The long summer days, lush green vineyards and cool nights made summer the perfect time to visit the Gibbston Valley to taste some of the fabulous wines grown in the region.

Gibbston Valley is the home of a number of artisan vineyards; many still locally owned and operated. It’s not unusual to bump into the owner or winemaker, and they’re happy to talk about what makes their wine special and unique to the region.

Located just 20 minutes drive from central Queenstown, Gibbston Valley is home to a number of vineyards. The Central Otago Winegrowers Association describes the region as - A narrow valley enclosed by mountains where about 250 hectares of vines are planted on sloping, north facing land on the south bank of the Kawarau River. Gibbston is the coolest and highest of the sub-regions with vineyards between 320 and 420 metres altitude. This means the fruit grown here ripens later, this enhances the colour and the flavor of the grape. Many of the wineries in the region have won international awards and medals for their wine, especially for Pinot Noir – the signature grape of the region.

It’s a straightforward and easy drive to the Gibbston Valley. A number of the wineries in the valley have tasting rooms where you can sample their wines, as well as purchase and ship home any vintage that particularly takes your fancy. There is also a wine cave tour, a cheesery and a number of exceptional restaurants where you can try delicious local fare paired with the wines of the region.

If you’re not a fan of the swirl and spit why not let someone else do the driving for you? There are guided wine tours that depart from Queenstown daily with the added advantage of friendly guides who know everything there is to know about wine in the region.

Summer and Autumn  is also the time for events in the Gibbston Valley. To see if any festivals or concerts are happening amongst the vines soon go here to Queenstown events.
Go to our wine experiences page for more information about the wineries and wine tours around Queenstown region.
To watch the weekly video blog on wineries go here.