About this tour
When Mia from our team ran the Urban Wine Tour, she found herself in a completely different gear from traditional Hawke's Bay tastings. The 4-hour experience kicks off at Smith & Sheth's Heretaunga Studio—an award-winning winery where the vibe is intimate and design-conscious—before heading to a second urban winery that leans into bold, experimental winemaking. It's wine tasting stripped of the stuffy vineyard clichés and relocated into stylish city spaces. Small group size means the pours and chat stay personal, and you'll taste straight from barrels at the first stop. Private transport between venues keeps things smooth.
Highlights
- Barrel tastings at Smith & Sheth—wine before it's bottled
- Design-forward tasting space in Heretaunga Studio feels intentional and curated
- Second winery showcases bold, unexpected winemaking approaches
- Private transport included—no designated driver stress
- Small group setting means guides actually know your taste preferences
- Fresh angle on Hawke's Bay wine country without the vineyard cliché
- Four hours captures two quality venues without feeling rushed
What to expect
Mia's day started with a pickup and drive to Smith & Sheth's studio space—a proper design moment, not a cellar door shed. The first tasting is unhurried; the storytelling ties into the wine rather than lecturing about terroir. Barrel tastings hit differently once you understand the intention behind each one. The walk between tastings is easy, and the second winery swings the mood toward experimental—think techniques and flavours that push the Hawke's Bay playbook. The whole experience reads more like a mate-guided discovery than a formal tour.
Pacing works well across four hours; there's time to linger without dragging. The air-conditioned vehicle means you're not sweating between spots, and bottled water keeps you honest between pours. Our crew found the contrast between the two venues actually sharpens your palate—you notice the differences once you've tasted side by side.
What travellers say
- Barrel tastings at producer level, not bottled-only pours
- Intimate studio space with intentional design beats vineyard sheds
- Private transport removes logistics stress between venues
- Small group means guide remembers your preferences
- Bold second winery contrasts nicely with curated first stop
- Four-hour frame avoids wine-fatigue without feeling rushed
- Not suited to wine newcomers or casual drinkers
- Walking and standing across four hours may tire some
- Custom timing requires pre-booking via Mates Travel website
Themes summarised by our team from public information about this tour. Verify specifics on the operator's page before booking.
Good to know
If you're over standard wine-tour theatre, this hits the mark. Small groups mean real conversation with the guide. Barrel tastings and curated design make it feel less generic and more craft-focused. Suit wine lovers keen to taste things still in production, and anyone over the vineyard-photo-stop thing.
This isn't beginner-friendly—the vibe assumes some wine knowledge or curiosity. The tour notes flag spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health, and pregnancy as reasons to skip it, so there's some walking and standing involved across four hours. Early-morning or late-afternoon custom start times are worth requesting if you've got a tight schedule.
Private transport and water are in. Alcoholic beverages included, so budget's covered. Small group keeps it intimate. Peak season (autumn harvest) books faster. Book customisations via Mates Travel.
Tour sold and operated by Viator via Viator. Descriptions on this page are original BugBitten summaries written by our team — not copied from the operator. Prices and availability are confirmed at checkout.