Gibbston Valley Winery & Restaurant — Restaurant in South Island

The Gibbston Valley wine tasting experience was one of the highlights of our trip to the Queenstown region! Nestled in a stunning landscape of rugged mountains and rolling vineyards, Gibbston Valley offers not only world-class wines but also an atmosphere that is both elegant and relaxed.

From the moment we arrived, the staff was warm, welcoming, and incredibly knowledgeable. Our wine host took us through a curated tasting flight featuring a variety of their signature wines — including their acclaimed Pinot Noir, which was exceptional. Each pour was accompanied by detailed background on the grape, the winemaking process, and the unique characteristics of the region’s terroir.

The wine cave tour was a real treat — walking through New Zealand’s largest wine cave was fascinating and added a special dimension to the overall experience. It’s cool, atmospheric, and packed with barrels aging some of their finest wines.

We also enjoyed a delicious lunch at the Gibbston Valley Restaurant, which perfectly complemented the wine tasting. The food was fresh, locally sourced, and beautifully presented.

The surroundings are absolutely picturesque, making it easy to spend a few relaxed hours here. Whether you’re a seasoned wine enthusiast or just curious to explore Central Otago wines, this is a must-visit destination. The experience is polished but unpretentious — you’ll leave with great memories, a deeper appreciation for the craft of winemaking, and probably a bottle or two...

I would never recommend this wine farm. Besides the lack of view from inside, and lack of atmosphere, the whole experience was terrible. It was Easter Sunday and we had walked from Chard winery and had some an incredible wine tasting, then walked to Gibbsons. When we arrved it was almost 3pm and the restaurant was closing. We just wanted a tasting or glass of wine and a cheese board to share. We were informed that we needed to buy 4 platters or sides in order to be served one glass of wine each. We deeply regret our decision to stay. We forced ourselves to pick four boards/side dishes. It was ridiculous the amount of food. It was enough food to feed 4 people. Totally unnessesary to be made to order that much food between two people, just to be able to order one glass of wine each and the intentuon to not be intoxicated. On top of it, the smaller portion sides weren't available anymore/sold out, and no consideration was given to the fact of the amount of food we had to order to just to have a glass of wine. I so wish we hadn't stayed. It was 100% not worth it. I understand rules (apparently legally tjey could only sell one unit of alcohol per main meal on Easter Sunday) but a little bit of reasonable logic from the institution would have gone a long way. We were not remotely intoxicated when we arrived, and one platter to share and a glass of wine each, would have had us walking back on the wine route...

Yesterday was our first time going to Gibbston, after some holidays in Bendigo, we decided to got for lunch on set menu matching wines, which you’ll think it’s the best option to experience the food and of course, the wine in a famous winery in NZ.

Service was terrible, no one explained anything about the food and wine, the waiter seemed rushed, don’t know why, cause the restaurant was not even busy. Maybe because we look younger than the usual customers? Like, no knowledge or money to spend? That’s nonsense and frustrating.

We were still drinking the starters Pinot Gris, didn’t even ask us if we were ready for the mains and just simply came with the red wine. I had to say to hold back the food and he said he had already sent mains away to the kitchen, not being understanding and sympathetic at all. We work in hospitality and I know this wasn’t a high standard service you would expect for Gibbston Valley, especially for the price we paid. Not recommend it, instead, choose a smaller winery, attentive service and generous and friendly staff.

The only good thing was the food, non innovative but tasty, compliments...