The entree took half an hour to arrive. Main meals took an hour after that - were tiny portions…read more The coq au vin had reheated mushrooms, the pork belly was about 5cm x 5cm and had a pitiful amount of beans with it. Although well cooked, the delays made us irritable, and portions that don't fill a person up is not ideal. We ordered desserts and 40 minutes later they were delivered to 2 different tables (neither of which were our table), before we took our leave. Would not recommend unless you are only getting taster options.

When we approached this tasting room, I seriously thought it was closed. What a bummer! Especially…read moresince we had driven 40 minutes to get there. We walked around back and saw an open door by the kitchen. Behold! They friendly staff let us in and we had a private wine tasting for the four of us. The Rosè is devine. I'm usually not a rosè fan by any means. We bought two cases (Pinot noir, rose, Pinot Gris and Riesling. Yes they let us mix the cases!) and were on our way. I highly suggest stopping by if you're in the area!

What a beautiful setting for lunch and a wine tasting. This is the quadfecta: Beatiful…read morevenue/setting, excellent wines, delicious meals, and pleasant/knowledgeable/attentive staff. The setting is lovely, with indoor and outdoor options. Even though this venue can cater to large tour groups, it doesn't feel institutional/cafeteria style, or like livestock herding like some other more commercial options we experienced in Australia. Lots of delicious options on the menu. We can attest to the steak sandwich and sliders. And the wines are all sublime. Definitely recommended for 2 or 200.

I'll keep this factual, which I'm sure will still potentially be controversial but that is the time…read morein which we live. Waipara Hills is no doubt one of the significant wineries in the region and often frequented by tour groups, especially now that Lyttleton is open to cruise ships again. The estate is as-reviewed elsewhere and of typical kiwi quality and charm, with lovely dining courtyard etc, again as-reviewed elsewhere. Additional observations for those who may be interested, as of March 2023, we were greeted upon arrival by a Sommelier wearing an N95 covid mask. Accompanying us were our daughters, ages 20 and 22, whom the masked employee asked for ID. Not unprecedented, but also not entirely necessary as evidenced by our experiences elsewhere. Upon presenting USA Drivers Licenses establishing they were both 20+, we were informed by the masked individual that a PASSPORT is the only acceptable form of ID. Again, per our experiences elsewhere this was totally beyond the pale, with a flair even for the dramatic, much as the mask was, in this reviewers opinion. If this kind of story turns you on, Waipara Hills may be fit for purpose for you. If it does not, I suggest you avoid the hassle and theatre, and try any/all of the other amazing wineries in the region.

Wow what a nice spot for a break. This is in the Waipara wine region that is well known for their…read morewhite wines. This winery is located in a lovely grove right off the main highway. It has a reasonable tasting fee of $7 and the wines are quite good. The main thing to do is to enjoy the wonderful cafe. We had a very generous appetizer plate with great hummus, olive oil and wonderful bread. But the highlight were the mussels. They were perfectly done in a coconut cream sauce that we could get enough of. Overall an excellent spot for lunch and really trlaximing

Beautiful winery and restaurant. When we stopped by, there was a very large bachelorette party…read moregoing on and everyone seemed to be having a good time and enjoying their food. We came only for a tasting and we're quickly seated. We were seated in a nice room next to a heater which is a plus. The server was so nice and professional. She let us know each wine we were trying and checked up on us a lot. Loved my experience here. Very beautiful grounds and well kept. Would come back to try the food.

A great place to add to your vineyard stops when touring the Waipara region. Black Estate has a…read morequaint tasting room that features riesling, rose, sauv blanc and pinot noir that are all of exceptional quality. My favorite is their sauv. Don't stop your tour there though, continue into the dining room for a gorgeous view overlooking the Waipara valley and enjoy a top notch lunch. Don't be turned off by their simplistic chalk board menu as the food is truly quality. I especially love the ciabatta with truffle butter and the pan roasted duck leg. For a light nibble, try their Akaroa salmon.

The view here is spectacular! The Rose' has a lovely rich blood hue to it and I brought some home…read morewith me to share! The tasting room staff could have been more engaging and interesting, however that seems to be the New Zealand way. No fuss, no muss. Cheers!

On our way back from Akaroa, we decided to stop into a winery on the way back into Christchurch…read more That place was Rossendale. It's close to The Bicycle Theft restaurant. They're also popular for weddings and events. We dropped in on a Tuesday afternoon (around 3:15pm). You need to walk to the office and ring/call for someone upstairs if you want to do a wine tasting. Our host was very sweet and conversational. The wine tasting was free and guess what, we got to try 8 different wines! The most samples given out of all the wineries we've went to. - Rossendale Sauvignon blanc 2017 - smooth and crisp. We bought a bottle ($13.00 NZD). Apparently, you can find this in all the Earls Restaurants in Canada (but it's under the label Seven Terraces). - Rossendale pinot gris 2017 - Rossendale chardonnay 2016 - Cottesbrook gewurtztraminer 2017 - this is their label that they use in the States. - Rossendale sparkling sauvignon blanc 2017 - Rossendale gewurtztraminer dessert wine 2012 - you can only get this in the shop. This is from when they used to run a restaurant. Pretty interesting as it's aged in brandy and has a 19% alcohol level. - Rossendale pinot noir 2016 - Rossendale pinot noir fortified 2012 - this was between a sherry and a port. Again, super different and had nice brandy tones. Smooth and went down easy. Would be great on a cold winter night. Pretty impressed with the friendly service and good variety of wines. Definitely worth a visit!

Can't beat these views! Sitting on lighthouse road with stunning views of the bay! This winery is…read morealso incredibly affordable. It is $10nz for a tasting but the fee is free if you buy a bottle. We selected a bottle of Pinot Gris (also have a dry Riesling and Pinot noir), and the owner waived both our tasting fees. Additionally they had a selection of appetizers for $10nz so we selected the cheese plate expecting a small amount of cheese and crackers due to the price. Instead we were brought a platter with 3 cheeses, fruit, olives, crackers and breads. It was a delicious compliment to our wine and views. The owner also has a butterfly garden and glass house that you can walk through. Such a charming visit!

Loved my tasting at this winery. Very casual tasting. They actually own two wineries. Muddy Waters…read morehas older vines and Greystone has younger. You can tell in the taste but I highly preferred the Greystone wines better. I stopped here on a 4 winery tour. This winery was my favorite of all! So much we bought a bottle of their SB to go. They also sell in the states under the name Greys Peaks. Will be on the look out for them.

Loved it. Small and intimate. We were the only ones tasting the day we stopped by. I normally…read moredon't like Sauvignon blanc but the one here is wonderful. Staff was very nice even giving me some free bubble wrap to get my bottle home.

Snuck in right before closing. One of the three cellar doors you can get a tipple at after a…read morewonderful day in Akaroa.

Some beautiful wines are made here. We opted for the $10 tasting which allowed us to taste all the…read morewines available and was also a generous glass that was poured for us. We decided to buy a couple bottles. First off we bought a pinot noir Rosé. A light and quite dry wine with a fruity scent perfect for a lunchtime drink. Secondly we opted for the pinot grisio. Personally for me this was the stand out wine that I had. We were told to wait another few weeks before we open the bottle as it will improve with flavour. I hope we cam wait that long haha this wine has been tipped to win some awards this year and with good reason. Friendly and good wine what more can I say.