The 6 best vineyards to visit in Central Otago, New Zealand

Lake Wanaka, an hour from Queenstown in the South Island of New Zealand, is a great place to base yourself to discover the excellent wines of Central Otago. Slated by British wine writer, Jancis Robinson, as one of the top five New World wine producing areas in the world, this region should be a definite stop on any wine-lovers itinerary of New Zealand.

The Central Otago region is most famous for it’s Pinot Noir variety, which thrives in the hot dry summers and cold winters. Pinot Noir makes up 70% of the wines produced in the area, however Pinot Gris, Reisling, and Gerwutztrameiner are also gaining in popularity.
A great day loop starting in Wanaka, driving through to Cromwell and Bannockburn, and continuing on to Queenstown, offers plenty of wine to titivate your tastebuds and amazing scenery to boot. You will need your own transport for this wine circuit, however there are plenty of organised trips on offer if you find yourself in New Zealand without private transport (try Funny French Cars in Wanaka).
1. Rippon – Wanaka
With a view to die for, Rippon Vineyard is the perfect place to begin your day. Located on Mt Aspiring Road, just out of Wanaka, Rippon overlooks Lake Wanaka and the stunning mountain ranges in the distance. Grab a cheese platter, sit on a bench outside and enjoy the sun, whilst sampling their tasty Pinot Noir wines.
2. Lazy Dog – Queensbury
Swing by The Lazy Dog on your way to Cromwell and try their Chenin Blanc and a number of other delicious wines from neighbouring vineyards. Pick up some preserves and relishes from their Farmgate shop, and maybe even some of their freshly smoked salmon for tomorrow morning’s eggs benny!
3. Cider House Café – Cromwell
Stop here for a wee break from wine and try some of the excellent cider on offer at the Cider House Café. Once you are refreshed then take a wee stroll around Old Cromwell before cruising up to Bannockburn.
4. Mt Difficulty – Bannockburn
Located on a hill in Bannockburn overlooking the Cromwell Basin, Mt Difficulty is not to be missed. Set amongst rugged, other-worldly terrain, this is a great place to relax, enjoy the view and take in some lunch from their superb menu. Cardrona merino lamb, wild venison, and slow roasted duck are just a few of the tasty morsels on offer. Pair your meal with one of their excellent Pinot Noir or Pinot Gris wines and you will have an ideal lunch.

5. Peregrine – Gibbston Valley
Gibbston Valley is home to a number of vineyards and Peregrine is definitely one that you don’t want to miss. The building itself represents the wing of a Peregrine in flight and has won awards for architecture both nationally and internationally. The Pinot Noir is once again at the forefront of the wines produced here, however you will also be able to taste excellent Reisling, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
6. Amisfield – Lake Hayes
Amisfield is the closest winery to Queenstown itself and is situated next to one of New Zealand’s most picturesque lakes – Lake Hayes. After sampling some of their fine wines, wander through to their sun-drenched courtyard for the famous “Trust the Chef’ menu which is a selection of dishes prepared from the finest and freshest local ingredients. Their bistro was a finalist for the Cuisine NZ Restaurant of the Year 2012 and is the perfect place to end your day.
After so much good food and wine you will most likely find yourself feeling rather full! If it is summer there should be plenty of light left to take a brisk stroll around Lake Hayes before driving through to Queenstown. Stop for a hot spa at Onsen overlooking the Shotover River before driving back to Wanaka over the Crown Range. If you still have energy left then check out the famous Cardrona pub on the Crown Range road. This is a New Zealand institution and one that you should definitely visit at some stage of your stay in Wanaka. By the time you return to Wanaka you will be ready for sleep, completely sated from your perfect day in Central Otago.

How Long Do You Have For Vacation

The amount of vacation time you have plays a big roll in deciding where you travel. With a traditional job in the US with just two or three weeks vacation, or even another country that allows for four to six weeks vacation, you have a limited amount of time to spend on travel. Here are a few simple things to think about when determining how much time you have.

Time for travel

You might have a certain amount of vacation days each year you always use to visit family for the holidays. Or maybe you know you’ll want a random day off in the middle of the year to just relax at home. How much time do you have leftover that you are willing to use for your vacation?

Determining how much you have left to use is the first step in deciding where you can travel. If you only have a week leftover, a trip to New Zealand (if you live in the US or Europe) might be tricky considering how long it takes to get there and the drastic time zone change.

Time equals distance

The longer you have for your vacation, the farther away you can go. Sounds logical, right? But just how far can you go?

Start looking at how long it takes to get from your home to the destination you’re thinking of. If you live in the eastern US, a nonstop flight to western Europe will probably take eight to 10 hours. If you live in the middle or western part of the country, it’ll take longer and you might not even get a nonstop flight. Looking at eastern Europe or a city or island that doesn’t have a major international airport? Tack on a few more hours. Any standard flight booking site will be able to show you what the flight times look like.

Also take into account that the more time zones you travel through, the more likely you are to suffer some jet lag. You will probably need to take it easy that first day, so you won’t fit in as much sightseeing. It’s a good idea to not even count that day as one of the days you have to spend in your destination since you won’t have much energy.

Time to Relax

If you are the type of traveler who wants to lounge on the beach for a week, making sure you have enough time to relax probably won’t be a problem. But if you’re the type to pack in as many activities as possible, you will need time to relax. Leave yourself a day here and there to just enjoy where you are. Don’t plan so many activities that you don’t have any down time.

I’ve planned trips before where I went from city to city at such a fast pace that I had a meltdown once I got to the fourth city in five days. Don’t let this happen to you. Give yourself a little wiggle room. If you think you need three days, plan four instead. An extra day can give you time to do something you didn’t discover until you arrived. Or just relax at a cafe and soak up the atmosphere.

Planning out the amount of time you have for your vacation is just one step in the planning process, but it’s an important one. Don’t stretch yourself too thin, and make sure you plan enough time to see what you really want to see. Following these simple steps will go a long way towards helping you have an easier and more enjoyable vacation.