2 Day Wine and Food Indulgence Tour - start/finish Queenstown
During your wine tour you will experience the most distinctive of New Zealand’s wine regions – Central Otago. Here the vineyards are often precarious and the viticulture vexatious, yet this region is producing award winning Pinot Noir and aromatic white wines of Riesling and Pinot Gris by determined and highly skilled vignerons.
It’s about scenery: tussock plains, steep river gorges and jagged mountain ranges rising above the lakes.
It’s about food: local fresh produce, sustainable and organic growing, great coffee and good company.
Join us for 2 days of wine, food and outstanding scenery. 
What’s included:
Gourmet lunches at vineyard restaurants
A ’dinner with the winemakers’ evening - including matching wines with vignerons of Pisa Range Estate
Walking tour with the owners of a boutique vineyard
Stay 1 night at luxury High Country lodge including breakfast
All wine and cheese tastings
Professional tour guide and transport for the duration of the tour
Day 1. Queenstown to Central Otago wine region
You will be met by your New Zealand English speaking guide at your hotel or the airport where we begin your day with a short drive to the beautiful gold mining village of Arrowtown. This town is located beside the sparkling Arrow river, rich in history from the gold mining era and now home to a wealth of artisans, cafes and boutique shopping.
Your first winery visit will be at Amisfield Winery, located a short distance from Arrowtown beside Lake Hayes. You will be treated to a selection of their reserve wines and sparkling Arcadia. Reknown for their Pinot Noir, they also produce a stunning selection of zesty white wines and delicious desert Noble Sauvignon Blanc. Following tasting you will indulge in a ‘trust the chef menu’ 3 course lunch prepared with fresh local ingredients and a touch of flair.
Early afternoon you will continue on a historical journey to one of the first wineries of the region, Chard Farm. First farmed as a fruit orchard and then transformed into a vineyard and winery now rated as one of the most picturesque in all New Zealand. Here you will experience the delightful cellar door with its European influence and sample their collection of cool climate wines that are sure to please.
Continue this afternoon to the heart of Central Otago and Lake Dunstan, a glacial fed lake sparkling turquoise in the sunlight. Settle into your luxury high country lodge for a evening of fine food, fine wine, 5 star accommodations and good company - preceded by a tour of the award winning Central Otago vineyard at Pisa Range Estate. You will indulge in a menu of fresh local food with matching wines and the good company of vignerons: Warrick and Jenny Hawker.
Day 2. Central Otago wineries to Queenstown
After a leisurely breakfast we continue the wine tour to the town of Cromwell and Quartz Reef winery. Here the highly commended Austrian winemaker Rudi Bauer produces outstanding examples of concentrated Pinot Noir and delicate Pinot Gris all by Biodynamic methods. You will also sample their method traditionelle sparkling wine and view their barrel hall where the riddling racks for sparkling wine are kept cool.
Following the lake around our next stop will be at North Burn Station, once a high country sheep farm, recent owners have converted this harsh land into thriving vineyards. Here you will enjoy a gourmet lunch with matching wines as you relax with stunning views over Lake Dunstan.
Departing Cromwell we stop in at a local fruit orchard, where seasonal fruit is grown in abundance by a lady known as Mrs Jones. Originally from Crete, Mrs Jones emigrated to New Zealand over 40 years ago and established a large fruit orchard now world famous in Central Otago.
A early afternoon visit to the adrenaline fueled world’s first A J Hacket Bungy Jumping site. Located on the historic Kawerau bridge, watch those leaping for their life into the depths of the raging river below. Followed by a visit to the Gibbston Valley Cheesery for a sample of their delicious cheeses before arriving into Queenstown where you will be transfered to your accommodation and the completion of your wine and food experience!
Tour cost: NZ $1,995 per person based on double occupancy. Tours are booked on demand with a minimum of 2 persons and maximum of 8 per tour.
This tour is subject to availability of wineries, accommodation and seasonal opening hours. Please contact us for prices and your preferred travel dates, we are more than happy to assist with accommodation and travel bookings to and from Queenstown.
