Best Wineries in Blenheim [+Options for Lunch]

No visit to Blenheim can be completed without visiting its wineries. In the end, it’s what the Marlborough region is known for, and Blenheim is the wine capital of the area! For that reason, many tour providers offer full-day wine tours, whether by bus, car, or bike! That said, you can just grab this list and visit wineries on your own, just like I did! However, you might want to pick an e-bike and not a mountain bike, like I did.

Here are the top wineries you must visit when in Blenheim and also the best and the only wineries that offer a proper, warm lunch, in case you are looking for this experience too!

1. FROMM Winery

• Address: 15 Godfrey Road, Fairhall 7272
• Working hours: Monday – Sunday, 1 pm to 4 pm
• Google reviews: 4,5

FROMM vinery is lovely and quite large vinery with plenty of tasty wine to try. A knowledgeable and very nice lady sommelier will give you insights into all the wines. The standard and the cheapest option on a tasting menu costs $18, and you get to try five different wines.

Otherwise, you can purchase as many as you want, a tasting goes for $6 for each wine. Besides an extensive list of wines, they offer some cold snacks, like cheese platter.

2. Cloudy Bay Vineyards

• Address: 230 Jacksons Road, Rapaura 7273
• Working hours: Monday – Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm
• Google reviews: 4,5

Cloudy Bay Vineyards is one of the well-known wineries in the region. The basic tasting costs $15, where you get to try 4 wines. And the option “Cloudy Bay indulge” sells for $30. They are better known for white wines, so pick this place if you are a fan (like me!).

Cloudy Bay has a second vineyard in Central Otago, Cromwell.

Besides wine, you can also enjoy some wonderful food options there. They have a Jack’s Raw Bar – a summer garden restaurant. However, the restaurant is closed in the off-season and reopens again in December 2023. You can see the menu here.

3. Villa Maria

• Address: New Renwick Road, Fairhall 7201
• Working hours: Monday – Friday, 11  am – 4 pm
• Google reviews: 4,8

Villa Maria is a good winery for a quick stop to sample some of the tastiest wines of your life. They have several wineries in New Zealand and sell their products both in NZ and abroad. Villa Maria doesn’t provide any food options, so a visit for up to one hour is the best.

The wine tasting at Villa Maria is free, but you should promise to buy their wine for the rest of your life (at least, it’s what they said to me).

4. Rock Ferry Cellar Door

• Address: 130 Hammerichs Road, Blenheim 7272
• Working hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 11 am to 4 pm (winter), every day in summer
• Google reviews: 4,8

Rock Ferry Cellar Door is a highly-rated wine cellar in Blenheim. It’s closer to the city center than the wineries mentioned above, only about a 9-minute drive. The price of the tasting is $12 for 5 wines. Keep in mind that their restaurant is closed from 2020, so they only offer limited options.

5. Lawson’s Dry Hills Winery & Cellar Door

• Address: 238 Alabama Road, Blenheim 7274
• Working hours: Monday – Friday, 10 am to 4:30 pm
• Google reviews: 4,8

Lawson’s Dry Hills Winery & Cellar Door is a traditional but still very stylish and elegant vinery. In the end, they have been making wines for over 30 years. During the wine tasting, you get to try their most limited and exclusive options.

In addition, they have cold platters, local cheeses, cured meats, paté, and salmon. In fact, you can choose ingredients for your own platter. All wine tastings are usually hosted by Nigel, a wine professional with plenty of experience and knowledge.

6. Forrest Wines

• Address: 19 Blicks Road, Blenheim 7204
• Working hours: Monday – Sunday, 10:30 am to 4:30 pm
• Google reviews: 4,7

Forrest Wines offers probably some of the most affordable tastings around; it costs only $12 for 7 wines. As with most wineries, you can enjoy a cold platter together with your wine.

This winery exists since 1988 and is located close to Framingham Wines, which is next to our list. In 2017, Forrest Wines won a competition for the best Pinot Noir in New Zealand.

7. Framingham Wines

• Address: 19 Conders Bend Road, Renwick, Blenheim 7243
• Working hours: Monday – Sunday, 10:30 am to 4:30 pm
• Google reviews: 4,8

Framingham Wines has been making wine since 1981. Opt for their tasting in the courtyard for the full experience. You can get some cold snacks like a cheese platter with your wine. Framingham is also known for its live music, as it hosts the annual Framingham Harvest Concert.

8. Bladen Wines

• Address: 83 Conders Bend Road, Renwick 7275
• Working hours: Monday – Sunday, 11:30 am to 4:30 pm
• Google reviews: 4,8

Bladen Wines is a simple winery making handcraft wine and is located just next to Framingham Wines and Forrest Wines, so it’s a good idea to visit all three wineries on the same day. It’s the best place for someone down to earth, wanting to enjoy a county-side wine experience without excessive chic.

A wine tasting at Bladen Wines winery costs $10 per person for 5 wines. Wine tastings are hosted at 11 am, 1 pm, and 3 pm only. To secure a spot at the tasting, an early arrival is recommended. If you are interested to learn more about the wine than only tasting it, vineyard tours are also available and cost $30 per person.

Besides, you can pop in for a glass of wine at any time between 11:30 am and 4:30 pm on any day of the week. And, of course, you can enjoy all the wine snacks as with any winery in the region!

9. Whitehaven Wines Cellar Door

• Address: The Vines Village 193 Rapaura Road, Rapaura, Blenheim 7273
• Working hours: Monday – Sunday, 11 am to 4:30 pm
• Google reviews: 4,8

Whitehaven Wines Cellar Door is situated right on the wine road of Blenheim – Rapaura Road; hence, you can’t miss it! A traditional winemaker that offers tastings with cold snacks, can’t beat the classic! Prices start at $10 for 4 wines, and a full glass costs $10, which is a bargain!

See the tasting menu (including snacks).

Best wineries in Blenheim to have a fantastic lunch

Saint Clair Family Estate Vineyard Kitchen

• Address: 13 Selmes Road, Blenheim 7273
• Working hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 11 am to 4 pm
• Google reviews: 4,6

Saint Clair Family Estate Vineyard is one of the few wineries in Blenheim where you can get a proper lunch. It’s also very close located, 9 minutes drive from the city center, which is super convenient for a lunch break.

They have many vineyards sprinkled in the Blenheim area and another in the Hawkes Bay area.

Saint Clair Family Estate Vineyard is great for wine tasting, where you get to try five different wines and, of course, lunch! Some of the highlights on the list are grouper wings, fish, lamb, and all their fantastic desserts! See the lunch menu.

Wairau River Wines

• Address: 11 Rapaura Road, Blenheim 7273
• Working hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am to 3 pm
• Google reviews: 4,7

Enjoy an incredible meal accompanied by wine tasting! Wairau River Wines is not only a fantastic winery but also a restaurant! Some items from the menu you want to order are mussel chowder, duck pancakes, and blue cheese souffle.

Their wine offer ranges from exclusive Reserve Range to more common Estate Range. You will find their red, white, and rose to match everyone’s preferences!

A restaurant is open from 10.00 am – 11.30 am for morning tea and from 11.30 am – 3.00 pm for lunch. See their menu.

Wither Hills

• Address:  211 New Renwick Road, Burleigh, Blenheim 7272
• Working hours: Monday – Sunday, 11:30 am to 3 pm
• Google reviews: 4,5

Wine tastings at Winter Hills are divine and affordable, priced at $10 per person, and you get to try 3 different wines. Tastings for groups require a booking and cost $35 per person. This price includes 4 wines.

Moreover, Wither Hills restaurant offers fantastic lunch and appetizer options! Their menu features mains like fish, pasta, beef, and much more. Besides, Wither Hills is one of the best wineries in Blenheim!

You can see their full menu.

Best wine tours in Blenheim

If you rather prefer going with a tour provider than by yourself, that’s a good idea! Wine tours are super popular in Blenheim. Here are the best offers around, you can simply book the tour online.

• 1/2day Marlborough Wine Tour with a lunch
• Full-day self-guided Biking Wine Tour – you will get a bike for just NZ$50 for a full day
• Hop on Hop off Wine Tour – with a minibus
• Half-Day Wine Tour from Blenheim
• Full Day Winemakers Tour

For all these tours, you can opt for a hotel/Airbnb pickup.

See all wine tours in Blenheim.

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