Kinross

What Kinross does

Kinross Winery is a privately-held wine company and hospitality destination located on a 40-acre property at 2300 Gibbston Highway in Central Otago, New Zealand, within the Kawarau Gibbston Dark Sky Park. Founded in 2013 by owners Christine and John Erkkila, with the first own-label vintage released in 2018, Kinross operates as the combined cellar door for five boutique wineries — its own Kinross label, Hawkshead, High Garden, Valli, and Wild Irishman — producing and selling Central Otago Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, and Chardonnay, alongside specialty imports such as Crémant de Bourgogne. The business runs six integrated revenue streams: direct wine sales via a Shopify-powered e-commerce store and on-site cellar door; three-tier quarterly wine club subscriptions priced NZD $99-$159; guided wine tasting experiences (NZD $25-$75 per person); on-site bistro dining with seasonal menus by Head Chef Pete Franklin; 14 vineyard cottage studios (NZD $299-$349 per night); and weddings and corporate events for 2-200 guests across four all-weather function spaces.

The technology stack is commodity hospitality SaaS: Shopify for online wine sales and international shipping to ~50+ countries including the USA, UK, Australia, China, Japan, and Singapore; ResDiary for bistro reservations; ivvy for event bookings; and Microsoft Azure for data hosting. There is no proprietary AI/ML infrastructure or custom platform development disclosed. Customer engagement is delivered through 7 named Wine Advisors (WSET-qualified staff) providing in-person guided tastings, with the wine club and cottage discounts serving as the primary retention mechanics.

The customer base is fragmented across four segments — wine enthusiasts and collectors, tourists and leisure travelers visiting the Queenstown region, corporate retreat groups, and wedding parties — with no named enterprise anchors and no disclosed external investors, funding rounds, or M&A activity. Distribution is anchored by the physical Gibbston cellar door and supplemented by direct-to-consumer e-commerce, email newsletters, Instagram (@kinross_nz), and GTM partnerships with regional adventure operators (AJ Hackett Bungy, Oxbow Adventures, Moke Lake Horse Treks). The company is family-owned, with Christine and John Erkkila as owners and Pete Franklin as Head Chef.

Name

Kinross

Legal name

Kinross Winery

Website

https://kinross.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kinross Winery is a privately-held cellar door and hospitality destination in Gibbston, Central Otago, New Zealand, aggregating wines from five boutique wineries (Kinross, Hawkshead, High Garden, Valli, Wild Irishman) and offering tastings, bistro dining, vineyard cottage accommodation, weddings, and DTC e-commerce for wine enthusiasts and Queenstown tourists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wine Retail & Hospitality

NAICS

Wineries (312130), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)

SIC

Hotels & Motels (7011)

akta.pro primary industry

Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Alcohol Subscription & Wine Clubs (Retail) (CRANABAF), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD), Fine Wine & Luxury Spirits Retail (CRANABAE)

Keywords

• Wine cellar door
• Vineyard accommodation
• Wine tasting experiences
• Wine subscription club
• Vineyard event venue

Headquarters

HQ city

Queenstown

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Wine Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of wines from five partner wineries (Hawkshead, High Garden, Kinross, Valli, Wild Irishman) through the Kinross Cellar Door and online shop. Wines are sold in individual bottles, mixed packs, and case specials with pricing ranging from approximately $35-150 NZD per bottle.
2. Wine Club Subscriptions: Recurring subscription model with multiple tiers (Favourites from $99, Classic from $149, Valli Selection from $159) offering quarterly deliveries of curated wines with member-only discounts up to 15% and exclusive access to library wines.
3. Wine Tasting Experiences: Guided wine tasting experiences ranging from $25-75 per person, including Classic Experience ($30), Pinot Noir Experience ($50 min 6 people), Premium Central Otago Experience ($75 min 6 people), and partner winery experiences.
4. Bistro Dining: On-site bistro serving seasonal menus with lunch (11am-3pm), afternoon (3pm-5pm), and takeaway evening dining options. Head Chef Pete Franklin creates menus inspired by Central Otago produce.
5. Vineyard Cottage Accommodation: 14 studio cottage rooms on 40-acre property with rates from $299-349 per night including breakfast, wine tasting, and hot tub access. Winter stay specials and ski season packages available.
6. Events and Venue Hire: Corporate events, meetings, conferences, weddings, and private functions in four all-weather function spaces accommodating 2-200 guests. Packages include catering, wine experiences, and accommodation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kinross is a multi-brand cellar door in Gibbston, Central Otago, New Zealand, selling wines from five partner wineries (Hawkshead, High Garden, Kinross own-label, Valli, and Wild Irishman) alongside its own Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, and Gewürztraminer. The property combines wine retail with a bistro, 14 vineyard cottages, and four function spaces for weddings and corporate events. Wine club subscriptions and curated tasting experiences drive recurring engagement.

Product overview

Kinross is a multi-brand wine retailer and hospitality destination in Gibbston, Central Otago, New Zealand, operating as the cellar door for five partner wineries: Hawkshead, High Garden, Kinross (own label), Valli, and Wild Irishman. The business combines direct-to-consumer wine sales through an e-commerce platform with physical hospitality services including wine tastings, bistro dining, vineyard cottage accommodation, and event venues for weddings and corporate functions. Wine offerings span Pinot Noir, Rosé, Sparkling, and White Varietals (Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc) across the five partner brands, with specialty imports like Crémant de Bourgogne. Wine club subscriptions provide recurring deliveries with member benefits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kinross Own-Label Wine
• Hawkshead Wines
• High Garden Wines
• Valli Wines
• Wild Irishman Wines
• Kinross Wine Club
• Crémant de Bourgogne (Vitteaut-Alberti)
• Wine Accessories
• Wine Tasting Experiences
• Kinross Bistro
• Vineyard Cottages
• Vineyard Weddings
• Meetings, Conferences & Corporate Events

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• HawksheadcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHawkshead is a 'Single Estate' Vineyard specializing in Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Riesling. Registered with Sustainable Wine Growing New Zealand and working toward organic status. Denis and Ulrike combine new and old world winemaking techniques. Kinross serves as their cellar door and exclusive retail channel.
• High GardencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoutique winery with Robin Tedder MW (Master of Wine) as proprietor and winemaker - the only MW in Central Otago. Located at 420-490m altitude, the highest vineyard in Gibbston. Produces exceptional single vineyard Pinot Noir expressing truthful terroir. Kinross showcases and sells High Garden wines.
• VallicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAward-winning Central Otago winery led by Grant Taylor (four-time trophy winner for Best Pinot Noir) and Head Winemaker Jen Parr. Valli creates true representations of Otago sub-regions: Bendigo, Waitaki, Bannockburn, and Gibbston. Kinross offers a dedicated Valli Wine Club selection.
• Wild IrishmancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBoutique Central Otago wine label co-owned by Alan Brady (wine pioneer and founder of Gibbston Valley Wines) and Brian Shaw. Kinross is the exclusive NZ stockist for Wild Irishman wines. Wild Irishman produces distinctive Pinot Noir from various Central Otago sub-regions.
• Jen Parr (Independent Winemaker)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTalented winemaker who creates wines for Kinross alongside Grant Taylor from Valli. Represents the collaborative approach where Kinross engages experienced winemakers to craft their wines.
• Moke Lake Horse TreksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration for 'Wine & Ride' experience combining horse trekking through the valley with wine tasting at Kinross. Example event on 26th April demonstrates partnership approach with local operators.
• Oxbow AdventuresminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAdventure operator collaboration for corporate retreats and group functions, offering combined wine experiences with activities within 5 minutes of Kinross.
• AJ Hackett BungyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerQueenstown adventure operator collaboration for corporate retreats offering combined experiences with bungy jumping activities near Kinross.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Saint Clair Family Estate: Marlborough winery with cellar door, restaurant, and wine club. Comparable NZ premium winery with DTC e-commerce and subscription offerings, operating in a similar boutique-to-mid-market tier.
• Rippon Vineyard: Lake Wanaka-based biodynamic Central Otago winery with cellar door and event/wedding hosting. Comparable combination of premium biodynamic Pinot Noir production and vineyard hospitality venue.
• Mudbrick Vineyard: Waiheke Island winery combining cellar door, bistro restaurant, vineyard cottage-style accommodation, and wedding venue. Closest functional analogue to Kinross's integrated wine + dining + accommodation + events destination model, albeit on Waiheke Island rather than Central Otago.
• Peregrine Wines: Central Otago winery (Bendigo sub-region) operating a cellar door and restaurant. Comparable premium Pinot Noir producer with destination hospitality offering in the same regional category as Kinross.
• Gibbston Valley Wines: The pioneering Gibbston winery founded by Alan Brady (now co-owner of Wild Irishman, a Kinross partner) with its own cellar door, restaurant, and cheesery in the same valley. Most directly comparable single-location Central Otago winery-and-hospitality destination.
• Mt Difficulty Wines: Bannockburn/Cromwell-based Central Otago winery with cellar door and restaurant. Directly comparable as a wine tourism destination combining premium Pinot Noir with on-site dining in the Otago region.
• Quartz Reef: Bendigo, Central Otago winery producing premium Pinot Noir and Méthode Traditionnelle sparkling. Comparable single-region premium producer positioned in the same wine tourism ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Cloudy Bay: Iconic Marlborough winery (now LVMH-owned) with cellar door and broader fine wine distribution. Comparable as a premium NZ winery brand with cellar door experience, though much larger and broader portfolio.
• Villa Maria Estate: One of New Zealand's largest and most established wine producers with cellar doors, wine club, and DTC channels. Comparable wine club and DTC infrastructure, though at far greater scale and portfolio breadth.

Regional players

• Winetopia: NZ-based wine tasting event series bringing multiple wineries together under one consumer experience. Conceptually analogous to Kinross's multi-winery-under-one-roof model but as a touring event format rather than a fixed destination.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/kinross_nz
• Facebookfacebook.com/kinrossgibbston
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kinross-nz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kinross