Waipara Valley Wineries…less than an hour north of Christchurch is a neat little wine region. Between the wines and the views this little region makes for a great day trip from central Christchurch.

We only had time for three wineries so I am glad we live close by so we can hope over to check out all 31 wineries.

Stop 1: Pegasus Bay, the property that this winery sits on is absolutely beautiful. The restaurant is suppose to be amazing and requires a reservations or as they say here “a booking”. Even if you don’t go to the restaurant you can do a tasting in the tasting room and/or enjoy a glass of wine outside. I opted to sit under the shade of a tree and enjoy a glass of red.

Stop 2: Greystone and Muddy Water, technically these are two separate wineries but the tasting takes place in one location. My surprising discovering at this winery is skin fermented Pinot Gris, I love this wine but I don’t know what to make of it…definitely pushes the boundaries of traditional Pinot Gris.

Stop 3: Torlesse Wines, at this winery I made a surprising discovering…a delicious port. Now, granted it cannot really be called port but if you appreciate port style wine this is one to try.