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Hawke's Bay, a Great Wine Capital of the World

When Hawke’s Bay was named a Great Wine Capital of the world in 2023, it elevated the region to sit alongside wine destination heavyweights such as Bordeaux, Napa Valley, Verona and South Australia. So, what’s makes this humble corner of Aotearoa a bucket list destination? Read on to find out. 

Hawke’s Bay is one of just 12 regions or cities worldwide to be named a Great Wine Capital of the world, and the only one in New Zealand that can claim this honour.

Established in Bordeaux in 1999, the Great Wine Capital Global Network has shared an important mission: to sustain the health and prosperity of wine-related industries, communities and tourism in their Capitals through collaborating on a wide range of projects in industry, tourism, education, business and travel.

Bestowed on destinations that deliver a preeminent wine tourism experience, Great Wine Capital status is no easy feat. In fact, while the fine folk of Hawke’s Bay prefer to let their hospitality and wine do the talking, this is an achievement of global significance that catapults the region onto the world’s stage.

In Hawke’s Bay however, the region’s point of difference is its laid-back yet attentive (and classically Antipodean) hospitality. It is the understated magic that welcomes visitors to both a sprawling wine estate or boutique vineyard, and makes both places feel like home.

It’s the region’s extensive array of provenance-led culinary experiences and unrivalled bounty that ensures visitors experience the full gamut of paddock to plate, grape to glass and tree to table, all done with aplomb and served with a warming East Coast smile.

It’s also the region’s wine, which itself is second to none. Blessed with some of the best wine-growing soils and climates in the country, Hawke’s Bay produces wines that stand alongside those from the most notable wine regions in the world. And visitors to the region can sample up to 38 varieties across the region’s 30+ cellar doors.

In fact, Hawke’s Bay wine is now so esteemed that 12 brilliant drops have become the very first from New Zealand to be sampled at Cité Du Vin, the world-famous cultural venue dedicated to wine in Bordeaux, France that welcomes more than 400,000 visitors each year.

Experience this Great Wine Capital for yourself

While the world’s most discerning wine lovers savour a taste of Hawke’s Bay, it is Kiwis at home who can most easily plan a trip to the world’s newest Great Wine Capital this summer.

With daily flights from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, Hawke’s Bay is both accessible and a world away. Hawke’s Bay’s sunshine is quick to make visitors switch into holiday-mode. The undulating limestone Hawke's Bay Trails cycleways connect cellar doors with cafes, artisans and stunning scenery, and visitors to this Great Wine Capital can enjoy outdoor concerts and events almost every weekend throughout summer.

And while the days are vibrant and full of life, visitors rest easy by night in some of New Zealand’s most sumptuous accommodation, from city centre Art Deco hotels to vineyard glamping and luxury lodges on the coast.

So, if you’re look to tick off the great wine destinations of the world, why not start with Aotearoa’s own Great Wine Capital – Hawke’s Bay.