Outstanding houses in Nelson.
Nelson's cool-climate whites—precise Sauvignon Blancs and mineral Rieslings—sit alongside reds with enough structure to age, a balance that keeps producers here restless, always testing the margin between ripeness and acidity.
Save these houses, build your route through Nelson, and navigate when you're there.
Region DNA
The character of Nelson
Based on 165 wines with structural data
Style profile
Broad range with a recognisable character
FEM score distribution
Based on 56 rated wineries in this region
Flavor territory
Most frequent primary flavor groups
Style breakdown
Wine style frequency · Bar length = relative count
Top grape varieties
Varieties ranked by number of wines · Number = wine count
Most representative winery
The estate whose wines are closest to the regional average — the truest expression of Nelson
Mammoth Wines
VisitNelson wineries worth the stop
The 12 best critic-rated producers in Nelson with a cellar-door address, ranked by their highest critic score. Check opening hours and book tastings ahead.
- 01Neudorf Vineyards
138 Neudorf Road, 7175, New Zealand
Critics' peak 93 · Decanter · Wine Advocate · Wine Spectator
- 02
- 03Seifried Estate
Redwood Road, 7081, Appleby, Nelson, New Zealand
Critics' peak 93 · Decanter · Falstaff · Wine Advocate
- 04Greenhough
20B Gladstone Road, 7020, Richmond, New Zealand
Critics' peak 92 · Decanter · Falstaff · Wine Advocate
- 05Waimea
59 Appleby Highway, xxxx, Richmond Nelson, New Zealand
Critics' peak 90 · Decanter · Falstaff · Wine Advocate
- 06
- 07Brightwater
546 Main Road, xxxx, Hope Nelson, New Zealand
Critics' peak 89 · Wine Advocate · Wine Spectator · Wine Enthusiast
- 08Aronui
Beverages Kono PO Box 762, Blenheim, New Zealand
Critics' peak 88 · Decanter · Wine Advocate · Wine Spectator
- 09Te Mania
108 Parkers Road, 7011, Nelson, New Zealand
Critics' peak 88 · Decanter · Wine Advocate · Wine Spectator
- 10
- 11Richmond Plains
108 McShane Road RD 1 Richmond, 7081, Nelson, New Zealand
Critics' peak 87 · Wine Advocate · Wine Spectator · Wine Enthusiast
- 12Middle-Earth
PO Box 792, 7040, Nelson, New Zealand
Critics' peak 87 · Wine Advocate · Wine Spectator · Wine Enthusiast
Nelson is a wine region in New Zealand, home to 93 producers tracked on Femente, 3 of them rated 90+ on the critic index. Its vineyards are led by Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay, producing New Zealand Pinot Noir and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc wines with notes of Red fruit, Citrus fruit, and Tree fruit.
Nelson — good to know
- What grape varieties are grown in Nelson?
- The most planted varieties in Nelson are Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris, based on the wines Femente tracks across the region.
- What wines is Nelson known for?
- Nelson is known for New Zealand Pinot Noir, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, and New Zealand Chardonnay wines and flavors of Red fruit, Citrus fruit, and Tree fruit.
- How many wineries are in Nelson?
- Femente tracks 93 producers in Nelson, of which 3 are rated 90+ on the critic index.
- Where is Nelson?
- Nelson is a wine region in New Zealand.
Nelson
Nelson's cool-climate whites—precise Sauvignon Blancs and mineral Rieslings—sit alongside reds with enough structure to age, a balance that keeps producers here restless, always testing the margin between ripeness and acidity.
Producers in Nelson
- Hop Kiln — undiscovered
- Mapua — undiscovered
- Falcon Ridge Estate — honest
- Himmelsfeld — undiscovered
- Partington — undiscovered
- Weka — undiscovered
- Middle-Earth — distinction
- Five Rows ( NZ ) — undiscovered
- Moutere Hills — distinction
- Rimu Grove Winery — honest
- Kina Beach — honest
- Kina Cliffs — undiscovered
- Te Mania — distinction
- St Pauli — undiscovered
- Chalk Bay — undiscovered
- Rabbit Island — honest
- Appleby Lane — undiscovered
- Sunset Valley Vineyard — distinction
- Seifried Estate — distinction
- Classic South — undiscovered
- Brightwater — distinction
- Neudorf Vineyards — distinction
- Mahana — honest
- The Turning Point — undiscovered
- Old House Vineyards — honest
- Flaxmore — undiscovered
- ABEL — distinction
- Lightband — undiscovered
- Sheild — distinction
- Waimea — distinction
- Greenhough — distinction
- Harakeke Farm — undiscovered
- Spencer Hill — distinction
- Richmond Plains — distinction
- Milcrest Estate — distinction
- Aronui — distinction
- Kaimira Estate — distinction
- Blackenbrook — honest
- Mount Arthur — undiscovered