Marlborough Wine Country by Campervan: Sauvignon Blanc Beside the Ferry

Quick summary: Marlborough is New Zealand’s largest wine region and the home of its famous Sauvignon Blanc. For campervan and motorhome travellers, it’s also one of the easiest: the vineyards begin around half an hour from the Picton ferry terminal, the Wairau Valley is flat and ideal for cycling, and holiday parks in Blenheim and Renwick are surrounded by vines. Spend a few days tasting by bike or on a tour, then add the Marlborough Sounds and its Greenshell mussels.

At a glance
Where	The top of the South Island, around Blenheim
From Picton	Around 30 km to Blenheim, about 25 minutes
Signature wines	Sauvignon Blanc, plus Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and aromatic whites
Main valleys	Wairau, Southern Valleys, Awatere
Best way to taste	By bike from Renwick, or on a wine tour
Tours	Marlborough wine tours

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Why is Marlborough so easy by campervan?

Because the wine country starts almost as soon as you leave the ferry. Whether you arrive on the Cook Strait ferry with your vehicle or pick up in Picton, you can be among the vines within half an hour. The Wairau Valley is broad and flat, with dozens of cellar doors close together around Renwick, and the sunny, dry climate makes cycling between them a pleasure.

What makes Marlborough wine special?

Marlborough’s combination of long sunny days, cool nights and free-draining soils produces the intense, fresh, aromatic style of Sauvignon Blanc that put New Zealand wine on the world map. Most of the country’s wine comes from here. The region also makes excellent Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris and sparkling wine.

Valley	Character
Wairau Valley	The heart of the region, with the most cellar doors, around Renwick and Blenheim
Southern Valleys	Smaller side valleys with clay soils, known for Pinot Noir
Awatere Valley	Higher, cooler and drier, south of Blenheim, with a crisp style

How do you taste Marlborough’s wines without driving?

• Cycle from Renwick. Bike hire shops in Renwick provide bikes, e-bikes and maps of routes linking many cellar doors on flat roads, and some collect your wine purchases along the way.
• Take a wine tour. Half-day and full-day tours collect from Blenheim, Renwick and Picton, with lunch at a vineyard restaurant.
• Try a seafood and wine cruise in the Marlborough Sounds, tasting Greenshell mussels and local wines on the water.

Browse Marlborough wine tours, and see our guide to cycling wine trails.

Where should an RV base itself in Marlborough?

In Renwick or Blenheim. Renwick is a small village in the middle of the Wairau Valley, surrounded by vineyards and close to bike hire. Blenheim, around 10 km east, has more holiday parks, supermarkets and services. Both make it easy to leave the vehicle parked for a day or two.

What else is there to do?

• The Marlborough Sounds, a maze of sunken valleys, bays and forested hills. Queen Charlotte Drive between Picton and Havelock is narrow and winding but beautiful.
• Havelock, known as a centre of Greenshell mussel farming.
• Aviation history at the heritage centre near Blenheim’s airfield.
• Walking and biking on the Queen Charlotte Track, with water taxis from Picton.

Where can you stay?

• Holiday parks in Blenheim, Renwick and Picton.
• Vineyard stays at some wineries for self-contained vehicles, by arrangement. See our vineyard overnight stays guide.
• Campgrounds in the Sounds, including Department of Conservation sites.
• Freedom camping is limited, for certified self-contained vehicles, and only where Marlborough District Council permits it.

Where does the trip go next?

• West to Nelson and its wineries, around 115 km from Blenheim. See Nelson by campervan.
• South to Kaikōura and the Waipara Valley. See Waipara Valley by campervan and our sister site’s Marlborough and Kaikōura route.
• Picking up here? See our guide to picking up in Blenheim and Picton.

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Frequently Asked Questions