If you like your New World wine, what better way is there to truly develop your pallet and gain a deeper appreciation for Australian and New Zealand wine than to combine a holiday or gap year for grown ups with a visit to some of the marvelous vineyards.
We've had a few reviews come in about wine tasting in Australia and New Zealand, here are the picks so far:
Swan Valley, Perth
‘Went on a wine tour last weekend which was fantastic! We had an extremely enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide called Anita who made the trip extra special. We set off about 10am and reached our first winery about 11am following a drive through an old town called Guildford which was apparently haunted. As well as sampling wines we tried olives and olive oil. Then we moved onto a boutique winery which was in a gorgeous setting (plus the wines were out of this world!) Lunch followed about 1pm with a glass of bubbly each. Then onto another larger winery and then a nougat and chocolate factory (starting to become full by this point). No rest for the wicked though, as we were driven onto a micro brewery to sample local beers around 3:30pm. We finally reached our last port of call, a small-sized vineyard that also has an amazing restaurant attached. Cheese and ice cream to tackle this time. I’d thoroughly recommend booking onto a wine tour because as well as the depth and breadth of knowledge our guide had to further enhance our enjoyment of the wine tasting, we got to sample a huge range of locally grown foods as well as explore the picturesque setting of the region, just outside of Perth. Well worth the money’
Other good wine routes in Australia to try...
Barossa Valley, Adelaide
Hunter Valley, Sydney
Yarra Valley, Melboune
Hawke’s Bay, North Island
‘For a slightly different/wobbly wine tasting experience, a cycling wine tour is a great thing to try! It gave us the opportunity to sample some of the country’s finest wines whilst being able to appreciate the stunning scenery of the Ngatarawa triangle. Hawke’s Bay is situated on the east coast of the North Island. There are a few hills to climb for those fitter than us to view the flat sandy terrain from above, or plenty of flat terrain for us oldies to meander along viewing vines, orchards and lavender fields! Hawke’s Bay itself is amazing and it lifts your spirits cycling alongside the ocean. We always know the region was famous for its wine, and this experience didn’t disappoint, but the real attraction was the scenery. I’d come again in a second.’
Other good wine routes in New Zealand to try...
Marlborough, South Island
Central Otago, South Island
Gisborne, North Island
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