Christchurch Wine Tours to the Waipara Valley
Christchurch Wine Tours to the Waipara Valley
The Waipara Valley, an hour north of Christchurch
Wine tours from Christchurch head north to the Waipara Valley, about an hour from the city. Limestone soils and a sheltered, warm climate have made it one of New Zealand's most rewarding small wine regions, known above all for riesling and pinot noir.
Most cellar doors here are boutique and family run, so the person pouring your tasting often made the wine. We visit them with a maximum of 8 guests, or privately with your group alone.
There are four ways to spend the day with us. Compare them below, or talk to us and we will shape one around you.
Full Day Wine Tour
Indulge in a wine lover's dream as we explore Christchurch and the Waipara wine district on our guided tour. Discover the vibrant City Centre before immersing yourself in the aromatic delights of boutique vineyards. Sample exquisite wines and local produce during a delightful lunch, making for an unforgettable day of wine tasting and exploration.
Half Day Wine Tour
For those short on time. We'll pick you up from your inner city accommodation for a quick introduction to the North Canterbury wine district. Your guide will carefully select two or three wineries to showcase New Zealand's finest wines.
Enjoy a day in the vines without the worry of driving. Our luxury fleet carries you between the valley's boutique cellar doors in comfort, with a driver-guide who knows the growers.
Celebrating something, or travelling as a family or group of friends? A private wine tour is yours alone, and the cellar doors are chosen with you: the private full day or the private half day.
Christchurch's wine country: the Waipara Valley
Ask where to go wine tasting from Christchurch and the answer is the Waipara Valley, about an hour north of the city. Sheltered by hills and blessed with limestone soils, Waipara has quietly become one of New Zealand's most exciting wine regions, celebrated above all for riesling and pinot noir.
What makes a Waipara day special is the scale. These are boutique, often family-run cellar doors where the person pouring your tasting may well have made the wine. Small groups are welcomed like guests, not processed like crowds, which suits the way we travel perfectly.
Our full day Christchurch wine tour visits three cellar doors chosen by your guide, with a long vineyard lunch and a tour of Christchurch city to round out the day. Short on time? The half day afternoon tour delivers the same three tastings in a smaller frame. Both run with a maximum of 8 guests, include hotel pickup and an expert driver-guide, and are available privately.
What a day in Waipara looks like
On the full day we collect you from your Christchurch hotel at 9:30am and drive north across the Canterbury plains, with the Southern Alps on one side and the coast on the other. Three cellar doors follow, spaced so none of them feels rushed, with a long vineyard lunch in the middle of the day. We come back into the city for a guided loop of Christchurch and have you home by about 4:30pm.
The half day starts at 1pm and keeps the tastings, without the lunch and the city tour, returning about 4:30pm.
When to visit
Cellar doors are open all year. The vines are at their greenest from November, harvest runs from late March into April, and winter brings quieter tasting rooms and open fires. Spring has its own pleasures, and we wrote about what happens in the vineyard in spring if you want the detail.
Is a wine tour from Christchurch worth it?
If you like wine, yes, and for one practical reason above the rest: somebody else drives. Waipara is an hour each way on the road, the tastings are generous, and New Zealand drink-driving limits are strict. A guide also opens doors, because the growers know us.
For more on the region itself, read the Waipara Valley explained.
Frequently asked questions
The questions our guests ask most when planning a wine day. Anything else, just ask.
Where do wine tours from Christchurch go?
Where do wine tours from Christchurch go?
To the Waipara Valley, Christchurch's wine country, about an hour north of the city. It is one of New Zealand's most rewarding small wine regions.
Which wineries do we visit?
Which wineries do we visit?
Three boutique Waipara cellar doors chosen by your guide for the quality of their tastings and the welcome they give small groups.
What is Waipara wine known for?
What is Waipara wine known for?
Riesling and pinot noir above all, alongside beautiful aromatic whites. The limestone soils and sheltered climate give the wines real character.
Should I choose the full day or half day tour?
Should I choose the full day or half day tour?
The full day adds a long vineyard lunch and a guided tour of Christchurch city to the three tastings. The half day delivers the same cellar doors in an afternoon.
I don't drink much wine. Will I still enjoy it?
I don't drink much wine. Will I still enjoy it?
Yes. The day is as much about the landscape, the people and the long lunch as the tastings, and your guide will happily tailor the pace to you.
Can dietary requirements be catered for?
Can dietary requirements be catered for?
Yes. Let us know when you book and we will arrange your vineyard lunch to suit.
How much does a wine tour from Christchurch cost?
How much does a wine tour from Christchurch cost?
The small group tours are $655 per person for the full day and $525 for the half day. Private tours are priced by the size of your group: the full day is $1,000 per person for two guests, $620 for four and $560 for six or more, and the half day is $810 for two, $505 for four and $455 for six or more. Every price includes the tastings and hotel pickup.
How long is the tour and what time does it finish?
How long is the tour and what time does it finish?
The full day leaves your hotel at 9:30am and returns about 4:30pm. The half day leaves at 1pm and also returns about 4:30pm.
How far is the Waipara Valley from Christchurch?
How far is the Waipara Valley from Christchurch?
About an hour north by road, which leaves plenty of time in the valley on either tour.
Is lunch included?
Is lunch included?
On the full day, yes, a long lunch at one of the vineyards. The half day is tastings only, and has you back in time for dinner in the city.
Can we have the tour privately?
Can we have the tour privately?
Yes. On a private wine tour your group travels alone and we choose the cellar doors with you, on the full day or the half day. Minimum two guests.
Customer Reviews
Exceptional Christchurch touring
This was a really great experience! Our guide, Tia, was knowledgeable, personable and professional. We thoroughly enjoyed her company throughout the better part of a day. Her personal connection with the wineries made for a special experience as well. Another special aspect of the tour was Tia's personal recollections and commentary on the rebuilding of Christchurch.Christchurch and wine
What a wonderful day out. Sue took us to the highest point above the city for far reaching views surrounding the area. We drove on with great explanations of the cities history and viewpoints. We next visited two lovely small vineyards in the region. We had some delicious wines at both. At St. Georges we had lunch too, a cheeseboard with delicious bread and pickles. Felt very relaxed. Thank you to Sue for the excellent company, we felt we had known her for years.
