The best wineries in Wellington pour their wine across the Remutaka Range, in the Wairarapa village of Martinborough. Wineries in Wellington are concentrated on the free draining gravels of the Martinborough Terrace, where pinot noir, chardonnay and aromatic whites are grown, and their cellar doors run guided tastings, wine flights, vineyard lunches and winery tours. Ata Rangi and Palliser Estate both farm certified organic vineyards on that terrace.
1Ata Rangi
Ata Rangi is a Martinborough producer founded in 1980, when Clive Paton planted pinot noir on a 4.9 hectare block on Puruatanga Road. The team now farms around 32 hectares spread over 14 vineyards clustered around the village, with winemaker Helen Masters crafting the wines since 2003. The wine shop is open daily for a spontaneous tasting, while seated sessions in the wine room suit visitors who want to go deeper.
Services
- Guided wine room tasting sessions, hosted Monday to Saturday
- Drop-in tastings and bottle sales in the wine shop, open seven days
- Online wine shop
- McCrone House vineyard accommodation
Highlights
- Founded in 1980 by Clive Paton and still family owned
- Home vineyards attained full organic status in 2014
- Mother block of the Abel pinot noir clone, now planted throughout New Zealand
- Winemaker Helen Masters has made the wines since 2003
- Around 32 hectares farmed across 14 vineyards, with all vine work done by hand
Location & Contact
Name: Ata Rangi
Address: 14 Puruatanga Road, Martinborough
Phone: 06 306 9570
Website: atarangi.co.nz
2Palliser Estate
Palliser Estate sits on Kitchener Street on the Martinborough Terrace, pairing a tasting room and underground cellar with the Palliser Kitchen next door. The wines run from pinot noir and chardonnay through to aromatics, rose and Methode Traditionnelle, drawn from six estate vineyards moving to full organic management. It suits visitors who want a seated tasting and a long vineyard lunch in the one stop.
Services
- Classic Wine Tasting, five wines in the tasting room
- Elevated Wine Tasting and Tour through the vineyard, barrel hall and winery
- Self-guided wine flights served on a paddle board
- Seasonal lunch at the Palliser Kitchen
- Wine shop, online sales and The Estate Club membership
Highlights
- The Palliser Kitchen earned one Cuisine Hat in 2025 under Executive Chef Norka Mella Muñoz
- Three of six vineyards are BioGro certified organic
- 100% New Zealand owned by a small group of shareholders
- Community Partner to Life Flight, donating $5 from every wine flight sold
Location & Contact
Name: Palliser Estate
Address: 96 Kitchener Street, Martinborough
Phone: 06 306 9019
Website: palliser.co.nz
3Margrain Vineyard
Margrain Vineyard is a second generation, family owned vineyard on Huangarua Road, established in 1992. The cellar door pours guided tastings, wine flights and Margrain gin over views of the vines, and the kitchen serves platters, pizzas and burgers from Wednesday to Sunday. Villa accommodation and small conference spaces share the site, so it works for a group as readily as for a couple.
Services
- Guided cellar door tasting of five wines
- Self-paced wine flights, from whites and rose through to premium
- Margrain gin tastings
- Kitchen serving platters, pizzas and burgers
- Vineyard and winery tour
Highlights
- Established in 1992 and second generation family owned and operated
- Vineyard villas, the Pinot Suite and the Gatehouse provide accommodation on site
- Reserve, Home Block and Rivers Edge pinot noirs are bottled separately, alongside an Old Vine Chenin Blanc
Location & Contact
Name: Margrain Vineyard
Address: 5 Huangarua Road, Martinborough
Phone: 06 306 8333
Website: margrainvineyard.co.nz
4Poppies Martinborough
Poppies Martinborough was established in 2012 by Poppy and Shayne Hammond, who work as winemaker and viticulturist across their own vineyards. The tasting room on Puruatanga Road opens seven days for tastings and bottle sales, with lunch and accommodation available on the property. The range takes in rose, chardonnay and gewurztraminer through to pinot noir, syrah and tempranillo.
Services
- Cellar door wine tasting, no booking needed for small groups
- Seasonal lunch served at the vineyard
- On-site accommodation
- Online wine shop and gift cards
Highlights
- Established in 2012 by Poppy and Shayne Hammond
- Winery built after a vineyard purchase in 2016, now handling around 80 tonnes annually
- Vineyards farmed on a biological and organic approach, though not certified
- Free Poppies Wine Club with 10% off wine bought online and member only events
Location & Contact
Name: Poppies Martinborough
Address: 91 Puruatanga Road, Martinborough
Phone: 06 306 8473
Website: poppiesmartinborough.co.nz
5Colombo Martinborough
Colombo Martinborough is a small Todds Road producer whose home block vineyard, established in 1999, supplies the fruit for its pinot noir and pinot noir rose. The wines are crafted by hand in small batches, with other varietals grown by a small number of local growers. The cellar door is relaxed rather than formal, with beanbags outside in the Wairarapa sun, a fire in winter, and Italian style pizza and platters alongside the tasting.
Services
- Cellar door wine tastings
- Wine by the glass or bottle to enjoy on site
- Italian style pizza, dine in or takeaway
- Colombo platters, salmon pâté and fresh bread
Highlights
- Home block vineyard on Todds Road established in 1999
- Wines crafted by hand in small batches, with fruit from a small number of local growers
- Carried by Martinborough and Greytown wine stores and by Wine Gallery Schaffhausen in Switzerland
Location & Contact
Name: Colombo Martinborough
Address: 107 Todds Road, Martinborough
Phone: 027 356 0545
Website: colombo.co.nz
Wineries in Wellington at a Glance
| Business | Based in | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Ata Rangi | Martinborough | Founded in 1980 by Clive Paton and still family owned |
| Palliser Estate | Martinborough | The Palliser Kitchen earned one Cuisine Hat in 2025 under Executive C... |
| Margrain Vineyard | Martinborough | Established in 1992 and second generation family owned and operated |
| Poppies Martinborough | Martinborough | Established in 2012 by Poppy and Shayne Hammond |
| Colombo Martinborough | Martinborough | Home block vineyard on Todds Road established in 1999 |
How to Choose the Right Winery in Wellington
- Decide whether you want a seated, guided tasting or a walk-in pour, because some tasting rooms take bookings for the guided sessions and keep space aside for people who simply turn up.
- Check which days food is served. Several vineyard kitchens open Wednesday to Sunday rather than seven days, and weekend lunch tables go early.
- Match the varietal to your taste. Martinborough is planted heavily in pinot noir and chardonnay, but chenin blanc, gruner veltliner, syrah and tempranillo are grown here too.
- Count your group before you travel. Tasting rooms in the village are often small and ask groups of eight or ten and above to make contact first.
- If organic growing matters to you, check whether the vineyard is certified or simply farmed that way, because the two are not the same thing.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wellington Wineries
Where are the wineries in Wellington?
Almost all of them are in and around Martinborough, a Wairarapa village reached from the city over the Remutaka Range. Cellar doors are spread along Puruatanga Road, Kitchener Street, Huangarua Road and Todds Road, most of them within a few minutes of the village square, so it is normal to visit two or three in an afternoon.
Is Martinborough part of the Wellington wine region?
Yes. Martinborough sits inside the Wairarapa, the wine growing area at the southern end of the North Island that serves Wellington, along with Gladstone and Masterton. You can read about the region and its grape varieties at New Zealand Winegrowers.
How much does a cellar door tasting cost?
Guided tastings around Martinborough commonly run from about $15 to $25 per person, and the fee is usually refunded or deducted when you buy a bottle. Self-guided flights of three to five wines are typically priced from about $24 to $49, while longer experiences that take in the vineyard, barrel hall and winery cost more and need booking in advance.
Do I need to book a wine tasting?
For a couple or a small group you can often walk in, particularly midweek. Seated tasting sessions in a dedicated wine room have limited places and should be booked, and any group of eight or more is worth phoning ahead about, because village tasting rooms are small.
What grape varieties does Martinborough grow?
Pinot noir is the mainstay, with chardonnay close behind, and both are grown on shallow silt loam over deep alluvial gravels. Aromatic whites such as pinot gris, riesling and gewurztraminer are widely planted, and you will also find sauvignon blanc, chenin blanc, gruner veltliner, syrah, tempranillo, rose and Methode Traditionnelle sparkling wine.
Can I have lunch at a winery?
Several Martinborough vineyards run a kitchen alongside the cellar door, ranging from platters, pizzas and burgers to a seasonal restaurant menu. Opening days vary and are often Wednesday to Sunday, so check before you travel and book a table for a weekend lunch.
What does organic certification mean for a vineyard here?
A certified vineyard has been independently audited against an organic standard, which covers how weeds, pests and soil are managed and usually takes three years to achieve. Several Martinborough vineyards are certified by BioGro New Zealand, while others farm organically without seeking certification, so ask if it matters to you.
Can I stay overnight at a Martinborough vineyard?
Yes. Some vineyards have villas, suites or a house on the property, which makes it easy to taste without worrying about the drive home over the hill. Rooms are limited and weekends fill well ahead, so book early if you want to stay among the vines.
How We Chose the Best Wineries in Wellington
Every business in this guide was found by searching for wineries in Wellington, 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 Wellington, 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.