Chefs Private Martinborough Wine Tour with lunch from Wellington

Recommended by 100% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Wellington, New Zealand

7 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Overview

Food and wine lovers enjoy a private tour from Wellington to Martinborough's renowned wine region. Taste exquisite wines at multiple venues, including exclusive tastings and a gourmet French-style lunch, while traveling comfortably in a private car or van with hotel pickup. This full-day experience offers a deeper look into local vineyards and culinary delights for a memorable day out of the capital.

Private tour with hotel pickup for seamless travel
Visit multiple Martinborough venues with exclusive tastings
Enjoy a gourmet French-style lunch featuring locally sourced dishes
Wine by the glass or bottle not included to focus on curated tastings

Sample Menu

Main

Pulled Lamb shoulder with seasonal legumes

Juicy slow cooked lamb shoulder accompanied by a chickpea salad and seasonal vegetables

Main

3 Cheese Gnocchi

Duchess potatoes blended with a Choux pastry integrated with a rich cream sauces married with locally sourced cheeses.

What's Included

3 Venues for wine tastings
Water
Lunch

A French gourmet food and wine experience just 75 minutes north of Wellington.
Luxury car/van tour with Modern late model cars and vans
Private local guide

Wine by the Glass or Bottle

NZ$35.00 per person

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

Meet and Greet with name board

Itinerary

Wellington isite Visitor Information Centre

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Remutaka Range (Pass By)

Rimutaka Rd Summit Track And Pylon Track

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Tiwaiwaka Winery

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Coney Vineyard and Winery

2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Luna Estate Winery and Eclipse Restaurant

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Martinborough

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Infant seats available
Service animals allowed
Stroller accessible
Most travelers can participate

Not wheelchair accessible
Alcohol will not be served to minors
Intoxicated customer will not be served Alcohol
This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Linda_S

Aaron was extremely knowledgeable about the area, its history, wines and the vineyards visited, and the both the food preparation and presentation. He provided several helpful hints for our experimentation with future meals.

Reviews

5.0

based on 66 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Exceptional Day

Bryce_K, Apr 2026

Our wonderful day spent with Aaron, the magnificent guide, chef and wine connoisseur was amazing. Aaron went above and beyond, the whole day was a fun and unforgettable experience.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Hi there Thank you so much for leaving a generous review. We look forward to you. your eminent return to try some new Vineyards in Queenstown.

Perfect day

Luther_W, Jan 2026

Fully personalised itinerary from start to finish this made the day easy with lots of local wine and food history to inform us and provide a knowledgeable experience. Definitely suits true wine lovers wanted variety and expertise.

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Hi Luther and Tyler It was my great pleasure to host you for the day with Kosher tours and travel. French cuisine is my passion and Martinborough makes my life easy with the very best of ingredients and skilled artisans.

Aaron was extremely...

Linda_S, May 2025

Response from Host, May 2025

Hi Linda Thank you so much for your review as you can appreciate that my Tour has been crafted especially for the discerning foodie. Aaron

Well done Aaron!

Nathan_A, Jan 2025

Aaron provided such a fantastic tour! The tour reached the summit of Remutaka Crossing and the weather was foggy so that meant we didn’t stop at the overlook but it also meant we were early arriving in Martinborough so Aaron added an additional Vineyard to the itinerary. All together we visited 5 vineyards including ATA Rangi, Schubert, Hawthronthwait, Poppies (including a great assorted meat/cheese platter for lunch), and Luna Estate. Aaron introduced us to a large variety of great Wairarapa wines including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Rose, and Pinot Noir which the region is known for. He specifically pointed out his favorites at each vineyard and ensured we enjoyed the best each vineyard had to offer. He also introduced us to some varieties we had never explored including a couple of great Gewurztraminer and dessert wines. The food at Poppies was outstanding. On the return trip back to Wellington we stopped at a Formaggio shop to pick up some Blue Monkey cheese that was also very good. With the weather cleared we were able to stop at the summit of the crossing for photos as well. Overall I would highly encourage others to go on this tour. The personalized attention Aaron provided made the tour well worth the money!

Response from Host, Jan 2025

Hi Nathan and Lore It was a pleasure to host you for the day and our exploration of the Martinborough region in a Chef’s tour. We usually cover at most four vineyards but Atarangi had treasures worth discovering as food, wine and adventure should go hand in hand. I loved having you along and hope you return for another New Zealand adventure with Kosher tours and travel.

Wonderful experience

Jeremy_B, Dec 2024

Really wonderful day out with Aaron. Personable, engaging and knowledgeable. Had sorted out a personalised itinerary of great vineyards and (truly fantastic) food which was amongst the best I have tasted in a month touring New Zealand. Knew just when to engage and when to leave me to taste/chat with the winemakers and we kept to time without ever feeling rushed. Would really recommend as a high quality, personalised and just really enjoyable way of seeing the Martinborough area.

Response from Host, Dec 2024

Hi Jeremy It was a pleasure to host you for the day. I hope you return again soon . Thanks for generous review as this has a significant impact on my business. Regards Aaron Dial a driver Wellington t /a kosher tours and travel

Aaron is a chef and sommelier rolled into one energetic bundle! A 5 star guide!!!

Jonathan_M, Sep 2024

This was our first trip to Wellington, New Zealand and definitely the first to Martinborough. Our our guide Aaron from Kosher Tours really made the day for us. Aaron is very knowledgeable about the region in general, but he also has a wealth of detailed information about the numerous individual wineries, the terroirs and growing areas, and the unique aspects of the wines produced. Aaron is a trained chef, so it's like spending a day with a chef and sommelier rolled into one energetic bundle. Even better, Aaron knows which wineries have the best food options and steered us to a fabulous lunch (which also happened to have 8 wine pairings!). I cannot imagine a more wonderful experience, and we are quite excited about coming back with some wine and foodie friends to spend an entire day (or 2) with Aaron. He is a 5 star person and a 5 star guide

Response from Host, Sep 2024

Hi Jonathan & Chelsie Thank you so much for joining me for another chef’s adventure. I feel that this review will definitely enhance my business I am very grateful for. Aaron Dial A Driver Wellington trading as Kosher tours and travel

Absolutely wonderful Martinborough!!

Tira_T, Jun 2024

Absolutely wonderful Martinborough!! An amazing day with whanau, sharing brilliant wines & kai in the beautiful vineyards! The weather was great, as was the hospitality & the people were real honest working kiwis! Such a delightful day, just do it!!

Response from Host, Jun 2024

Thanks Tira for your company and this excellent review. Your kids and future son in law made a terrific day. Thanks Aaron Dial a Driver Wellington Ltd t/a Kosher Tours and Travel

A great day with a chef touring Martinborough wine country.

Jeff_C, Apr 2024

This tour was an amazing experience. If you like to talk food and/or wine Aaron is your guy. He picked us up at the cruise port right on time. Drove us through Wellington and gave us info on the city as we drove by. The stop at the mountaintop was beautiful. All along the way Aaron spoke about wine and food. He is a chef and is very knowledgeable on the production and pairing of wine with food. The lunch we had at Poppies was an excellent variety of foods in a beautiful outdoor vineyard setting. A great way to spend the day in Martinborough/Wellington.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hi Jeff Thank you so much for such a generous review. It was a pleasure to host you for the day, and I do hope that you return to Wellington again especially to stay in the Wairarapa. Regards Aaron Dial a driver Wellington ltd t/a Kosher tours and travel

Touring the vines

Andrew_R, Apr 2024

Great tour of a number of smaller wineries. Aaron did a great job with the guiding and the bus was very comfortable. Food for lunch was really nice. We had a mix of ages (including elderly) and everyone had a good time

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hi Andrew It was a pleasure to host your family for the day and show case the very best Wellington/Wairarapa has to offer. Kind Regards Aaron Dial a driver Wellington ltd t/a Kosher Tours and Travel

Excellent NZ guide with a US price tag

Angeli_G, Mar 2024

Our guide was a mind of information about general NZ history as well as the Martinborough wine region. His selection of vineyards was varied and interesting. He was an extremely entertaining Bon vivant and a proud New Zealander. However, I was rather surprised that his patriotism didn’t extend to his charges being in NZ dollars.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Hi Angeli Thanks for feedback regarding your Martinborough wine tour. I have painstakingly hand picked my organic Vineyards to form my tour day for you and extended the day by an additional 2 hours to give a chance to experience winemaking during the harvest. You commented about the fantastic day so I’m disappointed that 4 vineyards with over 20 tastings with a gourmet lunch over 7 hours didn’t meet your expectations. I’m very confused Kosher tours and travel Dial a driver Wellington ltd t/a KTT

Great Gourmet Adventure

Michael_R, Mar 2024

Aaron hosted us and 3 other couples on a wonderful trip through the Martinborough region. In addition to learning about the history of the region on a picturesque drive, we visited 4 wineries (all uniquely different) and sampled a variety of varietals -- all of high quality and quite appealing. Our gourmet lunch was especially delicious and complemented the tastings very well. Aaron was knowledgeable, gracious and clearly enjoyed taking great care of his guests. We would highly recommend this excursion -- especially for those who are into wine and wish to visit a lessor known (and high quality) wine making region in NZ.

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Hi Michael & Jane It was a pleasure to host you from the cruise ship during the autumn harvest. It's a special time to be in Martinborough so I'm so pleased to be able to share the experience with Kosher tours and Travel. Regards Aaron Dial a driver Wellington Ltd t/a KTT

Nice tour!

Keith_S, Mar 2024

Great views and wonderful wine tasting experience. The driver was knowledgeable about the area and the wineries.

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Hi Keith Thanks for leaving a review for Kosher Tours and Travel. We loved having you along for the day during the grape harvest and hoped you return again. Aaron Dial a Driver Wellington Ltd t/a KTT

The best of Martinborough

Craig_A, Mar 2024

Aaron was a wealth of culinary knowledge. Very knowledgeable and informative in wine and food. He passed along recipes and insight to us all. Wineries were excellent. We were scheduled for 3, but made it to 4. Excellent choices and each different. Lunch was excellent as well.

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Hi Craig Thanks for coming on a culinary adventure with Kosher Tours and Travel. I hope my maple bourbon recipe hits the spot and the harvest time in Martinborough revisits you with every new bottle of Pinot that you open. Aaron

A great day out

David_C, Mar 2024

Aaron took us on a wonderful tour of select wineries in Martinborough. He’s a great storyteller, happy to share his knowledge of the local history and culture. Lunch was delicious, and we were really pleased with the small, local, family-owned wineries he took us to. It was a great day out!

Response from Host, Mar 2024

Hi David and Joannie It was a pleasure to have you join our tour. The chemistry with our group was fantastic and it made my job easy especially with Shawn at Muirlea rise. Please return Aaron & Kosher Tours

Must do Tour!

Kelly_M, Feb 2024

Fabulous tour! Lisa was outstanding at Coney winery thank you for the fabulous food and experience !

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Hi Kelly Thank you so much for choosing Kosher tours and travel. Lisa & 3 Little Words are an amazing team and make a wine tour an adventure for you and a breeze for me.

Great Martinborough Wine Tour off Cruise Ship

Nelle_S, Jan 2024

Aaron picked us up right at the side of the ship. Super nice guy. About an hour drive out to Martinborough. Wines were all interesting… we particularly enjoyed Poppy’s where we also had a really nice lunch experience.

Response from Host, Jan 2024

It was a pleasure to have you folks on board. Please return to Wellington soon.

A must do tour!

Zach_D, Jan 2024

Your expecting to just go to wineries but you walk away with an experience both of the wines and the history around you.

Response from Host, Jan 2024

Thank you very much for joining me for day.

Great variety of wines...

tahliahearn, Dec 2023

Great variety of wines and places and excellent lunch with it being included also. Aaron, our tour guide, was very knowledgeable and great driver. Poppies winery was definitely a

Response from Host, Dec 2023

I had a fun day and will pass your feedback on to the Poppies team

From the first contact...

Marilyn_J, Dec 2023

From the first contact with Aaron our tour guide I knew we were going to have amazing service. Aaron's knowledge of the area and wines was great so we had lovely local tales whilst traveling. He also went out of his way to go the extra mile which everyone fully appreciated