Queenstown Gin, Wine & Beer Tour (Adults Only) | Kiwi Host, Max10
Description
The only Queenstown tasting tour that brings together award-winning wine, world-class gin, and craft beer in one seamless afternoon — fully hosted, so you don’t have to plan a thing. Begin at Amisfield, one of Central Otago’s most celebrated wineries, before heading to Arrowtown for a tasting at Rifters — home of the World’s Best Gin. Finish at Canyon Brewing, an award-winning brewery set above the Shotover River. Along the way, enjoy a scenic drive through Queenstown’s iconic landscapes, including Lake Wakatipu, The Remarkables, Lake Hayes, Arrowtown, and Coronet Peak. Designed for couples, friends, and mixed groups, this adults-only experience (max 10 guests) is relaxed, social, and hosted by a knowledgeable New Zealand local — ensuring a seamless, well-paced afternoon. Three distinct tasting experiences. One effortlessly curated afternoon. With just 10 seats per tour, it often books out — if your date is available, it’s worth securing. Note: Private Tour Upgrades Available
Tour Options
Itinerary
Travel through Queenstown, New Zealand’s adventure capital, surrounded by alpine scenery and the crystal-clear waters of Lake Wakatipu.
Drive alongside the iconic Lake Wakatipu, known for its deep blue waters and breathtaking mountain backdrop.
Amisfield – Award-Winning Premium Wine Experience Begin your experience at one of Central Otago’s most celebrated wineries, where exceptional winemaking meets a world-class reputation. Amisfield is home to a certified organic, single-estate vineyard and has been recognised with Riedel Vineyard of the Year (2024) and Sustainable Vineyard of the Year (2023) — a reflection of both quality and craftsmanship. Enjoy a guided tasting hosted by their expert team, exploring elegant Pinot Noir vintages alongside expressive cool-climate whites, each shaped by the unique Central Otago terroir. Set beneath dramatic mountains overlooking Lake Hayes, this is more than a tasting — it’s a refined introduction to the region. For many guests, this is a true highlight of the day.
Pass the picturesque Lake Hayes, often called one of the most beautiful small lakes in New Zealand.
Journey through the historic gold-mining village of Arrowtown, known for its charming streets and seasonal beauty.
Rifters Tasting Room – World’s Best Gin Experience Step into the historic village of Arrowtown for a tasting experience that adds a unique and memorable twist to your day. Rifters has been recognised at the World Gin Awards as producing the World’s Best Gin (Navy Strength) — alongside multiple international accolades, including medals from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and New Zealand Spirits Awards. Enjoy a guided tasting of their award-winning, small-batch gin, crafted using locally sourced botanicals that reflect the wild Central Otago landscape. A standout and unexpected highlight for many guests.
Enjoy views toward Coronet Peak, a popular ski field offering panoramic mountain vistas year-round.
Drive past the iconic Onsen Hot Pools, perched high above the Shotover River and known for its luxury soak experiences.
Canyon Brewing – Award-Winning Scenic Brewery Experience Finish your experience at Queenstown’s most scenic brewery, set above the stunning Shotover River with views into the dramatic Skippers Canyon. Canyon Brewing is an award-winning craft brewery, recognised at the 2025 New Zealand Beer Awards with Best in Class (Juicy/Hazy Pale Ale) and multiple medals — a reflection of both quality and creativity. Unwind with a craft beer tasting flight, or opt for a wine tasting, while soaking in the alpine views and relaxed atmosphere. A social, scenic finish — and the perfect way to end your experience.
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(17)
All in all it was a good day out, but there were a few things to point out: Please note we have done multiple wine tours in QT. So differences were very noticeable. We thought the gin tasting would’ve been a bit more private since we were with a tour group - it was free gin tasting, so was a bit of a drive for a 10 min tasting and when other tourists gathered in the small room with our group of 10 and enjoyed the free tasting also, it was a bit weird. It would’ve been ideal to have had the direction of the bathrooms pointed out at this stop after a bit of a drive to Arrowtown. We did think there would be a small snack included (even if just cheese/crackers) we weren’t given anything after having 3 different tasting stops. We weren’t offered any menu or time to purchase anything either. For a half day trip, and drinking quite a bit, some sort of food would’ve been welcomed. Driver was very friendly which was great and was a good driver. I’d recommend to check out the pricing of the different tours so you make sure you get your moneys worth.
The driver while lovely and gave great insight into the area and where we were going, was essentially just our transportation/liason between venues. Given the length of the tour, I think a few snacks or nibbles could have been included to glam up the experience a little. It was a shame the wine dog didn't really like men and was a bit snappy and was wearing a nappy. There were 4 of us travelling together and a couple and yes we did enjoy ourselves but... Stop 1. I felt the wine guy did his best but was busy. Stop 2. The gin guy was a great story teller but I think I would have liked a better look around Arrowtown as well. We stood for the whole experience. Stop 3. The brewer guy, nice but it was a quick rushed spiel and here's your beer.
Hi Carol, Thank you for your detailed feedback — I’m really pleased you enjoyed the day overall and the local insights shared along the way. As a local New Zealander who has been guiding wine tours for over 8 years, with WSET wine qualification, my role is to curate the experience and share the stories of the region, while each venue hosts their own tastings so guests hear directly from the producers. Our Gin, Wine & Beer Tour is a 3.5-hour afternoon experience (3pm–6:30pm), designed so guests can enjoy lunch beforehand and return in time for dinner. I appreciate the suggestion around nibbles and will look at offering optional snacks at Canyon Brewery. Rifters Gin offers a private hosted tasting style, while the winery and brewery stops are shared tastings rather than private experiences. During peak season venues can be busy, but the teams do their best to showcase what they produce within the time available. Bella was in season at the time, so she was a little more reserved than usual while warming up — she’s normally quite friendly. As this is a shorter tour, we don’t advertise time to explore Arrowtown itself, as other tour operators specialise in sightseeing experiences. Thank you again for your honest feedback — it’s appreciated. Cheers, Emma
Emma was an amazing tour guide! Very knowledgeable and easy to talk to. She made the tour extremely enjoyable and I would definitely do another tour with her in the future!
Thank you so much for the lovely review Hannah! It was an absolute pleasure hosting you on the Queenstown Gin, Wine & Beer Tour. I’m so glad you enjoyed the relaxed vibe and the tastings along the way — that’s exactly what we aim for.
Stop looking anywhere else, this is the tour you want to go on. We had a great time with Emma, she had so much knowledge about the places we visited and about queenatown in general Having Bella along for the ride made it even more enjoyable.
Hi David, What a joy to read your review — thank you so much! I’m thrilled you loved the Gin, Wine & Beer Tour. It’s such a fun way to taste a little bit of everything Queenstown has to offer, and I’m so glad the mix of local stories, great company, and Bella’s charm made it even more enjoyable. It was wonderful having you on board and sharing a few of my favourite hidden gems around the region. Wishing you many more adventures (and delicious drinks!) wherever your travels take you next. Warm regards, Emma & the team Alpine Wine Tours 🍷✨
Lee was such a gem, her knowledge and expertise was truly incredible. We would recommend anyone travelling to Queenstown to do the wine, gin and beer tour! And Lee’s great for a chat ❤️
Thank you for your wonderful review Hannah! 🍷🍸🍺 We’re so pleased to hear you enjoyed the Gin, Wine & Beer Tour with Lee — she truly is a gem, and we’ll be sure to pass on your kind words. Her knowledge (and great chats!) make the experience extra special. We really appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back to Queenstown for another tour soon! ❤️ Cheers from Emma and the team at Alpine Wine Tours
Great mix of relaxed beer garden vibes, fine wine at 5 star restaurant setting and small cute yet very tasty gin experience.
Hi Liz & Steve, We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the relaxed beer garden vibes, elegant wine tasting, and that charming little gin stop—all key ingredients of our Gin, Wine & Beer Tour! It’s wonderful to know the mix of venues hit the mark for you, offering something memorable at every turn. It was a pleasure having you on board, and we hope to welcome you back next time you’re in Queenstown—maybe for a full wine tour or to visit some new favourites. Cheers to great tastes and good company, Emma & the Alpine Wine Tours team 🍷🍺🍸 (and a tail wag from Bella, too 🐾)
Wonderful tour! Our tour guide, Emma, was fabulous and gave us a lot of good information about Queenstown. All of the stops were great and the staff knowledgeable about their product. Phillip at Rifter’s was by far the best. Highly recommend. Make sure you eat something before you go!
Hi Teresa, Thank you so much for the fantastic review! We're so glad to hear that you had such a wonderful time on our gin, wine, and beer tour. Emma will be thrilled to know you enjoyed her guide expertise, and we’re glad you appreciated the knowledgeable staff at each of our stops. We agree, Phillip at Rifter's is amazing! Thanks for the tip about eating beforehand – always great advice for a tour like this. We truly appreciate your recommendation, and we’d love to welcome you back anytime! Cheers, Emma
Had an amazing tour with Emma and little Bella, looking forward to seeing Emma again when we return to queenstown. Miss those drinks already.
Thanks a ton for leaving such an amazing review of our Queenstown Gin, Wine & Beer Tour! We’re so glad to hear you had the best time. It was awesome having you with us, and we hope you enjoyed the drinks as much as Bella, our wine tour puppy, did! 🐾 We can’t wait to welcome you back for more fun adventures. Until next time!
We toured canyon brewing which had beautiful views and tasty beer, we followed up with broken heart gin distillery where we learned about its history and the gin choices were quite good as well. We ended at Ayrburn winery which had a beautiful small Christmas village vibe to it, and the wines there were spectacular. My wife and I were the only ones on The tour considering it was a Monday in the off-season, our guide Gessica was fantastic, she was very knowledgeable about the area and the tastings it was a delight to have her as a guide!
Hi Jesse, We love hearing you had a fantastic afternoon tour with Gessica and enjoyed the craft beer tastings, gin tastings and wine tastings! Thanks for taking the time to leave us such a wonderful review, we really appreciate it. Cheers from Emma and the team
We enjoyed the tour, Emma was knowledgeable and a lovely guide, venues were great, although the last venue, the winery was a bit rushed. The 3pm start was great, giving us almost a full day to do other things. A complementary cheese platter or tapas at the end would have been a nice touch.
Hi Irena, Thanks for the lovely review as we love hearing you enjoyed the afternoon wine tour. I'll take the wine tasting feedback on board as normally we allow 45-50 minutes for tasting 5 wines which normally works well. Unfortunately, can't include complimentary food due to pricing but there is the option at venues to purchase if you can't wait to be back in town at 6:30pm. Thanks, Emma
