On our way back from a blissful Sunday afternoon spent at Anchor Bay in Tawharanui, the vineyards…read moreof OBV beckoned and a late afternoon refreshment seemed just the thing. We hadn't been here before and it was a bit of a random pick from the several vineyards on the road leading back to Leigh. We made an excellent choice. On walking into the lovely cool dim of the building we were welcomed and invited to try several wines before deciding which we would like to drink. By several I mean, most of them and the sample sizes were generous. We loved every single one of them but I settled on "The Imposter" Matakana Flora which has such a great name and was a zingy and fresh alternative to my usual Pinot Gris. It's now one of my favourite wines. Their Pinot Gris incidentally is also excellent. The husband had the reds with equal enthusiasm with us sharing all the huge testers, along with a gorgeous platter of goodies to snack on. The view from here is completely gorgeous and I could easily spend hours indulging my senses and blissing out. On leaving we bought up large and plan to return to replenish the stocks just as soon as we can afford to (average bottle price $30 which is definitely more than we usually spend). Great place run by great people with a great product.

Omaha Bay Vineyard is hands down my favourite in the region. It's very grand, perched up on top of…read morethe hill behind Matakana. Wednesday through Sunday you can pop in there and sample their delicious wine alongside a platter. We chose the cheese platter which went every well with our glass (or two) of Sauvignon Blanc. The local cheeses were scrummy; it was all very decedent overlooking the vines and across to the ocean. You can also buy wine by the bottle at the cellar door; it's far cheaper than buying from the bottle store and they usually have good selection. OBV is a great vineyard to stop in at, they are a friendly bunch and it's a lovely setting

This Vineyard takes you to somewhere in Europe, maybe Italy, Spain or France with its European…read morestyle building. I had thought this place might be a bit posh, but its not really, its very relaxing and casual. The food is very delicious and lots of lovely places to sit with different views of the vineyard, they also have a child's play area which is great for us with little ones. And of course what we came here for, the wine, I loved the Ascension Methode Traditionnelle, now I don't know all that wine talk but it has some lovely flavours and was just delicious on a summer's day. This is also a beautiful location for a wedding with the vineyards at the back, you could really get some stunning photos that you would cherish for ever (and maybe say you got married in Europe).

Have been here a couple of times for a work functions. The staff were very efficient and helpful…read more Food was very good and the wine was flowing of course. Took a wine tour including the vines was very informative and loved trying the various samples. Would love to visit during one of the concerts.

Tucked in next to the Matakana Cinemas, the Vintry is a lovely little wine bar stocking only wines…read morewithin a 14km radius. This may not seem a big area, but encompasses 25 vineyards! Some of my favourites; Takatu, Matakana estate, OBV, Brick Bay...ah, the list goes on. They are experts on the developing wine region, and a good starting point if you're looking to explore it. You can buy by the bottle or glass; or try a bit of everything with a tasting. These start from $5 (for a trio) to $12.50 for a specialized flight. I love it; it's a great way to sample what the area is producing and try and 'develop' you palate (or just have a bit of fun). If you're just after a casual drink there is a nice verandah to laze on or comfy couch seating inside too. I really like the Vintry, it's cosy and elegant and has a nice little spot in Matakana.

I'll be honest, tough to get a last minute reservation, but good if you get one outside when it's…read moreexpected to be bad weather but not so bad!

Lunch for the four of us was in their covered atrium; a large glass enclosed dining room, with…read moresliding doors and curtained ceilings. Very pleasant surroundings, with vineyards and ponds around us. Service was not at all professional.... a very casual and lackadaisical affair. A server presented the menus, and waited for us to order, without giving us a chance to review the menu. We requested that she return, and yet, though they were not busy, it took a very long time before another server came over to take our order, who we had to flag down. When yet a 3rd server then brought our chilled rose ($32/bottle), she poured a taste, and then left, leaving one of us to finish pouring glasses for us all. No chilled decanter, or ice bucket was ever brought, and the chilled wine was left on the table to warm up to room temperature!!! I certainly expected better wine service from a winery!!! Food was very good. Two of us had the chicken salad (small portion of poached chicken), served with quinoa, cos lettuce, feta and sliced carrots & zucchini (courgettes), $18 (see photo). A Grado cheese salad w/ beetroot and nuts ($18), and the lamb Kofta (3 spiced pan fried lamb balls) w/ accompanying hummus and yoghurt ($19.50) for the other two diners. All exclaimed pleasure with their meals. For dessert, we had chocolate espresso puff ($4.50), citron orange tart ($6.50), and the sweet, chocolate orange cake ($6.50). All were devoured with glee. A pleasant enough luncheon with good food and drink amidst a nice environment, except for the sub-standard service.

Impressive theater in a village setting with friendly service. We went during the daytime on a week…read moreday, so it wasn't too busy. Everything was clean and orderly.

This is one of the nicest cinemas I've ever visited -- it's part of a small mini-mall that's wide…read moreopen and spacious. There's a wine bar attached to the restaurant and you can bring your wine in with you. Seats are super comfortable - screens are pretty good. Felt very comfortable and enjoyed my evening there. Everyone was super friendly.

This place is just beautiful sitting up there on the hill, you really could be forgiven for…read morethinking you were in Italy somewhere when you come to Mahurangi River Winery. It just lovely on a nice sunny day to sit up there and sip away at some of the lovely wine and food chatting with friends and family. The owner is also so friendly and comes out and has chats with his clients, if you are interested in wine and the history of the place its great. For me this winery is a must if you are coming to visit the Wineries in the Warkworth area. You really don't need to go all the way to Italy when you have places like these.

We were driving to Tawharanui Regional Park and noticed the sculptures peeking out from inside a…read moregarden and decided we must stop in. We are so glad that we did. We found a lovely art gallery that even includes pieces from Chihuly that led to a couple of beautiful gardens adjacent to the gallery. Beyond this there is yet another larger sculpture garden with meandering paths that sometimes led to aviaries as well as other small animal areas (such as rabbits). They will be having a couple of "native" pigs join the property soon as they just arrived today. We met the owners, Anthony and Sandra Grant as she arrived on property with their new pets. Between our visit to the gallery and the larger sculpture garden, we stopped by for a wine tasting and met Tina who was generous and informative sharing about the wines grown on their estate. The Gallery Syrah and Bordeaux Blend were our favorites. Much appreciation is extended to Tina for her kindness and hospitality! After the sculpture garden, we ventured over to their restaurant, Rothko. Unfortunately for us, the restaurant was fully booked with reservations. Fortunately for us, they had seating at the picnic tables outside and they served wine and small bites. Overall, we had a very pleasant experience and will definitely be back!

Fabulous collection if (mostly) modern art sculptures set in beautifully manicured gardens and chic…read moreindoor galleries. One hour from auckland cbd... we were tourists, renting a city hop car (very reasonable and convenient)... 1 hour to get there and 3 hours in the setting, well worth the time and expense!

Fantastic little winery featuring feijoa liquor and many delicious liquors to choose from! The…read moreowner, Danny, is very knowledgeable and makes it worth visiting the winery even if you don't drink! He had us try a dozen different liquors and several wines while regaling us with the amusing history of the feijoa. My favorites were the limoncello and the ginger liquor. Highly recommend a stop here if you are visiting the Coromandel area.

Best tasting I've ever experienced! Danny let us try all the different fruit liquors from the farm…read moreand told us the history behind the region, all in a very funny and entertaining way. He even ran down the hill to grab us some feijoas to try. It's clear the proprietors care deeply about both their customers and their business. Plus the view was SPECTACULAR. We bought a bunch of bottles to take home and will definitely return next time we're in the area. HIGHLY recommend!