WINERY TOURS

Sounds Connection will gladly collect you from your accommodation anywhere in central Picton, the Picton / Koromiko airport, ferry terminal and train station – all included in the price of your tour!.

With Sounds Connection, you can take a Half Day or Full Day Tour, or we can customise a personal tour just for you.

Our wine tours cost from $69 per person for a Half Day Tour, to $229 per person for a Gourmet Wine Experience. See our tours for full details or contact us for a personalised tour.

Marlborough is one of the world’s finest wine-producing regions with over 140 registered wineries producing award-winning wines to try, and buy. Not all are open to visitors, or open year-round. You might like to take a look at Wine Marlborough’s Trail Map (of Marlborough wineries with Cellar Doors) – plenty of inspiration, should you need any more. Click on the map below to view at a larger size. 

Sounds Connection works closely with a wide range of top Marlborough wineries – large and small, old and new. We can tailor the tour to accommodate your tastes or your favourite wineries – or we can take the pressure off and decide for you!

The first grapes were planted by Scotsman David Herd in 1873 but it was not until 1973 that the first commercial planting began. Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc first hit the headlines in the late 1980s – and now Marlborough produces around 3/4 of New Zealand’s wine.

Sauvignon Blanc is still the variety Marlborough is best known for, and amounts to around 85% of the wine coming from the region. Pinot Noir is considered by many to be a rising star, and there are also a wide range of excellent Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Riesling wines to try. There are a number of interesting new or more niche varieties becoming available too – from Grüner Veltliner (affectionately known as “Gru Vee”) to Viognier and more. In short, something for every taste. If you have a particular favourite, let us know when you’re booking and we can discuss an itinerary to suit.

We are proud to say that 94% or more of New Zealand’s producing vineyard area is now Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) certified, meaning that wines are produced under sustainable, independently audited environmental programmes. If you’re interested in organic and biodynamics, we work closely with a number of wineries you might like to visit. For example Seresin Estate’s organic/biodynamic winery, Te Whare Ra (where the vineyard is managed with a combination of organic and biodynamic practices and all the fruit is hand-picked and hand-sorted), and organic wineries such as Huia Vineyards, Rock Ferry Wines, Hans Herzog, to name a few! Just let us know when you’re booking and we can discuss an itinerary to suit.

Definitely! Sounds Connection can collect you and drop you off at the airport, ferry terminal or your accommodation and take you on one of our Half Day Wine Tours – we can customise a tour to suit you and whatever time you have available.

The annual Marlborough Wine Festival is one not to miss! New Zealand’s first and longest running wine festival, it is held in early February in one of the region’s oldest vineyards, Brancott Vineyard, and is a celebration of world-class wine and the very best of local cuisine. Demonstrations by celebrity chefs, tutorials by acclaimed local winemakers, a fashion competition, and music by New Zealand’s best make it a great event to plan a weekend or longer break around. You might even like to create your own little event around special days on the wine calendar. For example, for International Sauvignon Blanc Day (in May) we can take you on a special tour to taste the flagship ‘Savvy’ at some of our region’s beautiful wineries.

Bring your camera – there are photo opportunities everywhere you look! You may wish to bring a sunhat and sunscreen too, for example in case you want to eat al fresco at some point. Although our wineries are world class, they are not pretentious, so smart casual attire is fine – though if you want to wear a tuxedo, by all means, feel free!

 Our local and experienced guides have a broad range of knowledge about the Marlborough wine area and the wineries within it. From the number of wineries that Marlborough has, to how red wine and white wine is made – and so much more! 

 The area that your tour will cover may vary depending on your selected tour. It may include the Koromiko Valley, the Wairau Plains (home to the majority of Marlborough’s wineries), Picton, Blenheim, Havelock and Queen Charlotte Drive

Absolutely! Marlborough is lucky to have not only so many amazing wineries but also a couple of great local breweries. We are more than happy to include a visit to a brewery on our Private Tour options or ask your guide if it can be included on your tour. Get in touch with us and we can organise a great craft brewery experience for you.