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Queenstown New Zealand

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Guide

Planning your Queenstown wine day

Photo: Mt Rosa Wines

Taste Central Otago Pinot Noir where it grows, as you visit cellar doors set among the vines.

Give yourself time in Gibbston.

Around 30 minutes from town, the valley of the vines has a way of turning wine tasting in Queenstown into an afternoon of shared platters and conversations. And there's something so lovely about tasting wine right where it's grown, with the vines in view. Explore Queenstown wineries on a guided tour, take a wine shuttle, cycle the Gibbston River Trail, or self-drive with a designated driver. Check opening days before setting out. Our Queenstown wine tours guide helps you plan, with more tasting stops around Lake Hayes, Arrowtown and Queenstown Marina.

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Showing 23 places

Cellar doors along the Gibbston River Trail

Here's our pick for a classic Gibbston day on two wheels. The Gibbston River Trail is 8.7km of flat, easy riding with plenty of cellar doors and lunch venues along the way. Most cellar doors welcome drop-ins. Hire a bike or e-bike at Gibbston Valley Winery, or for a longer ride, ride in from Arrowtown along the stunning Arrow River Bridges Trail. Bike shuttles collect riders at the far end.

8 places

Gibbston wine tastings to book ahead

Settle in for a hosted tasting and hear the stories behind what’s in your glass. You might follow it with a wine-matched lunch, browse art in a restored schoolroom, or head up a private road to a cellar door above the Kawarau River. Some visits need an appointment or a detour from the trail. Book ahead and ask whether your tasting fee goes towards a bottle to take home.

5 places

Wine tasting a little closer to town

A tasting before dinner or a quick stop for an afternoon glass? You’ll find Queenstown wineries around Lake Hayes, Arrowtown and Queenstown Marina, from a cottage garden to a converted farm precinct or a cellar door by the water. Some are near the Route #2 bus, making it easy to leave the car behind.

7 places

Where to eat in Gibbston

Make room for lunch between wine tastings in Queenstown, whether you’re after a courtyard table at Gibbston’s first commercial vineyard or pizzas to share with vineyard views. If you’re cycling, stop for a cheese platter or pick up a picnic hamper to enjoy along the way. Book ahead on busy summer days.

3 places

Wine tours from Queenstown: let someone else drive

Explore Queenstown wineries without anyone drawing the short straw. Join a small-group tour, which will collect you from town and organise the tastings, book a private tour to travel at your own pace, use the hop-on hop-off shuttles, or earn the calories with a guided bike ride. Fancy seeing the vines from above? Some tours fly in by helicopter. Pick-up points, prices and seasons vary, so check each listing before you book.

Planning your Queenstown wine day: good to know

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