Waiheke is known for its high-quality red wines, primarily made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc grape varieties. Around 30 boutique wineries are dotted across the island, many offering tasting rooms, stylish restaurants, and breathtaking views.
Sunshine, sea breezes, and rolling hills define one of the world’s most exclusive wine-growing regions. Waiheke produces wines with intense varietal character and the freshness and purity that come from a pristine environment. There is nowhere else in the world quite like Waiheke Island. Discover its beauty through its wines.
Waiheke’s current reputation is a far cry from its first flirtation with the grape. In the 1950s, the Gradiska family produced what Kim Goldwater later described as a “fairly ferocious fortified brew” from hybrid vines in Ostend.
The Goldwaters were the first to introduce Vitis vinifera, planting their initial vines on Waiheke in 1977 and moving permanently to the island in 1983. They were followed by Stephen White at Stonyridge in 1982 and the Hamiltons at Peninsula Estate in 1984. Soon after, the Dunleavy family established Te Motu Vineyard, and Barry and Meg Fenton set up Fenton Estate.
Improved ferry services from Auckland significantly impacted Waiheke’s economy, boosting tourism and encouraging the development of vineyard cellar doors and on-site restaurants such as Mudbrick and Stonyridge.
Cabernet blends remained the flagbearers for Waiheke well into the 1990s, even as the number of vineyards rapidly increased. This growth led to the formation of the Waiheke Winegrowers Association Inc. A surge in new plantings reflected the desire among winegrowers to diversify their cellar door offerings and respond to a shift in consumer tastes away from Bordeaux-style reds.
Throughout the late 1990s, experimentation with new grape varieties and clones was underway. Syrah emerged as a strong contender, first planted by the now-closed Peninsula Estate, and later by Mudbrick and Passage Rock. Notable early success came from David Evans of Passage Rock Wines, who began harvesting Syrah at his Te Matuku Valley property. His wines consistently earned Gold Medals and Trophies in national competitions, confirming the island’s suitability for this classic Rhône Valley variety.
Many producers soon followed, with some shifting away from Cabernet Sauvignon, either partially or entirely. In 2003, Hay Paddock Wines established a single-varietal Syrah vineyard in the Onetangi Valley, while others converted existing plantings to Syrah.
Today, winegrowing and wine tourism are the principal drivers of the island’s economy. Most of Waiheke’s vineyards have cellar doors open year-round, though some operate only during the summer months. We recommend calling ahead to confirm opening hours or to book a private tasting.
Many vineyards also offer excellent food at their on-site cafés or restaurants, and venues such as Mudbrick and Cable Bay have become sought-after wedding destinations. Te Whau, Poderi Crisci, Casita Miro, and Te Motu have all been named winners of Metro’s Best NZ Rural Restaurant award.
Founded in 1981 in the Onetangi Valley, Stonyridge is a pioneer of Bordeaux-style reds in New Zealand. It planted the country’s first commercial olive grove in 1982 and introduced New Zealand’s first Bordeaux four-blend the following year.
Stonyridge rose to prominence with the release of Larose in 1987 — a wine hailed as the greatest red ever made in New Zealand. The 2010 Larose scored 97 points, placing it ahead of Australia’s top Cabernet Merlots.
Now internationally recognised, Stonyridge has been named one of the "Top Ten Must Visit Wineries in the World" by The Guardian and praised for its Cabernet Merlot by The Age/Sydney Morning Herald. The vineyard is also known for its relaxed café, large deli platters, garden cabanas, and the occasional dance party.
Website: stonyridge.com
Nestled on west-facing slopes in central Waiheke and surrounded by native bush, Awaroa is an organic vineyard specialising in Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Small-batch and premium-focused, Awaroa wines are available at most Waiheke wine stores and at Accent on Wine in Parnell.
Visit their Tasting Room at 324 Waiheke Road to sample current releases and enjoy curated tasting platters.
Cellar Door open — check website for current hours.
Website: awaroa.co.nz
Located at the island’s highest vineyard site, Batch offers sweeping views from the Coromandel to the Sky Tower. The on-site restaurant, Thomas’s Bach, provides a relaxed setting for groups large and small.
The Batch wine range includes Flora, Pinot Gris, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and their popular sparkling wines: Fizz Rosé, Fizz Chardonnay, and Fizz Riesling — all made and bottled on site.
Website: batchwinery.com
Set against stunning coastal views, Cable Bay offers award-winning wines and refined dining. Their Waiheke vineyards, located at the western end of the island, are planted with Pinot Gris, Viognier, Marsanne, Chardonnay, Syrah, Merlot, and Malbec.
Visit the Cellar Door for tastings, tours, and more — check their website for current opening hours.
Website: cablebay.nz
Renowned for its warm ambiance and Mediterranean flair, Casita Miro is a celebrated vineyard restaurant overlooking the Onetangi Valley. The menu draws inspiration from Spain and the broader Mediterranean, complemented by a curated selection of wines.
Miro Vineyard’s 10-acre Bond Estate produces Pinot Gris, Viognier, Albariño, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah. From these, they craft a distinctive range including Rosé, Syrah/Viognier, The Miro, and the popular Madame Rouge.
In addition to tastings of their own wines, Casita Miro offers curated flights of Spanish wines, Sherries, and Brandies for a broader Mediterranean experience.
Check website for current opening hours: casitamiro.co.nz
One of Waiheke’s most iconic wineries, Mudbrick features a Provence-inspired mudbrick restaurant and panoramic 360-degree views of the Hauraki Gulf.
The vineyard produces Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah as well as notable Chardonnay, Viognier and Pinot Gris. A range of flagship wines showcasing the very best Cabernet, Syrah and Chardonnay the estate can produce represent some of the best examples on the island. Their top wine is called 'Velvet', which describes the mouth feel of this seductive wine.
Onsite there are two restaurants and a cellar door which are open every day of the year. Tastings are available without a booking for groups under 10.
Check the website for up-to-date opening hours and tour options: mudbrick.co.nz
Waiheke Island’s only Cabernet blend specialist and New Zealand’s first fully certified sustainable winery. Destiny Bay’s 2007 Magna Praemia remains the highest-rated New Zealand wine by an international critic, receiving 98/100 from Anthony Dias Blue — and is also the country’s most expensive wine.
The winery is not open to the general public, but private tours and tastings are available for prospective Patron Club members.
Wine can be ordered directly or through local and international retailers — see the website for details.
Website: destinybaywine.com
A small, family-owned vineyard named for the ancient greywacke ridge it sits upon, Jurassic Ridge produces hand-crafted Syrah, Montepulciano, Pinot Gris, and Cabernet Franc.
With vines rooted in 155-million-year-old Jurassic rock, every glass reflects a unique geological story. The Cellar Door is open — check the website for current hours.
Website: jurassicridge.co.nz
Certified organic vineyard found on the southwestern side and was established in 1996. Set amongst 300-year-old pohutukawa trees overlooking Waiheke Island’s Kennedy Bay. At our cellar door you can complement your wine tasting experience with delicious local oysters, cheeses and smoked salmon.
It specializes in growing and producing Bordeauxand Syrah wines. The cellar door is the perfect setting to sample our award-winning organic wines, extra virgin olive oil and Kennedy Point honey. Our tasting plate selections are paired with the wines to enhance the entire experience.
Cellar Door open, view their Website for updated opening times, for wine, olive, avocado oil and honey tasting.
Founded as Goldwater Estate in 1978 by pioneering Waiheke winemakers Kim and Jeanette Goldwater, Goldwater Estate was among the first wine making operations on Waiheke. Its awards include being named winery of the year by Wines and Spirits Magazine in 2001.
Nestled among 30 acres of native bush and rolling vineyard overlooking Putiki Bay, the micro-climate provides an ideal terror for wine growing.
Cellar Door and wine tastings open, view their Website for updated opening times.
Website: http://goldieestate.co.nz/
Located at the eastern tip of Waiheke Island, Man O’ War’s vineyards are spread across a rugged 5,000-acre coastal farm, with vines planted on a variety of small, distinct sites.
Getting there is part of the adventure — a scenic drive down a gravel road takes you through native bush and rolling farmland before reaching Waiheke’s only beachfront tasting room.
Enjoy a glass of Valhalla Chardonnay and a tapas platter by the bay, take a swim if the weather allows, or unwind with lawn games like cricket, petanque, skittles, and swingball. Family-friendly and dog-friendly (on leads). Reservations recommended, check website for current opening hours : manowar.co.nz
Established in 1993, Obsidian is a 17-hectare vineyard nestled in an amphitheatre-like setting in Onetangi. The Cellar Door offers a relaxed tasting experience beside wetlands and vines, with alfresco tastings often held under the pergola.
The flagship wine, Obsidian, is a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec. The label “Weeping Sands” reflects the translation of Onetangi.Obsidian also gained acclaim in 2007 with its first release of Montepulciano, winning a gold medal and trophy at the Romeo Bragato National Wine Competition.
Check the website for current opening hours.
Website: obsidian.co.nz
Tucked into a north-facing amphitheatre at the end of a quiet country lane, Poderi Crisci spans 7.7 hectares on one of the island’s oldest geological formations — believed to predate the rest of Waiheke by 30 million years.
This family-owned vineyard and restaurant blends Italian heritage with a passion for traditional winemaking. Merlot vines were first planted in 2000, followed by additional varietals and expansive vegetable gardens. The vineyard was formally founded in 2008, with the restaurant opening in 2010.
Led by Antonio Crisci, the estate offers more than just wine and food — it’s a destination designed to deliver layered, memorable experiences.
Website: podericrisci.co.nz
Located at the eastern end of Waiheke Island near Te Matuku Bay, Passage Rock is Waiheke’s most awarded winery for Reserve Syrah.
The vineyard’s first plantings included Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon — varietals that remain central to its portfolio and a number of older vintages are available to drink in and purchase.
At the Cellar Door, guests can enjoy a guided tasting journey led by knowledgeable staff. The vineyard also offers a relaxed dining experience, serving renowned wood-fired pizzas among the vines.
Website: passagerock.co.nz
Located in the heart of Onetangi Valley, Tantalus Estate spans eight hectares of free-draining sandy soils over clay and rock — ideal for crafting complex, age-worthy Bordeaux and Rhône-style reds.
The 5.3-hectare vineyard is complemented by a working winery, state-of-the-art brewery, and a spacious, light-filled restaurant offering seasonal dishes made from fresh, local ingredients.
Indoor and outdoor dining areas blend seamlessly with the Cellar Door, where guests can enjoy wine and beer tastings while overlooking both the vines and the brewery below.
Situated among several top wineries, Tantalus is part of a walkable and highly rewarding wine trail experience.
Check website for current Cellar Door hours: tantalus.co.nz
Home to Wild Estate Vineyard & Restaurant and Waiheke Island Brewery, Wild on Waiheke offers a laid-back experience with a large outdoor beer garden set among the vines and rolling hills.
Overlooked by Te Putiki O Kahu Hill — an ancient Māori pā site — the venue feels like a hidden retreat, blending nature, history, and hospitality.
Visitors can enjoy a wide range of activities including archery, laser clay shooting, pétanque, a sandpit, and giant chess — ideal for families, corporate groups, and day-trippers alike.
The Taste Waiheke room showcases local products such as olive oils, preserves, art, and crafts, alongside wine and beer made on-site.
Website: wildonwaiheke.co.nz
Woodside Hill is a boutique 1-hectare vineyard tucked within native bush near Whakanewha Regional Park. Its sheltered position and isolation from other vineyards help reduce disease pressure and create ideal growing conditions.
Set on steep slopes averaging 20 degrees, the site benefits from excellent drainage, especially in wetter years, resulting in high-quality fruit.
Specialising in Merlot and Cabernet Franc, Woodside Hill combines careful site selection with small-scale, hands-on viticulture.
Website: woodsidehill.co.nz
Te Motu was founded in 1988 by the Dunleavy family, early pioneers of Waiheke winemaking. Their vision: to craft age-worthy Bordeaux-style wines — primarily blends of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The first vines were planted in 1989, with the inaugural Te Motu vintage released in 1993.
Located in the heart of the Onetangi Valley, the vineyard benefits from Jurassic-age Waipapa Group soils and a unique microclimate ideal for premium reds.
The on-site restaurant offers modern, seasonal dishes using Waiheke-grown produce, much of it harvested from the estate’s own gardens.
At the Cellar Door, visitors can taste rare aged red wines that are seldom available elsewhere.
Check website for current opening hours.
Website: temotu.co.nz
A wide range of grape varieties are grown on Waiheke, some in miniscule volumes that do not warrant their own section of this page. If you are interested in more detail the Waiheke Winegrowers Association has some wonderful resources online.
Here we have given a brief introduction to the most important grapes growing on Waiheke Island today. This is not an exhaustive list, but a good starting point:
One of the principal Bordeaux varieties providing the backbone for many great wines. Ripens late which can present problems in poor seasons. The smallish berries deliver deeply-coloured, tannic wines which respond well to barrel aging.
Some Waiheke Island examples compare well with the very best from other regions around the world. Usually blended with a proportion of Merlot, Malbec Cabernet Franc and/or Petit Verdot. The best can age for decades.
Many of the flagship wines made on Waiheke use Cabernet Sauvignon as their principle grape, including Stonyridge's Larose, Mudbrick's Velvet and Destiny Bay's Magna Praemia.
This is a real work-horse grape for Waiheke Island, growing well in most sites and utilised in nearly every 'Bordeaux-blend' that the island produces. It can make wonderful varietal wine, with Kennedy Point and Goldie often producing good examples, however it really comes into its own when blended with other grapes.
Lower in tannin and acid than its Cabernet Sauvignon companion and earlier ripening, Merlot reliably produces a round, early-drinking red wine and fruity rosés though it can be a shy bearer in some seasons when affected by spring winds. The ripe fruit flavours soften the sharper acids and tannins of Cabernet when blended together.
Originating in Bordeaux, but today more famously grown in Argentina. On Waiheke this grape is usually planted for blending purposes, adding depth of colour and freshness. Examples from Waiheke are rare, but this grape capable of producing a deeply-coloured, robust and balanced red wine on its own with the most notable example being the Luna Negra from Stonyridge. Only very small plantings on the island.
This Italian variety has taken well to Waiheke Island’s climate producing award-winning wine from young vines. Large, thick skinned berries on long, open bunches which ripen well into late April. This grape is typically used to produce single-varietal wines, however Poderi Crisci do notably use this in their Viburno blend. Jurrassic Ridge also produce a good example from a single vineyard site.
Tiny berries on small, tight bunches produce dense colour and tight tannins, making for perfect blending material in wood-aged wines. For some Waiheke Island growers this variety is their secret weapon, but not yet as a stand-alone varietal.
Waiheke winegrowers regularly win awards for this variety, proving that the island’s terroir suits it perfectly. The style tends towards that of the Northern Rhone, being subtle and elegant with floral and spicy bouquets, and does not compare to Australian Shiraz.
The fruit ripens early enough to be reliable season-to-season, though canopy management presents a challenge. Many are made to be opened within 2-3 years but all will improve with bottle age for a further 5 years or more and the best are capable of ageing for much longer.
Very notable examples are produced by Passage Rock, Mudbrick and Man O War.
This is an increasingly popular variety for Waiheke Island. Native to north-western Spain it is a grape that can tolerate high levels of rainfall and high humidity whilst enjoying a moderate climate. It is a grape capable of producing characterful wines with powerful citrus notes, supple texture and bracingly high acidity. A great alternative to Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc and can make wines to pair particularly well with fresh seafood dishes.
Typically unoaked, Albarinos from Waiheke are a refreshing change to the more full-bodied white wines made from other key grapes.
A white cousin of Pinot Noir, known as Pinot Grigio in Italy and growing in popularity in New Zealand. Whilst many examples are off-dry, Pinot Gris is increasingly being made into a serious dry wine with luscious fruit flavours and a touch of spice. Crops heavily and can be susceptible to botrytis. More plantings are predicted on Waiheke Island in response to restaurant demand. Notable examples are produced by Man O War who produce the seductively sweet Exiled and Mudbrick who produce a very ripe and concentrated off-dry style.
Like Syrah, with which it is sometimes blended in small proportions, this aromatic white demonstrates the compatibility of Waiheke with Rhone Valley varieties. This is a low cropping grape, meaning it is expensive to produce, but it can make some remarkable wines, with intense aromatic profile and occasional use of new oak barrels to add smoke and texture.
Waiheke tends to produce wines with high-alcohol, low acidity and rich texture. They are great with soft white cheeses and lightly spiced and aromatic cuisine such as middle-eastern or north-African dishes.
Mudbrick, Passage Rock and Obsidian all produce very good examples.
Unquestionably the most important white grape growing on Waiheke Island. While Burgundy is its home, the versatility of this grape world-wide is unrivalled and for this reason it is difficult to pin down stylistically, ranging from full, fat buttery oak-aged food wines to crisp, austere Chablis-style whites.
Ripens early on Waiheke Island, retaining good acidity and fresh citrus aromas, sometimes developing into stone fruit or tropical notes with riper examples. Often oaked, sometimes heavily delivering powerful wines of texture and finesse. Increasingly we are seeing more lightly oaked or unoaked examples matured in concrete eggs rather than in oak barrels for a leaner more mineral driven style.
Fabulous examples abound, with notable examples from Goldie, Kennedy Point, Passage Rock, Mudbrick and Man O War.
If you are as fascinated by wine as we are, the following sections will bring you up to speed with the unique terroir of Waiheke Island and why this is such a special place to grow grapes.
Waiheke Island’s climate is shaped fundamentally by the sea. Located in the Hauraki Gulf, east of Auckland, the island is partially protected from the prevailing southwest and westerly winds that bring cooler, wetter conditions to the mainland. This sheltering effect makes Waiheke both drier and warmer than the Auckland isthmus.
However, it’s not just the reduction in rainfall that matters — it’s the ocean’s moderating effect on temperature. Sea breezes cool the island during the hottest parts of summer, while the surrounding water retains warmth and prevents night-time temperatures from dropping too low. This results in a remarkably even and extended growing season, with mean temperatures comparable to those of much hotter inland regions, but without the extremes. These stable conditions allow grapes to ripen gradually and more evenly, particularly through March and April, which is critical for later varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon.
Rainfall, when it does arrive, often comes in short, heavy bursts rather than prolonged downpours. This, combined with Waiheke’s sloping terrain and mineral-rich topsoil, allows for rapid drainage and reduces the risk of prolonged vine stress. Overall, the maritime climate helps Waiheke vineyards support a wide range of varietals — more so than many other New Zealand wine regions — and fosters wines with concentration, balance, and finesse.
The foundation of Waiheke’s unique terroir lies beneath the surface. The island is predominantly formed of Jurassic-aged rock — sediments laid down between 145 and 158 million years ago. These ancient formations, part of the Waipapa Group, were once deep under the sea, accumulating the remains of marine organisms and silt before tectonic forces lifted and folded them into the landmass we see today.
The result is a landscape shaped by compression folds running predominantly north–south, creating a series of ridges, slopes, and sheltered valleys. This topography introduces varied vineyard aspects, altering exposure to sun, wind, and rain in subtle but meaningful ways. Even across short distances, the age and composition of the underlying rock can shift abruptly, contributing to variations in mineral content and drainage characteristics — key factors in how vines grow and how fruit develops.
A geological map of the island shows the extent of tectonic deformation, with fractured and compressed strata revealing complex mineral patterns. For the wine connoisseur, plotting vineyard locations against these formations can offer insights into flavour differences between vineyards just metres apart. It is not an exaggeration to say that many Waiheke wines are literal distillations of ancient seabeds and long-vanished ecosystems.
Waiheke’s soils are, in essence, the weathered remnants of its ancient geology. Most vineyards sit on a base of indurated argillite — a hardened sedimentary rock that, through weathering over millions of years, has been converted into clay-rich soils. These upper layers, sometimes referred to as "rotten rock", are stiff to hard and often patterned with mineralised veins stained by iron and manganese oxides. In some places, this weathered layer is thin and lies close to hard bedrock; in others, it may extend tens of metres deep before rock is encountered.
Overlaying this, particularly in more sheltered areas, is a mantle of fine, wind-blown Pleistocene dust. This silt, originally lifted from the ancient continental shelf west of the North Island, now forms a metre-thick skin on many Waiheke vineyard sites. It’s rich in Camontmorillonite clay, a mineral known for its ability to shrink and crack during dry spells and swell during wet periods — something that viticulturists must manage carefully to protect vine health and root stability.
Soil fertility on Waiheke is generally low, especially in phosphate and pH levels, which actually works in favour of fine winemaking. Vines must work harder to find nutrients, resulting in smaller yields and greater flavour concentration. Clay soils are particularly prized for their contribution to the mouthfeel and structure of wines like Merlot, Syrah, and Chardonnay. While Waiheke’s soils are typically porous, they are not highly permeable, so careful attention must be paid to drainage and organic matter to maintain long-term vine health.
In the island’s gullies and low-lying areas, richer alluvial soils may be found, while the eastern end near Stony Batter features volcanic ash layers — both exceptions that further expand the diversity of site expression across Waiheke’s vineyards.
