今天, there are over 30 vineyards on Waiheke and why it has acquired the nickname “葡萄酒之岛”.

There are lots of great reasons to visit Waiheke岛. For starters it's 35 minutes by fast 渡船 从 奥克兰的市中心, so the proximity to the city is convenient.  The island has its own microclimate going on.  So, no matter what's happening on the mainland weather-wise you can always count on Waiheke to be warmer, 更干燥，更阳光.
 
In summer, the myriad of clean, sandy 海滩 on Waiheke come into their own, with plenty of spots for picnicking, sunbathing and swimming.  Adventure tourism has also set up shop, with EcoZip tours now a fun activity to enjoy on the island.  但这是 酒庄 that are arguably Waiheke's most popular drawcard.

The steady influx of affluent Aucklanders buying up properties on the island over the past 20 years has seen Waiheke' winery and fine dining scene grow considerably.  Grapes have been grown here since the 1970s and the microclimate, stony soil and sheltered landscape make Waiheke a winegrower's paradise, especially for red varietals such as 梅洛 and Syrah.  今天, there are over 30 vineyards on Waiheke and why it has acquired the nickname, 葡萄酒之岛.
 
With an area of 100 square kilometres to play with, 不足为奇的是, most of the vineyards on Waiheke are small family-run affairs producing artisan wines that are sold locally and nationally.  尽管它们体型庞大, many have won overseas awards bringing Waiheke winegrowers international attention, 有了它, demand for a greater production of their award winning Syrah and Cabernet blend wines.  All good news for the vintners in question.
 
Cellar door tastings are available at many of the 酒庄 on Waiheke with some offering onsite restaurants which showcase the island's gourmet creativity.  But choosing which Waiheke winery to visit if you have limited time, could be a matter of which is closest to the 渡船 or a bus stop.
 
For this reason booking a wine tasting tour is probably the best way to go as you can tick off three to four 酒庄 in one go. You can also do other activities, such as EcoZip's zip, wine & dine package, which is a full day excursion (including 渡船 ticket and lunch).  Wineries that are more out of the way require forward planning or car rental to be able to access them.

我们的5大怀赫克酒庄精选
 
Here are 5 of Waiheke's 酒庄 that we feel deserve a mention.
 
1. 泥砖葡萄园 & 餐厅
 
A firm favourite of the wine tour route, 泥砖 is also blessed with handy proximity to Oneroa Village, Waiheke's main town.  This is a vineyard that's a one-stop-shop with a restaurant, cellar door tastings and accommodation?  In fact you could spend the whole day at 泥砖 and go home content.  A sizeable acreage boasting 360 degree views of distant Auckland, 泥砖 is known for its red (Cab Sav, 梅洛, 席拉等.) and white (Chardonnay, Pinot Gris etc.) varietals and is a top spot for work parties and weddings, so reservations well ahead of time are advised.

2.  电缆湾
 
电缆湾 is one of Waiheke's best known vineyards and also located between the 渡船 and Oneroa.  It offers suitably relaxed furniture (i.e. beanbags) on an outdoor lawn lounge for enjoying a glass of wine and views of Auckland City.  They have wines and vines a plenty here, to drink and buy, as well as fine dining restaurants.  Wine tastings are offered daily 从 11am to 5pm. Another popular wedding venue, checking in advance for availability is recommended.

3.  批酒庄
 
批酒庄 uses state of the art processes for making its reds and whites and has the added advantage of being the island's highest vineyard. Suffice to say checking out the panoramic views 从 the lawn, with a sparkling rose (or their other speciality, 起泡雷司令)在手, is a lovely way to spend an afternoon or an eve.  There's an onsite restaurant for lunch and dinner, with an artisan menu that features high tea and sharing plates, served with chilled sparkling wine.  批酒庄 isn't the easiest to get to unless you have transport, but it is included on wine tours and runs its own winery tour (needs to be pre-booked).

4. Stonyridge
 
Stonyridge is another sizeable vineyard / cafe setup that can cater for a larger number of visitors and wine tour groups. The setting is idyllic with a deck featuring comfy seating overlooking a valley of olive trees and vines, 酒也不错.  Stonyridge is known for its international award winning cabernet blends, and to a lesser extent rose and dessert wines.  Tastings are every day of the week and there are onsite tours of the vineyard on Saturdays and Sundays at 11.30am.  It's also on the bus route 从 Oneroa to Onetangi, so quite accessible as a stand alone visit, but again another popular wedding and event venue, 所以建议提前打电话.

5.  黑曜石的葡萄园 

Enjoy the taste of award winning wines when you visit 黑曜石的葡萄园, a consistently top wine producer with many accolades.  像rich这样的词, 充满活力的, powerful and spicy are used liberally in conjunction with Obsidian wines, especially for their Cabernet blends. Their Syrahs are also considered some of the best on Waiheke. Obsidian accepts group bookings for cellar door tastings and 从 Onetangi beach (on the bus route) you can walk to the vineyard in 15 minutes.
 
你会发现, wine appreciation is a bit of a subjective business but, 说到数量, 至少在 Waiheke岛 你的选择太多了.