What's in a Wine Tour: What are Hawke's Bay wines like?

3 November 2017

You’ve heard of the Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and the Central Otago Pinot, but if you’re new to Hawke’s Bay wines, let’s just say there’s a reason we call it “wine country”.

If you’re planning to book a wine tour at some stage, here’s a taster of what Hawke’s Bay wines are all about:



• We’ve got variety in our varietals. Micro-climates, soil structures, grape varieties – Hawke’s Bay is a truly diverse region that offers you an abundance of choice when it comes to wines. And on a wine tour with Prinsy’s, you’ll traverse these regions and get a down-to-earth appreciation for the heart, soul and soil that makes Hawke’s Bay unique.
• Reds or whites or in-betweens – we don’t discriminate! Arguably Hawke’s Bay is heralded for the big reds we produce in our warm climate, particularly for smacking our own style on the traditional “Bordeaux blends” (Merlot, Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, usually a bit of Malbec too), and some delicately punchy Syrah’s (that’s Shiraz in Aussie lingo). But scratch the surface and you’ll find quite the range of white wine and rosé to fill your boots with too. Chardonnay is a classic that wins a lot of awards here (though you’ll find lots of delicious “non-classic” takes on it too). Many wineries also produce a Sauvy and/or Pinot Gris and you can also chance across interesting aromatics like Viognier, Arneis and Gewürztraminer. Yum!
• It’s all in the glass. Once you get that supple splash in your glass, take a good look. You’ll see wines that are dripping with bright colour and subtle style. Then, the only thing left to do is to enjoy a sip! When you join Prinsy’s for a wine tour, even if you’re a wine novice we’ll show you the ropes of tasting to make sure you get the full Hawke’s Bay wine experience. 

Keen to see for yourself? 

We’ll help you learn lots and have fun along the way. Book now and see for yourself why our guests say Prinsy’s Tours exceeded their expectations. ​We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Cheers, Hamish

Owner & Tour Guide