Queenstown Afternoon Wine Tour: Gibbston Valley | NZ Local Guide
Description
Three Distinctive Winery Experiences in One Afternoon Escape Queenstown and step into Gibbston Valley wine country — known as the “Valley of the Vines” — for an afternoon of Pinot Noir, vineyard scenery and three distinctive winery experiences. Step inside Peregrine Wines dramatic barrel hall, discover the warm hospitality, single-estate wines and older Pinot Noir vintages of family-owned Mt Rosa Wines, then taste Pinot Noir where Central Otago wine history was made at Gibbston Valley Wines. Take your glass into the Home Block vineyard and wander amongst the vines, framed by Gibbston’s rugged mountains. Discover the vineyards, landscapes and Pinot Noir of Gibbston Valley with a New Zealand-born Queenstown local guide sharing local knowledge along the way. Three wineries. Three distinctive experiences. One afternoon exploring Gibbston Valley wine country. Prefer it private? Upgrade to a Private Afternoon Wine Tour.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Discover Gibbston wine country with Alpine Wine Tours on an adults-only small-group experience, with a maximum of 10 guests and a New Zealand-born Queenstown local guide.
Leave Queenstown behind for an afternoon exploring Gibbston Valley wine country, where vineyards, mountains and Central Otago Pinot Noir are all within easy reach of town.
Journey into Gibbston, one of Central Otago’s renowned wine-growing areas, where vineyards sit beneath dramatic mountains along the Kawarau River. Discover the landscape and Pinot Noir that have helped put this cool-climate wine region on the map.
Step inside one of Central Otago’s most striking wineries, renowned for its dramatic architecture and award-winning design. Experience Peregrine’s impressive barrel hall and taste a selection of Central Otago wines in a setting unlike a traditional cellar door. A striking combination of architecture, wine and contemporary Central Otago design.
Discover Mt Rosa Wines, a family-owned, single-estate winery nestled beneath the dramatic Nevis Bluff in the heart of Gibbston. Set amongst the vines, its contemporary cellar door is a relaxed setting for a hosted tasting of small-batch wines, including Central Otago Pinot Noir and the opportunity to taste older Pinot Noir vintages. Family-owned hospitality, single-estate wines and a deeper taste of Gibbston Pinot Noir.
Taste Pinot Noir where Central Otago wine history was made. At Gibbston Valley Wines, the founding winery of the Gibbston region and one that helped put Central Otago on the world wine map, savour the wines that made this remarkable region famous. Then take your glass of Pinot Noir into the Home Block vineyard, wandering amongst the vines against the spectacular backdrop of Gibbston’s rugged mountains — an iconic Central Otago wine country experience.
Return to central Queenstown after an afternoon of wine, vineyards and three distinctive winery experiences in Gibbston Valley.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Exclusively for adults (18 and over)
- Boutique small-group tour (maximum 10 guests)
- Drinking age in New Zealand is 18 years
Reviews(95)
We had our own private tour with Emma. She was a fantastic host and tour guide. The wineries we visited were amazing and all very different in their own way. Thanks so much Emma.
What a perfect mini afternoon parents escape! The guide, Emma, is thoroughly knowledgeable and friendly and made sure we were well looked after. A beautiful taste of some spectacular wineries in the outer Queenstown region and great service at each winery due to the tour experience. Very comfortable transport (which also meant we could drink and not worry!) and great amount of information about the region. Thoroughly recommend especially to those parents able to get away for a few hours break from the kids!
Thank you so much for your lovely review! I absolutely love that you described the tour as a "mini afternoon escape"—that's exactly the experience we hope to create. Our public tours are adults only, so guests can truly relax, unwind, enjoy some incredible Central Otago wines, and take in the beautiful scenery without having to think about driving. It was a pleasure hosting you, and I'm so pleased you enjoyed learning about the region, the personalised winery experiences, and travelling in comfort between each stop. We really value the relationships we've built with our winery partners, so it's wonderful to hear their hospitality helped make the afternoon so memorable. Thank you for recommending us to other parents looking for a well-earned break. Wishing you all the best for the rest of your travels, and we'd love to welcome you back to Queenstown for another wine adventure in the future! Cheers, Emma Alpine Wine Tours
What a perfect mini afternoon escape from the children! A well put together afternoon of wineries with tastings. The guide, Emma, was very knowledgeable and friendly and each winery gave a very special guided tasting. Beautiful countryside, great comfortable transport, fantastic guide and great wine - what more could you ask for?
Thank you so much, Katie, for your wonderful review! We're so pleased you enjoyed your afternoon escape and that we could provide the perfect adults-only break. It was a pleasure hosting you, and I'm delighted you enjoyed the personalised tastings at each winery, the beautiful Central Otago scenery, and our comfortable boutique tour experience. Thank you for your kind words about my hosting—it really means a lot. Hopefully your wine memories (and perhaps a bottle or two!) help you relive your afternoon in Queenstown long after you're home. Enjoy the rest of your travels, and we'd love to welcome you back for another wine adventure next time you're in Queenstown! Cheers, Emma Alpine Wine Tours
The small ceremony went well without cancellation and thank you for answering the questions kindly - I drank a variety of Pinonua wines and bought a bottle per winemaker!
Thank you so much for your lovely review! It was such a pleasure hosting you both during your honeymoon, and I’m so glad we could still go ahead with a smaller group so you could experience Central Otago’s incredible Pinot Noir region. I loved sharing the stories behind the wines and answering all of your questions along the way. And the fact you bought a bottle from each winery definitely means the tastings were a success 😄🍷 Thank you again for choosing Alpine Wine Tours as part of your Queenstown honeymoon. I hope you enjoy opening those bottles together in the future and remembering your time here in New Zealand. Safe travels and congratulations again! Cheers, Emma 🥂
Amazing Experience with Emma! You get to learn about the stories behind the New Zealand Pinot Noir vineyards and taste so many variations and local grown! Would recommend to anyone traveling Queenstown!
Thank you so much for your lovely review Jae! It was such a pleasure hosting you both during your honeymoon, and I’m so happy you enjoyed discovering the stories behind Central Otago’s Pinot Noir and tasting so many beautiful local wines along the way. Thank you as well for recommending us to future Queenstown visitors — it truly means so much to a small local business. I hope you both have an amazing honeymoon and get the chance to open another Central Otago Pinot Noir together on a future anniversary 🍷😊 Safe travels and hopefully we’ll see you back in Queenstown one day!
An absolutely outstanding experience. Emma and her adorable dog Bella made this the best wine tour I’ve ever been on. The smaller, more intimate group size really sets this tour apart and allows for a thoughtfully curated experience from start to finish. If you’re in Queenstown, this is an absolute must-do.
Hi Alex, “Best wine tour of my life” — wow, thank you! That truly means so much! I’m so glad you loved the smaller, more intimate group experience—that’s exactly what we aim for so you can relax and enjoy every moment from start to finish. And Bella will be very happy to hear she helped make it extra special 🐶🍷 Really appreciate you calling it a must-do—means a lot to a small, local business like ours. Hope to see you back in Queenstown again soon! Cheers, Emma & Bella 🐾🍷
We had a swell time on this tour with our wonderful driver guide Emma. She was very friendly, approachable and knowledge and helped us learn a lot about wines. There was also some flexibility in the types of wines we could choose to try from each winery, which we appreciated. All in all, a very lovely afternoon. Highly recommended.
Hi Jade, Thank you so much for your lovely review — it truly means a lot. I’m so glad you enjoyed the afternoon and appreciated the flexibility with the tastings. That’s something I really try to make special, so you can discover wines you genuinely love rather than feeling like you’re on a fixed, one-size-fits-all experience. It was such a pleasure hosting you, and I’m really happy you came away having learned a little more about the wines and the region along the way. Enjoy the rest of your holiday in NZ and the Central Otago wines 🍷 Cheers, Emma Alpine Wine Tours
Wine choices were great and selected based on group preferences, Emma was an amazing and knowledgeable guide, and Bella the wine dog was an amazing tour companion
Thank you for your beautiful review Graye — it truly means a lot. I’m so pleased you enjoyed the wine selection. We take great care in curating the wineries, so it feels personal, seamless, and a little bit special from start to finish. It was a pleasure hosting you, and of course Bella will be delighted to know she added to the experience 🐾🍷 We’re so glad to have been part of your Queenstown experience — one to remember long after the last glass 🍷 Cheers, Emma
Great afternoon wine tour visiting some premium wineries and tasting some of their best wines. And someone else was driving!
Hi Andrew, Thank you so much for joining us and for taking the time to leave a review! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the Queenstown Afternoon Wine Tour — the premium tastings and stunning wineries are even better when you can just relax and let someone else do the driving! We really appreciate you choosing to spend your afternoon with us and hope to welcome you back next time you’re in Queenstown. Warm regards, Emma Alpine Wine Tours 🍷
Our tour guide was friendly, engaging and very knowledgeable Plus wine tour dogs are a bonus we sisnt expect but greatly appreciated
Hi Matthew, Thank you so much for your lovely review! It was such a pleasure guiding you, and I’m really glad you enjoyed the afternoon. I love sharing the stories behind our wineries, so it means a lot to hear that it came through. And yes — Bella the wine dog was absolutely thrilled to be part of the tour that day! She takes her “guest happiness” role very seriously and will be chuffed to know she was appreciated. 🐾🍷 Hope to see you again next time you’re in Queenstown! Warmest regards, Emma & Bella Alpine Wine Tours
