How to tour a New Zealand vineyard from the comfort of your couch

Long summer afternoons are made for platters and tasting flights in our award-winning local vineyards. And lockdown doesn't mean losing out. Around the country, vineyards and wine regions offer virtual tours, fast deliveries and online tasting to go with your purchases. Just pick a region (or two!), and enjoy an afternoon supping world-class wine on the couch.

Fancy a little history with your tasting? Only half an hour west of Auckland, historic and unique Kumeu offers a cluster of family-owned vineyards renowned for their chardonnay and pinot noir.

Settled by Dalmatian families in the early 1900s, the area was the centre of New Zealand's wine industry a few generations ago. Now the vineyards are working together under the Wineries Out West banner to show Aucklanders that Waiheke isn't the only gourmet destination on their doorsteps.

For a visual reminder of just how beautiful these parts of the country are, Cloudy Bay in Marlborough offers a virtual tour of their vineyards, with views and insights into each of their four vineyards. Click through to meet the viticulturist, learn about the variety of soils, and vicariously enjoy some beautiful late afternoon sun as it sets across Marlborough.

In North Canterbury, the folks at Black Estate are hosting live taste-alongs on Instagram - make your order online, then catch up in their stories @blackestate.

If whisky is more your thing, join the Lockdown Festival. Hosted by Tomatin Distillery in Scotland's Highlands region, this virtual event will feature tastings of Glen Moray, Arran, Kilkerran and many more. Open your liquor cabinet, search for #LockdownWhiskyFestival on social, and raise a dram with whisky fans around the world.