Marlborough grows more than half of New Zealand’s grapes, so the best wineries in Blenheim are rarely more than a ten minute drive from the town centre. The cellar doors below pour Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling and methode traditionnelle sparkling, most of them alongside a vineyard restaurant, and several take group bookings and private tastings as well as walk-ins. Cloudy Bay and Saint Clair Family Estate are the best known of them, though every name here makes wine on the block you taste it on.
1Cloudy Bay
Cloudy Bay’s winery and Cellar Door sit on Jacksons Road in the Wairau Valley, surrounded by the estate vineyard and looking across to the Richmond Ranges that inspired the label. Seated tastings run around 45 minutes and the range rotates seasonally, so the pour changes with the vintages rather than sticking to a fixed flight. It suits visitors who want the full estate experience, from a short tasting through to a private tour or a long lunch.
Services
- Seated cellar door wine tastings, bookings recommended
- Group tastings by reservation for parties of nine or more
- Saku restaurant, Japanese cuisine matched to the estate wines
- Cheese and charcuterie platters served with tastings over winter
- Wine Club membership and direct wine sales
Highlights
- Private experiences including a Tailor-Made Tasting, the First Taste Tour and the Sip and Sail Away vineyard and water outing
- Secret Shack Escape, a private booking at the estate’s own shack
- Fruit drawn from 163 parcels of vines across the Wairau Valley, the Southern Valleys and grower blocks
- A second New Zealand cellar door in Central Otago for visitors travelling south
Location & Contact
Name: Cloudy Bay Vineyards
Address: 230 Jacksons Road, Blenheim
Phone: 03 520 9147
Website: cloudybay.com
2Saint Clair Family Estate
Saint Clair Family Estate is owned by Neal and Judy Ibbotson, Marlborough viticulture pioneers who planted their first vineyard in 1978 and founded the winery in 1994. Visitors are hosted at the Saint Clair Vineyard Kitchen on the corner of Rapaura and Selmes Roads, a restaurant and cellar door about ten minutes from central Blenheim with courtyard dining among the vines and an open fire indoors in winter. It suits anyone who wants a tasting and a proper lunch in the same stop.
Services
- Hosted wine tastings and self-guided tasting flights at the cellar door
- Vineyard Kitchen restaurant with a seasonal lunch menu and a children’s menu
- Private functions and event catering at the Vineyard Kitchen
- Cellar door and online wine sales across the Reserve, Pioneer Block, Origin and Vicar’s Choice ranges
- Gift cards and branded merchandise
Highlights
- Family owned and run, with the Ibbotsons’ three adult children working in design, sales and marketing
- Most Successful Winery of the Competition at the Sydney International Wine Competition in 2012, 2015 and 2020
- New World Producer of the Year at the UK Sommelier Wine Awards in 2012 and 2017
- Head chef David Haase trained in Germany and worked in Michelin starred kitchens before joining the estate
- Craft beers from Garage Project, McLeod’s and Renaissance plus no and low alcohol options for non-drinkers
Location & Contact
Name: Saint Clair Family Estate
Address: 13 Selmes Road, Blenheim 7273
Phone: 03 570 5280
Website: saintclair.co.nz
3Allan Scott Family Winemakers
Allan Scott planted some of Marlborough’s first vines in 1973 and started the winery with his wife Cathy in 1990 on Jacksons Road, where it still stands. Their children Josh Scott and Sara Stocker bought the business in 2021 and run it today. The cellar door pours every wine in the range through Enomatic dispensers, so guests can taste by the measure, the half glass or the glass rather than working through a set flight.
Services
- Self-paced cellar door tastings by the taste, half glass or glass
- Private group tastings covering the region, grape growing and the family story
- Allan Scott Bistro, open daily for lunch with indoor and garden dining
- Weddings and private events on the estate
Highlights
- One of Marlborough’s first independent wineries, founded in 1990 and still family owned
- Second generation ownership, with sibling winemakers Josh Scott and Sara Stocker at the helm since 2021
- Six distinct ranges including Black Label, the Eli Collection, Cecilia sparkling and Scott Base
- Bistro kitchen led by owner and chef Matt Heath with the Picton Food Cartel team
- Cecilia High Tea served on Wednesdays and Thursdays, booked at least 24 hours ahead
Location & Contact
Name: Allan Scott Family Winemakers
Address: 229 Jacksons Road, RD3, Blenheim
Phone: 03 572 9054
Website: allanscott.com
4Wither Hills
Wither Hills is the closest of these cellar doors to town, roughly five minutes from central Blenheim on New Renwick Road at Burleigh, in the lee of the Wither Hills range it takes its name from. The cellar door, restaurant and function venue open seven days, with a lawn and bean bags in summer and an open fire in winter. It is the strongest option here for groups, with private rooms and a Barrel Hall that seats up to 40.
Services
- Hosted cellar door tastings and a three wine self-paced flight
- Private group tastings in the Lounge or the Barrel Hall for 10 to 40 guests
- Restaurant lunch service alongside the cellar door
- Weddings and corporate functions
- Cellar door and online sales across the core, single vineyard, Early Light and Cellar Collection ranges
Highlights
- Certified B Corporation
- A wine blending experience where guests build their own Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir
- Barrel Hall library wine tasting hosted by a winemaker, with a viticulture briefing, cheese board and Minghettis sourdough
- Barrel Hall Members Club with early access to releases and events
Location & Contact
Name: Wither Hills
Address: 211 New Renwick Road, Burleigh, Blenheim 7272
Phone: 03 520 8284
Website: witherhills.co.nz
5Framingham Wines
Framingham sits on Conders Bend Road just outside Renwick, about ten minutes west of Blenheim on the Golden Mile, and is the one entry here that is not on a Blenheim address. The first Wairau Valley vines went in during 1981 and the estate still holds some of the oldest Riesling plantings in Marlborough, which is what the cellar door is best known for. Tastings run over half an hour and take in the Framingham, F-Series and True Nature ranges.
Services
- Cellar door tastings of the Framingham, F-Series and True Nature wines
- Wine by the glass at the cellar door
- Group tastings for parties over six, arranged directly with the cellar door
- Cellar door and online wine and merchandise sales
Highlights
- Some of the oldest Riesling vines in Marlborough, first planted in 1981
- Member of Appellation Marlborough Wine
- Estate accredited as an environmentally sustainable vineyard
- The Framingham Social Club, a wine club tied to the winery’s live music programme
Location & Contact
Name: Framingham Wines
Address: 19 Conders Bend Road, Renwick 7271, Marlborough
Phone: 03 572 8884
Website: framingham.co.nz
Wineries in Blenheim at a Glance
| Business | Based in | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Cloudy Bay | Blenheim | Private experiences including a Tailor-Made Tasting |
| Saint Clair Family Estate | Blenheim | Family owned and run |
| Allan Scott Family Winemakers | RD3 | One of Marlborough's first independent wineries |
| Wither Hills | Burleigh | Certified B Corporation |
| Framingham Wines | Renwick | Some of the oldest Riesling vines in Marlborough, first planted in 1981 |
How to Choose the Right Winery in Blenheim
- Decide whether you want a tasting alone or a tasting plus lunch, because the cellar doors with full restaurants fill their midday sittings first.
- Check the varietals each estate is known for. Sauvignon Blanc is everywhere in Marlborough, so if you are chasing Riesling, Pinot Noir or sparkling, pick the winery that specialises in it.
- Ring ahead if you are more than six people. Most cellar doors handle small groups on a walk-in basis but move larger parties into a private room with a set fee.
- Look at how the tasting is served. Some hosts pour a guided flight, others use self-serve dispensers so you can taste by the measure and skip the styles you do not drink.
- Plan the driving. Cellar doors cluster along Jacksons Road, Rapaura Road and New Renwick Road, so group nearby estates together and book a driver or a tour if everyone wants to taste.
Frequently Asked Questions About Blenheim Wineries
How much does a wine tasting in Blenheim cost?
Most Marlborough cellar doors charge a tasting fee per person, and the range across the wineries above runs from around sixteen dollars for a standard flight up to a premium hosted session with a winemaker. Fees are commonly waived or credited against a purchase, so ask when you book. Private group tastings usually add a room hire charge on top of the per person price.
Do I need to book a cellar door visit?
Walk-ins are accepted at most cellar doors, but booking is the safer approach in summer and it is essential if you want a table for lunch or a seated tasting between midday and 2pm. Groups of six or more should always contact the cellar door directly rather than booking online, since larger parties are seated in separate rooms.
Which grape varieties is Marlborough known for?
Sauvignon Blanc is the region’s signature and accounts for the bulk of plantings, but Marlborough also produces well regarded Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling and methode traditionnelle sparkling wine. New Zealand Winegrowers publishes regional and varietal information at nzwine.com if you want to read up before a visit.
How far are the wineries from central Blenheim?
Nearly all of them are within a fifteen minute drive. Wither Hills is about five minutes out on New Renwick Road, the Jacksons Road and Rapaura Road cellar doors are eight to ten minutes north, and Renwick estates such as Framingham sit around ten minutes west of town.
Can I get to the cellar doors without driving?
Yes. Marlborough has a well established wine tour trade offering small group minibus tours, private charters and guided cycling, and the flat roads between Blenheim and Renwick make cycling between estates straightforward. Several tour operators will collect you from Blenheim accommodation or the Picton ferry.
Are children welcome at Blenheim wineries?
Generally yes at the cellar doors that run restaurants. Saint Clair’s Vineyard Kitchen publishes a children’s menu and Allan Scott Bistro has a kids menu, and most estates have lawns and garden seating. Under New Zealand’s Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian in a licensed area.
Can I buy wine at the cellar door to take away?
Every winery above holds an off licence and sells bottles and cases to take with you, usually including limited releases and library vintages that are not in supermarkets. Most also ship within New Zealand, and several offer free freight over a set order value.
When is the best time of year to visit?
Summer and early autumn give you the longest opening hours, outdoor dining and the buzz of harvest from about March. Winter is quieter, several cellar doors trim their days and some restaurants close for a period, so check opening hours before you set out, but you will usually get more time with the host.
How We Chose the Best Wineries in Blenheim
Every business in this guide was found by searching for wineries in Blenheim, then checked against its own website. Names, addresses and phone numbers are taken from the business’s own site rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what they publish themselves. We also check that each one is actually based in or genuinely serving Blenheim, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business with no website of its own is not listed, because there is no primary source to verify it against.