Seven New Zealand cellar doors with incredible guest experiences

New Zealand wine regions are some of the most picturesque in the world, and the wineries that call them home produce some of the most delicious wines you can buy. However, there are also some spectacular wineries that go the extra mile to make sure all guests feel welcomed. 

From family-centred activities, dog-friendly zones and delicious non-alcoholic offerings, to private tastings and educational tours, the seven wineries listed below have truly curated their cellar door experiences with every type of guest in mind.

This attention-to-detail makes adding them to your itinerary a no-brainer. Read through to see what they offer, and how to make sure your visit is the best it can be.  

Greystone Wines, Waipara Valley

Winemaker XX says: Rx

H. What can guests expect from a visit to your cellar door?
XX. Ox

H. How do you make sure everyone feels welcome?
XX. Wx

H. What would you recommend for a great visit? 
XX. Wx

address | Halliday profile | xxx.com

Monte Christo Winery, Central Otago

Marketing director Ryann Calder says: Monte Christo Winery has roots dating back to 1864 and is known as the birthplace of Central Otago wine. Today, we’re family-owned, producing pinot noir, chardonnay, pinot gris and riesling from our estate vineyards across Central Otago. We farm using organic, regenerative and sustainable practices, with plenty of care for the land.

H. What can guests expect from a visit to your cellar door?
RC. Our Clyde cellar door is in a beautifully restored stone winery dating back to the gold rush. There’s plenty to explore, from the gardens to our working winery and underground cellar. Drop in for a wine tasting or settle in for an afternoon with wine, beer and something delicious to eat.

H. How do you make sure everyone feels welcome?
RC. We’re a great spot for families, with a children’s play area, a pétanque court for some friendly competition, and bean bags set out for relaxing in the garden. Our outdoor bar and shaded seating make it easy to spend an afternoon together, while Fritzy, our food trailer, serves pizzas, sharing plates, ice cream and coffee.

H. What would you recommend for a great visit? 
RC. I’d recommend our Educational Winery Tour. You go behind-the-scenes of our sustainably built winery, following a pinot noir grape from vineyard to glass. Then head into the underground cellar for a guided tasting, including our limited-production subregional pinot noirs, with a grazing platter to share. It’s a great way to experience what we do.

100 Springvale Road, Clyde 9391, New Zealand | Halliday profile | montechristowinery.co.nz

Mount Edward Winery, Central Otago 

Winemakers Duncan Forsyth and Anna Riederer says: We are a small, family-owned winery and pride ourselves on wines that are lush, textural and interesting. We like to innovate, and proudly pioneered New Zealand's first vermouth and wine on tap as well as producing a range of diverse varieties, while still championing Central’s legacy pinot noir.

H. What can guests expect from a visit to your cellar door?
DF & AR. Our cellar door is small, intimate and thoughtful. We offer a range of experiences each curated around what YOU want to taste. Taste across our current selection, library wines, or our more avant garde catalogue. We have seasonal tapas to match, created to complement the wines. 

H. How do you make sure everyone feels welcome?
DF & AR. We welcome everyone and endeavour to make sure everyone has at least a glass of something alcoholic or non-alcoholic. We are located right next to Gibbston nature reserve, which is perfect for dogs and kids to run around in, plus you can pick fruit from the trees in season. We also have colouring in sheets. Gracie is our resident pup and greets everyone with a lot of love (she’s our top seller!).

H. What would you recommend for a great visit? 
DF & AR. Our menu is seasonal therefore always changing. Some highlights from our spring menu include asparagus, chargrilled kimchi mayo and crispy shallots and sweet corn pancake, manchego, spring onions and black garlic aioli. For an extra special afternoon, consider our wine and food experience, with a series of tapas specifically matched to our wines. Up to seven courses, perfect over lunchtime or for a long grazing experience.

34 Coalpit Road, Gibbston 9371, New Zealand | Halliday profile | mountedward.com

Nanny Goat Vineyard, Central Otago

Winemaker Alan Peters-Oswald says: Nanny Goat Vineyard crafts wines that capture the character and diversity of Central Otago. Best known for pinot noir, we source fruit from carefully selected vineyards across the Central Otago's subregions, allowing us to express the nuances of site, season and place. The range reflects our commitment to quality, balance and regional authenticity.

H. What can guests expect from a visit to your cellar door?
APO. With sweeping views of the surrounding mountains, our cellar door offers a relaxed and intimate tasting experience in one of New Zealand's most spectacular settings. Guests can explore the wines of Central Otago through guided tastings, seasonal plates and genuine Southern hospitality, all just minutes from central Wānaka.

H. How do you make sure everyone feels welcome?
APO. While our cellar door is primarily a wine-focused experience, we welcome visitors of all ages. Guests can relax on the porch and enjoy the views, while younger visitors can keep entertained with colouring activities. Our friendly team and relaxed atmosphere ensure everyone feels comfortable during their visit.

H. What would you recommend for a great visit? 
APO. Our Feature Wine Flight Tasting offers a deeper exploration of Nanny Goat Vineyard. Over 75 minutes, guests are guided through six exceptional wines, including rare museum releases, alongside a curated cheese pairing. Available Friday to Sunday, this intimate experience is ideal for those wanting to discover the diversity and character of Central Otago through our wines. Reservations are essential.

68 Queensberry Terrace, Wānaka 9383, New Zealand | Halliday profile | nannygoatvineyard.co.nz

Pask Winery, Hawke's Bay

Managing director Toni Butcher says: Pask Winery is a pioneer of the world-renowned Gimblett Gravels wine growing region since 1981. As guardians of this land, our award-winning team continues to farm 60 hectares sustainably, crafting wines from estate-grown fruit – from 'Small Batch' experiments to enduring classics. Every Pask bottle reflects our soil, sunshine and story.

H. What can guests expect from a visit to your cellar door?
TB. Minutes from Hastings, our urban cellar door sits on the edge of the Gimblett Gravels. A plant-lined path leads to large golden doors that open into the rich, navy cellar door. Inside, sunlit tables are set with tasting flights, and a wine wall stretches from floor to ceiling.

H. How do you make sure everyone feels welcome?
TB. From the first pour to the final course, our aim is to always make every guest feel welcome. Start with a tasting in our cellar door, then take a seat at the Eleven Thirty Three restaurant, where a glass wall looks straight into the working winery. Enjoy seasonal Hawke’s Bay food, our wines and a table for everyone.

H. What would you recommend for a great visit? 
TB. Don’t miss a tasting of our Gimblett Gravel reds, especially the Declaration Syrah, which shows what makes this corner of Hawke’s Bay so special. Then make an afternoon of it with lunch at Eleven Thirty Three, where their steak tartare pairs perfectly with our syrah.

1133 Omahu Road, Twyford, Hastings 4174, New Zealand | Halliday profile | pask.co.nz

Pegasus Bay, Waipara Valley

Winemaker Ed Donaldson says: Pegasus Bay is owned and operated by us, the Donaldson family, who are pioneers of the Canterbury wine region. Widely regarded as a leading producer of fine wine in North Canterbury, New Zealand, our wines are often unique, full of character and age-worthy. Six family members work in key roles for the business.

H. What can guests expect from a visit to your cellar door?
ED. The cellar door offers various tasting options and a large selection of wines. The staff are highly knowledgeable, relaxed and down-to-earth. A large glass window gives you views into the barrel hall and wine cellars. In addition to current vintages, a blackboard features a large selection of aged wines at reasonable prices.

H. How do you make sure everyone feels welcome?
ED. The Pegasus Bay Deli offers a thoughtfully selected range of NZ-made artisan products, including plenty of child-friendly options. Choose from the deli fridges and shelves, add a glass or bottle of your favourite drop, and head out to the iconic gardens to explore and find your slice of paradise. We have you covered if the weather's not good; just grab a table inside our deli space or kick back on the couches by the fire.

H. What would you recommend for a great visit? 
ED. Start with a tasting, then enjoy lunch in the deli before exploring the breathtaking gardens, with many trails lovingly created by the family over 40 years.

263 Stockgrove Road, RD 2, Amberley 7482, North Canterbury, New Zealand | Halliday profile | pegasusbay.com

Rippon, Central Otago

Retail manager Haddon Power-Cohen says: Rippon is a farm on the western shores of Lake Wānaka that is home to some of the oldest commercial vines in Central Otago. The vineyard is farmed organically and biodynamically on an exceptional parcel of land that has been cared for by one family for four generations.

H. What can guests expect from a visit to your cellar door?
HPC. The Rippon Hall, situated in the heart of the farm, is home to Rippon’s cellar door. Built of rammed earth and timber trusses from the farm, it’s the natural place in which to tell the tales of the farm and taste the wines grown in the vines around you.

H. How do you make sure everyone feels welcome?
HPC. Our cellar door opens onto a small terrace that looks out over the vineyard to Lake Wānaka and the mountains beyond. This is a lovely spot for anyone in a group who isn’t tasting, and the grassy slopes of our amphitheatre keep children (and adults) roly-polying for hours!

H. What would you recommend for a great visit? 
HPC. For visitors who are keen to go a bit deeper, we recommend booking a private tasting. Over the course of an hour, you and your friends will be taken through a broader tasting of Rippon’s wines and learn more about our history and how we grow our wines.

246 Mt Aspiring Road, Wānaka 9305, New Zealand | Halliday profile | rippon.co.nz

Top image credit: Pegasus Bay