Where best for wine tasting?

We are not wine buffs but would like to do some wine tasting tours. We prefer full bodied red wines and hate dry (sour) wines.

We think our trip will be Hamner Springs, Pancake Rocks, Fox, Wanaka, possibly Te Anau, Christchurch, Kaikora and/orAkaroa Picton Wellington Rotorua to Auckland.

We will be in Hamner Springs so can taste at Waipara, is there anywhere not to far off our route that would be a better place to visit wineries. We probably will only have the time to do one tour.

No comments about our taste in wines !!!!!!!!!

NZ is a cool climate wine growing region. Most of the wine production is concentrated on aromatic, dry white wines. However excellent Pinot Noir is also produced. But this is often done in fruity, less full bodied style. In the majority of wineries, make disappoint, but there are a lot of notable exceptions.

In Waipara, head for Pegasus Bay, they make one of NZ's premium Pinot's and in the style I think you would like, it's a very beautiful setting and one of the best places to have lunch in the South Island.

Hawke's Bay (East Coast of the North Island) has some excellent red wines and plenty of wineries you can visit ... it is one of NZ's premier wine-growing areas. You could perhaps take an extra day to detour via there on your route from Wellington to Rotorua.

Another suggestion if you're passing through - on the outskirts of Tauranga (45 minutes from Roturua) is Mills Reef winery, whose triple gold-medal award winning Syrah is to die for!

Not sure if the pinot noirs produced in the Gibbston Valley will be to your taste, but if they happen to be, there are something like 40 wineries operating in the area - just out of Queenstown.

If all else fails, you could get some useful wine tasting experiences when you hit Auckland - several very respected wineries to the West.

#3 yes and also some good ones on Waiheke Island. A nice leisurely day out involves taking the ferry from Auckland city to Waiheke late morning, and going for a leisurely stroll from the wharf, taking in wine-tasting and a spot of lunch at Mudbrick and Cable Bay vineyards.

I buy excellent whites and lighter reds from the cellar door in the Wairarapa, Hawkes Bay and Gisborne. Sometimes in North Canterbury (e.g. Waipara). Rarely Marlborough.

But, and it hurts me to say this, NZ doesn't make good full-bodied reds (#1 explains why) so I buy Australian and Chilean.

I beg to differ #5, at the top end NZ's reds rival Australia's. Waiheke Island and Hawke's Bay produce some absolute crackers, IF you're willing to part with the $$$.

VeeDub - can you give any examples on Waiheke?

Mmmm Oyster Bay merlot is yummy! Marlborough I think!!!! I wouldn't neglect South African in the competition for good reds either, but Oyster Bay is defo my favourite!