Twilight Stars and Wine Tour

$

Shared Tour

NZ$599 per person
4.5 hours

5.00pm – 9.30pm

3

Premium Locations

An indulgent and diverse evening of fine dining, wine tasting and stars

As the sun begins to dip behind the Remarkables mountains, your winter twilight tour begins with a complimentary hotel pick up where you'll meet your wine guide and host for the evening. Be introduced to the night ahead - a celebration of Central Otago wine, seasonal cuisine, and one of the Southern Hemisphere’s most spectacular night skies.

Your first stop is the luxurious Gibbston Valley Lodge & Spa, nestled in the pioneering Pinot Noir region. Here, your expert guide will take you on a storytelling journey, bringing to life the rich history and significance of this remarkable landscape. Once seated, enjoy an à la carte main course thoughtfully paired with a duo of wines. Relax into your surroundings, soak up the atmosphere, and savour the refined elegance of this five-star lodge.

The journey continues with a short drive to Waitiri Creek Cellar Door for a hosted wine tasting. Beautifully complemented by a decadent dessert platter, this experience is a treat in every sense. As you indulge, you’ll gain deeper insight into the region’s winemaking heritage and distinctive terroir.

As night falls, the final stop evokes a true sense of wonder. Settle in for a guided stargazing experience at Kawarau Gibbston Dark Sky Park. Using telescopes and laser pointers, your host brings the southern night sky into vivid focus, revealing constellations, planets, and celestial phenomena. There will be an opportunity for a photo under the stars taken by an astro-photographer.

As your evening draws to a close, you’ll be returned to your hotel, taking with you the memories of an unforgettable night of fine wine, outstanding food, and a deeper appreciation for Central Otago after dark.

Inclusions

  • Complimentary return hotel transfers
  • À la carte meal at Gibbston Valley Lodge & Spa
  • Hosted wine tasting and dessert at Waitiri Creek
  • 90 minute guided star gazing experience
  • Complimentary photo under the stars by astro-photographer 
  • NZD $599 per adult
  • NZD $249 per child - 10 to 17 years

 

* While we always hope for clear southern skies, weather conditions can sometimes prevent the stargazing portion of your evening from going ahead. Should this occur on the day of your tour, we’ll seamlessly replace it with another memorable final destination. Instead, finish the evening at one of Arrowtown’s hidden cocktail venues, where you can enjoy handcrafted cocktails, soak up the atmosphere and round off a wonderful evening.

Multi Award Winning Wine Tours

Don't just take our word for it! Our reviews speak for themselves...
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Steve W profile picture
Steve W
10 October 2026
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Excellent Wine Tour! Excellent experience with Appellation Wine Tours! The schedule and vineyards visited were wonderful, our guide was on-time and very helpful, all the logistics were great. We're very pleased and thankful, and so glad we did this!
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Michael O profile picture
Michael O
9 October 2026
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Tour of local wine producers in central Otago No-rush wine tour in central Otago.
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Heather S
8 October 2026
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Traveling Sherros Had a great day with our friendly guide John. He provided interesting facts with a lovely sense of pride as a local. The wines were better than expected and higher quality than the ones we can buy at home in Australia. We highly recommend this tour with this company the experience is very enjoyable and very informative. Thanks John.
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Samuel Y.
6 October 2026
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Good Vibes All Around John was a class act of a guide — knowledgeable, hilarious and the works. We were also fortunate to have an energetic and fun tour group which made the experience all the more enjoyable. The wines were wonderful so we couldn’t help but purchase a bottle from each winery. They also went the extra mile to return us a pair of sunnies that we left behind straight to our hotel. Highly recommend.
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Georg K profile picture
Georg K
3 October 2026
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Perfect excursion Perfectly organized and good information from the driver and winery staff. We love Sauvignon blanc and Pinot noir and therefore this area.
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belinda385
3 October 2026
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Belinda Jones This was a fantastic day! The wineries we went to were beautiful, the food and wine were amazing and our tour guide was very knowledgeable. We absolutely loved it.
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s8e046a7e183f4cba786
30 September 2026
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EXCELLENT TOUR Martin our guide was information and personable. The wineries were fantastic as was the wine. Lunch was amazing. I would highly recommend this tour.
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Krystal P
28 September 2026
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Five Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 We had the most wonderful day exploring the wineries with Martin and couldn’t recommend him highly enough! Martin’s knowledge of the area, together with his genuine love of the region, the wineries and what he does, was absolutely infectious. He brought the day to life with his stories, recommendations and local knowledge, and made us feel like we were discovering the very best of the region. His skills behind the camera also came in very handy throughout the day, he captured some beautiful moments for us, which was such an unexpected and thoughtful bonus! The absolute highlights of the day were Coal Pit Winery and our beautiful lunch at Mt Difficulty. Both were incredible, and Martin somehow managed to make every stop along the way feel just as special. He was professional, warm, knowledgeable and fun to spend the day with. We never felt rushed and could simply relax, enjoy the scenery, taste some beautiful wines and soak up the experience. Thank you, Martin, for making our day so memorable. We loved every minute and would absolutely recommend touring with Martin to anyone wanting to experience the region at its very best! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Krystal & Michael
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Lisa F
25 September 2026
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Great experience great tour guide I thought our tour guide TAIMI was terrific and would thoroughly recommend this tour
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Adam F profile picture
Adam F
24 September 2026
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Great experience Paul was an awesome driver and the wineries were great. Would definitely go again.

Frequently Asked Questions

All tours include complimentary hotel pickups from central Queenstown hotels. If you are staying outside central Queenstown or in alternative accommodation, we can usually arrange a pickup for you.

Please select your hotel from the dropdown menu when booking. If your accommodation is not listed or you are unsure, simply note where you are staying in the booking notes and we will confirm your pickup location and time with you.
We keep our daily tours to a maximum of 12 adults to ensure a personalised and interactive experience. If you have a larger group or would like a private tour, we can accommodate almost any size. Just send us your details through the enquiry form.
While our tours require a minimum of 2 people to run, single travellers are generally welcome, as there are usually other guests booked on the tour.
Children aged 6-17 are welcome on our daily wine tours. Children of any age can join our Queenstown Highlights Tour, while those aged 5 or under are welcome on private tours.
Yes – all vineyards offer shipping, though availability depends on the destination country. Each vineyard will run through these options at the end of your tasting. If there is a particular wine you are interested in trying or purchasing, please let us know when booking.
Our tours are all inclusive, with food, transport and wine tastings at each winery included in the price. You are more then welcome to purchase any favourite wines during the tour to take home or have shipped to your address.
We believe that to truly experience Central Otago wine, you need to go beyond the Gibbston Valley.
Appellation Wine Tours specialises in exploring Central Otago’s most celebrated wine sub-regions, including:

• Gibbston Valley (Valley of the Vines): home to pioneering vineyards and dramatic scenery.
• Bannockburn: renowned for its concentrated yet elegant Pinot Noir.
• Cromwell/Lowburn: known for beautifully balanced aromatic wines and outstanding Chardonnay.

To gain a genuine “Central Otago” experience, we believe it’s essential to venture into the Bannockburn and Cromwell regions and tastes their award-winning varietals.

Our Gourmet Food and Wine Tour and Boutique Wine Tour both visit the Gibbston wine sub-region (approximately 25 minutes from Queenstown) and the Bannockburn/Cromwell

Wine sub-regions (a further 25 minutes through the stunning Kawarau Gorge).

Our Classic Wine Tour focuses solely on the Gibbston Valley, visiting a carefully curated mix of larger, well-known wineries and smaller, family-run boutique vineyards.

Each sub-region has its own microclimate and story. We hand-select vineyards known for quality, warm hospitality, and distinctive winemaking philosophies. Expect a mix of iconic estates and hidden gems that give you a true taste of Central Otago.
We like to vary our vineyard visits from day to day, however some vineyards are exclusive to specific tours. Below is a selection of vineyards that may be visited on each tour, but please feel free to mention any preferences in the notes section when booking.

Gourmet Food and Wine Tour
Gibbston Valley Winery, Mt Rosa, Waitiri Creek, Brennan, Domain Rd, Terra Sancta, Te Kano, Carrick (tasting only), Akarua, Mt Difficulty, Misha's Vineyard, Domaine Thompson, The Stoaker Room (lunch venue), The Church.

Boutique Wine Tour
Peregrine, Amisfield, Chard Farm, Kinross, Mt Rosa, Waitiri Creek, Brennan, Matt Dicey, Terra Sancta, Te Kano, Carrick (lunch venue), Akarua, Mt Difficulty, Misha's Vineyard, Domaine Thompson, The Church.

Classic Wine Tour
Gibbston Valley Winery, Mt Rosa, Waitiri Creek, Brennan, Amisfield, Peregrine, The Church.

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