business manager, Louise has called Hawke's Bay home for more than 20 years and loves sharing the lifestyle of the Bay.
Leo Olsen
Born in South Africa and a New Zealander for 20 years, Leo is a keen tennis player and former county cricketer who loves sharing the journey with every guest.
Ginny Williams
Originally from England and a Hawke's Bay local for more than 30 years, Ginny is a former tour guide and winery and distillery cellar door manager who loves sharing the region with guests from around the world.
Bronnie Coory
A foundation of Electric Executive and a former charity general manager, Bronnie brings warmth and meticulous organisation to every guest she welcomes aboard.
Trevor Morrison
Formerly Chief Pilot at Napier Port, Trevor brings calm precision and quiet professionalism to every journey.
When the day changes
What happens when a day goes sideways.
An itinerary is only a plan. A good day depends on what happens when that plan meets a delayed flight, a closed cellar door or a vehicle that cannot run. We plan for each of those before you arrive.
- A backup vehicle, always. We hold a backup vehicle on every operating day. If a vehicle cannot run, another one collects you.
- Your flight, monitored. We track your flight and start complimentary waiting from actual landing: 30 minutes for a domestic flight and 90 minutes for an international flight.
- A closed venue, replaced. If a venue on a published tour closes on your day, we substitute an equivalent award-winning estate: Black Barn for Craggy Range, Mission Estate for Church Road, and Te Mata Estate or Black Barn for Smith & Sheth, choosing one not already on your route.
- A person on the phone. Our duty number, +64 21 025 87832, answers by call or WhatsApp on the day.
- Vetted, trained hosts. Every host is Police vetted, passes driver safety testing and holds a comprehensive first aid certificate.
- Licensed and insured. Small Passenger Service Licence 0332519, $10 million NZD public liability cover, and Qualmark Silver.
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. The Oenotheque opens Tuesday to Saturday, so on a Sunday or Monday we substitute Black Barn.
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 light platter of cheeses and included in the tour.
Does the Signature include lunch?
No. We pair your tastings with light platters: cheeses and charcuterie at Craggy Range, and cheeses with the Smith & Sheth Lieux-Dits flight. You enjoy food throughout the day, but not a full lunch. For a full premium lunch, upgrade to the Reserve, which includes a two and a half hour Signature Table set menu lunch at Craggy Range.
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.