New Zealand is known for a lot of things — scenery, outdoor activities, many filming locations from Lord of the Rings — but my favourite feature of our nearest neighbours has gotta be the vino. Seriously, New Zealand wines are so good. So obviously on your next jaunt across the pond, I highly recommend you hit up a few wineries and vineyards on the South Island, specifically around the Central Otago region near Queenstown.
I recently headed over to New Zealand’s stunning South Island as a guest of Tourism New Zealand to check out Queenstown and its surrounds, and as a card-carrying wine mom I was thrilled to see a couple of wineries on the itinerary.
Aside from the ones we visited, I’ve rounded up a bunch more that friends and family have raved about, just in case you really want to test out the best Central Otago wines you can get your mitts on.
Best Central Otago Wineries And Vineyards On New Zealand’s South Island
Amisfield
Amisfield was a recommendation from my partner’s dad, who is very knowledgable about wine and has also travelled to the Queenstown area loads of times. In short: this bloke knows what he’s talking about.
Located in Lake Hayes, Queenstown, Amisfield is an organic vineyard known for its Pinot Noir (which will crop up a lot in this list, as it’s THE grape of the Central Otago region), and also does a mean white wine. I didn’t visit the vineyard, but picked up a bottle of the winery’s 2021 Sauvignon Blanc at the airport on the way home. Can confirm it was ridiculously good.
The vineyard itself has a cellar door open for tastings, which will set you back $25 NZD ($23 AUD) per person.
There’s also an award-winning restaurant at Amisfield which my partner’s dad raved about. So if you’re now taking tips from this man you’ve never met before, book yourself a lush lunch.
Judge Rock
During my trip to Queenstown, New Zealand I stayed in the nearby town of Clyde. My friend Mel and I did the Otago Central Rail Trail bike ride and stopped along the way home at Judge Rock, a cute lil’ family boutique vineyard located in Alexandra.
It’s quite literally a backyard operation, but imagine a yard filled with grapevines. The owners Paul and Angela welcomed us with a wine tasting of some of the most delicious red wines I’ve ever encountered — and I’m usually a white wine girlie!
I left having ordered several bottles of their award-winning Pinot Noir (a Central Otago staple) and another varietal called St Laurent, a medium-bodied red which I quite simply couldn’t get enough of. Judge Rock is one of the few wineries which grows this grape, so it’s well worth a visit to give it a taste.
Mt Rosa
Potentially I am biased here because I named my kid Rosa, but also I’m including Mt Rosa Wines in this list because people rave about it. Located in Gibbston, this vineyard was actually a sheep farm (classic NZ) before its owners decided to pivot into wine.
The vineyard does it all — Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Gamay Noir and of course, Pinot Noir. There’s a beautiful woolshed-inspired space for its $20 NZD ($18.50 AUD) wine tastings, and there’s a winery dog named Baz. BAZ! What more do you need?
Cloudy Bay
Cloudy Bay is known for being one of New Zealand’s bougiest, most delicious wine brands. Not to be dramatic, but I’d die for an icy-cold glass of its world-famous Sauvignon Blanc. The vineyard has two locations, one in Marlborough (the home of white wines, on the northern tip of New Zealand’s South Island) and one in the Central Otago region.
Called The Cloudy Bay Shed, the Central Otago cellar door is a must-visit. Located near the town of Cromwell, it celebrates the vineyard’s delicious Pinot Noir (but you can taste all its wine there).
Tastings range from $20 – $30 NZD (about $18.50 – $27.50 AUD). The location is ridiculously picturesque and the food is bloody delicious, just quietly.
Mt Difficulty
It may have a whingey kind of name but there’s nothing difficult about this vineyard. In fact, it’s a bit of a no-brainer: a cellar door on a mountain with epic views of beautiful New Zealand vistas. You simply must!
Located in Bannockburn, this extremely scenic winery overlooks the Cromwell Basin out to Lake Dunstan. At the cellar door you can sample the vineyard’s iconic Pinot Noir as well as yummy Rosés and Chardonnays. Tasting are $15 NZD ($13.80 AUD), and if you want to settle in, there’s a lovely restaurant on-site too. Cheers to that.
Domaine-Thomson
Another winery I had the pleasure of visiting on my trip was Domaine-Thomson at Mount Pisa. This family-owned organic Pinot Noir vineyard is unique in that it’s a “two hemispheres” operation, with a vineyard in New Zealand and one in Burgundy, France.
At Domaine-Thomson’s cellar door you can choose between two tasting options — both are $20 NZD ($18.50 AUD) — and for an extra $40 NZD ($38 AUD) you can add a luxe platter of gorg French cheeses to nosh on while you sip away.
It’s a gorgeous spot and you actually feel like you’re in France when you’re there. Oui oui.
There’s obviously loads more wineries in New Zealand’s Central Otago region to check out beyond my list. So head over there, have a stickybeak around and discover all the incred vineyards for yourself. I’m jealous!
