Is a wine tour the best way to see the sights of Queenstown? Photo / Jenni Mortimer
In summer, Queenstown’s vineyards and valleys shine brightest, especially when enjoying them on a chauffeured wine tour, writes Jenni Mortimer.
While Queenstown is world-renowned as an epic winter destination and adrenaline junkie hot spot, the city and surrounding valleys truly come to life in summer.
And what better way to see the very best of the area than with a glass of Central Otago wine in hand, charcuterie in the other, all the while being chauffeured around?
I headed to the Gibson Valley wine region with Southern Discoveries on a five-hour wine tour to find out if this was the best way to soak up summer in the South Island.
We joined the tour at 10am and hopped aboard the very luxurious, very air-conditioned Mercedes Sprinter van to find our guide and one more guest, both of whom were friendly, excited for the day ahead, and armed with some serious knowledge.
The other guest could tell a 2016 vintage from a 2017, whereas I still refer to rose as “pink wine” and think all wines taste better with ice. So, I kept her close by, using the spittoon when she deemed something not to our taste.
The drive itself was beautiful as we wound our way to our first winery, learning about the history of wine-making in the region and the trials and triumphs of the recently passed seasons.
The experience was made all the more charming by the fact that we didn’t have to look at our watch and make sure we were keeping to schedule or navigate Google Maps. Our role in the tour was simply to sit back, soak in the views and sip the very best wines each vineyard had to offer. Much like when I was cast as the fifth wise man in the school production, I decided there was no such thing as a small role, and committed.
Our first stop was Waitiri Creek, a small spot with elevated views and an amazing charcuterie platter of sourdough and a herbed butter I’d have happily sipped from my wineglass.
Their 2019 stella sauvignon blanc was the talk of the group as we loaded back into the Sprinter to cross the road to the expansive, but boutique beauty that is Brennan Winery.
We sat down and learned about their most awarded wines and their bizarre connection to the television show, The Big Bang Theory – characters were seen drinking Brennan wines on many occasions, photos of which are laminated for guests to peruse.
But it was the blanc de noir (a white wine made from pinot noir grapes with no skin contact during pressing) that deserved to be in the bright lights of Hollywood – aromatic, perfect for a summer barbeque and a must try.
What was particularly charming about the tour was how passionate the cellar door hosts were as they proudly shared their wines, who they were named after, and the stories and legends that made them.
Next was a slightly longer stretch in the Sprinter, but the most beautiful stretch by far, as we overlooked the Gibbston Valley and the Kawarau River that ran through on our way to Chard Farm.
The pink winery is strikingly beautiful and by far the most Instagrammable spot on the tour, and I spent more time taking photos outside than I did convincing my new pal I, too, could taste the oakiness or understand the concept of residual sugars.
The winery is well known for its pinot noir, but for me, their pink wine (formally known as rose) saw me reaching for my wallet as I purchased a bottle to take home.
Our final stop was nothing if not charming and, dare I say, romantic as we turned up to Nockie’s Palette in Arrowtown as a small wedding was beginning.
The winery itself is a place where art and wine collide, as we learned the stories of the artist profiled on the bottle in just as much detail as the wine itself.
As we hopped back into the Sprinter for one last leg of our journey, the sun was starting to dip behind the mountains, and we were treated to a breathtaking view of The Remarkables and the mirror-like lakes at their base.
We were dropped off directly at our hotel, feeling especially relaxed after a day of thinking about everything other than reservations or logistics, who was driving or what route we’d take. It was the perfect way see the crown jewel in New Zealand’s wine crown.
Queenstown
GETTING THERE
Fly from Auckland to Queenstown several times daily with Air New Zealand or Jetstar.
DETAILS
New Zealand Herald Travel visited courtesy of Southern Discoveries.