
Central Otago
Central Otago is the southernmost wine growing region in the world, located at a latitude of 45 degrees south, on New Zealand’s south island. A spectacular landscape makes the region one of the most scenic wine regions if not in the world then certainly in New Zealand. Central to the region is the tourist destination of Queenstown, which is a great base to make wine trips from.
Heavy mineral deposits in silt loams are typical for the soils in Central Otago, but is unlike any other region in New Zealand. The Otago region is the countries only ‘continental’ wine growing region.
Pinot Noir is the flagship red varietal, which is very well suited to the regions large diurnal shifts (a large diurnal shift means a big difference between low and high temperatures) and also the regions long, cool and dry autumn. The Pinot Noirs coming out of the Otago region are most often fragrant, lush Pinot Noirs with silky textures and true fruit intensity.
Aromatic whites also thrive, in particular Riesling where anything from bone-dry to very sweet can be made. Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris and lesser amounts of Chardonnay is also made to a very high quality. Central Otago is in Jancis Robinson’s top five New World wine producing regions.
Heavy mineral deposits in silt loams are typical for the soils in Central Otago, but is unlike any other region in New Zealand. The Otago region is the countries only ‘continental’ wine growing region.
Pinot Noir is the flagship red varietal, which is very well suited to the regions large diurnal shifts (a large diurnal shift means a big difference between low and high temperatures) and also the regions long, cool and dry autumn. The Pinot Noirs coming out of the Otago region are most often fragrant, lush Pinot Noirs with silky textures and true fruit intensity.
Aromatic whites also thrive, in particular Riesling where anything from bone-dry to very sweet can be made. Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris and lesser amounts of Chardonnay is also made to a very high quality. Central Otago is in Jancis Robinson’s top five New World wine producing regions.
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- A beautifully balanced Chardonnay from Central Otago. Ripe lemon, grapefruit, white flower and stonefruit. The oak is subtle (only 15% new) and contributes a touch of baking spice, and there is a hint of grilled nuts from time spent on lees. ... Learn MoreCarrick Bannockburn Chardonnay 2020NZ$28.99 Per item
- A highly sought after library release from Otago's legendary producers, Matt & James Dicey. Aromas of Chenin Blanc, pears with hints of bruised apples, honeysuckle giving way to prince melon and lemon zest. A wonderful collision of two worlds, Old world ... Learn MoreCeres Inlet Chenin Blanc 2019NZ$28.99 Per item
- "Delicious young, the vivacious 2021 vintage was made from Pinot Noir, estate-grown and hand-picked at Wanaka. Bright pink, it is attractively scented, very fresh and lively, with rich cherry, strawberry and watermelon flavours, crisp, dryish and lingering." Michael Cooper, 4.5 stars "Named ... Learn MoreAitken's Folly Rose 2021NZ$29.99 Per item
- Freshly squeezed lime juice, Granny Smith apple with hints of chalk and jasmine flower on the nose awaken the palate to zesty lemon, lime, spicy white pepper and incredible earthiness that sings of limestone soils. The prominent acidity is beautifully ... Learn MoreValli 'Waitaki Vineyard' Riesling 2020NZ$29.99 Per item
- A beautiful off-dry riesling that expertly walks the line between sweetness and acidity. Notes of stonefruits, lemon peel, apples and minerality. "Named after an ex colleague of Fiona suggested that what we were about to do amounted to a foolish ... Learn MoreAitken's Folly Riesling 2021NZ$31.99 Per item
- A genuinely classic Central Otago wine- a dry style Pinot Gris with impressive fruit sweetness that will fool your palate. It has only 2 grams of residual sugar per litre! The wine displays pear, apple and citrus fruits, with hints of ... Learn MoreHawkshead Pinot Gris 2021NZ$31.99 Per item
- Amisfield Rose is a runaway Rose sensation, a wine that continually sets the benchmark every year for a legion of Pinot Noir-based pink wine producers. Grown at Amisfield's Waenga vineyards, hand harvested with a small portion of the fruit seeing ... Learn MoreAmisfield Rose 2021NZ$32.99 Per item
- Dry and mineral driven, the Gibbston Pinot Gris is equal parts delicious and sophistication. Extremely aromatic, bursting with aromas of pear, lime zest, almond and cream soda. Medium to full-bodied, laden with white peach, citrus & soft flint flavours with a ... Learn MoreValli Gibbston Vineyard Pinot Gris 2020NZ$34.99 Per item
- A pure expression from New Zealand's most loved Pinot Noir region- Central Otago. Bright ruby red with deep aromas of sweet plum, light cherry cola & hints of toasty truffles. Light-medium bodied with soft, inviting raspberry, plum & vanilla flavours, a firm ... Learn MoreThe Tapui Collection Regional Pinot Noir 2020NZ$34.99 Per item
- Two Paddocks make unashamedly premium Pinot Noir, but for the nights when your budget doesn't quite stretch to their awesome Estate and Single Vineyard range. Picnic Pinot Noir is a very credible and stylish substitute. With a picture of Sam's ... Learn MorePicnic by Two Paddocks Pinot Noir 2020NZ$34.99 Per item
- A perfectly aged Central Otago Pinot for a steal of a price. Bright cherry, strawberry & dried herb aromatics, accentuated on the palate. The wine shows rich savoury flavours with fine, chalky tannins which provides sturdy structure and length. This is ... Learn MoreMt Dunstan Pinot Noir 2015NZ$34.99 Per item
- The family vineyard is planted on terraces near the top of Lake Dunstan in Cromwell Basin. It bears the name of the stream their vines and home overlook. All Locharburn wines are crafted from grapes grown on this fully sustainable, ... Learn MoreLocharburn Chardonnay 2019NZ$39.99 Per item
- Locharburn Vineyard and Wines is owned by Jenny and Chris Hill who are both ‘hands on’ in the vineyard and business. Sustainably grown & handpicked from this family owned & operated vineyard, this is a very stylish wine. Ruby hued red with ... Learn MoreLocharburn Pinot Noir 2019NZ$39.99 Per item
- A fine example of a Waitaki Pinot Noir with great fruit flavours surrounded by “forest floor” characteristics of a French Burgundy, with a long peppery finish. Medium-bodied, with very good depth of spicy, slightly nutty flavour, showing considerable complexity. It ... Learn MoreBlack Stilt Pinot Noir 2015NZ$39.99 Per item
- The Bannockburn Pinot Noir perfectly displays the style that put Central Otago on the map. It is big and bold, bursting with vibrant red and black berries and a touch of savouriness, think wild mushroom and dried meats. It has ... Learn MoreCarrick Bannockburn Pinot Noir 2018NZ$42.99 Per item
- A perfumed pinot noir bursting with red berries, herbs and spice, with well-integrated oak. An elegant pinot. "Named after an ex colleague of Fiona suggested that what we were about to do amounted to a foolish move, a Folly by ... Learn MoreAitken's Folly Pinot Noir 2017NZ$42.99 Per item
- The nose displays notes of oak and lees-ageing without detracting from the purity of fruit. Zesty lemon and ripe apple a balanced by a nose of nougat, butter and toffee. Good weight, but displaying restraint and balance. A creamy, lingering ... Learn MoreAitken's Folly 'The Gordon' Reserve Chardonnay 2017NZ$42.99 Per item
- A highly sought after library release from Otago's legendary producers, Matt & James Dicey. A composition of the Inlet & Black Rabbit vineyards, highlighting the best of Bannockburn. Soft, beautifully blended aromatics of ripe raspberry, sweet cherry and dark plum meld with ... Learn MoreCeres Composition Pinot Noir Library Release 2017NZ$44.99 Per item
- A perfumed pinot noir displaying notes of cherry, strawberry jam, herbs and spice. The oak is well-integrated and the bottle age results in a smooth, elegant pinot full of complexity. "Named after an ex colleague of Fiona suggested that what ... Learn MoreAitken's Folly Pinot Noir 2014 Library ReleaseNZ$47.99 Per item
- In the glass, it sparkles like liquid ruby, the nose picks up, enticing red berries and plum aromatics, with escaping nuances of wild herbs and sweet spice. Fresh, ripe Raspberry and Morello Cherry notes can be found on the palate, ... Learn MoreHawkshead Pinot Noir 2020NZ$48.99 Per item
- A nicely evolved pinot, it is beautifully lifted on the nose displaying mature fruit, leather, spice and toasted nut characters. The palate shows elegant fruit weight and fine texture, plus a delicate infusion of earthy mushroom notes. An ideal wine ... Learn MoreMount Dunstan Reserve Pinot Noir 2015NZ$49.99 Per item
- One of the most legendary Pinots in NZ, grown on the shores of Lake Wanaka. Equally youthful on the palate with a vibrant and energy filled flavour profile - crushed rocks, dark red berry fruits, oak spice and whispers of ... Learn MoreRippon 'Rippon' Mature Vine Pinot Noir 2018NZ$64.99 Per item
- Valli’s Gibbston reflects one of the coolest sub regions of Otago, producing wines of elegance and complexity of flavour. An alluring ripe cherry, raspberry and rose petal nose, with nuances of mushroom and cardamom. The fruit shines through on ... Learn MoreValli 'Gibbston Vineyard' Pinot Noir 2019NZ$69.99 Per item
- A highly sought after library release from Otago's legendary producers, Matt & James Dicey. A single vineyard wine from the Black Rabbit vineyard, one of the best in Bannockburn. This engaging and mesmerising wine offers a seductive bouquet which shows sweet ... Learn More
- A real gem for lovers of Waitaki, showing incredible consistency in the perfume and minerality of the wines. Engaging and fragrant in it's youth with fruit aromas of wild strawberry, sweet cherry, and plum married with sage, wild thyme and ... Learn MoreValli 'Waitaki Vineyard' Pinot Noir 2019NZ$79.99 Per item
- 16 barrels are carefully selected to create the finest of Carrick's pinot noirs, and only made in vintages worthy to carry the name "Excelsior". 18 months in barrel (30% new), followed by one year of bottle ageing before release, this flagship pinot displays ... Learn MoreCarrick Bannockburn 'Excelsior' Pinot Noir 2017NZ$89.99 Per item
- James Suckling: "Fresh aromas of red cherries and red-plum pastry here. This has very attractive, alluring style." Situated in Bannockburn, the vineyard is named after Sam Neill's father who ran the family's wine merchant business Neill & Co. The Fusilier is 5.6 ... Learn More
- Traditionally a blend of predominantly Alexandra fruit from their Last Chance and Red Bank farm vineyards. Sam Neill and team have upped the ante by launching their now fully-accredited organic status with BioGro logos on their labels. Aromas of bright ... Learn More
- A unique parcel within Rippon, Emma’s Block faces eastward on the lakefront where ancient clay reefs run laterally through fine schist gravels. Emma’s Block is named after the great-great-great grandmother of the current generation of the Mills family, ... Learn MoreRippon Emma's Block Pinot Noir 2018NZ$99.99 Per item