Discover Nelson, the sunshine of New Zealand wines - World Wine Tourism

The Nelson region, in the north of New Zealand's South Island, has been home to vineyards since the late 1960s, much to the delight of our taste buds! Let's take a closer look at this wine region, which inspires dreams with its beauty and the wines it produces!

The Nelson wine region – New Zealand

As early as 1872, Romeo Bragato, a winegrower appointed by the government to assess the country's agricultural potential, declared the Nelson region "admirably situated for growing vines." And he wasn't wrong! Today, no fewer than 34 winemakers have planted their vines in the region. Here, they think about the land and future generations: the majority of vineyards are certified organic! Bordered by the Tasman Sea and encircled by two national parks (Abel Tasman and Kahurangi), it enjoys an idyllic setting, both for viticulture and wine tourism .

At the heart of Nelson's roots

Divided into two sub-regions (Moutere Hills in the hills and Waimea Plains in the plains), Nelson boasts a wide variety of soils. The vines bask in the sun almost all year round, as it is located in one of the sunniest regions of New Zealand, with 2,405 hours of sunshine annually.

In this region, you'll find true artisans of the vine. Dave Glover, with 3 hectares of vines, does it all himself.

A few meters away, Michael, his son, has been making wine for Mahana, the neighboring vineyard, for a year. He emphasizes the terroir, and it shows. Here, they're searching for their own identity, they're experimenting.

Mahana's vineyard:

Further up, Tim and Judy Finn have been producing as a family since the early 80s, and one of the best Chardonnays in the country comes out of their barrels.

Proud of wine tourism, many vineyards welcome you all year round to discover their wines and we love that!