Cromwell Classic Car Wine Tours

It centres on a 35km long by 15km wide sliver of paradise about an hour’s drive from Queenstown and under three quarters of an hour from Wanaka. Its name? The Cromwell Basin, home to around
70% of Central Otago’s vineyards and the birthplace of some of the world’s best
Pinot Noir.

With its stony soils created by the advance and retreat of glaciers and benefits of
New Zealand’s only Mediterranean climate, the Cromwell Basin is credited with 20
percent of New Zealand’s wine production in an area representing just 5 percent of
the country’s total vineyard land.

From our Cromwell home base we pickup and return a minimum of two and
maximum of four guests per tour from their accommodation in
Queenstown/Arrowtown, Wanaka/Hawea, Clyde/Alexandra and Cromwell in a rather
special vehicle. A classic dark blue1988 300SE Mercedes-Benz. To make you feel
even more spoilt, there’s the unmistakable aroma of leather as your host and tour
guide Bob Hewitt welcomes you with open doors.

More like travelling on a cloud than in a car, Bob will chauffeur you to four Cromwell
vineyards he’s selected where at each the viticulturist or wine maker will share their
knowledge, skills and talents. Leaving wine talk to these experts, Bob uses drive
time to inform guests about the Cromwell Basin and its history including gold mining
and the changes brought about by the building of the Clyde Dam.

Each tour is four to five hours plus pickup and return travel. A sumptuous wine
platter is also included in the per person price. Because of liquor laws, all guests
must be over 18. Pickup time is based on being at the first vineyard by 11.30am.
For more information and online booking please visit our website. We are also on
Facebook.