Brookfields Vineyards was the first winery we visited in New Zealand and we weren’t disappointed.  It’s located in the prestigious and beautiful Hawke’s Bay wine region.  To get there, you drive down a long driveway bordered by rows of grapes capped off with roses.

The tasting room is cozy and intimate and the winery is very much a family affair.  Mom served us the wine while her daughter chatted happily about the wedding they’d had the night before.  (Dad is the winemaker).  We had a lovely conversation as we tasted their great wines.  They were very welcoming and as you would expect, are very knowledgeable about the wine.

Tasting was free and there was no pressure to buy.  We were offered 8 different wines – so there was quite a selection to choose from.  We found their “Indulgence” dessert wine great.  We really enjoyed their Sauvignon Blanc as well.  We left with a delightful bottle of Riesling, $20NZD.

Living in California, we’re used to drinking red wine with just about everything.  Brookfields Vineyards does produce some red wine but we found their white wine was what was really special.  Conveniently, all of their wine is bottled with screw tops – excellent for bringing wine back to your hotel room!  (We found this was common at wineries across New Zealand).