Nelson Wine Tour - Best Wine Tour in the Nelson Wine Region of New Zealand
A Day in the Nelson Wine Region
Most people heading to the top of New Zealand's South Island go straight to the Abel Tasman National Park and skip right past the Nelson wine region. That's a shame, because it's one of the prettiest wine regions we've visited, with green rolling hills, small family-run wineries and hardly any crowds.
The region sits in the northwest corner of the South Island, along the shores of Tasman Bay and sheltered by the mountains of the Abel Tasman and Kahurangi National Parks. Nelson regularly competes for the most sunshine hours in New Zealand, and cool sea breezes off the Tasman settle over the vineyards at night. That combination gives the grapes plenty of flavour while keeping the wines fresh and crisp.
There are two main growing areas. The Waimea Plains have stony river gravels and produce lighter, aromatic wines like Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. The Moutere Hills have clay and gravel soils, known for textured Pinot Noir and richer Chardonnay. Most producers are small boutique operations rather than big commercial wineries, which is a big part of the charm.
While you're driving around, keep an eye out for paddocks full of tall poles strung with wires. We thought they might be for kiwifruit, but they're hops. This is New Zealand's biggest hop-growing area, and because the country is so isolated, the plants are free of many of the pests found elsewhere, so brewers from around the world buy their hops here.
We stayed in Mapua, which put us right in the heart of the wine region and close to Nelson and the Abel Tasman. For our day out, we booked a tour with CJ from Nelson Tours and Travel, and it was the best way to see it.
Flaxmore Vineyards
Our first stop was Flaxmore Vineyards on Flaxmore Road in Upper Moutere. Owner Stuart opened the cellar door especially for us at CJ's request, which tells you a lot about the relationships CJ has with the winemakers here.
The land has been farmed since 1910, when it was planted as an apple orchard, and it grew export apples right through the 1950s and 60s. In 2006 Stuart, an accountant who'd spent decades in international banking, bought the property with his wife Pat. Rather than guess, they brought in viticulture experts to match each part of the hillside with the right grape variety and clone. The first vines went in in 2008: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris.
For years Flaxmore sold its grapes to other winemakers, including Neudorf Vineyards, before launching its own single-vineyard label in 2018. The vines grow on a north-facing slope in Moutere clay and gravel, and they're not irrigated at all, which pushes the roots deep and gives the wines a lovely minerality.
The tasting room is rustic, with a high ceiling, barrels for tables and an open front looking straight out over the vines. Stuart talked us through everything, including how grape clones work, and it was fascinating. Next door is a small art gallery featuring New Zealand artists, including Stuart's own work, and there's a signposted vineyard walk with views across to the Kahurangi ranges.
We tasted two Pinot Noirs, a rosé, the 2023 Chardonnay and the 2025 Pinot Gris. Every wine was excellent, but our favourites were the Chardonnay and the Pinot Gris. The Pinot Gris has crisp green pear, citrus and apple, with a real minerality you can taste, and we took a couple of bottles home with us.
Lunch at Moutere Hills Vineyard and Restaurant
Lunch was at Moutere Hills Vineyard and Restaurant on Eggers Road in Upper Moutere, and it ended up being our favourite stop of the day. It's a family-owned winery, first planted in 1993, making Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris from its own estate.
The restaurant sits up high with indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the vines, big old trees and the neighbouring hop fields. It was a cool, drizzly day so we sat inside, but the views down over the valley were still stunning.
CJ suggested the longboard with a wine flight, a lunch special served on Thursdays, and it was a brilliant call. It's five small dishes that change with the seasons, each paired with one of their wines. Ours included:
Beef rendang with mango chutney and roti, paired with the Merlot
Seared tuna with black bean and corn salsa, and sesame prawn toast with tom yum aioli, paired with the rosé
Thai red curry pumpkin soup with lime sour cream, and duck pancakes with spring onion, cucumber and hoisin, paired with the Riesling
The pumpkin soup was a standout, and the whole longboard was only NZ$53.50, which is excellent value for food this good. Lucy, who looked after us, was friendly and professional.
A few tips if you're going: bookings are a must, as it's one of the most popular spots in the area, and the restaurant opens seasonally, so check opening times before you go, especially outside the warmer months. There's also a casual bar on site, the Fox and Grey, which opens on Friday evenings.
Planning your own wine trip?
We've mapped every winery we visited in Nelson, plus five more South Island wine regions, with our own notes on what we tasted and loved. It works right in Google Maps on your phone.
See the Winery MapGin Tasting at the Moutere Inn
We finished the afternoon with something we hadn't planned at all. Before the tour, CJ spotted a gin tasting on at the Moutere Inn and, knowing we love a gin and tonic, asked if we'd like to add it in. We're so glad we said yes.
The Moutere Inn in Upper Moutere is New Zealand's oldest pub still trading in its original building. It was established in the 1850s by a German immigrant and former Hanoverian soldier, and became the local hub for settlers, travellers and the farmers growing the region's first hops and grapes.
The tasting was held in a private room off the main bar, with everyone seated along long communal tables, so it was easy to get chatting with the locals. The man next to us owns a heritage-listed house built by the pub's founder, which was a lovely bit of history to stumble on.
Our host was Sarah from Dancing Sands Distillery, which she runs with her husband Ben in Tākaka, Golden Bay. They started in 2016, with Sarah bringing a science background and Ben the flavour ideas. The name comes from Te Waikoropupū Springs near the distillery, often translated as the place of dancing sands, and that crystal-clear spring water goes into every bottle.
We started with a gin cocktail and some very welcome finger food, then tasted our way through:
A classic London dry gin
A Mediterranean gin with rosemary, sage, sun-dried tomato, rock salt and thyme
A Sauvignon Blanc gin, made using alcohol taken out of a local winery's Sauvignon Blanc when they make their alcohol-free version
A strawberry and rhubarb gin
Sarah explained the whole distilling process, from the botanicals to how much juniper a spirit needs to be called a gin. It turned out to be a great way to finish the day, followed by a slow scenic drive home with a few stops to take in the views over the hills.
More Wineries and Places to Try
During our stay in Mapua we had a look at a few other wineries around the region. If you've got more time, these are worth adding to your list:
Seifried Estate, one of the region's best-known family wineries
Neudorf Vineyards in Upper Moutere, the winery Flaxmore supplied grapes to for years
Gravity Winery, set over four levels in the upper Moutere Hills with views across Tasman Bay (bookings needed for tastings and lunch)
Blackenbrook Vineyard
Riwaka River Estate, near Kaiteriteri and the Abel Tasman, open over summer and by appointment in winter
If you're staying in Mapua, two easy spots for a drink are the Sprig and Fern, a friendly pub across from the Four Square, and the Rimu Wine Bar.
Touring Nelson with CJ
CJ has been guiding visitors around Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough for more than 18 years, and it shows. He knows the back roads, the local characters and the small boutique cellar doors you'd never find on your own. Every winery we walked into greeted him like an old friend.
His tours are small and relaxed, with door-to-door pickup anywhere from Nelson out to Mapua, so there's no meeting point to find and no driving to worry about. He'll also tailor the day to what you like, whether that's wine, craft beer or a surprise gin tasting. His current tours include:
Untapped Nelson Experience, the one we did, built around what you want to see
Uncorked Nelson Wine Tour (October to April), a relaxed half day visiting four boutique wineries with tastings included
Marlborough Wine Tour, a full day from Nelson into New Zealand's biggest wine region
Private and celebration tours, shaped around your group and occasion
You can see all the options and book on the Nelson Tours and Travel website.
Our Final Thoughts
We had the best day exploring the Nelson wine region. Great wine, a long lunch we're still talking about, a bit of history with our gin, and views around every corner. It doesn't have the big names of Marlborough or Central Otago, but that's exactly what makes it special. If you're heading to the top of the South Island, give yourself a day for it.
Take our winery map with you
Every winery we visited across six South Island wine regions, plus the tours we did and our favourite pubs, all with our own notes. It opens right in Google Maps on your phone.
Get the Winery Map