19 April 2013
Gibbston Valley Winery continues to innovate, expand
One of Queenstown’s most popular visitor destinations, Gibbston Valley Winery, is to open a bike resort on Gibbston
Valley Station (April 27 2013), at the culmination of what has been a hugely successful year for the multi-award-winning
business.
Over the last year, the winery has opened a raft of new recreation, retail and food/wine outlets designed to cater for a
wide range of visitors and supportive locals.
As well as the new Rabbit Ridge Bike Resort opening, Gibbston Valley Winery has also opened a Gift Store, Vintner’s
Kitchen and Chef’s Pantry at its renowned winery site, as well as the Tasting Room in nearby Arrowtown.
The Tasting Room has proved such a success there are already plans underway to expand its offering to encompass all
elements of ‘good living’ – from award winning wines to Mediterranean and artisan-style food and products in a retail
space. A café and a delicatessen will serve the freshest of local produce and ‘treats’ direct from the kitchen of winery
chef Mark Sage.
Within the past year Gibbston Valley Winery has also joined forces with Alpine Entertainment to form Greenstone
Entertainment, with the aim of bringing high profile entertainers from around the world to perform concerts throughout
New Zealand, in some of the most breathtaking locations.
This year’s Summer Concert Series attracted record crowds to four locations around New Zealand, including Gibbston
Valley, and there are plans to expand the number and range of concerts on offer in the future.
Gibbston Valley Wines last year celebrated the 25th anniversary of its first commercial grape harvest, during which time
it has won more than 300 national and international wine awards.
In late 2012 two of Gibbston Valley Winery’s Pinot Noirs received coveted 5-star ratings in the prestigious Cuisine
magazine Pinot Noir awards, and the Gibbston Valley Central Otago Pinot Noir 2010 won a Pure Elite Gold at the 2011 Air
New Zealand Wine Awards and a Blue Gold at the Sydney International Wine Competition. The same wine also received five
stars in a tasting by Dish magazine.
Gibbston Valley Winery CEO Greg Hunt said the latest development, the bike resort, was an exceptionally exciting
innovation for the winery.
“We’re thrilled to expand the business so significantly with what we feel is a highly complementary venture,” said Mr
Hunt.
The winery has worked with local bike tour operator Around the Basin to create the dedicated bike resort. Located on
Gibbston Valley Station’s 400 hectares of land, Rabbit Ridge Bike Resort will be developed in stages, and will
ultimately feature 30km of tracks suitable for all levels of riders and a new bike trail linking the bike resort with
Gibbston Valley Winery.
The resort will open in stages with limited riding available over the coming winter months through packages, locals days
and events to allow the trails to be ‘bedded in’.
“This new project has developed very quickly as a result of the explosion in popularity of mountain biking in the
region,” said Mr Hunt. “This will be the areas only year-round dedicated and serviced bike resort and will help put
Queenstown on the map with biking enthusiasts everywhere.”
Future Gibbston Valley Winery plans also include a golf course and hotel on nearby station land, with construction
expected to get underway in 2014.
Mr Hunt said the combination of wine and food innovations as well as other associated developments were all
complementary in one way or another with the core wine business.
“Food, biking and of course retail are becoming part of winery ‘destination’ experiences all over New Zealand and around
the world,” he said. “Our goal is to offer the widest possible range of potential visitors an experience that offers
literally something for everyone -- fantastic wine and food, a stunning natural environment and outdoor pursuits, and
great music.”
Gibbston Valley Winery is home to New Zealand’s largest and innovative wine cave, available for wine tours, private
functions, weddings and special occasions and the Barrel Room for C functions and weddings.