Hawke's Bay Wine & Orchard Trail
Cycle or walk through the Mission Estate and surrounding vineyards of New Zealand's oldest wine region, tasting world-class Syrah and Chardonnay.
- 1
Mission Estate Winery
New Zealand's oldest winery, founded in 1851 by French Marist Brothers, sits in a beautiful valley — their Syrah and Chardonnay are among NZ's finest.
- 2
Mission Estate Vineyard Walk
Walking tracks through the estate's historic vineyard reveal the gravelly glacial soils — Gimblett Gravels — that give Hawke's Bay wines their distinctive character.
- 3
Taradale Village
The charming village of Taradale at the foot of the ranges has a pleasant main street with cafés, an Art Deco hotel, and the ambience of a Hawke's Bay country town.
- 4
Church Road Winery
Church Road's wine museum is housed in the original 1897 winery building — exhibits trace the full history of winemaking in Hawke's Bay over 170 years.
- 5
Orchard Row Trail
A flat cycling trail through apple and pear orchards shows the other side of Hawke's Bay agriculture — the region produces a quarter of all New Zealand's apples.
- 6
Te Mata Peak Viewpoint
The cliffs of Te Mata Peak above the plains give a sweeping view of the entire Heretaunga Plains wine district — the flat, river-silted landscape perfect for viticulture.