If we had visited Waiheke Island earlier in the month we surely would have made time for a second trip.  Even the lousy weather didn’t stop it from being a really fun afternoon.

Waiheke Island is know for it’s wineries, and we like wine, so we got tickets for a hop-on-hop-off winery tour.

First hop-off was at Wild on Waiheke.  It is the most family friendly of all the wineries we saw and had the most laid-back vibe.  Although the made-on-site beers and wines are for adults only, people of all ages can enjoy the playground, giant chess set, giant connect-4 set, sand bocce court, and cornhole.  The live music was perfect ambiance as we sipped a wine tasting and snacked on calamari.

Our second stop was right up the hill at Stonyridge Vineyards.  Looking for a party scene? This is your place.  There was a DJ spinning and we saw somebody being “escorted” away by officers as we walked in.  Nice! Aside from the bumpin’ music there was also an beautiful view of the mountainside.  Since it was windy weather we had no problem finding an open seat outside with a great panoramic view as we enjoyed the Sauvignon Blanc, or as the locals order it, “the sauv”.

We caught the hop-on-hop-off to our next stop, the Batch Winery.  Batch is the only winery on the island producing and bottling sparkling wines on site.  We love a good glass of bubbly, and this one didn’t disappoint.  Up a bit higher than the other two wineries, our view had more more rolling hills and a sliver of the sea.  The grill was busy and the food smelled incredible.  We didn’t eat because we had to run to catch the bus and it might be Kevin’s biggest regret from the whole trip.  We were welcomed in, but this was the fanciest winery of the three and we felt a bit out of place.  It would be perfect for a special occasion dinner.

We had hoped to stop at one more winery and enjoy the sunset, but unfortunately they were closed for a private event.  In fact, several of the wineries were closed that afternoon for weddings or events so make sure it’s something you check if you have your heart set on a particular winery for your visit.

Our classic-rock jamming bus driver (heavy on the ZZ Top!) offered to take us to a nearby town with a few places to have a glass of wine as an alternative to the winery, and we accepted.

We ended the day at Sandbar in the town of Oneroa.  One more glass of wine and some tasty tacos, but no sunset because the clouds that had been threatening all day finally broke and it POURED.  Poured all the way to the bus stop, poured all the way to the ferry, poured as we ran to the train in Auckland, and poured as we ran home from the train stop.  Comically soaked, we were just happy the storm held off until we were leaving and glad it made for a memorable end to the day.

Cheers to you, Waiheke Island!