Recently the Prinsy's Wine Tour crew were lucky enough to head down to Martinborough for an overnighter, under the guise of "research & development". Why? We wanted to explore the area and find the very best spots to take our guests, as part of our new Guided Transfer service (which can include a trip from Wellington to Hawke's Bay via some nice wee hotspots). What a hard life!

On this trip our team checked out the local winery & tourism scene, and felt we needed to share a couple of our favourites, if you're ever heading that way.

Martinborough Township

If you don't know much about it, Martinborough is a small historical township in the Southern Wairarapa - a little over an hour from Wellington. It's got 20-something wineries and a boutique, laid back feel. Plus, the town and surrounding wineries are nice and condensed so it's easy to explore and make the most of your time.

Must-Do Wineries

Highlights of our own wine tour definitely included:

• Martinborough Vineyard - it's an icon in the region since 1980 (that's pioneering days when it comes to New Zealand wine) and their pursuit of the perfect Pinot Noir is admirable.
• Alana Estate - owner Mike Cornish's mantra of "Make great wine and have fun doing it" is a force to be reckoned with.
• Poppies Martinborough - well this little gem had to be our favourite. The personalised service on offer here really brought us in to their world - we learned the passion they have for their wines and their story from our enjoyable chat with Shayne the Viticulturalist, and Poppy the winemaker, and you can only buy their wines from the cellar door (that's our style!). Their abundance of knowledge and approach-ability means this winery (and its stunning cafe) will definitely be a regular stop whenever the Prinsy's Guided Transfer whistles through from Wellington for a quick wine tour. If you're passing, make sure you try the rose!

Pukaha Mount Bruce Wildlife Sanctuary

Heading back to Hawkes Bay from Martinborough, a great way to break up the trip is a stop at the wildlife centre at Mount Bruce, where they do lots of great work with conservation and education. The walk through native bush even has wheelchair access and it's a great chance to see rare and endangered birds of New Zealand, including the only white kiwi in captivity, as well as other native wildlife.

Planning your own trip?

For more information on a Guided Transfer of your own (to make the most of travel time between Wellington, Hawkes Bay and/or Auckland and anywhere in between), talk to us today - we'd love to help plan the perfect trip for you and show you the sights through local eyes.