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Bannockburn Tours
Central Otago Wine Tour from Queenstown Including Lunch
5

Central Otago Wine Tour from Queenstown Including Lunch

By Appellation Wine Tours
Recommended by 97% of travellers
97% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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Taste Central Otago wine and cuisine on a small-group tour of the region’s boutique vineyards. Group size is limited to 12 wine lovers to ensure personal service as you sip your way through four Central Otago wineries, pausing for a gourmet lunch in a vineyard. Visiting smaller vintners helps you get a feel for what makes Central Otago wines distinctive, from chardonnay to pinot gris and riesling.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 6-99, max of 12 per group
Duration: 5h 30m
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
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Highlights
  • Central Otago wine-tasting tour includes visits to local vineyards
  • Learn the history and terroir of Central Otago wines
  • Enjoy a gourmet lunch served at a scenic vineyard
  • Convenient hotel transfers—let someone else drive so you can taste wine

  • Wine tastings at 4 vineyards/cellar doors
  • Local guide
  • Air-conditioned vehicle
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off (selected hotels only)
  • Shared platter-style lunch
What's not included
  • Gratuities
  • Food and drinks, unless specified

Meet a driver at your hotel in Queenstown, then travel into the rolling hills and valleys of Central Otago in a climate-controlled vehicle. As you make your way to the first vineyard, learn how Central Otago has become a premier cool-climate wine region, with high-quality pinot noir, riesling, pinot gris, chardonnay, and more. The tour itinerary varies to keep up with Central Otago’s freshest wines, but generally includes vineyards in Gibbston and others in either the historic gold mining town of Bannockburn or in the Cromwell area. At each destination, sample locally produced wines, then pause for a gourmet lunch platter served at a vineyard. Following your vineyard visits, this tour concludes with return transfer to Queenstown and drop-off at the original departure point.

Start:Multiple pickup locations offered.
    Pickup details
    • Please note we will provide you with an exact pickup time when you have chosen your hotel. If your hotel is not listed, please advise your accommodation details and we will get back to you with the nearest pick up point.
    Additional pickup options
    During checkout you will be able to select from the list of included pickup points.
    • Marmolada Cafe, 43 Camp Street, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
    • Rydges Lakeland Resort Queenstown, 38-54 Lake Esplanade, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
    • Sherwood Manor and Gold Ridge Hotels, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
    • Millennium Hotel Queenstown, 32 Frankton Road, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
    • Crowne Plaza Queenstown, an IHG Hotel, 93 Beach Street, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
    • Hensman Road / Oaks Shores, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
    • Frankton Terminus, Frankton, Otago 9300, New Zealand
    • RD Petroleum Arrowtown, 25 Wiltshire Street, Arrowtown 9302, New Zealand
    • Rendezvous Heritage Hotel Queenstown, 91 Fernhill Road, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
    • Kamana Lakehouse, 139 Fernhill Road, Fernhill, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
    • Mercure Queenstown Resort, 21 Sainsbury Road, Fernhill, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
    • Hotel St Moritz Queenstown - MGallery Collection, 10/18 Brunswick Street, Queenstown 9300, New Zealand
    End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

      • Wheelchair accessible
      • Pushchair accessible
      • Service animals allowed
      • Infant seats available
      • Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
      If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 3663GWT

      • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
      • Minimum age is 6 years
      • Minimum age is 18 years to consume alcohol
      • Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
      • A minimum of 2 people are required for this tour to run.
      • Most travellers can participate
      • This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
      • This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
      • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travellers

      • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

      If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 3663GWT

      From
      $259.00
      per adult
      Select date and travellers

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      About the operator
      Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
      • Appellation Wine Tours
        1,287
        Queenstown, New Zealand
        Joined in May 2008
      • lcooper61
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Fabulous Wine tasting Queenstown
        Booked on the Boutique Wine tour and were picked up by John our driver and tour guide, there were 2 other couples on the tour who were great company. John was excellent, really knowledgeable and pointing out interesting facts on the way. We visited 4 wineries including a great lunch platter. Would highly recommend both the tour and John our guide.
        Written 10 January 2025
      • H1006VWcarolinec
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Fun afternoon out
        Lovely trip made special by our guide John who took us to see different parts of the area and answered our questions. It was a lovely trip in to 3 vineyards lovely wines to taste with a great fun group
        Written 8 January 2025
      • Akshat1179
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Lovely wine tour
        We did the classic wine tour as a family of 4 including 2 children in Dec 23rd. The tour was fantastic. We visited 3 lovely wineries. The wine tasting was very good and the cheeseboard at the last winery was fantastic. Highly recommended if you are in Queenstown.
        Written 7 January 2025
      • Amie R
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Delightful
        Donna was a wonderful tour guide with great knowledge and fun facts to pique our interest. This is a great tour if you just want a half day with some key wineries. We had a great time and loved the chosen wineries.
        Written 7 January 2025
      • 433leiar
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Lovely time in the Queenstown wine district - Awesome Lunch included - Great Tour
        The lunch was awesome, we made it our American Thanksgiving. Four different meats with their sides served in a curved tray made out of a wine barrel. Yum! The wineries were great too, one had a wine cave. The owner made special accommodations for us since our flight was canceled and plans were changed. Very helpful!
        Written 30 December 2024
      • Alayne M
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Perfect snapshot of beautiful Queenstown
        Great way yoygey around and see beautiful Queenstown. Our local guide Albert tells of the history of the area & local legends. Really top way to spend half a day. Highly recommended
        Written 27 December 2024
      • S1428IEhelenc
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Impressive winery visits and a delicious highly original lunch
        We were only 5 visiting 3 wineries. The wines were excellent, the presentation 1st class and the visit to the Gibbston Valley wine cave a standout. The Food was slow cooked and steamed in wine barrels, scrumptious. The selection of fish/meats was extraordinary: orange roughy, pork.goat on polenta,beef and venison.This board was accompanied by matching wines, presented in jam jars, not the stars of the show. The electric mini bus and guide were top class; the fellow participants fascinating.
        Written 23 December 2024
      • Stefeni G
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Fun afternoon!!
        We had a fun day! The wineries were beautiful and we enjoyed learning about the wine. Our driver was great and went out of his way to make it a great tour!
        Written 14 December 2024
      • Phil0404
        0 contributions
        4.0 of 5 bubbles
        Cheese and wine tour
        We would have rated this as excellent but, unfortunately there was a car accident on our way to the vineyard with the caves which caused the road to be closed. John, the driver/guide was forced to make alternative arrangements a very short notice. Where we ended up was very good but it was a shame we were forced to miss the cheese and caves. We would highly recommend this tour.
        Written 9 December 2024
      • geoffm92
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Great way to enjoy food and wine while seeing the countryside
        Our guide and driver “Al” was very knowledgeable and entertaining for the whole trip as well as ensuing we were safely transported from vineyard to vineyard. A good range of wines were tasted from a varied selection of vineyards as far away as Te Kano in Bannockburn (lovely 2022 Chardonnay) Lunch in Cromwell at the Stoaker Room went down well with a selection of 5 meats with pared wines. Last stop had a wine pairing with cheese and crackers, possibly could have had slightly more cheese for size of group. We even had time for a short wander in Arrowtown on the way back. Highly recommended .
        Written 29 November 2024
      • Compass05016783054
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Amazing wine tour.
        Fabulous day, great fun tour guide. Excellent winery experiences and the lunch at Stoker Room in Cromwell was outstanding. A must do for wine lovers visiting Central Otago.
        Written 28 November 2024
      • jo2107
        0 contributions
        4.0 of 5 bubbles
        Great day out
        Had a wonderful day out with plenty of wine and food however though the food was good and a little different not sure I would call it gourmet. Our driver was fantastic and very knowledgable on both the wines and local area. All up a great day out.
        Written 28 November 2024
      • peppermintqueen24
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Do this tour!
        Beautiful wineries, great guides, and really all and all a spectacular day. Also they toted my luggage and dropped me off at the bus station, which was nice!
        Written 21 November 2024
      • r8chel_h
        0 contributions
        4.0 of 5 bubbles
        Great afternoon vineyard experience
        We had a really lovely afternoon with Donna our guide - good variety of wineries and great vineyard facts. I made an error with the booking and appreciated the office staff helping me make changes. Only issue was tour said a max of 12 however there were 14 of us on the trip so not quite as described.
        Written 20 November 2024
      • ncthatcher70
        0 contributions
        4.0 of 5 bubbles
        Pleasant tour of wineries
        Interesting wineries. We enjoyed tasting the various wines that each offered. Drive through the countryside was very enjoyable.
        Written 17 November 2024
      See all 1,287 reviews
      These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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      Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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      5.0
      5.0 of 5 bubbles426 reviews
      Excellent
      395
      Very good
      22
      Average
      8
      Poor
      1
      Terrible
      0

      laorenjia
      Hong Kong, China98 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Jan 2020
      This is a most civilised way to cover this vast wine region without having to stop drinking and to worry about driving. Our tour started at 10:30 in the morning under the very capable hands of our guide Victoria who, apart from being an excellent driver, is also a historian on local history and geography. After visiting two wineries in the morning we were treated to a most appropriate cheese and cold cuts lunch washed down by a glass of wine. There were two more tastings in the afternoon followed by a shopping spree in a local fruit and produce market. In five hours we did what we set out to do but a word of warning for shoppers. Premium wines actually cost less in a local wine shop than at the wineries.
      Written 12 February 2020
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Jacquic83
      Auckland Central, New Zealand2 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Oct 2020 • Couples
      Wow what a fantastic day! We went to 4 boutique vineyards and they were stunning. Gary, our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and his passion for New Zealand wine is almost tangible. We thoroughly enjoyed both his commentary and his company. It was amazing to be a tourist in our own country and we would definitely recommend this to both national and international tourists.
      Written 24 October 2020
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      What a great tagline Jacqui, we do hope others considering coming out with us pay heed to it!! Your words and appreciation have been passed to Gary - we consider ourselves very lucky to have some such knowledgeable and passionate guides ... delighted to hear you had a fantastic day and thanks very much for your support. Warm regards. Lise
      Written 1 November 2020
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

      KellyMcCord
      Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand8 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      This was mine and hubby’s first time to Queenstown and first time on a wine tour and wow! From the time Gary had collected us from the hotel to the drop off, the experience was amazing. Gary was really knowledgeable around the history of the region and the wine/wineries. Some truely amazing stories which makes the wine even more tasteful. Gary kept us engaged the whole 1/2 day, he was awesome and I really liked the fact that he made the driving part interactive, he just wasn’t talking at you the whole time. I would highly recommend Appellation Wine Tours if you want to do one. They were also really flexible and accomodating to the non wine drinkers in our 4 person group. Excellent job making our wine tour such a success! Thanks heaps.
      Written 18 August 2021
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      Hey Kelly, I had a great time with you guys on tour and I'm glad you had fun too. I think you were all connoisseurs by the time we were finished! I hope to see you on tour with us again soon, Gary.
      Written 9 September 2021
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

      kjbroederlow
      Melbourne, Australia16 contributions
      3.0 of 5 bubbles
      Jan 2020 • Couples
      Booked this tour for 2 x birthdays and we were a bit underwhelmed by the tour. The tour guide was new so we gave her the benefit of the doubt however the tour it’s self was a bit over priced and uninspiring. I would recommend for future tours to create a bit more of a vibe by having some music playing when the commentator isn’t talking and to not rush from one winery to another. We appreciate the overall experience. Thanks!
      Written 5 January 2020
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      Hi Kevin, thank you for your review and and we are sorry it didn't quite meet your expectations. Our aim is to provide insight into the wine and history of the region in between vineyard visits, leaving no time for music! The Guide is fairly new but I also thought she had adequate wine and local knowledge. I appreciate the feedback so that I can follow up with her and provide further training and resources where required. We are always striving to improve our products and tours and your feedback will certainly help us with this. Thanks again and should you ever be back in the area, let us know so that we might get the opportunity to better your experience. Kind regards, Sarah
      Written 20 January 2020
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

      julianfrancis1961
      Australia26 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great short day trip to some brilliant local wineries just off the beaten track out the back of Queenstown. Gary our driver, tour guide and wine aficionado couldn’t have been more perfect for this. His brilliant commentary and knowledge brought our small group (12) together and we couldn’t keep the bus chatter down as we exchanged stories from our visit and from home. Two tastings b4 Lunch at Stoakers which was unbelievable, followed by a stop at KinRoss with a tasting that inc. a more current vintage of the Pinot Noir made by Brady & Taylor that took No 1 in the world with their 2000 and a cheese board was included. Short stop at Arrowtown on way back for some famous local lollies. Do this trip & when you book ask if Gary is driving. Cheers guys. A great day out.
      Written 14 July 2021
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      Hey Julian, Thanks for the high praise - I will add 'aficionado' to my job title! It was a wonderful day with a wonderful group, and I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it. We hope to see you again soon, Gary
      Written 9 September 2021
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

      Sue L
      Gold Coast, Australia84 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Jul 2020
      This wine tour was superb with a diverse range of vineyards visited and comprehensive, informative tastings were included. Our tour guide Paul was extremely knowledgeable and knew the locality/geography to explain the viticulture of the region. Thank you Carrick for a gourmet lunch and glass of your beautiful organic wine. Visiting Kinross was the highlight with multiple winemakers represented and Luli taking us through a magic journey. Mt Rosa is a must visit with fabulous wine and fruit cake for a special treat.
      Written 3 August 2020
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      tippysydney
      sydney7 contributions
      4.0 of 5 bubbles
      Jan 2020
      Having never been a fan of Pinots which are the variety of wine that Central Otago is famous, I had my reservations. But I’m a convert. We had tastings at 4 cellar doors, chosen by Paul our experienced driver. Paul’s family have a winery, and his enthusiasm about wine and the area really shone through. We never felt at all rushed, so the day was very relaxing. Lunch at the Wooing Tree vineyard was very tasty, although I would have liked more!
      We had a diverse group from around the world and you could tell that Paul genuinely enjoyed sharing his knowledge of wine and the Queenstown area with us all.
      Written 9 January 2020
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Emily
      1 contribution
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Dec 2021
      My boyfriend and I went on Appellation's Wine Tour early December last year. We booked for a group tour however because of Covid's Auckland and international lockdowns Queenstown was quite empty and so the tour ended up being a private for just the two of us. Appellation still went ahead and took us on a fantastic tour. It was both of our first wine tour and we couldn't have chosen better. Our guide was incredibly well informed, funny and an all up great host. We learnt so much and got to try some delicious wines. After we learnt about Alan Brady and his infamous The Wild Irishman wines we asked if it was possible to try one and Appellation made it happen. The cellar doors we visited were clearly carefully selected and well thought through. Its now nearly three months on and I'm still thinking about how great it was enough to come back and review. Massive thank you to Appellation, I encourage anyone considering a wine tour to support them as it is well worth it, an amazing experience.
      Written 24 February 2022
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      Hi there. Thank you so much, in turn, for your support - both in booking a wine tour with us and for your amazing feedback last week. So very appreciated in this crazy climate and it was our absolute pleasure to honour your booking in amongst the many cancellations at that time. Do look us up again if you decide another wine tour could be on the horizon, we'll organise different wineries/wines for you to try out. Thanks again for your support for Appellation Wine Tours! Cheers Lise
      Written 27 February 2022
      This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

      john freeman
      Wellington, New Zealand2 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Jun 2021
      Garry was a great driver, tour guide and entertainer on our tour on 19 June 2021; the places visited were great and local staff very knowledgeable. We were really impressed with Garry's explanations of all matters pertaining to the tour and the funny stories were great, also had a good crowd on the bus so had a really enjoyable day. Would do it again next time in Queenstown and make sure Garry was the driver, excellent time.
      Written 19 June 2021
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Mike B
      2 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Apr 2022 • Couples
      Absoluty fantastic day. Our guide Gary was knowledgeable and engaging, we learnt alot about the region and the wine we tasted.

      A large be fit for the tour was arriving at each vineyard with a table ready for us and some information shared about the history.
      Written 21 April 2022
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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      *Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

      Central Otago Wine Tour from Queenstown Including Lunch provided by Appellation Wine Tours

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