A Luxury Wine Weekend in Hawke’s Bay
A Luxury Wine Weekend In Hawke’s Bay
Hawke’s Bay is New Zealand’s oldest wine-growing region and one of the world’s Great Wine Capitals. With more than 70 wineries and 30 cellar doors across the region, visitors have no shortage of places to taste. Around Havelock North, several of the best-known names in Hawke’s Bay wine are concentrated within a relatively small area.
Porters Boutique Hotel places you close to four of the area’s standout wine destinations. Smith & Sheth is tucked into the courtyard directly behind the hotel, while Te Mata Estate, Black Barn Vineyards and Craggy Range are all a short drive from Havelock North village.
This three-day itinerary keeps the list deliberately short. Rather than moving quickly between as many cellar doors as possible, it gives you time to enjoy each tasting, learn more about the wines and take in the individual character of each estate.
Day 1: Arrival and tasting at Smith & Sheth
After checking in at Porters, begin the weekend at Smith & Sheth, located in the Village Exchange courtyard directly behind the hotel.
The Oenothèque combines an intimate cellar door with a relaxed wine lounge, offering seated tastings of wines from Smith & Sheth and Pyramid Valley. Guests looking for more depth can book a hosted Smith & Sheth Wine Studio experience, which explores the regions, vineyards and people behind a selection of limited-production wines.
Its position makes Smith & Sheth a natural first stop, with no need to build the afternoon around travel. Begin with a tasting, stay for a glass in the wine lounge, then move next door to Malo for dinner or return to your room for the evening.
Day 2: Te Mata Estate and Black Barn Vineyards
Spend the second day visiting two of Havelock North’s best-known winery estates. Te Mata Estate brings history and serious wine credentials, while Black Barn combines boutique wines, a strong vineyard setting and the well-known Black Barn Bistro.
Morning at Te Mata Estate
Begin at Te Mata Estate, one of New Zealand’s oldest working wineries. Established in 1896, the estate remains family owned and continues to produce wine at its original Havelock North site.
Choose from a concise hosted tasting or one of the estate’s more detailed wine experiences, which may include access to the vineyards, working winery and Showcase Cellar. Coleraine, the estate’s flagship wine, is central to its reputation and features within selected tastings.
Te Mata Estate is best approached as a dedicated morning visit. Allow time to take in the history, compare the wines and browse the cellar door before continuing to Black Barn for the afternoon.
Afternoon at Black Barn Vineyards
Continue into the Havelock Hills to Black Barn Vineyards, where the cellar door sits among the estate’s north-facing vines.
Hosted tastings and self-guided flights introduce Black Barn’s current releases alongside limited and vineyard-exclusive wines. In fine weather, Fig Alley provides a relaxed place to continue with a glass or platter after the tasting.
Book lunch at Black Barn Bistro and make the winery the focus of the afternoon. The combination of the cellar door, vineyard setting and seasonal Hawke’s Bay menu gives the visit enough substance without adding another stop to the day.
Return to Porters in the late afternoon, with time to rest before spending the evening in Havelock North village.
Day 3: Craggy Range at Giants Estate
Finish the weekend at Craggy Range, set beneath Te Mata Peak at Giants Estate.
The property brings together its cellar door, working winery, restaurant, culinary gardens and vineyard landscape, making it a destination rather than a brief tasting stop. Its seated wine experiences range from an introduction to the Estate and Prestige collections through to more detailed tastings that include rare wines and access to the winery and underground cellar.
For a longer final day, pair the tasting with lunch at the Craggy Range Restaurant. Otherwise, take time to explore the cellar door and surrounding estate before returning to Porters or beginning the journey home. Bookings are required for Craggy Range’s wine experiences, so confirm your preferred tasting before the weekend.
Planning Tips for a Luxury Wine Weekend
Book the main tastings first: Experiences at Te Mata Estate and Craggy Range operate at scheduled times and have limited capacity. Confirm these before arranging the rest of the weekend.
Keep the itinerary unhurried: Two well-paced winery visits can comfortably fill a day once tastings and lunch are included.
Check seasonal opening hours: Cellar door schedules can change throughout the year, particularly on Sundays and during Winter.
Reserve dining separately: A tasting reservation does not automatically include a restaurant table. Book Black Barn Bistro or the Craggy Range Restaurant when confirming the associated tasting.
A luxury wine weekend is not define by the number of tastings completed. It comes from choosing the right cellar doors and giving each experience the time it deserves.
With one of Havelock North’s leading cellar doors behind the hotel and three significant winery estates nearby, Porters Boutique Hotel provides a natural base. Arrive, unpack once, and spend the weekend moving between some of Hawke’s Bay’s finest wine experiences.
Smith & Sheth
From Porters: In the Village Exchange courtyard directly behind the hotel
The setting: An intimate urban cellar door and wine lounge in central Havelock North
The wine: Smith & Sheth’s Hawke’s Bay wines, alongside selected wines from Pyramid Valley and Lowburn Ferry
The experience: Seated tasting flights and more in-depth hosted tastings through the Smith & Sheth Wine Studio
Smith & Sheth offers a refined wine experience in the centre of Havelock North village. The cellar door is comfortable and intimate, with guided seated tastings that can be tailored to suit both knowledgeable wine drinkers and guests who simply want to enjoy a well-hosted flight.
Its urban setting makes it different from a traditional winery visit, moving naturally from a hosted tasting into the adjoining wine lounge as the day continues.
Wines from Smith & Sheth and Pyramid Valley are accompanied by the stories of the vineyards, people and places behind them. Guests looking for more depth can book the Smith & Sheth Wine Studio, while those seeking a relaxed arrival-day experience can choose a tasting before staying for a glass.
Te Mata Estate
From Porters: A short drive along Te Mata Road
The setting: One of New Zealand’s oldest working wineries, established in 1896
The wine: Coleraine, Awatea, Bullnose Syrah, Elston Chardonnay and other recognised estate releases
The experience: Hosted tastings ranging from an estate introduction to vineyard, winery and cellar experiences
Established in 1896, Te Mata Estate is one of New Zealand’s most significant wine producers. Its original Havelock North site remains a working winery, giving the tasting experience a direct connection to more than a century of local winemaking.
The Discovery Tasting offers a relaxed introduction through five Estate and Showcase wines. The Showcase Tasting moves into six of the estate’s finest releases, including Coleraine, in a seated setting overlooking the vineyards.
The Heritage Experience is the most complete option. It combines the vineyards, working winery and Showcase Cellar, finishing with a masterclass that includes a rare cellared wine. This is the visit to choose when the wine itself is the main reason for the weekend.
Black Barn Vineyards
From Porters: A short drive into the Havelock Hills
The setting: A boutique hillside vineyard with a cellar door, Fig Alley and winery Bistro
The wine: Limited and vineyard-exclusive releases, with a strong reputation for Barrel Fermented Chardonnay
The experience: Guided cellar door tastings, self-guided wine flights and the option to continue with lunch at the Black Barn Bistro
Black Barn combines estate-grown wine with one of the area’s strongest vineyard settings. Its north-facing site produces premium red and white varieties, while many releases are available only through Black Barn itself.
Hosted tastings feature five current estate wines, while self-guided flights provide a less structured alternative. On a clear day, Fig Alley is an ideal place to continue with a bottle, glass or platter after the tasting.
Black Barn works best as the main destination of an afternoon. Book the Bistro and allow enough time for lunch, a tasting and a glass in Fig Alley, taking in the vineyard setting at a relaxed pace.
Craggy Range
From Porters: A short drive through the Tukituki Valley
The setting: Giants Estate beneath Te Mata Peak, combining the winery, cellar door, gardens and restaurant
The wine: Estate and Prestige Collection wines drawn from Craggy Range’s Hawke’s Bay vineyards
The experience: Structured seated tastings, with selected experiences including the working winery and underground cellar
Craggy Range sits beneath Te Mata Peak at Giants Estate, bringing together the vineyard, cellar door, winery, gardens and restaurant in a single destination.
The Craggy Range Wine Experience provides a guided introduction through six wines from the Estate and Prestige ranges. The Giants Estate Experience goes further, adding rare wines, a winery tour, access to the underground cellar and light dishes inspired by the estate’s culinary gardens.
The scale and setting make Craggy Range a fitting final visit. Book the longer experience when wine is the priority, or combine a shorter tasting with lunch for an unhurried conclusion to the weekend.
