Tantalus Estate is a premier winery located in the Onetangi Valley on Waiheke Island, an internationally recognized wine growing region just 18km east of Auckland. Founded in 2013, the estate spans 8.3 hectares of established vineyards at an elevation of 12 to 61 meters above sea level. Waiheke Island’s climate, protected from cold and wet winds by ridgelines to the west and southwest, is drier and hotter than the mainland and well-suited to growing premium grapes.
Tantalus Estate has undergone extensive replanting and re-grafting, with a focus on site-specific clonal selection for the best results. The vines grow in sandy soil with deposits of iron and manganese oxide, and the estate has worked to improve the wetland and forested areas by planting native species and removing exotic plants and weeds. As a result, the estate has become a haven for a variety of birds and insects.
In addition to the vineyards, Tantalus Estate offers a range of dining options for visitors. The main restaurant features natural materials and plenty of light, and the private dining room has a quaint, olde world feel with hand-painted tile walls and chandeliers crafted from old vines. From the mezzanine balcony, guests can also catch a glimpse of the craft brewery on the floor below. The estate’s menu emphasizes seasonality and the provenance of ingredients, with refined dishes featuring bold flavors. The combination of food, wine, and sweeping views of the vineyard and valley make for an enchanting and memorable dining experience.
Private tours and tastings are also available at Tantalus Estate. The private dining room can accommodate up to 20 guests for seated events or 30 for cocktail functions, and the downstairs brewer’s lounge can seat 40 guests or host up to 60 for a cocktail function. To arrange a tour or discuss function requirements, guests can contact the estate’s Events Manager, Trish Ingram.
Tantalus Estate’s owners, Carrie and Campbell, have taken a holistic approach to their enterprise, striving for biodiversity and a positive impact on the ecosystem as a whole. This includes careful resource management, such as water recycling and minimization, and the promotion of beneficial species. The vineyards have been carefully managed to produce wine of the highest quality, and the estate’s limited release wines have received notable acclaim from critics and guests alike. The award-winning Cheshire Architects designed the winery’s buildings, which blend seamlessly with the surrounding landscape.
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Celine Seah
2 weeks agoGood food but overall service was too slow for me to give this place more than three stars. There are places that can balance time management and food quality. We came at 11.45am and by the time we were served our mains it was 2pm. Everything could be better timed. More customers started coming at 1pm and that’s when the service levels dropped. Servers were polite and knowledgeable but it just couldn’t make up the service. We were interested also in the wine tasting experience but took it somewhere else instead. If you did have to come here, I suggest the pork cheek and the beef. Both cooked tenderly and goes well with the recommended wine on the menu.
GREG M
in the last weekReally fabulous dining experience at Tantalus Estate - beautiful setting amongst the vineyards and lush country with incredible food. Meticulous is the word that comes to mind, looking at each dish is a visual feast with all the elements beautifully arrayed and lots of colours and flavour pops ready for every mouthful. Salmon, lamb, beef were all fabulous and yes, you should get the truffle fries! The desserts were equally impressive both visually and taste wise, special shout out to their take on a Snickers bar.
Russell Seawright
4 weeks agoTasting was marvellous with excellent knowledge of wine making. A very enjoyable experience! Getting to taste the reds & taste changes through the years was very interesting. Nice job guys!
T S
3 weeks agoJust popped in for a tasting - 1 wine and 1 beer. The location is great if you want to hit up a few wineries at once and if it’s a nice day, there’s not much better than sitting outside for a tasting. Only downfall.. if you want one of the somm guided tastings, you need to remain inside. Outside you only have a simple, self guided entry level wine option. HOT TIP - There’s a back gate you can ask for access to the other vineyards without having to walk all the way back down to the road to go up the other driveways.
Joyce Wang
8 months ago⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ We had a wonderful experience at Tantalus Estate! The atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the service was exceptional. What impressed me the most was the restaurant’s consistency in delivering an outstanding menu. We first visited a year ago and were blown away by the delicious food. Coming back this time, we were thrilled to find the same high standards—every dish was amazing! It’s rare to find a place that maintains such excellence over time. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a top-tier dining experience!