Paihia or Kerikeri: Wine, Spirit, & Craft Beer Tour

The most enjoyable part of this Bay of Islands outing is the change of pace from vineyard to brewery to spirit bar. You get six wines and a platter lunch at Marsden Estate, then up to four beers or ciders at Phat House Brewery and three New Zealand spirits at Bad Habits in Paihia. It is a four-hour tasting circuit, not a long formal wine seminar.

I like the small group of no more than 11 and the door-to-door return to Paihia or Kerikeri. I also like the mix of drinks, since you can compare Northland wine with unfiltered beer and locally made gin, rum, vodka, whisky, and liqueurs in one afternoon.

The main consideration is the price, $125 per person, especially if you prefer generous wine pours or a full meal rather than a tasting platter. The stops can also vary, so confirm the exact meeting point and route when you book.

Key points to know before you book

• Marsden Estate sets the tone: Six wine tastings come with a platter lunch in a courtyard overlooking a lake and grapevines.
• Phat House keeps the middle stop relaxed: Choose up to four beers or ciders made with natural ingredients and no preservatives.
• Bad Habits is the broadest tasting stop: Sample three spirits with food pairings from a large New Zealand-made selection.
• Small groups matter: The van carries a maximum of 11 people, making conversation and flexible timing easier.
• Guides can shape the day: Bill, Derek, and Ken have led well-regarded departures, though your guide is assigned for your date.
• Check the route carefully: The main description lists Marsden Estate, Phat House, and Bad Habits, while another route outline lists Fat Pig Vineyard, Ake Ake Vineyard, and a local restaurant.

A tasting tour built around variety

The Bay of Islands is better known for its coast, islands, and maritime excursions than for a single famous wine district. That is part of the appeal here. Instead of spending an afternoon at one cellar door, you move through several styles of Northland production.

The tour lasts about four hours and is aimed at adults who want to taste without worrying about driving. Pickup is listed from the Paihia I-site at 1:30 pm and from the BP Service Station in Kerikeri at 2:00 pm. Return transport is provided to Paihia or Kerikeri.

The van ride is part of the experience. You get views of the Bay of Islands region as you move between stops, though this is not primarily a sightseeing tour. The focus is on tasting, conversation, and seeing how different local producers present their drinks.

With only 11 places in the vehicle, the outing should feel more personal than a large coach trip. That small size also helps when the group wants a little more time at one stop or needs a practical adjustment. One past departure was rearranged so the brewery became the final stop because it was close to the group’s accommodation. That kind of flexibility depends on the day, but it shows why a small group can be useful.

Marsden Estate and the platter lunch

Marsden Estate is the first major stop in the usual route. The McIvor family started the estate about 30 years ago, and the setting is designed for a leisurely start: a courtyard overlooking a lake and grapevines, with wine and food served together.

You can taste six wines here. That gives you a useful introduction to the producer’s range rather than just one signature bottle. You can ask about grape growing and production as you work through the tasting, and the setting makes it easy to connect the wine with the surrounding vines.

The platter lunch is an important part of the value. This is not simply a quick snack between tastings. You receive a selection of foods intended to share while you drink, giving the first stop a proper afternoon-meal feel. Past visitors have singled out the platters as particularly enjoyable, and one person later returned to Bad Habits for dinner, which suggests the food side of the tour is more than an afterthought.

Still, keep your expectations sensible. A platter is not the same as a large restaurant lunch, and the tour information does not specify every item or cater automatically for dietary needs. If you have allergies or strict food requirements, ask before booking.

The winery also offers a chance to buy bottles for later. That can be one of the better mementos from the Bay of Islands, especially if you want something more useful than a standard souvenir. Wine purchases are extra, so allow room in your budget if you are tempted.

Phat House Brewery in Haruru Falls

The second usual stop is Phat House Brewery in Haruru Falls. Caroline and Rob founded the brewery in 2015, and their approach is hands-on: natural ingredients, careful brewing, and beer that is unfiltered, unpasteurized, and preservative free.

You can sample up to four different beers or ciders of your choice. That freedom matters because craft beer preferences vary widely. You might use the stop to compare lighter and darker styles, or simply choose the drinks that sound most appealing on the day.

This is a good counterpoint to the winery. Wine tasting often centers on grape variety, vintage, and place. At Phat House, the conversation shifts to ingredients, brewing methods, fermentation, and the character of each beer or cider. You are not just repeating the same tasting format three times.

One practical point: the brewery pours are part of the included tasting, but extra drinks are not included. If you want a full glass or another product, you pay separately. Since the tour already includes wine, beer, cider, spirits, and food, pacing yourself is wise.

The timing also deserves attention. The main description allows up to four samples here, but the overall tour is only four hours. You will get an introduction to the range, not an unhurried brewery visit with time for every product. If beer is your main reason for booking, ask how much time is planned at this stop.

Bad Habits and New Zealand spirits

The final listed stop is Bad Habits, a bar in Paihia with a strong focus on New Zealand-made spirits and liqueurs. The range is unusually broad for the far north, with 46 gins, 19 rums, 11 vodkas, 24 whiskies, and 34 liqueurs listed.

You taste three spirits, each accompanied by food samples selected to complement the drink. That pairing makes this stop more interesting than a row of small glasses on a counter. Food can change the way a spirit tastes, and the samples give you a better sense of how the products might work at home or with a meal.

This is also where the tour becomes most useful for people who do not normally choose wine. The group can move from vineyard bottles to spirits made elsewhere in New Zealand, including styles that may be unfamiliar to you. If you find a favorite, you may be able to return later for dinner or buy something separately, but additional food and drinks are not part of the $125 price.

The large selection can feel like a lot to take in during one short stop. Three tastings are enough to sample the idea, but not enough to explore every category. I would treat Bad Habits as an introduction, then make a note of any bottle or producer you want to investigate later.

What the guides add to the afternoon

A tasting tour rises or falls on the driver-guide. You need someone who can keep the group moving without making the afternoon feel rushed, and who can explain the stops without turning every pour into a lecture.

Past departures have been led by Bill, Derek, and Ken. Bill was praised for looking after the group and adjusting the order of stops when circumstances made that sensible. Derek was described as making the outing a full 10 out of 10, while Ken was noted for keeping the schedule without pressuring people at each location.

Those details point to the right kind of guide for this tour: organized, friendly, and alert to the group’s needs. The guide’s exact name is not guaranteed, so do not book solely on the hope of getting one particular person.

The small vehicle helps here. With no more than 11 participants, you can ask questions and chat with the guide more easily than you could on a large bus. It also creates a social afternoon. One past group particularly enjoyed meeting fellow visitors from Sydney, so this works best if you are comfortable sharing tastings and conversation with strangers.

Why the route may differ

The supplied tour details describe two different versions of the route. The main description gives Marsden Estate, Phat House Brewery, and Bad Habits. Another route outline names Fat Pig Vineyard, Ake Ake Vineyard and Restaurant, a local restaurant for lunch, and pickup and drop-off at Kindred Spirits Mobile Bar on Kerikeri Road.

That is not a minor wording difference. It changes the wineries, lunch arrangement, and meeting point. The safe approach is to check the exact route attached to your selected date before paying, especially if one particular vineyard matters to you.

The Fat Pig version includes a 30-minute wine stop, a 40-minute stop at Ake Ake, and an 80-minute lunch at a local restaurant, with van transfers between them. Past visitors also mentioned chocolates at Fat Pig and an enthusiastic owner at Sovrano Wines, but those details do not appear in every route description and should not be treated as guaranteed features.

The main version is clearer about six wines, the Marsden platter, four brewery samples, and three spirits with food. If those numbers are important to you, confirm them at booking. The operator is Mullarkeys Tours, and meeting points can vary by option.

Is $125 good value?

At $125, the price is reasonable if you plan to make full use of the included tastings, platter lunch, and transport. Buying comparable samples at three separate venues, paying for lunch, and arranging a safe ride back could quickly narrow the price gap.

The value is strongest for a visitor staying in Paihia or Kerikeri without a rental car. You get a structured afternoon and do not need to nominate a driver. The return transfer also means you can buy wine or spirits without worrying about carrying purchases through several changes of transport.

The value is less clear if you are mainly interested in one drink category. A serious wine fan may find the winery time limited, while a beer fan may want longer at Phat House. One past booking considered the afternoon pleasant but felt the price was high for the amount of wine tasted. That is a fair warning.

Food improves the calculation. The Marsden platter is included, and Bad Habits adds small food samples with the spirits. Extra food and drinks cost more, so the advertised price is not an all-inclusive bar tab.

Who should book this afternoon?

I would recommend it to adults who want a social, low-stress introduction to Northland’s drinks scene. It suits couples, friends, solo visitors comfortable in a small group, and anyone who wants to taste local products without driving between rural stops.

It is also a good choice if your Bay of Islands schedule has room for an afternoon rather than a full day. The 1:30 pm Paihia pickup and 2:00 pm Kerikeri pickup leave the morning free, while the four-hour duration still leaves you with an evening in town.

You should think twice if you dislike group tours, do not drink alcohol, or expect a long technical lesson about viticulture and brewing. Children under 18 cannot join, and the experience is centered on tasting rather than a broad sightseeing program.

The tour is listed as wheelchair accessible, though the route and specific vehicle can vary. If access needs are important, confirm the arrangements before booking.

Final verdict

Book this tour if you want three kinds of local tasting in one afternoon, with lunch and a ride back to your accommodation. The strongest features are the small group, the range of drinks, and the capable guide style shown by past leaders such as Bill, Derek, and Ken.

Skip it if $125 feels high for sample-sized pours, or if you want to spend most of the day at one serious winery. Also check the route before committing, since the supplied options name different vineyards and meeting points. For the right person, this is an easygoing Bay of Islands add-on that lets you taste Northland without putting anyone in the group behind the wheel.

FAQ

How long does the wine, spirit, and craft beer tour last?

The tour lasts four hours, including transport between the tasting stops and return to Paihia or Kerikeri.

Where does the tour start?

The usual pickup is listed at the Paihia I-site at 1:30 pm or the BP Service Station in Kerikeri at 2:00 pm. The meeting point may vary by the option you book, so confirm it in advance.

How many people are in each group?

The tour is limited to a maximum of 11 participants.

What tastings are included?

The main route includes six wine tastings at Marsden Estate, up to four beers or ciders at Phat House Brewery, and three spirits at Bad Habits. Food is included with the wine and spirit tastings.

Is lunch included?

Yes. The usual Marsden Estate visit includes a platter lunch. Another route description lists lunch at a local restaurant, so check which version applies to your booking.

Can children join the tour?

No. The experience is not suitable for children under 18.

Can I cancel or pay later?

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the tour for a full refund. A reserve-now, pay-later option is also offered, subject to the booking conditions.