A Taste of Paradise

New Zealand’s boutique wine industry is renowned for its Pinot Noir, and the Queenstown and Central Otago wine region has won more gold medals for this variety than any other region. A tour of the region’s wineries will allow you to not only sample this iconic variety, but also to discover the delights of local Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris varieties.

Queenstown’s rich soils – combined with its unique cool climate – make it an excellent place to produce premium quality wines and a day tour of the wine district will enable you to sample some excellent wines, while taking in the ambience and the scenic beauty of the Otago and Queenstown areas. Organised tours of the Queenstown winery district offer a variety of approaches to wine tasting.

Wine tours on the Queenstown Wine Trail showcase the best possible vineyards and wineries for you in the area. Regardless of whether you are an amateur wine taster, or regard yourself as something of connoisseur, the Original Queenstown Wine Trail Tour is sure to please, taking you to four excellent Queenstown wineries. You will also visit a cheese factory and enjoy the expertise of your guide, who will provide you with all the information that you need to know about the district’s wines and the wine growing environment that makes these wines so special. For those that don’t have a lot of time, the Summer Sampler option on this tour takes you to two vineyards and treats you to a sumptuous lunch, while the Private Twilight Food and Wine tour will allow you to choose the wineries that you wish to tour and provide you with a wonderful meal.

A different way to enjoy the wineries of the region is to embark on a tour of the Gibbston Valley wineries by bike, on the Bike the Wineries tour. This tour gives you the flexibility to pick and choose from the eight wineries located through a nine-kilometre stretch of trail. You have the choice of a full or half-day tour.
The Day Spa and Wine Experience offers you something different again, starting the day with a full body massage and customised spa facial. Then, when you are fully relaxed, you will be taken to the Queenstown Wine Trail and be able to enjoy the summer sampler wine tour. This is an experience that offers the ultimate relaxation package of massages, facials, wine tastings and lunch.

The intimacy of private tours is a massive advantage when taking wine tours. The smaller the group, the more personal and potentially enjoyable the wine tour will be. Many of the tours mentioned have strict limits on numbers, but one of the most private is the Private Twilight Food and Wine Experience. This private tour of Gibbston Valley wineries offers you an exclusive guide and vehicle to shape your tour to suit your tastes and needs. The tour concludes with a magnificent meal at the renowned Amisfield Bistro.

When you are in Queenstown, you really must take the time to sample the region’s wines, knowing there is a tour that will offer you the experience that you’ve been looking for.