The team at Aosta, Arrowtown. Photo / Isabella Garland
Queenstown has always been a bit of a show-off. Beneath the mountains, beside the lake, with history, gastronomy, fine wine and snow fun on offer, we've always known that she has it going on.
And on a bright autumnal day, when you might find yourself sitting in the early afternoon sun, a glass of Central Otago pinot noir in hand, a stunning mountainous backdrop to stare at, this has got to be one of the most beautiful spots in New Zealand.
It's a town full of adventure, full of food, full of enthusiastic wine experts. It's a Downunder vibe with an international flavour.
At this time of year, the days dawn cold and bright - mist rises off the lake as the day warms up, just slightly - and the hot air balloons appear above the mountains before the sun rises.
Queenstown and neighbouring Arrowtown are seemingly built for autumn. The trees, the light warmth of a pinot noir, the way the lake and the mountains capture the sunrise and the sunset, the number of fireplaces that welcome you into foyers and pubs and restaurants.
The deciduous trees that Otago is so famous for - the ones whose leaves turn to shades of fire when the sun catches them - were planted by the gold miners in the 1850s and 1860s. The first grapes came not long after that, when a Frenchman, John Desire Feraud, planted them in 1863, but it was in the 80s that Central Otago's wine legacy began, with Alan Brady's first vines in the Gibbston Valley.
Autumn is the most settled time of year, but when the wind picks up, those fire-coloured leaves will disappear for another year. What better time and place to explore some of the best food that Aotearoa can offer.
Who knew a sheep shed could be so chic. Step into this humble building – constructed from stone and corrugated iron, and still smelling of its original use, but somehow in a savoury and interesting way – make your way past the deli offering speciality cheese, charcuterie and preserves, and you'll find yourself in the Wet Jacket tasting room.
There is a roaring fire to get comfortable in front of, and a full range of wines, which are delicious and interesting and beautifully presented.
Wine drinkers can tend to put themselves into a grape tribe (hey, sauv blanc drinkers), but the wineries around Queenstown offer a couple of surprises. At Wet Jacket, we try sauvignon that is tropical but with none of the sharpness you might expect of a sauv, and a pinot noir that felt rich and oily, in a divine way, I swear. wetjacket.nz
In a huge open field, beneath the Crown Range, there's a sunny garden that is equally welcoming of craft beer drinkers as it is of wine aficionados. Cargo is a craft brewing space (run out of cargo containers on the property) right next to a picturesque chapel (brought in and restored from its first home in Wangaloa, in the Catlins area). Suffice to say, it makes for a pretty wonderful beer garden.
Walk through the little lavender lane, and take your seat. There are bowls and a cricket pitch to enjoy, football goals and a trampoline. There are kids and dogs running around, close enough for comfort, far away enough for peace, and the picnic tables and shades are scattered around the sweet little church building that has been renovated and converted into a cafe and kitchen.
Choosing between a beer or wine tasting (the brewery is in a storage container behind you), we tried a range of their Bald Hills wines, alongside truffled pizza and a cheeseboard loaded with Whitestone brie from Ōamaru, and Kāpiti Blue, and pinot noir jelly made from their vines in Bannockburn. cargobrewery.co.nz
On the one hand, this is a sunny picturesque spot, ideal for families in the late afternoon, adults only as the sun and the warmth drops away.
On the other, this is a den of craft beer geekery, a spot where any staff member can wax lyrical about sours and hops and fermentation - the process is all explained on the wall as you enter, in case they don't have time to step you through it.
Sitting on the edge of the Shotover River, with fantastic views of the canyon, Canyon Brewing is both microbrewery and pub, with a range of in-house and guest ales, and a restaurant on-site as well. Current craft beer fashion is fresh hop IPAs, and the range here was varied, interesting and delicious. They like a sour here, too - grab a tasting paddle to get through the whole range. canyonfoodandbrew.co.nz
The boutique Balcony Gin Bar resides behind a black velvet curtain off the side of a boutique cinema in one of New Zealand's most boutique towns. Charming Arrowtown is full of independent shops, historic cottages, beautiful streetscapes, and gorgeous nooks and crannies, and now it has one more to add to your list.
The brand new Balcony specialises in gin - the menu of cocktails is petite and manageable, and staff will help you with what's sweet and what's dry so you can make a choice quickly. If you prefer to get a bit more hands-on, pair a gin with a tonic to create your own tailored elixir.
The balcony is warm and cosy, filled with plants, cushions, and comfortable couches, and one of the best sunsets in town. dorothybrowns.com
Regrets, I've had a few. Top of the list is failing to finish the kina pasta at Aosta. During an incredibly generous "Trust Us" banquet experience, this beautiful dish arrived, dark and moody. Half the pasta's egg yolk has been substituted for the richness of kina, and the wide strands of pasta taste so gently of the sea. The shaved pāua looked as humble as a sliced field mushroom. It was a dish that even the non-seafood-lover at my table got on board with.
The restaurant's icon is Italy and NZ side by side but NZ flipped - how remarkable that there have been two boot-shaped countries all along, and both with regions sitting in the famous 45th parallel (it's the cool climate of this famous latitude that gives wine regions such as Central Otago, Bordeaux and Oregon such favourable conditions for speciality grape growing).
This is Italian fine dining but with a Kiwi twist in every dish - beef tartare served in a dahi puri shell, seasonal figs wrapped in prosciutto, served with roasted hazelnuts and drizzled with stracciatella. For dessert, a pre-constructed tiramisu, put together on a spinning plate, built up layer by layer at your table like a volcano, complete with a molten core of salted caramel icecream melted by fresh espresso poured on top. I'll never love again. aosta.nz
I never felt this way about a brussels sprout before. Don't tell the tiramisu, but I think you're the one.
These brussels are roasted to the point of being blackened, with not an iota of bitterness. They are served on labneh spiced subtly with cumin and lemon notes. There are candied walnuts and prosciutto draped across the small plate – a lavish cherry on top, but those brussels hold their own. They are dark magic.
Next to me, a couple expresses their disappointment that the goat's cheese profiteroles have disappeared from the menu. Fear, not madam, they're still here and we'll send some straight out.
Rātā's reputation precedes itself. Its name tripped off the tongues of Queenstown visitors so often, I couldn't not go. It is a little hidden away from the bustle of town, tucked behind a pub and the old courthouse. It's bright and modern, with pale woods and dark curtains dividing the dining areas. One entire wall is taken up with a mossy New Zealand bush scene, all greens and browns, and natural stone is used throughout, including as your salt dish, and the dish that holds those famous profiteroles.
The music on a Sunday lunchtime is the kind of dream-pop that makes a midday glass of wine a surreally beautiful experience, sitting in the early afternoon sun dining on the sweet and savoury perfection of warm figs with tarragon, chorizo jam and local cheese.
Here the famous local pinot noir is served in the Central Otago Riedel glass - this is the only region outside Europe that has its own. Specially designed to showcase the unique qualities of pinot noir, the shape of the glass supposedly allows your wine to begin breathing within just nine seconds - as opposed to 35 seconds in a standard glass. This is a beautiful glass for both the experts and those who need their first sip in a hurry.
If this meal wasn't a step-by-step guide to how to survive winter this year, I don't want to know what is. ratadining.co.nz
A brisk two-degree walk in the morning sun is going to earn you a hearty breakfast at one of the prettiest spots in Queenstown, the historic Boat Shed cafe. And if you don't fancy the walk, the Queenstown water taxi can drop you off from either the Hilton across the lake or from town.
Set in the old Railways Shipping Office, the Boat Shed was built in 1869, and originally stood in central Queenstown. boatshedqueenstown.co.nz
The service is lovely, the view of course is sublime, the coffee is some of the best in town, and the menu is downright delicious. Don't expect your usual eggs on toast, muesli and a fry-up. I tried a pecan, pumpkin seed, coconut and quinoa granola, which came with fresh fruit, whole toasted almonds, a breakfast panna cotta, and an artful smear of something fruity. Who knew granola could be so sexy? Rug up and sit out on the back deck to get the best of the views.
What could be more comforting after a weekend of indulgence than the ease of a hotel restaurant? It's like going out while staying in - you have to make just the right level of effort, which is comfortable yet smart, casual, but with lippie.
At the Hilton's Wakatipu Grill, the menu is a sure thing, a total crowd-pleaser, a list of Kiwi favourites. From the fish and chips to the pizza menu, then, of course, a selection of steaks served with potato gratin, everyone's a winner.
During the day the restaurant has fine views over the gardens and across the lake. For dinner, arrive early to catch the last glimpses, before the dim lights of Wakatipu Grill throw the views into darkness, allowing you to focus on that perfectly cooked steak. hilton.com
For more New Zealand travel ideas and inspiration, go to newfinder.co.nz and newzealand.com
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