A short ferry ride from Auckland gets you to the gorgeous island of Waiheke. A little over 9,000 people live on the island full time and it is the most populated island in the Hauraki Gulf. Waiheke Island is full of hikes, gorgeous beaches, and wine tasting. Visitors have the option of visiting 30 different wineries when wine tasting on Waiheke Island.
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How to Get to Waiheke Island
Waiheke Island is about a 35-minute ferry ride from Auckland. You can catch the ferry from the Downtown Ferry Terminal Building. Tickets are available from machines or the ticket window at the terminal or you can buy them online ahead of time. They cost $25 for a round trip ticket. Ferries leave almost every hour, so make sure to time the ferry’s arrival with the operating hours off the first winery.
Transportation Around Waiheke
A couple of the wineries are within walking distance of the ferry terminal. There is one bus line that goes around the island. You can pay $2/ride or get a day pass for $10. Several of the wineries are clumped together, so it was fairly easy to get to a group of them off the bus line. There is also the option to rent bikes or rent a car for the day in order to get to some of the wineries off the main route. Waiheke Island also has a Hop On Hop Off Bus pass you can buy for $40. This includes your ferry ticket as well as the unlimited bus ticket.
Best Wineries to Wine Taste on Waiheke Island
Cable Bay Vineyard
Cost: $6 for a tasting of 4
Hours: 11am-10pm
Cable Bay is a short 15-minute hike from the ferry terminal and one of the best wineries for wine tasting on Waiheke Island. There is a well-marked trail that you can follow to the winery. Upon arrival, visitors are greeted with amazing views of the vineyards and oceans. The tasting room and restaurant have floor to ceiling windows overlooking this view. Established in 1998, Cable Bay has vines on Waiheke Island as well as the Marlborough region. They grow a variety of grapes and the vines are located on the western part of the islands right near the ocean. I enjoyed their Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region.
Stonyridge Vineyard
Cost: $9 for a basic tasting of 3, $16 for a premium tasting of 3
Hours: 11:30am-5pm
Stonyridge Vineyard is located on the other side of the island from Cable Bay, so you will have to hop on the bus to get there. They are famous for their award-winning Cabernet blend wines. In 1981, the owner, Stephen returned to New Zealand after working in wineries in France, Italy, and California. He used the knowledge he gained in these positions to establish Stonyridge.
Stonyridge produced its first vintage in 1985 and has continued to grow since then. They had a lovely tasting room with both indoor and outdoor seating. It is definitely a place to grab a glass of wine and chill and one of the best places for wine tasting on Waiheke Island.
Tantalus Estate Vineyard
Cost: $6 for the regions line tasting of 4, $9 for the reserve tasting of 4
Hours: 11am-5pm
Vineyard views.
Down the road from Stonyridge is Tantalus Estate. Tantalus is unique due to the fact that there is also a brewery underneath the tasting room. Although we did not opt to go to Albi Brewing Company, the beer looked delicious, and the brewery offered some great food options. Established in 2013, Tantalus contains a gorgeous tasting room and restaurant. It is located in a prime winemaking spot in the Onetangi Valley on Waiheke. Most of their wines are made for immediate drinking or only cellaring for a short period.
Te Motu Vineyard
Cost: $12 for a tasting of 5 wines
Hours: Fri-Tues: 11am-5pm, Closed Wed and Thurs
Te Motu Vineyard is another great choice for wine tasting on Waiheke Island. Te Motu means the island in Mouari, the native New Zealand language and the original name for Waiheke Island. In 1988, the Dunleavy family acquired 30 acres of land on Waiheke. Since that time, Te Motu has mastered Bordeaux style wines blending Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Te Motu also has a restaurant on-site where they use locally grown ingredients.
Tips for Wine Tasting on Waiheke Island
Teacher Tip #1: If you are traveling with another person, opt to split the wine tastings so you are able to try out more of the wines and wineries.
Teacher Tip #2: To save money, opt to pack a lunch to take with you as there are not a ton of food options along the wine tasting route. Many of the wineries do have food, but the menus are pretty pricey.
Teacher Tip #3: Plan to come earlier in the day and not on a weekend to avoid the crowds.
Total Costs for Wine Tasting on Waiheke Island
Transportation: $29
Wine Tastings: $33 total or $16.50/person if you share
Total: $45.50
Although the wines may not have been as good as the wines from Central Otago and Hawke’s Bay, a day of wine tasting in Waiheke Island provided ample views and fun times. It is the perfect day trip from Auckland. Interested in more wine tasting around New Zealand? Check out this article about some of the best wine regions in New Zealand.
11 thoughts on “Wine Tasting on Waiheke Island: A Fun and Exciting Day Trip from Auckland”
Love this! Wine tastings are one of my favorite things to do. This is so detailed and looks like so much fun! Great post
It was so much fun!
Great post! Wine tasting is always a good idea. Being able to do it on a day trip .. couldn’t get better!
It was nice not having to worry about driving!
Oh wow how good does that cheeseboard look!
It was so good!
You’ve made me want to look out for wineries in all my future trips. This seems so fun!
I always love finding wineries for trips!
Wine and cheese? count me in! Thank you for comparing all the different prices and tastings. Out of curiosity, are this AUD or USD?
It was a fun day. They are USD prices!
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