Appellation Wine Tours - Gourmet Food & Wine Tour

Your experienced wine guide will lead you on a tasting journey, traveling in style in a luxury Mercedes-Benz minivan, through the three main contrasting wine sub-regions of Gibbston, Cromwell and the Bannockburn basin.

Enjoy a guided tour through New Zealand’s largest underground wine cave at Gibbston Valley Winery, and savor a unique 5-dish gourmet lunch cooked in retired oak barrels and perfectly matched with 5 wines at The Stoaker Room restaurant.

You will also have an opportunity to retrace history with a visit to the historical settlements of Arrowtown, and Old Cromwell (when time permits). Learn about the early pioneering history and how the wine region was formed through an array of fun facts and interesting stories from your knowledgeable wine guide. At the end of the tour you will be returned to your accommodation.

Experience premium tasting at 4 different vineyards and learn about how the subtle changes in climate affect the flavors of wine in this region.

Outside of 48 hours before departure:

– Booking dates can be changed to a different date or time at no extra cost, subject to availability.

– Bookings can be refunded less a $10 (per transaction) penalty if booked through our Real Time Booking System. This will be refunded back onto the card payment was made with. Please allow upto 10 working days for this to clear.

– Any booking paid by a NEW ZEALAND bank account can be fully refunded less a $10 (per transaction) penalty. This will be refunded back into the nominated bank account and will appear within 3-5 days.

– Any booking paid by INTERNATIONAL direct deposit can be fully refunded less a $15 (per transaction) penalty and the amount will depend on the conversion rate on the day the refund is processed. This should appear with 5-10 days.

Inside 48 hours before departure:

– Bookings can not be rescheduled and no refund will be issued.

Transfers or cancellations can be phoned through on +643 442 6920 between the hours of 8am-8pm NZD time, or emailed through to [email protected]

Cancellation / Refund / Reissue Policy

Outside of 48 hours before departure:

– Booking dates can be reissued or changed to a different date or time at no extra cost, subject to availability.

– Bookings can be refunded less a $10 (per transaction) penalty if booked through our Real Time Booking System. This will be refunded back onto the card payment was made with. Please allow upto 10 working days for this to clear.

– Any booking paid by a NEW ZEALAND bank account can be fully refunded less a $10 (per transaction) penalty. This will be refunded back into the nominated bank account and will appear within 3-5 days.

– Any booking paid by INTERNATIONAL direct deposit can be fully refunded less a $15 (per transaction) penalty and the amount will depend on the conversion rate on the day the refund is processed. This should appear with 5-10 days.

Inside 48 hours before departure:

– Bookings can not be reissued and no refund will be issued.

Transfers or cancellations can be phoned through on +643 442 6920 between the hours of 8am-8pm NZD time, or emailed through to [email protected]

Refund Policy due to an announcement of Lockdown / Sudden Change of Levels

Our standard refund policy applies, with bookings being fully refundable up to 48 hours prior to departure (minus a $10 transaction fee).
If there are any sudden changes to alert levels inside 48 hours notice, please notify as soon as possible that your travel has been affected. We will work with you to either refund, hold or adjust the date. Any change of booking will be subject to availability.
Proof of flight cancellations may be requested at the time of cancellation before refunds are issued.
Operating with a Conscience
As a long-standing Queenstown tourism operator, we are extremely grateful to have had many years of showcasing Queenstown and the many wine regions of Central Otago and we are committed to delivering a world-class visitor experience for many years to come.

However, we are mindful that having a clean, beautiful and pristine landscape in which to operate in is not to be taken for granted and as such we recognise that it is our responsibility to operate our business in a mindful and sustainable manner.

Environmental Stability
Appellation Wine Tours is fully committed to making a positive impact in all aspects of our business, from positive visitor experiences to positive impacts on the environment that we work in.

We are committed to the environment and not only take active steps to minimise the impact of our operation ourselves but also enable our customers to be environmental stewards themselves by encouraging a reduction of collective impact. Our little piece of paradise will be preserved for the many generations of visitors, locals and businesses to come.

Some of our environmental efforts include:

Our current environmental initiatives are as follows:

We have a 5-star Operator Rating which is the highest level of safety rating, given by the New Zealand Transport Agency.
All vehicles use Michelin tyres which contribute to fuel efficiency, longevity, and a quieter ride for the enjoyment of passengers.
Vehicles are serviced at manufacturers recommended intervals to reduce fuel usage and emissions.
All cleaning detergents used are bio-degradable.
The majority of the vineyards visited are Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand accredited vineyards.
Our key restaurants use locally sourced produce supporting the local economy.
All paper used in the office and brochures produced are made from either recycled or sustainably managed forests and controlled sources.
Mixed and glass recycling is available at our vehicle base and office.
Guests are not required to print vouchers (we operate as voucherless).
Our printer is defaulted to double sided printing, with a draft level of printing, and ink cartridges are refilled locally.
All single-side printed paper that comes into the office is reused.
All equipment is turned off at the end of the day to reduce power usage.
All lights in the office are energy saver lights.
We only use rechargeable batteries.
Appellation Wine Tours are proud sponsors of the Wakatipu Wildlife Trust and are involved with re-setting traps within the region.
We are strong supporters of Predator Free NZ and strongly recommend others to assist with predator control work.
Sustainable Proof
Each year our business takes part in an independent assessment governed by Qualmark, which takes an in-depth look into all aspects of the business – Economics, Health & Safety, Environment and Social / People. Our business works hard to ensure a quality experience in all areas and we are proud to have received a Gold Status award from 2017 – 2021.

We also take pride in being part of the Tourism Sustainability Commitment in which our Sustainability Plan addresses the twelve business commitments in which we have achieved or are working towards achieving. The commitments outline three goals under four key aspects; Economic, Visitor, Community and Environment.

Supporting Local
In the interests of giving back, we support a local environment group, Whakatipu Wildlife Trust.

As a non-profit organisation they rely heavily on financial support from the public to continue and expand their wildlife restoration and conservation work. Our annual contributions towards the purchase of predator traps will help to realise the vision of a predator-free Whakatipu and protect bird’s eggs, chicks and other native species. For the sake of social causes, we also make annual donations to local charities and support local events.

We’re continually improving the sustainability of our operations by assessing the impact of existing practices, identifying new opportunities and evaluating our sustainability goals.

Make sure to check in at the location  specified in your confirmation at least 15 minutes before the  tour begins.

Cancellations & Refunds

If your service provider cancels the tour or activity you have booked, then you are entitled to a full refund.

Happy Travels New Zealand does not refund in cash and can only refund back onto your Visa, Mastercard or American Express.

Fees paid to Happy Travels for credit card fees, deposits, bus tickets and luggage storage are non-refundable or transferable.

If you decide to cancel your activities or accommodation for any reason, a 50% Cancellation Fee will be applied. In addition to Happy Travels Cancellation Fee, you may also be liable for any cancellation fees charged by the service provider as per their own terms and conditions. It is therefore possible your cancellation fees could be up to 100% of the cost of the booking (for example cancellations made within 24hrs of travel).
Booking Confirmations

Your Responsibilities
Trips with booked dates: It is your responsibility to ensure the dates on vouchers are correct and correspond to your own itinerary, including any transport tickets, campervans & bed nights. Please double-check that the pick-up locations for your selected tours are correct. The times printed on your tickets are generally the departure times of the tours you have booked, arrive 15 minutes prior to the time stated on your voucher to ensure you are on time. If you are late for a tour, the tour operator reserves the right to mark you as a no- show and charge a 100% cancellation fee.

All bookings must be reconfirmed 48 hours in advance by contacting your tour provider directly using the contact information listed on your tour voucher.

You may either re-schedule directly with the supplier or you can email our support team on [email protected] and include your voucher number, name of product you booked, planned departure date and your contact details. Once you’ve emailed us, you can drop us a line at +64 340 90 978

Yes, we do have open dated/flexible tickets available. Most tour vouchers are valid for 12 months from date of purchase, however please be aware that you may be subject to supplier price fluctuations. All ticket validity is specified on the tour voucher. If you are unsure of the validity of your voucher, just ask one of our wonderful staff.

If you need help with an existing booking please email us at [email protected], if your enquiry is urgent please follow up your email with a quick call on +64 340 90 978 so we can help you.

We endorse the recommendation of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade that all travellers take out travel insurance. If you already have travel insurance, please understand that it is your responsibility to ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all of the adventure style travel you have booked with us.

Absolutely, we understand that paying off a big trip in one go isn’t always that easy. We offer flexible payment plans to suit all types of travellers with zero interest or fee’s (minimum $100NZD deposit required).