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The Big Picture - An Essential Wine Adventure

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Central Otago Wine Tours

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Central Otago is New Zealand's most scenic wine region. If you only have time to visit one New Zealand wine region do yourself a favor and make it Otago.

As if to prove a point, leading British winewriter Jancis Robinson MW named Central Otago as one of the top five New World wine producing regions. In an interview with Decanter magazine she named Central Otago alongside the Napa Valley (California), Margaret River (West Australia), Stellenbosch (South Africa) and Willamette (Oregon) as her five favourite new world regions.

Amongst the best of Central Otago's 50 wineries are:

Central Otago is the world’s southern most wine producing region and New Zealand's only "continental" region. The summers are hot and dry, and the winters crisp and snowy. Soil structures are very different to those of New Zealand's other regions with heavy mineral deposits in silt loams. The conditions are ideal for producing high quality Pinot Noir and Riesling wines.

At the centre of the region is Queenstown - New Zealand’s premier tourist destination and voted the world’s friendliest foreign city by readers of Conde Nast Traveller. Situated on the shores of Lake Wakitipu and surrounded by the snow capped Southern Alps Queenstown features a wide range of activities including bungy jumping, paraponting, base jumping, jet boating and white water rafting. It also has world class ski fields, and for those just wanting to relax there is golfing, fishing, garden tours, fine restaurants and shopping. 

New Zealand wine regions - follow a link for visitor information and listings of top wineries.

Auckland

Gisborne

Hawke's Bay

Martinborough

Nelson

Marlborough

Canterbury

Otago

Events

February

Central Otago Pinot Noir Celebration, February, Queenstown.

Central Otago Wine and Food Festival, February, Queenstown Gardens, Queenstown.

Otago Wine & Food Festival, Woodhaugh Gardens, Dunedin. For information telephone +64 3 455 9934.

Oamaru Wine and Food Festival, Takaro Park, Oamaru.

July

Lindauer Queenstown Winter Festival, 25 June - 4 July, Queenstown.

October

Queenstown International Jazz Festival, October.

Black Ridge Wines has been in production since 1988. The winery is located on a steep rocky site near the Central Otago town of Alexandra. Wine maker Tim Wandall's Pinot Noir is very good and characterised by ripe and fruity flavours - plum and cherry - and the influence of French oak. Wines from Black Ridge are exported to the United Kingdom.

Chard Farm was established in 1987 by Motueka brothers Rob & Greg Hay. They were the first to come into the area with the intention of setting up a commercial vineyard.. Rob studied winemaking in Germany for three years in the early eighties before returning to New Zealand in 1985 to search for the "terroir" that best emulated the cool continental climate and soils of some of the greatest wine producing areas of the world -- most notably the Burgundy and Alsace regions of France. That search lead to Central Otago. The long term goal being to craft the finest classic cool climate varietal wines of Pinot Noir, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. The winery was constructed in 1993 and has the capacity to process around 250 tonnes of grapes annually with emphasis on whole bunch pressing. A barrel hall and tasting room were added in 1996 with a new wing to be added in 2002. The tasting room is open 7 days, 10am - 5 pm. For more information contact: Rob Hay, RD 1, Queenstown, New Zealand, telephone +64 3 442 6110, fax +64 3 441 8400, e-Mail sales@chardfarm.co.nz.

Felton Road is a new Otago winery located in the district of Bannockburn. Although new - its first vintage was produced in 1997 - Felton Road under the guidance of wine maker Blair Walter is gaining a big reputation for the quality of its wines. Its Pinot Noir has received awards and acclaim. The winery's Chardonnay has been described as powerful, and tastes of mealy, peachy and butterscotch flavors that reflect the effects of full melolactic fermentation. Felton Road also produces a very good Riesling. Their wines are exported to the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States of America. For more information contact: FELTON ROAD WINES, Bannockburn, R.D. Central Otago, New Zealand, Tel. +64 3 445 0885, Fax +64 3 445 0881, email: Wines@FeltonRoad.com.

Gibbston Valley Wines is largely responsible for the reputation and popularity of the Otago wine region. It also produces one of the great wines of the world, with its Reserve Pinot Noir 2000 judged Best Burgundy at the International Wine Challenge (2001) in London. The winery is situated in the scenic Kawarau Gorge, close to the AJ Hackett Bungy jump, and is only a short drive from Queenstown. The winery makes a very good Pinot Noir that has found much success. The 1995, 1996 and 1998 Reserve Pinot Noirs have each been awarded the trophy for champion Pinot Noir wine at the Royal Easter Wine Show (New Zealand). The 1998 Reserve was also judged champion Pinot Noir at the Japan International Wine Challenge, received a gold medal at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards and a silver medal at the International Wine and Spirit Competition (London). Gibbston Valley Wines also make an adequate Chardonnay, a good Riesling and a good late harvest Gewurztraminer. The winery is well equipped for visitors and features a gift shop, restaurant, "wine cave" and small cheesery, specialising in New Zealand cheeses. For more information contact: Gibbston Valley Wines Ltd,  Gibbston R.D. 1, State Highway 6, Queenstown, New Zealand, Tel: +64 3 442 6910, Fax: +64 3 442 6909, email: sales@gvwines.co.nz.

Peregrine Wines' is a collaboration between Greg Hay, viticulturist, Steve Smith, Master of Wine, and Adam Peren's Wentworth Estate. The winery is located at Gibbston near Queenstown, but sources grapes from selected vineyards throughout Central Otago in the sub-regions of Gibbston, Lowburn, Bendigo and Northburn. Peregrine's first vintage was in 1998. Production was small, but the results were good. The 1998 Sauvignon Blanc won trophies in New Zealand, Australia and the UK. It's 1999 Pinot Noir won Gold at the Royal Easter Show and the Bragato awards. Its Pinot Gris 2000 was awarded the trophy for champion Pinot Gris at the Royal Easter Wine Awards 2001. The winery welcomes visitors who can select their own cheese boards and antipasto platters and enjoy a picnic amongst the vines. The winery also provides for private tastings and is planning a restaurant soon. For more information contact: Greg Hay, Peregrine Wines Central Otago Limited, Kawarau Gorge Road, RD 1, Queenstown, New Zealand, Tel: +64 3 442 4000, Fax: +64 3 442 4038, e-mail: info@peregrinewines.co.nz

Pisa Range Estate Vineyard, established in 1995, is a family owned boutique vineyard specialising in premium Pinot Noir. We are picking Pisa Range as a label to watch. It is one of the first of a dozen vineyards planted at Pisa Flats, 10km north of Cromwell, and bordered by Lake Dunstan and the Pisa Range. The vineyard covers some 33 hectares made up of flat and terraced land of which just 3 hectares are currently under cultivation on the "Black Poplar Block" - named after the two grand 80-year-old black poplar trees. Further expansion is planned for 2003 on the "Central Terraces^(R) Block" - a series of warm terraces with commanding views to the mountains and the lake. Grapes from this vineyard have previously gone into winemaker Rudi Bauer's award winning Quartz reef label and now go into the winery's own "Black poplar Label".  For more information contact: Warwick & Jenny Hawker, PO Box 115 Cromwell, telephone (00676) 24398, fax: (00676) 24398, email: info@pisarangeestate.co.nz.