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Top 5 Queenstown Wine Tour Companies

New Zealand is a premier new-world wine country; producing award-winning wines that reflect the clean air, open pastures and warm sunshine.

Traditionally NZ was best known internationally for its fresh grassy Sauvignon Blanc’s, but more recently there has been a huge growth and recognition of producing fine Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, Pinot Gris’, Riesling’s, Cabernet Sauvignon’s, Merlot’s and Methode Traditionelle wines.

The leading wine regions in NZ include Auckland, Gisborne, Wairarapa (Martinborough) and Hawke's Bay in the North Island and Marlborough, Canterbury and Central Otago in the South Island.

Central Otago is a wine region famous for its outstanding cool-climate wines, boutique vineyards, dramatic scenery and a fascinating pioneering history.  It has the most continental climate of any wine growing region in New Zealand. Long hot dry summers, cool nights and cold winters provide perfect growing conditions for the Pinot Noir Grape.

Central Otago is also the world’s most Southern wine growing region.  One positive of this occurs during Autumn where the large temperature variation between night and day is ideal for creating the acidity and flavours in the grapes needed for making quality wines

gibbston valley winery

Pinot Noir is the main grape grown accounting for 85% of the grapes grown with the rest made up of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer.

To help you decide which company best suites your tour needs we have profiled the top 5 wine tour companies as ranked by customers via trip advisor  (as of 20th Feb 2019).

From the 5th to the first we present: 

5th – Appellation Wine Tours

451 Reviews; 88% rating Excellent; 10% rating very good.

One of Queenstown's most established and successful wine tour companies, specialising in small groups and offering a range of tour types, with an impressive daily departure schedule.

  • Daily full day or half day tours
  • Private Wine Tours
  • Heli Wine Tours
  • Golf & Wine Tours
  • Combination Tours

2017 was a great year for awards and recognition:  They obtained Gold status under the Sustainable Tourism Business criteria with Qualmarkand and won the Luxury Travel Guide award and received a 2017 Certificate of Excellence from Trip Advisor.

Costs range from $165 to $269

Child Friendly

4th – Queenstown Winery Tours

68 Reviews; 99% rating Excellent; 1% rating very good.

Relatively new to the market in Queenstown this emerging company is growing strongly as specialists in private, flexible and relaxed wine touring.   While they have a very popular half day tour visiting 4 cellar doors and tasting in excess of 20 of the best Central Otago wines, they have the scope to create independent tours which can be designed around your wine preferences and your schedule.   Another draw card is that they can deliver tours in English, Portuguese and Spanish!

Costs range from $139 pp for a group tour to $800 for a private day (up to 8 persons)

Child Friendly

 3rd – Alpine Wine Tours

108 Reviews; 99% rating ‘Excellent’; 1% rating ‘Average’.

Described as a ‘Wine, Brewery & Distillery’ tour company, this family owned and operated tour company has a long history and deep connections to the Otago region dating back over 60 years.  As Locals they pride themselves in offering guests a genuinely authentic Kiwi hospitality experience in ‘their’ backyard. 

Their daily wine tours have been designed exclusively for adults, offering a complete relaxation and  magical experience.    Alternatively, they also offer private and custom wine tours where children are more than welcome, designed to meet your individual tastes and interests.

Daily Wine Tours:

  • Valley of the Vines lunch or afternoon tour from $159 p Adult
  • Private tours – Price on Application  (children Welcome)

2nd – New Zealand Wine Tours

469 Reviews; 96% rating ‘Excellent’; 3% rating ‘Average’.

New Zealand Wine Tours Queenstown is your specialist wine, food and craft beer tour operator providing boutique tours around Central Otago.  Lead by WSET Level 3 or higher qualified local guides the company has committed to limiting the tour group sizes to ‘intimate’ to allow you to fully immerse yourself ion the experience.

Small Group tours include:

  • Pinot Country Tour and
  • the Degustation Tour,

Prices range from $235 per adult

Premium tours include:

  • The Winemakers Reserve Tour
  • The Sensory Immersion Tour
  • Custom Wine/Beer and Food Tours

Prices start from $450 per adult

QT Winery Tours Bannochburn

1st – Altitude

417 Reviews; 96% rating Excellent; 2% rating very good.

Rather impressively, Altitude Wine Tours have continued to impress their guests year after year after year, and are now ranked as the number 1 best Wine Tour company out of Queenstown on Trip Advisor.  Proudly owned and operated by Queenstown locals, the company has been built on the premise of employing passionate local guides with a love for all things ‘vino’. 

Altitude offer two preset Wine Tour options:

  • Wine Sampler Tour – 5 Hours and;
  • Twilight Wine & Craft Beer Tour – Departing Twice Daily from Queenstown

Prices start from $189 per adult

Bespoke wine tasting tours – Prices on application

  • Golf And Wine Tours
  • Private Wine Tastings
  • Helicopters And Wine Tours
  • Skiing And Wine Tours

Child Friendly

 

Central Otago is a wine lovers paradise.  Such unique landscapes create unique wines and all of these 5 tour companies have fabulous products which showcase the very best of our stunning region.

 

 

 

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