Arrive in Queenstown on suggested flights and make your way to the hotel. Renaissance Tours or your travel agent can assist you with your flights and other travel arrangements including travel insurance, a private transfer to the hotel, accommodation before or after the tour and a room category upgrade.

At 17:30, join your tour leader Peter Bourne and fellow travellers for a welcome briefing at the hotel, followed by a wine tasting with acclaimed New Zealand winemaker Grant Taylor from Valli Estate.

Afterwards, enjoy a welcome dinner at one of Queenstown’s famed dining establishments.

(D)

This morning, drive to the Gibbston area for a tasting at Mt Edward Winery, established in 1997 with five vineyards growing organic fruits to produce their own wines, including pinot noir, Gamay, chardonnay and chenin.

Then, continue to Maude Wines for a light lunch followed by a tasting. This small, family-owned winery, set against the stunning backdrop of Laka Wanaka, produces handcrafted wines from a single vineyard. Taste the Dineen family’s sauvignon blanc and pinot noir that showcase the features of the unique terroir.

Later, continue to Rippon Vineyard, farmed by the Mills family for four generations, before ending with a guided tour of Cardrona Distillery, an artisan distillery making single-malt spirits.

In the evening, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

(BD)

This morning, admire views of Lake Hayes en route to the charming settlement of Arrowtown on the banks of the Arrow River. Home to a well-preserved nineteenth-century main street and beautifully restored shopfronts and cottages, Arrowtown was first established during the height of the Otago gold rush in 1868. Enjoy some free time before continuing to Ayrburn for lunch and tasting.

Afterwards, stop at the family-owned Chard Farm Vineyard, located on a dramatic site above a gorge, for a tasting of its food-driven wines. One of the pioneering wineries in the region, Chard Farm’s Tuscan-inspired cellar door and 50-acre vineyard is situated at an historic vegetable farm and orchard in the Cromwell basin, first settled in 1860.

Return to Queenstown in the late afternoon for a leisurely cruise across Lake Wakatipu to Walter Peak’s Homestead Restaurant for dinner, experiencing the region’s finest scenery.

(BLD)

Today, begin with a tasting at Burn Cottage Vineyard, a 24-hectare estate in the foothills of the Pisa range, owned by the Sauvage family based in Chicago.

Continue to Mount Difficulty Winery in Bannockburn for a tasting of fourth-generation vigneron Matt Dicey’s award-winning wines. Enjoy a light lunch on the terrace of the winery’s restaurant and appreciate the panoramic views of Bannockburn and the surrounding valleys.

After lunch, transfer to Felton Road, arguably the most prestigious winery in the Central Otago region. Experience a tasting of their renowned cool-climate chardonnays and pinot noirs, each grown in a single block allowing for fascinating contrasts of terroir.

Then, travel to the historic goldmining town of Cromwell for a tasting at Quartz Reef Winery. Named for the large quartz deposit that lies beneath the winery and infuses its vines with rich minerals, Quartz Reef was built on the site of Bendigo Station. Here two-time New Zealand Winemaker of the Year Rudi Bauer has quickly established the winery’s reputation for méthode traditionnelle sparkling wines and cool-climate varietals inspired by his Austrian upbringing.

This evening, join Peter and fellow travellers for a special farewell dinner at Queenstown’s renowned Botswana Butchery, with a wonderful view over Lake Wakatipu.

(BLD)

Tour arrangements conclude after breakfast.

For those returning home today, make your way to Queenstown Airport for suggested flights to Australia. Renaissance Tours or your travel agent can assist you with your flights and other travel arrangements, including any additional nights’ accommodation either before or after the tour, a private airport transfer and travel insurance (a condition of travel).

(B)