Marlborough: Small Group Wine Tour & Chocolate Tasting Day

4.96

(137 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I didn’t expect the air to smell so green out here in Marlborough — almost like crushed leaves and wet stone when we first stepped off the minibus. Our guide, Sue, waved us over with that easy Kiwi warmth and handed out bottled water (which I definitely needed after that early start). The drive between cellar doors was all rolling hills and those neat rows of vines — I kept trying to snap photos but honestly, they never look quite right compared to what you see with your own eyes.

First stop was a family-run winery where the owner himself poured our first glass of Sauvignon Blanc. He told us about the soil — “alluvial,” he said, which I had to Google later — and let us swirl the wine in big glasses. The taste was sharp and bright, almost grassy? Not sure if that’s the right word but it made me laugh because someone else at our table said “gooseberry” and Sue just grinned like she’d heard every possible description before. There were more tastings after that — Pinot Noir, some kind of aromatic white I can’t pronounce (Gewürztraminer? Still not sure) — each one different enough that I started making notes on my phone just to keep up.

Lunch was at a vineyard restaurant with big windows looking out over the vines. I ordered mussels in white wine sauce because it felt right for New Zealand, and they came out steaming with this creamy broth that smelled so good we all went quiet for a minute. The staff joked with us about rugby scores while topping up water glasses, which made it feel less like a tour and more like you’re just hanging out somewhere you belong for an afternoon.

Last stop: a tiny chocolate factory tucked away behind another set of grapevines. The air inside was thick with cocoa — honestly, it hit me before I even saw the counter. We tried little squares of dark chocolate filled with something fruity; I probably ate too many but nobody seemed to mind. By then everyone was swapping stories about their favorite wines or how bad we all are at describing flavors (I still think “grassy” is legit). On the way back to town, Sue played old Crowded House songs quietly on the bus and people dozed or stared out at the vines sliding by. Kind of wish that ride lasted longer.