Discover Central Otago: Wine Region Overview

Central Otago Wine Regions

Central Otago is a world-class wine region famed for its Pinot Noir varietal, where vineyards are ringed by snow-capped mountains, glistening rivers, rugged valleys and pristine lakes. It’s the southernmost wine region in the world at a latitude of 45° south, as well as being one of the world’s most scenic vineyard journeys.

Central Otago’s cool-climate wineries have a reputation for producing some of the world’s best Pinot Noir, winning international awards and accolades alongside other world-class Pinot Noir wine regions of Burgundy in France (the ‘home’ of Pinot Noir) and Oregon in the USA.

Queenstown is the gateway to the Central Otago wine region which is made up of six sub regions, all within an hour’s drive. Each with their own intense ‘flavour’, there is Gibbston (also known as the ‘Valley of the Vines’), Bannockburn, Cromwell/Pisa/Lowburn, Bendigo, Alexandra and Wanaka.

Discover how the terroir, temperature, climate and soils change from one valley or slope to another, creating the recognisable flavours of Central Otago Pinot Noir and other varietals including Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Rosé and Gewurztraminer. Find out more at http://www.cowa.org.nz/central-otago-wine-region.html

Central Otago is a relatively young wine region, which came to life when local legend and pioneer Alan Brady planted some of the first vines in Gibbston Valley and went on to found the winery and release its first commercial Pinot Noir in 1987. From small beginnings it has burgeoned into a world-class ‘New World’ wine industry that has made the ‘Old World’ wineries sit up and take notice