Wine Bars: Urban Wine Experiences From La Fuente To Beau

All around New Zealand, we are blessed with incredible wine experiences in our urban backyard. No matter your vino preference, from a classic Marlborough sauvignon blanc to a Central Otago pinot noir or perhaps a pét-nat, you don’t have to travel far to sample and enjoy a glass or two It could be a tasting flight at a cosy wine bar or an afternoon spent moving from one urban wine spot to the next, expanding your knowledge and delighting your palate. And of course, it’s not just excellent wines that make up these experiences, but the considered food options that often accompany a tasting or round out a long lunch. Think thoughtfully assembled cheese boards and plentiful platters you can’t refuse. So next time you need a small escape, try one of these spots close by.Wellington Urban Wine TourCentral Wellington Puffin Wine Bar. Photo / Neat PlacesWellingtonians are spoilt for choice when it comes to seeking out wine experiences in their city backyard. Let’s start with Puffin, at the bottom of the Intrepid Hotel. This cosy and intimate wine bar heroes good lighting and chat, and natural and minimal-intervention wines. Highwater Eatery Restaurant & Wine bar. Photo / Neat PlacesPopular Cuba St restaurant and wine bar Highwater serves acclaimed modern New Zealand cuisine alongside a thoughtfully curated wine list. Whether stopping in for a glass from this exceptional wine list, a crafted cocktail and snacks at the bar or enjoying a full multi-course dining experience, Highwater delivers with an effortless sense of elegance and cool. Noble Rot Wine Bar on Swan Lane is a pure expression of wine love, with more than 500 bottles to choose from. In Newtown, there’s Next Door, small but perfectly formed, with natural wines on tap and little local restaurant Margot’s next door. Plus, Ascot pairs hot dogs and wine – need we say more?Auckland Urban Wine TourAuckland CityIn the sprawling metropolis that is Auckland, incredible wine experiences are found all over the city centre, Karangahape Rd and in the village-like settings of neighbourhoods such as Grey Lynn and Ponsonby. Starting in the centre of the city, we have La Fuente. Beginning life purely as a mezcal bar, this intimate space on Snickel Lane has widened its offering and now has a very impressive wine focus too.Take a walk, or a quick rideshare, up Queen St, and you’ll come to Queens Wineshop, a handy stop whether you’re after something to browse, buy or linger over before heading upstairs to the restaurant. Not far away, Maison Vauron remains a key Auckland address to shop for French wine and food, with a long-standing reputation and a carefully considered selection that makes it well worth knowing about. Pici Wine bar. Photo / Neat PlacesPici Wine Bar is another strong addition to the mix. Tucked into St Kevins Arcade, it focuses on natural and organic wines from Aotearoa, Italy and further afield, with the kind of easy energy that suits both a quick glass and a longer evening.A suburb over in Ponsonby is Beau; think cosy neighbourhood wine bar but elevated. Owners Diva and Logan used their many years of hospitality experience in the set-up of Beau, and the wine list is a reflection of their favourites from around New Zealand and Europe. If you’re nearby in Grey Lynn, make sure you head to Freida Margolis, where there’s a buzzing atmosphere, bold wine list and eclectic tunes always. Also in Grey Lynn, La Buvette by Bare Wine is worth a mention for those happy to venture a little further, pairing coffee and pastries by day with a wine bar feel later on.Christchurch Urban Wine TourChristchurch CentralChristchurch is lucky to have the wine region of Waipara less than an hour’s drive away, but there are also many incredible wine experiences in the heart of the city.At the city centre end of Papanui Rd, you’ve got three joints all serving notable drops. Vesuvio offers wine, jazz and tapas within its large outdoor courtyard. Then there’s Londo, a small but perfectly formed space serving moreish small plates and a range of wines to match. Right next door is Gatherings, a restaurant known around Aotearoa for its thoughtful approach to local, seasonal food and low-waste dining. Gatherings. Photo / Neat PlacesThat same philosophy carries through to the wine list, which is grounded in organic and low-intervention winemaking alongside established regional benchmarks, giving diners plenty to explore whether they’re after something familiar or a little more adventurous. Every detail here feels carefully considered, with a genuine emphasis on nature and preserving it that runs through the entire experience. Tucked behind the restaurant is Kisi, an intimate bar and courtyard offering a smaller, more relaxed offshoot of Gatherings, where you can drop in for a drink and a more casual bite built around scaled-down versions of the kitchen’s dishes.In the Arts Centre, there’s Cellar Door, which has a delicious food menu and wine list, but it’s the extensive range of creative wine flights that make this spot a must-visit. All under one inner-city roof is Lillies, an urban cidery, winery and restaurant loved for its wood-fired pizzas and organic drops from their brands Vita Wines, Lele Wine and Lillies Cider. Lillies. Photo / Neat PlacesAnd if you’re happy to stretch the definition of urban just slightly, Tussock Hill Vineyard & Cellar Door is still only a short drive from the centre. Sitting atop the Port Hills with expansive views across Christchurch and out to the Southern Alps, it feels a world away from the city below. The family-run vineyard has built a reputation not only for the wine, but also for the food, with a focus on organic and local suppliers that makes lingering over a long lunch very easy.More on Food & Drink