Plan a trip
A route through the vines
Pick a country and a style, and we'll sketch a few days through it — real sub-regions in a sensible order, with what to expect at each stop and when to go, drawn from everything already on the site.
Where to
Style preference
Your route
A focused 3-stop route through New Zealand
The character of this trip
The far end of the map, and worth the journey
Wine here is a young story told in vivid, direct terms: pure fruit, bright acidity and scenery that competes with what is in the glass. The northern South Island and Canterbury make a scenic route between small, family-run wineries, with mountains and sea never far away. The weather changes fast and the roads are slower than they look, so leave room in the plan.
A focused route through what's currently documented
New Zealand has 4 places mapped on Ampelos so far. The route below draws on the ones within reach of each other — enough for a short, honest route rather than a full itinerary — and will grow as more of the country is documented.
Stops
3
Total driving
~347 km
Behind the wheel
6h 19min
Worth setting aside
5–7 days
What to expect
Notable producers
- Cloudy Bay — Its 1985 debut launched Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc on the world stage.
- Brancott Estate — The site of Marlborough's first commercial vineyards, planted in 1973.
- Greywacke — Kevin Judd's estate, known for textured, wild-fermented wines.
Best time to visit
Come for harvest, in early autumn (March), when the cellars are busiest — or earlier, in spring (October–November), for a quieter, greener look at the vines.
~101 km · 1h 50min to the next stop
Marlborough and Nelson share a climate — cool maritime — so what sets them apart is subtler: the soil, the aspect, and the estates that work them.
What to expect
Notable producers
- Neudorf Vineyards — Upper Moutere; a small estate known for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
- Seifried Estate — A family estate, best known for its dessert wine Sweet Agnes and for Riesling.
- Waimea Estates — A family estate on the Waimea Plains.
Best time to visit
Come for harvest, in early autumn (March), when the cellars are busiest — or earlier, in spring (October–November), for a quieter, greener look at the vines.
~246 km · 4h 29min to the next stop
Waipara Valley feels different from Nelson, in the glass and in the air: cool maritime, then cool, dry continental.
What to expect
Notable producers
- Pegasus Bay — A family estate and the region's benchmark, known for Riesling and Pinot Noir.
- Greystone — Known for Pinot Noir from limestone-rich, organically managed hills.
- Muddy Water — A boutique estate, best known for Pinot Noir.
Best time to visit
Come for harvest, in late autumn (May), when the cellars are busiest — or earlier, in early summer (December), for a quieter, greener look at the vines.