Church Road Winery

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Reviews

1. Tony Yuan ★★★★★

   Church Road Winery is a wonderful place to experience Hawke’s Bay wine and hospitality. The grounds are beautiful and well maintained, creating a relaxed and elegant atmosphere that’s perfect for a tasting or a leisurely visit. The wines are exceptional, especially the reds, and the staff are knowledgeable, friendly, and happy to share insights about the winery’s history and winemaking process. Tastings are well organised and never feel rushed, which really adds to the experience. Whether you’re a wine enthusiast or just looking for a pleasant stop while exploring Napier, Church Road Winery is absolutely worth a visit.

   almost 2 months ago
2. Theo Dubost ★☆☆☆☆

   Great Food, But the Service Ruined It We came today for a tasting and some food — unfortunately, it was a real disappointment. The setting is stunning, both the gardens and the cellar door interior are beautiful. But from the moment we arrived, confusion began: no signage, multiple counters, and no clear direction. After waiting, we were told by a staff member, that he was too busy to do a tasting, despite the venue being only a third full. We were also told to hurry if we wanted food, as the kitchen was closing — before 3:00pm, even though the cellar door closes at 4:30pm. At the food counter, the welcome felt more like an inconvenience. We were rushed, given no explanations about the menus, and then served food without plates, cutlery, or napkins. After fetching our own, the waitress (who was kind) arrived with napkins just as a gust of wind knocked over a glass of wine onto our platter. No one offered help or even asked if we wanted to replace the glass. The food itself was excellent — beautifully made and full of flavour — and the wine was very good. But the service was among the worst I’ve experienced in 16 years as a chef, including three years working in a New Zealand winery. Even basic hospitality standards were missing. I came with fond memories of Church Road wines, but after this experience, I won’t be returning or purchasing their wine again. A real shame — it could easily be one of New Zealand’s best wineries with better service.

   almost 4 months ago
3. Te Manawanui fitzgerald ★★★★★

   Great service. Amazing food. Nice sitting outside on a sunny day. Beautiful atmosphere. I don’t normally have desert but was sold by the waitress that offered it and it was delicious. Will definitely be wining and dining there alot more

   almost 5 months ago

1. Rebecca Dennis ★★★★★

   A friend and I spent a lovely afternoon at Church Road Winery. We had lunch which was delicious, first sharing a cheese board and then opting for the pork belly and the tortellini as our mains while sharing a bottle of the Gwen rose which was very nice. Dessert was an affogato and a chocolate brulee (a must order) Danielle was our server and she was very attentive, answered all our questions easily and was very friendly. After lunch we grabbed another bottle of Gwen rose and headed out to the expansive lawn to finish the day. All the staff we came across were always so friendly and willing to help, when we enquired about the cost of a Gwen tote bag the lady who was asked (it was her first day and we forgot to ask her name) went above and beyond to find out the answer for us. Definitely recommend a visit to Church Road Winery

   almost 5 months ago
2. Freddie Chan ★★★★★

   I would like to thank Roger. He gives my whole family the best of the best wine tasting experience. I have been Church Road,3 /4 times. in the past experience, It was too many visitors and hard to get a quality time to learn wine, to know about Church Road. Thank you , Roger. He is passionate to wine and share the best of his knowledge with us. FYI , we booked a lunch time and got an excellent wine tasting before lunch. We tried the $45 & $35 wine tasting. The $45 is the value for money and best value to try all 5 $100 worth wine... 300% recommended.

   almost 8 months ago
3. Liliana Colmenares ★★★★★

   Counted down to a new year at this beautiful winery with my husband's extended family and we couldn't have been happier. Food was delicious, service was attentive, and the wine was of course exceptional. The green space next to the winery gave kids lots of room to explore which was wonderful. Will return!

   almost 2 years ago

1. Ailin Aranda ★★★★★

   Best wine experience in my life !!! Jenny was a great host , she explained everything so cleary and passionate , thanks for making our first visit in Napier so wonderful ! Gran Reserve Syrah was our favourite wine :) highly recommend it coming here :)

   almost 2 years ago
2. anna de souza ★★★★☆

   We had a great time at Church road winery and spent a lovely afternoon at their venue. We had read online that they are dog friendly and so had booked to do a tasting followed by lunch. In the lead up to our visit, I tried to call several times to confirm they were indeed dog friendly but unfortunately it went to answering machine every time which was annoying. When we go to venue we found out that whilst the dog is allowed outside, tastings are only done inside. This was kind of annoying but Daniele the venue manager was super friendly and tried to find a good solution for us. We ended up having a share platter outside which was delicious along with a couple of glasses of wine. The outside area is delightful with a beautiful lush green view. My husband did a terroir tasting with Kay which he said was amazing. She too was super friendly and helpful and we ended up buying a few bottles to take home and as gifts The only negative was one of the staff members - an older gentleman with white hair who was super unhelpful, unfriendly and borderline rude.

   almost 2 years ago
3. Carina Daly ★★★★☆

   Other than the woman working there making me feel like a moron (I enjoy wine but obviously don't know know enough about it...), it was lovely. I enjoyed the tour also. Recommend booking it - they certainly love their founder, Tom McDonald, seems everything is about him. You learn a lot and see the inner workings of a winery. Beautiful spots outside to sit also.

   almost 3 years ago

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