Fodor's Expert Review Pegasus Bay

Family-run Pegasus Bay has one of the region's best reputations for wine and food, and the helicopters lined up on the lawn at lunchtime will confirm that. Taste the award-winning rieslings, chardonnay, and pinot noir while you look through a window at floor-to-ceiling stacks of oak aging casks. It has been ranked among the top five wine producers nationally by Robert Parker's buyer's guide, and it's been named Best Winery Restaurant in New Zealand by Cuisine magazine nine times. In good weather, dine outdoors in the garden, or picnic in a natural amphitheater by a small man-made lake. It's best to book ahead if visiting for a meal or large group tastings.