What do you do on a rainy day in Auckland? Drink wine, eat cheese, and enjoy the finer things in life. A Food and Wine-Tasting Tour of Waiheke Island proved to be the perfect escape from the cold on a wet winter day in Auckland. Here’s why:
Ferry Views
The foggy ferry ride to Waiheke Island.
Included in the tour is a scenic ferry ride to Waiheke Island, or at least I was told it is scenic. My tour fell on a misty grey day that left little to look at. This theme continued throughout the day as our driver took us to various vantage points to point out spectacular views of grey. To his credit, he painted a pretty good picture of what to expect on a sunny day. Regardless, I was there for the wine, something that can be enjoyed rain or shine.
Why Waiheke?
Rolling, green hills and vineyards on Waiheke Island.
Scenery aside, Waiheke Island is known for its fertile soil and Bordeaux like climates. The result is some seriously great wine…and don’t people know it. The island’s population swells in the summertime from a tiny 8,000 to 30,000+. This, I imagine, can make the tasting rooms very busy. Thankfully I was visiting in the middle of winter. What I missed out in vantage points and beach fun I made up with wineries all to myself.
Wine and Dine
The Bordeaux was flowing at Stonyridge Vineyard.
Our day on Waiheke Island started at the ferry terminal with a friendly greeting from our guide. After pleasantries we were off to Stonyridge Vineyard, the second oldest vineyard on the island. Although the weather kept us from touring the vineyard we did squeeze in a tour of the winemaker’s facility where we sampled some of the best wine they had to offer. There we were fed a “light lunch” while over looking the rows of vines.
Homemade quiche and salads paired with the wine tasting.
Good to know—“light lunch” in New Zealand really means “light feast.” The lunch made up of two kinds of quiche, fresh salad, and cheese plates, and were very generous and oh so tasty.
Olive Education
Tasting the rich, flavorful olive oil produced on Waiheke Island.
At Rangihoua Estate we were given a behind the scenes tour of olive oil production, which was way more interesting than it sounds. Turns out Waiheke Island is known for more than just grapes. The olive oil produced at Rangihoua has been ranked as one of the best in the world, beating out long standing farms in Italy and Greece. I was skeptical but an olive oil tasting made me a believer. It also made me realize that your typical grocery store brand is complete rubbish.
Beer Time
Craft-brews on tap.
How do you follow up an incredible morning of sipping Syrah and sampling some of the world’s best olive oil? Craft beer and archery of course! The playful (literally) Wild On Waiheke is not your typical white cloth winery. There we sampled a selection of great beers while getting a run down of the site’s fun activities. From beanbag chairs to beer built robots, Wild On Waiheke has it. This stop was a fun contrast to the classy wineries on the island and should not be missed. If that doesn’t sway you, how about laser clay shooting? That’s a thing.
Beautiful Send Off
An ideal setting to sip a glass of red wine.
As if to convince me to come back in the summer, the clouds briefly parted for a moment of zen at the Mudbrick Vineyard. I could see why thousands of people flock there in the summer. It was heaven on earth, only with way better wine.
Keep Exploring
Although my Food and Wine-Tasting Tour of Waiheke Island was up, my day exploring the area was not. Included in the tour is the option to be dropped off at the ferry terminal or explore the island on your own. Your ticket gets you on any ferry as well as the local bus. This makes seeing the island easy, affordable, and fun…even in the rain.
Take the rest of the afternoon to discover Waiheke Island on your own!
Discover more food and wine tours in Auckland!
—Shaun Robertson
Food and Wine-Tasting Tour of Waiheke Island from Auckland & North Island Things to Do