Winery tour recommendations in Napier, NZ

I have just started researching private operators for a small group winery tour out of Napier. Would anyone be so kind as to share any experience they have had on such a tour?

I have just started researching private operators for a small group winery tour out of Napier. Would anyone be so kind as to share any experience they have had on such a tour?

Hi Ruth - just researching too. :D

Hiya, Dave!

Really...I must check these boards more frequently.

I guess there are not many "winos" out there! Will try again once the summer season has started in New Zealand.

Good thing we have lots of time to research!

Have just googled wine tour hawkes bay and found these

http://www.hbscenictours.co.nz/

http://www.grapeescape.net.nz/

http://www.wtn.co.nz/winetours/hawkesbay.asp

Don't have any knowledge of any of the companies, but its a starting point for you. If I remember I will ask my sister who lives in Hastings, which is just down the road!

Thank you!

It is a starting point, and I appreciate your posting!

We did the Bay Tours in Napier. We went to two different winery's and tasted the wine. We went to a place where they grew strawberries, went to some big mansion that used to be church and is now a winery. We only got to stay there 5 minutes and felt very rushed. We also went to a candy factory and were only allowed to stay 5 minutes. We felt very rushed throughout the whole thing. It was not that great. If they cut out some of the other stuff and you got to go to just the winery's it would have been alot better.

Thank you for sharing your experience. It seems there are many tour operators offering half-day tours in the winery area. We would like to do a full-day tour which will give a little more time to slow down and enjoy the day!

We used Hawkes Bay Scenic Tours and had a wonderful time. We only had half a day in port, arriving a noon. We were met at the pier, had a nice tour through Napier and visited four wineries. We never felt rushed, had the full tour of the first winery, then just tastings at the other three <hic>;). I highly recommend the company.

Contact information:

John Hanlon

Hawkes Bay Scenic Tours Ltd

2 Neeve Place

Napier

New Zealand

+64 6 844-5693

www.hbscenictours.co.nz

great_tours@hbscenictours.co.nz