Wine Tour & Maori Culture Queenstown

I booked this tour because of the Maori culture portion. Though wine tours are fun and informative, I wanted to know more about the Maori and Joe delivered. We visited 3 wineries and thoroughly enjoyed the tastings and delicious food he had arranged, but the best part of the tour was Joe's knowledge of the Maori language and customs. Joe began our tour by explaining the Taiaha and the traditional Maori welcome and throughout the day provided more information about his people and the Maori language. He was easy going, fun, extremely knowledgeable, and gifted us with a wonderful experience! Thank you Joe!I

Exceptional!!! I’ve gone on wine tours all over and Joe makes this truly special! This is more than a wine tours because of his inclusion of Māori culture throughout. Plus, I didn’t have a bad sip of wine. Not all were exactly my taste preference but you could tell that Joe took pride in including wineries with both atheistic and wine selections that would please a group of different people. Plus the food! Is there ever a bad time for truffle fries? This was a great ending activity for the group of entrepreneurs completing a retreat together. Joe, thank you for being such a wonderful host and sharing your time and knowledge with me! I hope our paths cross again. :) Kia ora.

We thank Joe for a very informative wine tour combined with a wealth of interesting information about the Maori and their culture, as well as important facts about New Zealand. A wonderful tour that we highly recommend.

If you are even thinking about booking the Wanaka wine tour with Joe — do it. Honestly, this was not just a wine tour, it was an experience, a story, and a perfect day rolled into one. Joe is the kind of host everyone hopes for but rarely finds — warm, knowledgeable, funny, and effortlessly attentive. From the very beginning, he made us feel like we were exploring Wanaka with an old friend rather than being “on a tour.” Nothing felt rushed, scripted, or touristy — it was relaxed, personal, and beautifully paced. Mora winery , Mt Rosa and Wet Jacket - The wineries were spectacular — each with its own character, stunning scenery, and incredible wines. Joe didn’t just pour wine; he shared stories, local insights, and little details you would never discover on your own. You could feel his passion for the region, and it made every stop more meaningful. And then — the scenery. Absolutely breathtaking. Rolling vineyards, mountains in the distance, that pure Wanaka light… it felt almost unreal at times. Joe knew exactly where to pause, where to look, and where to take those perfect “this is New Zealand” moments. What made the day special wasn’t just the wine (though it was excellent 🍷), but the atmosphere Joe creates — relaxed, joyful, and genuinely memorable. Lots of laughs, great conversations, and a feeling that the day unfolded naturally rather than being structured. By the end of the tour, we didn’t feel like customers — we felt like we had shared a beautiful day with good company, great wine, and the soul of Wanaka. If you want a wine tour that feels authentic, personal, scenic, and genuinely special — book with Joe. You will not regret it.

Joe was an amazing host. He made us feel welcome & at home from the first moment. The day ran smoothly and we all wished it was longer because we enjoyed it so much. Will definitely be looked back on as a highlight of our time in NZ. The cheese platter and wines were amazing - such a great selection. Thank you Joe! Would highly recommend. The host definitely makes it!

Joe was the absolute best! Warm, friendly, and knowledgable about the culture, the region, and the wines! Fantastic day with him at the vineyards we visited. The atmosphere while tasting was intimate yet inviting, and the wines were INCREDIBLE. Would definitely recommend for anyone coming to the Queenstown. MUST DO!!!

Joe kept us fully entertained throughout the trip with his excellent stories and knowledge on Māori culture. Fully recommend for anyone wanting to understand a little more about the Māori people whilst also tasting some really great wines. Kia ora!

Unforgettable experience with Joe- culture, wine, and great company! We cannot recommend this wine tour enough! Joe made this experience absolutely memorable. He brought a personal touch that was truly special. Joe’s storytelling was captivating and gave us a deeper appreciation for the land and history of the Māori culture. He was incredibly flexible with scheduling, which we greatly appreciated. Beyond his knowledge, he is great company- warm, friendly, and a pleasure to be around. Highly recommend!

Joe was an incredible host and did an amazing job blending wine tasting and Māori culture into a fascinating story. Logistics were easy as he picked us up from our lodging in Queenstown, and it was excellent value with 20+ wine tastings across three vineyards. Cannot recommend this wonderful experience with Joe enough.

A true highlight of our trip, this wine tour with Joe was nothing short of extraordinary. Joe is a remarkable host who brings together deep knowledge, genuine warmth, and a sincere love for the land and its people. His passion for the stunning landscape and the rich history of the Māori people created an experience that felt both grounding and expansive, the kind of day that stays with you long after it ends. Having the chance to create our own traditional mihimihi was incredibly special. It invited reflection, connection, and a sense of belonging that we didn’t expect but deeply valued. The traditional Māori welcome and greeting added a level of authenticity and respect that set the tone for the entire day. The intimate group size was another gift. With only four of us on this tour, and a maximum of six ever, it felt personal and thoughtfully curated. We never felt rushed, and every moment was meaningful. The wineries themselves were beautiful, and the hospitality from start to finish was outstanding. If you make it to Mt Rosa Winery, take Joe’s advice and order the truffle fries. You will not regret it. Joe, thank you for creating such a memorable day. From your Aussie cousins across the Pacific, (distant relatives of Chris Hemsworth) we are so grateful for your generosity and spirit. We cannot wait to return and share this experience again

I can’t get over how much fun this was! My husband and I booked this tour as part of our honeymoon vacation and we are so thankful for the wonderful experience and hospitality. Joe was such a great host! Definitely book this and have as much fun as we did.

It was an amazing experience. A lot of insight into the culture and knowledge of wine. Joe was an absolute pleasure to be with during our tour. Thank you, Joe (Big Daddy)!

The Wine Tour & Māori Culture experience in Queenstown was absolutely unforgettable. Joe was an incredible guide, his knowledge was outstanding, and he made every moment informative while keeping it engaging. What stood out most was the way he shared his passion for his Māori heritage. It wasn’t just a tour, it felt like a personal journey into culture, history and storytelling. We had so many laughs as well with Joe's sense of humour. If you’re looking for something that combines wine tasting with genuine cultural insight, this is the tour to do. Highly recommended! Joe, thank you for such a memorable experience.

Joe, a Māori small-business owner, gave us an incredible day visiting three family-run vineyards. While the wines were diverse, the Pinot Noirs were a real highlight! Joe wove in stories of his Māori heritage, sharing how cultural traditions, respect for the land, and local history shape the region’s community. His deep knowledge, warm hosting, and genuine passion made it a perfect blend of world-class wine, culture, and storytelling. Not to be missed!

Joe was absolutely top class! Really friendly and informative. It was just ourselves on the tour and we were looked after so well. We were welcomed with an authentic Maori greeting, the wines we tasted were amazing and we learned all about the Maori culture and customs. We highly recommend this tour!!

We had a fantastic time with Joe learning about the Māori, driving around this beautiful region, and tasting wine at three fabulous cellar doors where we were treated like honored guests. This tour is an unforgettable experience and an excellent value! Joe is wonderful.

Joe was an absolutely incredible host with many stories to share. He took our group to three wineries that other, larger tour groups aren’t able to visit. It was such a great day with many tastings and delicious food! Would definitely recommend this experience to anyone looking for a winery day with a difference. Thanks for a great day, Joe!

Wow, what an amazing experience. This tour combines all aspects of fantastic scenery, 3 fabulous wineries and wine tastings, a comentated history of this wine region by Joe himself. The 5.5hr tour begins with a traditional "Maori Welcome", bonding our group of 6 together to share this unique experience. I would highly recommend touring with WanaHaka and Joe if you have the opportunity. It's fun, informative, gives a cultural perspective and a great way to spend a day in the incredible region of New Zealand.

I joined Joe today on his Wine tour in Queenstown. Fabulous from start to finish. Joe was so welcoming, so knowledgeable about his Māori heritage, the relationship of the land to the wines we tasted. His choice of boutique vineyards really enhanced my experience…yes I did buy a few bottles!! If you’re reading this …stop ..AND BOOK A TOUR you will have an amazing day.

Joe was an absolutely amazing tour guide. Between his stories, information, and history, it really made for an incredible trip. The wineries were fantastic and the scenery was second to none. I highly recommend this tour to anyone who's looking for an authentic experience.

Joe was an outstanding tour guide and very informative and eager to teach the Māori culture. The wineries were very good with nice variety of wines all from locally grown grapes. We were paired with two other couples and had a wonderful day together. We hit it off so well that we ran very long at the first winery, but no worries as Joe called ahead and alerted the upcoming winery of our new arrival time. I am certain that our tour ran over planned time, but Joe never said a word and was delightful all day. We had searched for a cultural activity and Joe offers the only one on the South Island. Joe picked us up at the hotel and similarly dropped us off. We would highly recommend taking this tour.

This was an absolutely fantastic tour! Our guide Joe was amazing. Incredibly knowledgeable and also had a great sense of humor. We learned so much about Māori history and culture. We visited a wonderful selection of boutique wineries. They really showcased the wine of the region and gave a nice variety. There wasn’t a thing we’d change about the tour. We would absolutely do it again. Highly recommend it!

This is the best wine tour in the region. Joe is a fantastic guide, and we got the see the boutique, family-run wineries that exemplify the region. The pacing was perfect and we never felt rushed. Each stop on the tour was different but everyone was so welcoming. The small group size ensured we could take our time and make friends with the other guests as well. Definitely the highlight of our trip.

We had a fantastic day with Joe, learning about local Maori culture and experiencing local wines from small boutique wineries. We learnt so much about local culture and local wines. Highly recommend this trip.

Went on a 5 hour wine tour around Queenstown with two friends visiting from overseas. Joe was incredibly knowledgeable, attentive, and accommodating. He demonstrated warm hospitality and made sure we had the best time in Queenstown. Will definitely recommend Joe and WanaHaka to anyone who’s interested in connecting with the land and the people while enjoying some amazing wine!

Fantastic tour! We were very lucky as it only ended up being the 2 of us on the tour with guide Joe so it was a very personal experience. We visited 3 wineries, all very different settings so it was a great way to see the region. Joe also taught us a lot about Māori history, which was a great cultural insight. Would definitely recommend this tour to others!

THIS WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF OUR TRIP! Joe was absolutely amazing— he was so kind, patient, and radiated positivity, making our private tour incredibly comfortable. He welcomed us to New Zealand by sharing the rich history and culture of his people, connecting us with the Māori community and the beautifully preserved land. We accidentally missed Joe's messages confirming our meeting time, but he still showed up with a smile, without any hint of resentment. We never felt rushed even with our delayed schedule. Joe has perfected his tour: three wineries is the sweet spot, and we thoroughly enjoyed every moment from start to finish. His personal relationships with each winery and their staff made the experience even more special and memorable. It was the perfect amount of time in the car, especially for a group prone to motion sickness, with stunning scenery and knowledgeable commentary to enhance the journey. Joe even dropped us off at a different location than our pick-up. We couldn't recommend a tour with Joe more highly. Initially, we had booked with Appellation Wine Tours, and as we watched multiple groups pile into their van, we felt so fortunate to have ended up with Joe and his private minivan. Joe is an amazing tour guide, a great photographer, and a wonderful human being. Thank you, Joe, for a truly unforgettable experience.f

Was fortunate enough that our tour was just us so it provided for more time to get to know our guide Joe and really learn a lot about the area. The wineries we visited were excellent and tastings were generous. Joe does an excellent job and makes for a great day out. Highly recommend.

Joe is an exceptional guide who is warm and genuine, and has managed to blend the perfect amount of Maori history with wine tasting. My partner and I immediately felt comfortable with him from the start and his popularity is plainly evident in all 3 of the wineries we were brought to (and were given special treatment on account of Joe). We had a great time learning about Maori culture on this very personal tour that included a traditional welcome greeting and creating our own pepehas while sipping wine and eating cheese. Joe was also happy to answer any questions we had and we couldn't recommend him more for a chance to learn more about NZ's history accompanied by good wine. All the best to you, Joe!

I enjoyed most hearing the history of the Māori from Joe. Loved the winery views. The cheese board was outstanding.

Joe was absolutely great helping us set up a wine tour for our group with a lot of seniors. He was patient and also spoke the right amount and with enthusiasm about the Maori culture and the wines in the region. Would definitely book another trip with him next time

Superb wine tour with Joe as our host. The warm Māori greeting was charming and he was filled with knowledge of the culture. When we arrived at each of the three wineries, it was apparent that the wineries knew him well and I felt like we received special treatment because we were with him. The charcuterie board he ordered for us at the second winery was so delicious. I highly recommend this tour.

Couldn’t have asked for a better intimate experience for my mum and I! The combination of delicious wines and description of Māori history in the region was perfectly balanced, and Joe was a brilliant host!

Great tour, thanks Joe! We were the only ones on the tour, so it was very specialized and attentive. I have had some tours canceled when there were no other participants, but Joe took us out and was an excellent guide!

The introduction to the Māori culture of New Zealand was a fantastic educational experience. I loved the handout about core values and the translation for a personal welcome. The small group made it easy to meet fellow travelers. Our guide, Joe, had a great knowledge of all the wineries we visited and was also an excellent driver. We enjoyed the variety of tastings and the food pairing that was provided at the second winery.

31 Dec – Joe Wine Tour and Maori Culture. Don’t wait another second – book this experience with Joe and you won’t regret it – I promise!! My husband and I travel overseas 4 months out of the year and are always in search of experiences that give us insights into the culture of the places that we visit. We spent one month in New Zealand and I can honestly write that spending the day with Joe was the highlight of our trip in terms of learning about the Maori culture and symbolism. From the initial traditional Maori welcoming greeting to creating our own Pepeha and learning about the WanaHaka core values, this experience surpassed all of our expectations. The wine visits, although great, became secondary (although I will say Mt. Rosa’s snack platters were amazing) to the experience of being together as whanaungatanga. Joe truly loves what he does and it shows in his smile, respect and caring towards others. This day experience will change you as a human! BOOK NOW!! (PS. A short story to show you how caring Joe is…I made a mistake and accidently booked this tour leaving from Wanaka – about one hour away from Queenstown where we were staying. Within 2.5 hours of realizing this error the day before the tour when Joe checked in with us to get our pick up location, he had readjusted everything and was able to have the tour in Queenstown. Let me remind you our tour was on New Years Eve. How amazing is that? Most tour people would have just said – your mistake, sorry, take the $$ and run. We had booked this tour with Joe in July – 6 months prior. I shudder to think that we would have missed out on this experience – definitely the cultural highlight of our month long trip in New Zealand.)

This was our favorite experience on our trip to Queenstown– so worth it and we highly recommend! It was incredible to learn more about Maori culture– and the Maori footprint in the South Island– while also getting the opportunity to taste the history in the wines of the region. This tour is incredibly personal, educational, and fun, with the opportunity to learn, make connections, enjoy delicious wine, and experience the beauty of the Gibbston Valley and Arrowtown areas. Joe was such an excellent, knowledgable, and fun guide!

Jo tought us alot about the Maori Culture, and took us to some lovely places that we actually returned to yesterday 😀 we felt very comfortable with Joe and enjoyed our experience

This was an incredibly special tour with Joe. We felt like family immediately with his genuine warmth. We felt safe and well cared for all day learning about Māori stories and histories and traditions- it was beautiful how he integrated so much of himself and his family and his own history into the tour. Joe was a strong kind leader all day and I am already looking to book again and bring my mother! Truly a tour for all ages and we lived every second! If anything, it was far too short- I’d love an all day option! ☺️ thanks again, Joe

We loved learning more about Maori culture and customs while getting to see the beautiful Queenstown countryside and tasting amazing wines - definitely recommend!

We had a wonderful tour with Joe. This was the best wine tour any of our group has experienced. Joe was a fun and insightful tour guide, we were able to learn so much about culture and drink great wine at the same time. We would recommend this to everyone travelling in this area, it’s a must! Thanks Joe for a fantastic time!

Our best ever wine tour! Joe was a brilliant guide, we thoroughly enjoyed learning more about Māori culture, history and tradition. The lunch platter was amazing and each of the winemakers shared their passion for their wines but also listened to our feedback and preferences throughout the wine tastings. A fabulous day all round, we have told everyone about it!

Loved the history of the area, and I love good story. Try this if you want more than excellent wine tasting.

Had the most amazing time. The tour was very interesting and informative. Jo made as feel at home and did not rush the tour at all. Worth every second of your time. Thanks Jo!

We booked the Wānahaka tour to experience the cultural side of NZ and wine tour within the Queenstown area. What a perfect way to see a spectacular part of NZ! From the moment Joe arrived his presence was so humbling acknowledging the land, elders and explaining NZ heritage and the Māori culture. We visited 3 boutique wineries and were treated to VIP service, Joe is clearly well respected. We enjoyed beautiful platters consisting of fresh local produce. Joe made the day so enjoyable we didn’t want the tour to end!! Don’t hesitate in booking this tour you certainly won’t regret it!

This tour was the best wine tour I’ve ever done! Joe was a fantastic tour guide and very knowledgeable and friendly. All of the wines were delicious and the cheese platter was so good! 10/10 recommended

Joe is an absolute delight! We had the best day with him touring Queenstown area wineries. He taught us so much about Maori culture and he led thoughtful discussions with prompts that encouraged us to apply Maori sentiments in our own lives. We enjoyed our tour so much that we are already signed up for another one. This is a unique Aotearoa New Zealand experience not to be missed!

Joe is an awesome guide and an even more amazing guy! We loved our one of a kind experience with him and could not recommend it more highly. Excellent wines, views, and cultural experience.

We lucked out and ended up with a private tour with Joe. He was on time and picked us up at our hotel in his clean and comfortable van. Friendly from the get go, he was informative and entertaining on our ride the the first winery. He took us to 3 boutique wineries where he was greeted like family and we had lovely reserved seating. There was absolutely no pressure to buy any wines but we happily found “must have” souvenirs from each winery since they all had delicious offerings. A nice drive through Arrowtown and a brief stop to watch some bungee jumpers were bonuses which wrapped the day perfectly. We hope to repay the favor the next time Joe comes to visit his friend Keith and take him whiskey tasting. Ngā mihi nui.