Nz Best Wineries – The Hunting Lodge

This winery review is part of a series, capturing NZ best wineries. The Hunting Lodge is without a doubt, one of the most unique, best and my personal favourites. Located just outside Auckland it’s the perfect place for a Sunday session taking in good food and wine. Enjoy this guide to The Hunting Lodge, but please don’t take my word for it, visit for yourself – you won’t regret it.

The Hunting Lodge

Kumea region, Auckland

The Hunting Lodge’s approach to wine making reflects seasonality allowing the grapes to evolve with the season. Sourcing grapes from around the country allows The Hunting Lodge to showcase  NZ’s best.

The grapes grown on site

Is there any place like The Hunting Lodge? Well, the most accurate response is, there’s not enough places like The Hunting Lodge! This winery is the perfect place to set in for an afternoon of good food and wine with friends or celebrate any special occasion. More than just a winery, The Hunting Lodge offers a unique relaxed and memorable winery and dining experiences for all.

The Hunting Lodge – outdoor setting

Doing things differently. Their fresh take on a winery experience makes The Hunting Lodge a destination is itself.

Wine paddles

There are options for everyone here, from formal tasting in the Cellar or an informal tasting paddle with your meal on the lawn. Beer tasting paddles are also available for those who prefer beer.

The Hunting Lodge also offers a Grape vs Grain package for $25 per person as an interactive group activity sampling two wines and two beers and food matching (see above).

One of Cuisine’s top 100 restaurants with award winning Executive Chef Des Harris

The lawn

Any time! Sunday sessions on the lawn make The Hunting Lodge the ideal way to spend a sunny Sunday in Auckland.

Wine paddle and wood fired pizza

Offering two dining experiences the Restaurant (below) provides a more formal dining experience and the Cellar Door and Lawn Bar a relaxed dining experience (above). Both menus are inspired by the seasons taking a pasture-to-plate approach producing local sourced, quality food.

The Hunting Room restaurant

Set menus with complementary wine offered for lunch and dinner Wednesday though Friday and A La Carte menu offered Thursday through Saturday.

Cellar Door and Lawn Bar – choose one of the tasting platters to share or Wood fired pizzas with all locally sourced ingredients.

The Hunting Room’s onsite veggie garden

Like everything else at The Hunting Lodge, you are spoilt for choice when it comes to events. Throughout the year, The Hunting Lodge hosts all the usual events like weddings, private functions plus music festivals and meet the maker – an opportunity to speak to the wine makers, learn and ask questions.

Venue for events

35 min drive from Auckland CBD

Helipad available for those arriving by chopper

Yes. Kids menu and kids zone featuring games like twister, jenga and more.

The kids will love resident red retriever Codie, she’s a beauty.

There’s plenty of choices for everyone from 10 beers on tap, ciders, kombucha, sparkling water, soft drink to coffee and tea.

More coming soon on NZ wineries.