Gibbston Valley Winery
Gibbston Valley Winery
Gibbston Valley Winery
4.5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
As pioneers of the Central Otago wine region, Gibbston Valley Winery has been handcrafting premium wines for more than three decades. Located about 25 minutes from Queenstown, the winery is home to a bistro-style restaurant, tasting room, bike centre, the country's largest wine cave and a luxury Lodge & Spa, offering a range of ways for guests to experience everything that the Central Otago wine region has to offer. Learn some fun facts on our daily Cave and Winery tours or stop in for an exquisite lunch at the winery restaurant. Wine tasting is available at Cellar Door where you can taste our award-winning Pinots and other varietals. At the bike centre, you can hire a bike, book a package and get access to some of the top trails in Queenstown. Return transportation from Queenstown is available on winery's daily shuttle service. To upgrade your experience, stay at Gibbston Valley Lodge & Spa and we're here to help you create stories that you will carry with you for a lifetime.
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
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Best nearby
Restaurants
5 within 3 miles
Attractions
17 within 6 miles
See what other travelers are saying
- cjb1954Burnie, Australia20 contributionsGreat local experience.We were a group of 6 from Tasmania, Australia and were fortunate to have the Alex, from Toulouse in France, to be our guide for a winery, cave and tasting tour. Alex was delightful, knowledgeable and informative and obviously enjoys her work and now New Zealand. She has good viticulture knowledge and answered all our queries about the pinot gris, pinot noir and other wines. We stayed for an excellent lunch with good service and left with new memberships of the wine club and champagne to go with them. We would recommend this experience to anyone interested in local wine and food.Thank you very much for sharing your Gibbston Valley experience! It's absolutely great to hear that your group not only enjoyed the tour and the food, but also joined our popular Wine Club. Much appreciation for the recommendation!Written March 19, 2020This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited March 2020Traveled with friendsWritten March 7, 2020
- ksufan88Wichita, Kansas5,282 contributionsLarge wine caveOur group had prearranged for some wine tasting and a tour of the wine cave. As soon as we arrived, we were shown to a private area where we sampled some delicious meat/cheese/veggie platters while we learned about the winery and tasted three of their wines. The wines were all good but nothing extraordinary. We then were led to the wine cave which is the largest in New Zealand. It was quite cool and filled with barrels of aging wine and a cellar of every variety of wine that had been previously produced. To finish up, we visited the cheese shop and sampled several types of cheeses that were for sale.Visited December 2019Written January 30, 2020
- Michelle SWellington, New Zealand2,754 contributionsHigh quality food, wine and serviceOn a bright autumnal afternoon, we stopped by at Gibbston Valley Winery for a late lunch. We didn’t have a booking, but that wasn’t a problem. We were welcomed and quickly shown to our table. We were able to enjoy a tasting with our meals. There were 4 different tasting selections available - definitely something for everyone. I went for the white wine selection. My favourite wine is a New Zealand Riesling, something this region does especially well, so the Gibbston Valley Riesling was always going to appeal. The other whites were also quality, but pricey. Our compliments to the chef - the prices are high and the portions not particularly large, but the food is delicious. The dessert options are interesting and a little creative, and the cheese option features the local cheese, served with a delicious walnut sourdough. We ordered a glass each of their own dessert wine, and received a very generous glass of this treat. The restaurant area lacks a little character - the front of the winery where groups were enjoying tastings is a more pleasant space, complete with roaring fire. However in the summer, the outdoor tables off the restaurant area would be lovely. The service was definitely five star. Well done team Gibbston Valley; a lot of places are finding it a challenge, coping with the requirements of Level 2 social distancing, but here they have taken it all in their stride and continue to deliver a top quality experience.Thank you very much for sharing your Gibbston Valley experience! We're very proud of our food and wine, as well as our lovely staff too! Much appreciation for the recommendation and feedback! Hope to see you again in the future!Written August 10, 2020This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited May 2020Traveled as a coupleWritten May 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
835 reviews
Excellent
481
Very good
200
Average
87
Poor
38
Terrible
29
Stephen & Sue
Canberra, Australia2,453 contributions
Jan 2020
There's a lot going on at this place - wine tastings, winery tours, cheese shop, restaurant, gift shop, bike hire etc..and it is absolutely overrun with tour groups who seem to get priority.
Staff did their best to cope with the crush, and when we were finally seen to, they were friendly and knowledgable, but that was only after we were twice passed on to another staff member, as each person serving us apologised and told us they'd just been asked to look after a tour group.
Wines are good, but pricey, and the wine tasting fee is easily the most expensive I've seen anywhere.
Maybe early in the morning or late in the afternoon you might get a better experience, but for us the crowd, the noise and the hefty fees undermined the experience and reminded us to stick with the smaller family wineries, and avoid those on the tour bus schedules.
Staff did their best to cope with the crush, and when we were finally seen to, they were friendly and knowledgable, but that was only after we were twice passed on to another staff member, as each person serving us apologised and told us they'd just been asked to look after a tour group.
Wines are good, but pricey, and the wine tasting fee is easily the most expensive I've seen anywhere.
Maybe early in the morning or late in the afternoon you might get a better experience, but for us the crowd, the noise and the hefty fees undermined the experience and reminded us to stick with the smaller family wineries, and avoid those on the tour bus schedules.
Written January 30, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We're sorry you did not enjoy the time you spent with us. We try and give all guests the best possible experience and are disappointed that we were unable to give you the attention and service you desired.
Written March 30, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Bridget
2 contributions
Jan 2021 • Couples
The male staff member who served us put us off the place straight away. When enquiring about the tastings and whether the fee was waived with a purchase or 2, the answer we got was 'No because we have 20 something dollar bottles of wine so it's not worth it for us'. Without even so much as a smile from the employee, I instantly wanted to leave. Every other place we went to either had free tastings or tasting fee was redeemable with a purchase. Some other places we did come across didn't refund tastings either but we didn't mind this as the wine was amazing and the employee took the time to explain to us the wine and make us feel important, here that wasn't the case. It was a shame as this place had been talked up to us so we were excited but I regret that we stayed and paid for the tastings.
Written February 5, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Bridget, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We can only apologise for the service you received - please be assured that this is not our normal service We have taken your feedback on board and made changes to ensure that all of our staff are meeting the needs of visitors to the Winery. We look forward to seeing you again.
Kinds regards - Cellar Door Manager
Written March 24, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
BigBrian_11
Tring, UK483 contributions
Feb 2020
I love wine. I love wine tours in N.Z. & we did plenty. However, this was not one of the more memorable for me. Their actual wines were OK, but nothing special. Also they did not offer any great variation of choice. Our tour guide Alex was knowledgeable and answered any questions, but the overriding feeling was that this is very much a commercial winery for the masses & not dedicated to discerning wine drinkers like myself & the majority of wineaholics in our party.
Written March 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your feedback. Apologies that you didn't get have the experience you would have liked. We have passed your feedback on to the team to help in developing our offering as we most certainly do aim to cater to more 'discerning wine drinkers'.
Written March 30, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
sydneyberlin
Sydney, Australia315 contributions
Oct 2020
I'm aware of the historic significance of this winery for the region but unfortunately, these days the good wines are to be had elsewhere and this property has turned into one giant tourist trap. The worst bit is the wine cave which is smelly and boring and there's nothing to be seen- nothing compared to the awesome caves in Frech wineries and champagne houses. Would avoid at all cost- almost every other winery in the area offers better quality wines at better value.
Written October 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NorthStar64389642171
Thank you for your feedback. We are very sorry to hear your Gibbston Valley experience wasn't what you expected. May I follow up with you privately? We would love to know what wines you tasted on the day and more about your overall experience.
Our Wine Cave is unique to New Zealand and authentic to Gibbston Valley. The Wine Cave plays a key role in our story and we are very proud of being able to showcase and share our story with our guests.
Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards,
Gibbston Valley Team
Written November 20, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Karyn L
5 contributions
May 2020
On a girls' weekend, rather than do a wine tasting tour, we picked a couple of vineyards and did our own thing. And it worked out perfectly. Going at our own pace meant we could enjoy our tasting, along with a platter, then sit back and enjoy a bottle of bubbles before heading away with some extra bottles stashed in the car (with our sober driver, of course). We were lucky to be looked after so capably by Bindy for the afternoon. She tailored our tasting trays to our individual tastes, not batting an eyelid when some of us said we'd like tasting option X, but we didn't like chardonnay. Her attention to detail meant we had the most wonderful afternoon. We never felt rushed and could've sunk into the leather sofas for a lot longer than we did, but daylight was fading and Arrowtown was calling. This is a perfect place to take your time over a wine tasting and if you get Bindy, you won't be disappointed.
Written June 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
That sounds like a perfect girls' weekend getaway! Thank you for visiting us. We will definitely pass on your feedback to Bindy!
Written August 11, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
B.R.
7 contributions
May 2020
Great experience cycling to Gibbston with my partner. Bindy/Mindy (unsure of spelling) was an absolute delight and really went the extra mile. It was clear she was extremely passionate about what she does, and it showed through her service. Would definitely recommend. Thank you again!
Written June 30, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We hope you enjoyed cycling around the valley. Yes our all-rounder Bindy is the superstar! We will pass it on to her. Much appreciation for the recommendation!
Written August 11, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
gwenllianjohn
15 contributions
Nov 2022 • Couples
The wine tour itself was great and we very much enjoyed. There were a few things, however, that were disappointing. When we arrived, the staff were not very welcoming. We waited to be served only for the staff to serve someone else before us, which happened on two occasions (it was not very busy and they had clearly seen us waiting). They were not very informative on where we needed to be for the tour and did not seems too bothered to help us.
The tour was late starting and the guide walked off without us, not realising how many was booked onto the tour. He then asked what was going on when we followed him, for us to have to explain that we were also meant to be on the tour.
We took the transport option for the 4pm tour, so were picked up at 3:30. We were only told on arrival that the last bus leaves at 5 and they have no license after 5. If we had known this we may have come early or booked on an earlier tour as we had made the effort to go to only be there for an hour and 15. It seems strange that the options for the tour is 12 or 4 when it closes at 5 as it leaves no time to have a drink or something to eat afterwards as we intended to do. It all seemed very rushed.
Would recommend visiting as it is a lovely place, however book onto an earlier tour or go early to make the most of the trip.
The tour was late starting and the guide walked off without us, not realising how many was booked onto the tour. He then asked what was going on when we followed him, for us to have to explain that we were also meant to be on the tour.
We took the transport option for the 4pm tour, so were picked up at 3:30. We were only told on arrival that the last bus leaves at 5 and they have no license after 5. If we had known this we may have come early or booked on an earlier tour as we had made the effort to go to only be there for an hour and 15. It seems strange that the options for the tour is 12 or 4 when it closes at 5 as it leaves no time to have a drink or something to eat afterwards as we intended to do. It all seemed very rushed.
Would recommend visiting as it is a lovely place, however book onto an earlier tour or go early to make the most of the trip.
Written November 19, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Karina Ito
3 contributions
Mar 2022 • Couples
Yesterday was our first time going to Gibbston, after some holidays in Bendigo, we decided to got for lunch on set menu matching wines, which you’ll think it’s the best option to experience the food and of course, the wine in a famous winery in NZ.
Service was terrible, no one explained anything about the food and wine, the waiter seemed rushed, don’t know why, cause the restaurant was not even busy. Maybe because we look younger than the usual customers? Like, no knowledge or money to spend? That’s nonsense and frustrating.
We were still drinking the starters Pinot Gris, didn’t even ask us if we were ready for the mains and just simply came with the red wine. I had to say to hold back the food and he said he had already sent mains away to the kitchen, not being understanding and sympathetic at all.
We work in hospitality and I know this wasn’t a high standard service you would expect for Gibbston Valley, especially for the price we paid.
Not recommend it, instead, choose a smaller winery, attentive service and generous and friendly staff.
The only good thing was the food, non innovative but tasty, compliments to the chefs!
Service was terrible, no one explained anything about the food and wine, the waiter seemed rushed, don’t know why, cause the restaurant was not even busy. Maybe because we look younger than the usual customers? Like, no knowledge or money to spend? That’s nonsense and frustrating.
We were still drinking the starters Pinot Gris, didn’t even ask us if we were ready for the mains and just simply came with the red wine. I had to say to hold back the food and he said he had already sent mains away to the kitchen, not being understanding and sympathetic at all.
We work in hospitality and I know this wasn’t a high standard service you would expect for Gibbston Valley, especially for the price we paid.
Not recommend it, instead, choose a smaller winery, attentive service and generous and friendly staff.
The only good thing was the food, non innovative but tasty, compliments to the chefs!
Written March 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi there. Thank you for sharing your experience. We're sorry to hear that it didn't meet our normally high standard.
Unfortunately, on this occasion, we were incredibly short staffed and sadly unable to give the attentive service we normally pride ourselves on. For this we do apologise.
Kind regards,
The Restaurant Team
Written April 6, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lauraine R
6 contributions
Nov 2022
Gibbston Valley is a very well run winery, with some great wines to tempt, and good food served alongside. It was very busy while we were there, but staff handled it well, and the wide range of wines are well presented and (I thought) well priced.
Worth a visit.
Worth a visit.
Written November 14, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bronwen
Christchurch, New Zealand368 contributions
Sep 2020 • Couples
My husband and I stopped here for a wine tasting and to peruse the cheese shop. I was previously aware that you had to pay for a wine tasting here (in the form of a wine flight) but it still was a bit of a surprise at how much it was for the price. Lovely wine though and the cheese platter was a good accompaniment.
The cheese shop was in a different location to the last time I’d visited and seemed to have less on offer or it may be that it’s simply in a bigger space. The only downside besides paying rather a lot for the tasting was the young NZ lady in the cheese shop who was disinterested and a bit rude. All the other staff were lovely and very friendly.
The cheese shop was in a different location to the last time I’d visited and seemed to have less on offer or it may be that it’s simply in a bigger space. The only downside besides paying rather a lot for the tasting was the young NZ lady in the cheese shop who was disinterested and a bit rude. All the other staff were lovely and very friendly.
Written September 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SurfandSurf
Mississauga, Ontario44 contributions
Are children able to accompany us on our visit? Obviously they can’t drink wine but can they sample some of the food / cheese?
Keven K
Christchurch, New Zealand111 contributions
Yes there will be no problem.
Heide H
Queenstown, New Zealand3 contributions
Are there wine tours on Sundays?
GibbstonValleyNZ
Queenstown, New Zealand3 contributions
Hi Heide,
Yes we run tours 7 days a week. Please visit our website to book.
Look forward to seeing you soon.
NightOwl77
Singapore, Singapore159 contributions
heya how much is the wine tasting?
GibbstonValleyNZ
Queenstown, New Zealand3 contributions
Hi NightOwl17
We have a range of tasting options available either in our Cellar Door or as part of our Cave and Winery Tours.
Full details are on our website:
Cheers
Team GV
Tris_899
2 contributions
Am planning to visit in end July for the tour, lunch & transport option.
- Can I find out if I'm to choose the 2pm slot, does the transport depart Queenstown at 2pm and what time will I arrive back at Queenstown?
- Will it be lunch before the tour?
Thanks!
GibbstonValleyNZ
Queenstown, New Zealand3 contributions
Hi there,
Yes you can get the 2pm bus, have lunch, take the 4pm Cave Tour, then return back to Queenstown on the 5pm bus.
Hope this helps.
All the best
Team GV
Mango211
16 contributions
Except for the scheduled time shuttle service, is there any other public transport that we can use?
kiwinomadnz
Ashburton, New Zealand83 contributions
There is a bus that goes Wanaka to Arrowtown/Queenstown four times daily they may drop you off and pick you up as they have to go past Gibbston Valley Wines.
From their page "NOTE: CALL US ON 0800 405066 TO
ARRANGE A PICKUP"
Look up connect a bus Wanaka to find their web page.
Yeah M
Seoul, South Korea1 contribution
We're planning to visit this place in January or in February. I wonder if we have to book the tour now or it's okay to book a couple of weeks before.
GibbstonValleyNZ
Queenstown, New Zealand3 contributions
That's a busy time of year for us so would be best to book as soon as you know the exact date you will be here.
Look forward to seeing you.
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Claim your listingGibbston Valley Winery - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go
Frequently Asked Questions about Gibbston Valley Winery
- Gibbston Valley Winery is open:
- Sun - Sat 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- We recommend booking Gibbston Valley Winery tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 16 Gibbston Valley Winery tours on Tripadvisor
- According to Tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience Gibbston Valley Winery:
- Original Wine Tour (From $111.97)
- Wine and Food Sampler Tour from Queenstown (From $140.13)
- Queenstown Wine Hopper Bus (From $50.55)
- Wine Sampler Tour (From $127.33)
- Gourmet Food and Wine Tour - Cave Tour, Cheese, Lunch, Chocolate and more! (From $164.78)
- Hotels near Gibbston Valley Winery:
- (0.01 mi) Gibbston Valley Lodge & Spa
- (2.83 mi) Kinross Winery – Cottages
- (5.12 mi) Stoneridge Estate
- (6.17 mi) The Cottages Lake Hayes
- (6.77 mi) The Arrow Hotel
- Restaurants near Gibbston Valley Winery:
- (0.05 mi) Gibbston Valley Winery Restaurant
- (0.04 mi) Gibbston Valley Cheesery & Deli
- (0.12 mi) The Lodge at Gibbston Valley
- (5.79 mi) Mora Wines & Artisan Kitchen
- (6.46 mi) La Rumbla
- Attractions near Gibbston Valley Winery:
- (1.68 mi) Chard Farm Winery
- (3.96 mi) Moonlight Stables
- (3.77 mi) Mt Rosa Wines
- (0.78 mi) Kawarau Suspension Bridge
- (5.33 mi) Oxbow Adventure Co
Gibbston Valley Winery Information
| Excellent Reviews | 392 |
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| Very Good Reviews | 196 |
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