Heather our guide/driver was so knowledgeable about the wineries and the local connections. We will... read more
Heather our guide/driver was so knowledgeable about the wineries and the local connections. We will... read more
Took a tour off the boat using this company. They did a fantastic job. We went to 3 wineries in... read more
Our group of ten were on a cruise ship with a short stop in Picton (1:00 TO 6:00) and we wanted a personalized tour of the Marlborough wine region with as much as we could fit in the 4 hours available. After corresponding with Marlborough Tours I was convinced they were the best for the job.
Lynn picked us up shipside at 1:30 and we zoomed to Marlborough, before a few miles I knew we were going to have a good time. Our first stop was Seresin and by then Lynn seemed more like friend than a tour guide. We also visited Gibson Bridge, Wairau River, and Natutlius. Then I asked for specific winery (Huia) that wasn’t on her list, she called them and got us in. Lynn knew the region and the wineries.
She got us back to the ship a little around 5:20 , so in a little less than 4 hours we covered 5 wineries and made back to ship with time to spare. When we finally departed, it was like leaving one of traveling buddies behind.
I would highly recommend Marlborough Tours, and ask for Lynn (she and her husband own the company) and if you’re luck she’ll be availble.
This was the 3rd wine tour we did in NZ and it was good to see and taste the difference between Marlborough wines compared with other regions (Waiheke and Bay of Islands were the others we did). Kevin our guide was friendly and knowledgable and a good driver (important as I'm an anxious passenger). We visited 5 wineries and Kevin seemed to know what we wanted as he ended with a visit to a superb 'champagne' type winery (or methode champenoise if you want to be precise, this not being France...). We stopped for lunch and again Kevin chose the right place as we only wanted a platter rather than a full lunch. Very enjoyable; we did the medium tour and I think this was sufficient - not sure how anyone can do a longer tour and still be standing!
My friend and I were lucky enough to be the only two people on a full day wine tour. Coming from South Australia and loving our Barossa & McLaren Vale Wines, I was so impressed with the wineries that Nicci chose for us. Myself being a big Cloudy Bay fan, it was excellent to finally visit the home of my favourite Sauv Blanc.
Nicci knew everything about the area too and kept us entertained throughout the whole day and she was an absolute pleasure to tour with. Friendly and she asked what sort of wines we liked so she was able to tailor the day to our palate. Just awesome. I couldn't recommend Nicci enough. Everyone in the area knew her which made it feel that much more special.
Nicci realised my love for taking photos and allowed us the time to take in the stunning views and even took a detour on the way home to a lookout to take some more photos.
This really was a wonderful day out and I would encourage anyone visiting the area to give Nicci a call and arrange a tour. Personal and friendly service that will leave you smiling and feeling very satisfied after a great day of tasting some of the beautiful wines the Marlborough Region has to offer.
Thanks again Nicci, you will be seeing me again one day!!
We arrived in Picton at 2pm on our cruise ship and had Nicci pick us up from the ship. We had booked a private wine tour over the Internet as we were travelling with our 3 children.
Nicci was so welcoming and warm and our kids absolutely adored her. Given our ships late arrival, Nicci had arranged with 4 wineries for us to visit and Makana chocolate factory! The wineries were fantastic, and offered something for everyone's palate. We finished off the day with a tour around beautiful Picton and took Nicci's advice to let the kids have a play in the pirate park before heading back to our ship.
Nicci was AMAZING with our children, and we couldn't believe how well she treated us and our kids. We could never thank her enough for making this such a memorable and truly special experience. By far this tour was the biggest highlight of our shore tours. We will be back to this beautiful part of the world, and we will be returning to visit with Nicci. Marlborough Tours is a 5 star tour operator.
The wine tour was informative and thoroughly enjoyable. Our guide knew the area well and was able to give interesting background information. We were introduced to the wide variety of wines produced by the area ... not just sav blanc! As well, we saw how many great restaurants are attached to the wineries and resolved to return. A great day out!
It was the first time for my companion to visit Blenheim for wine tasting and I wanted to ensure it it was an absolute success, as he is quite a seasoned wine expert! Planned well ahead, Nicci Bergman was super responsive, proactive and did everything to help me ensure a great day for the both of us. We pretty much devised our own tour, so allowing us to focus on the more boutique/newer wineries in the area, rather than the commercial names we can get at home. It was just wonderful. As we booked in the Winter, our tour ended up being exclusive. We were well taken care of by Lynn, our tour escort and a lovely companion. The tour was just right, we optimised each visit, purchased some exclusive wines and overall had a fantastic day. Weather worked out beautifully, and we finished the tour early evening, allowing us to relax at our hotel and enjoy a bottle or 2. Highly recommended if for no reason other than the flexibility of the operator and their exemplary customer service. Highlights of the tour : all of it, but highly recommend Wither Hills, Highlands, Drylands ending nicely on a sweet note at Makana. Note, we did not include Herzog on the tour, but did visit them for lunch the next day, along with our own private wine tasting. Excellent.