Waipara Springs Winery is a practical anchor for a relaxed day in the valley: vines, tastings, and a cafe close to the highway north of the village. It is not the most obscure stop in the region, but that is part of its usefulness when you are fitting Waipara into a wider Canterbury drive.
Use it as a first or last stop, then branch out to smaller cellar doors if you have more time and a designated driver.