Queenstown area was significantly settled due to the Central Otago Gold Rush in the 1860s. A French immigrant gold miner, Jean Desire Feraud, could not find his luck by digging for Gold but soon started planting vines and embarking upon small-scale commercial wine production.
Late in the 19th century, the New Zealand government hired a winemaker to survey the country. He singled out Central Otago as a region of utmost potential.
While this early experimentation showed the wine-growing potential of the region, the wine industry did not survive for long on a commercial basis. Once the gold rush abated, the Central Otago economy turned to sheep farming and fruit production, and — once the world began to discover the stark natural beauty of New Zealand to skiing and tourism.
Starting in the 1950s, and up through the end of the 1970s, small scale trial plantings of vines began again. Vineyard planting and production remained modest until the middle of the 1990s when the industry began to expand rapidly.
Central Otago hosts the world's most southerly vineyards. The are near the 45th parallel.
Pinot Noir is the leading grape variety in Central Otago and is estimated to account for some 70% of plantings. The Pinot Noir is notoriously fikle and difficult to grow. Central Otago, however, with its combination of climate, terroir and determined winemaking appears to have the capacity to produce a world-class Pinot Noir that is increasingly sought-after. The grape there is producing elegant wines with great ageing potential that some experts believe will ultimately equal the best in the world.
The other 30% of production comes from Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer. The latter three in particular, amenable to Central Otago's climatic conditions and soil type, are showing great promise and may develop a reputation to match the Pinot Noirs.
Today you can travel in comfort and style through this living history. Join our tour into Skippers Canyon and combine this unparalled journey with wine tasting.
