Appellation Wine Tours - Queenstown, NZ

What Appellation Wine Tours - Queenstown, NZ does

Appellation Wine Tours is a privately-held, Queenstown-based tour operator founded in 1999 that runs guided wine tasting experiences across the Central Otago region of New Zealand's South Island. Its product portfolio is structured around four pillars: small-group daily tours (Gourmet Food and Wine, Boutique, Classic, and Queenstown Highlights), private and custom tours (including Heli, Golf, Whiskey and Wine, and Twilight Stars variants), combo tours pairing wine with adventure operators (KJet jet boats, Ziptrek Ecotours, Real NZ / TSS Earnslaw, Millbrook golf), and ancillary services such as conference/incentive group programs and premium transport and transfers. The operation is built around an electric vehicle fleet (Ford Transit EVs and a Tesla Model Y) with on-site EV charging at its Frankton headquarters, an online booking system powered by Rezdy, and a network of expert local wine guides. Maximum group size is capped at 12 adults to preserve a personalized experience.

The company's commercial model is direct-to-consumer and unit-priced in NZD, with adult tickets ranging from approximately $249 NZD (Boutique Tour) to $379 NZD (Zip and Sip) and custom/private itineraries priced on application. Distribution is via the company website, phone, email, and gift voucher storefront, with Tripadvisor serving as a key mid-funnel discovery channel (1,443 reviews, 'Excellent' rating, Travellers Choice 2023). Customer segments skew toward international leisure visitors to Queenstown (Australia, USA, UK, Asia-Pacific), solo travelers, special-occasion groups, and a smaller corporate/MICE vertical served via bespoke enquiry. The business carries Qualmark Gold Status (2017–2024), a 5-star NZ Transport Agency Operator Rating, the Tiaki Promise, and a Tourism Sustainability Commitment, and operates seven days a week from 8am–8pm with complimentary central-Queenstown hotel pickups. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; no parent company, venture investment, or acquisition activity is identified in the source material.

Name

Appellation Wine Tours - Queenstown, NZ

Legal name

Appellation Wine Tours

Website

https://appellationwinetours.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Appellation Wine Tours, founded 1999 in Queenstown, New Zealand, operates small-group, private, and combo wine tasting tours across Central Otago using an electric vehicle fleet, serving international tourists, corporate groups, and special-occasion travelers via direct online booking.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wine Tourism Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Culinary & Wine Travel Agencies (THAKAFAH)

Keywords

• Wine tourism services
• Guided wine tours
• Vineyard tour experiences
• Central otago wine
• Private wine tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Queenstown

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Wine Tour Experiences: Daily small-group wine tours, private tours, and custom wine tours through Central Otago wine regions. All-inclusive pricing covering transport, food, and wine tastings.
2. Gift Vouchers: Gift vouchers sold for wine tour experiences, valid for 12 months from purchase date. Redeemable across wide selection of Queenstown and Central Otago wine tours.
3. Corporate Conference & Incentive Tours: Custom-designed group tours for conference and incentive groups, working with PCOs to design seamless corporate itineraries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Appellation Wine Tours operates premium small-group and private guided wine tour experiences through New Zealand's Central Otago wine region from Queenstown. The offering includes daily small-group tours, private tailored tours, combo tours pairing wine with adventure activities, corporate and incentive group tours, and luxury transport/transfer services, with all-inclusive pricing covering transport, gourmet food, and wine tastings across sub-regions such as Gibbston, Bannockburn, Cromwell, Wanaka, Bendigo, and Alexandra.

Product overview

Appellation Wine Tours is a premium wine tour operator offering a portfolio of small-group daily tours, private tailor-made experiences, and custom/combo tours through New Zealand's Central Otago wine region. The core product lineup includes: four daily small-group tours (Gourmet Food and Wine Tour, Boutique Wine Tour, Classic Wine Tour, and Queenstown Highlights Tour); multiple private tour variants (Private Gourmet, Private Whiskey and Wine, Private Boutique, Private Signature, Private Heli and Wine, Private Golf and Wine, Private Twilight); combo tours pairing wine experiences with activities (Zip and Sip, Jet Boat and Wine, Cruise and Wine, Golf and Wine); and custom services including conference/incentive group tours and transport/transfers. The company also offers gift vouchers. All tours operate as tour experiences rather than software products, focusing on guided wine tastings, vineyard visits, gourmet dining, and scenic experiences across Central Otago's sub-regions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Gourmet Food and Wine Tour Full-day premium small-group wine tasting tour showcasing the best sights and tastes of Central Otago, including a guided tour through the largest underground wine cave at Gibbston Valley Winery and a 5-dish gourmet lunch at The Stoaker Room, for tourists visiting Queenstown.
• Boutique Wine Tour Full-day small-group wine tasting tour across four premium vineyards in three contrasting Central Otago sub-regions, with a vineyard restaurant lunch, aimed at wine enthusiasts and tourists.
• Classic Wine Tour Afternoon small-group tour in the Gibbston Valley (Valley of the Vines) featuring guided wine tastings at iconic and boutique vineyards, aimed at visitors with limited time.
• Queenstown Highlights Tour Morning guided sightseeing tour covering Queenstown's main attractions and scenic highlights, for visitors seeking a general orientation of the region.
• Twilight Stars and Wine Tour Winter twilight tour combining fine wine, seasonal hosted dinner, private wine tasting, and guided stargazing at Kawarau Gibbston Dark Sky Park, for visitors seeking a unique after-dark experience.
• Private Wine Tours Tailored half-day and full-day private wine tour itineraries visiting premium vineyards with customizable inclusions such as gourmet food, whiskey pairings, helicopter flights, golf, and twilight experiences, for individuals, couples, families, and small groups.
• Custom Wine Tours Fully customized wine tours where clients choose their own vineyards, timings, and inclusions for a personalized day in Central Otago wine country.
• Conference and Incentive Group Tours Custom-designed group tours for conference and incentive travel programs, including corporate tours, partner programs, and bespoke itineraries for groups from 2 to 100+ guests, serving PCOs and corporate event organisers.
• Transport and Transfers Premium private transport and luxury transfer services in Queenstown including airport transfers, point-to-point transport, hotel transfers, and private driver hire in a fleet of sedans, mini-vans, luxury coaches, and electric vehicles.
• Zip and Sip Tour Combo tour combining a 4-line ziplining experience with Ziptrek Ecotours and the afternoon Classic Wine Tour through the Gibbston wine region, for adventure-travel visitors seeking variety.
• Jet Boat and Wine Tour Combo tour pairing a 1-hour KJet jet boat ride on Lake Wakatipu, Shotover and Kawarau rivers with the Boutique Wine Tour visiting four vineyards across three sub-regions, for adventure-seeking visitors.
• Cruise and Wine Tour Combo tour pairing a 90-minute scenic cruise on the historic TSS Earnslaw coal-fired steamship with visits to three Central Otago vineyards and a guided underground wine cave tour, for visitors seeking a heritage Queenstown experience.
• Golf and Wine Tour Combo tour combining 9 holes of morning golf at Millbrook Golf Course with an afternoon Boutique Wine Tour, for visitors wanting a sport-plus-wine day.
• Gift Vouchers Prepaid gift vouchers valid for 12 months redeemable across the company's full selection of Queenstown and Central Otago wine tours, for gift-givers purchasing experiences for friends, family, or special occasions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 1,500 verified 5-star Tripadvisor reviews
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Destination QueenstowncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial tourism partnership with the official Queenstown website for accommodation, activities, wine, events and more. Supports destination marketing and visitor referrals.
• QualmarkcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTourism certification body that helps industry deliver high-quality experiences. Appellation holds Gold Status through annual independent assessments.
• Tourism Industry AotearoaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational tourism industry body representing New Zealand's diverse tourism industry.
• Tourism Export Council of New ZealandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTrade association representing inbound tourism industry interests.
• Love QueenstowncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal non-profit environment group raising funds for grassroots environmental action including wildlife restoration and conservation work. Appellation makes annual contributions for predator trap purchases to support predator-free Whakatipu vision.
• KJetcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJet boat adventure partner for Jet Boat and Wine combo tour. Guests meet at KJet check-in for adrenaline jet boat experience before joining afternoon wine tour.
• Ziptrek EcotourscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorZiplining adventure partner for Zip and Sip combo tour. 4-line ziplining experience through forest canopy followed by Classic Wine Tour.
• Real NZ (TSS Earnslaw)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHistoric steamship cruise partner for Cruise and Wine combo tour. 90-minute scenic cruise on 114-year-old coal-fired TSS Earnslaw before afternoon wine tour.
• Gibbston Valley CheeseryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHandcrafted cheese producer located in vineyard setting. Products available on lunch platters and gift boxes.
• The Stoaker RoomcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRestaurant partner for Gourmet Food & Wine Tour. Food cooked in retired Pinot Noir oak barrels, famous for slow cooking and wine pairings. Owner Quintin also founded Wild Earth Wines.
• Scenic New ZealandminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSouth Island coach touring, school charters, private transport for conferences and events. Coaches available for private hire.
• Intercity CoachlinesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndependent coach travel with range of scheduled services for getting around New Zealand.
• Pacific TourwaysminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLeading coach hire and charter operator servicing North and South Island.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wine Adventures Queenstown: Queenstown-based wine tour operator offering small-group tours through Gibbston and Central Otago with lunch pairings. Direct competitor for similar premium small-group wine experiences.
• Around The Basin Tours: Queenstown wine tour operator running daily small-group tours to Central Otago wineries with lunch inclusions. Closely matched on product format, customer profile, and pricing band.
• NZ Wine Tours: New Zealand-wide wine tour company with Queenstown/Central Otago offerings including small-group and private tours. Comparable on premium wine tourism positioning and tour-guide-led experiences.
• Queenstown Wine Trail: Specialist wine tour operator in Queenstown offering daily small-group and self-guided wine experiences across Central Otago. Competes head-to-head on the same vineyards and tourist segments.
• Altitude Tours: Queenstown-based small-group and private wine tour operator running daily tours through Central Otago sub-regions (Gibbston, Bannockburn, Cromwell). Directly comparable on itinerary structure, customer base (international tourists), and tour format.

Regional players

• Millbrook Resort (Golf): Queenstown golf and lifestyle resort partnering with Appellation on the Millbrook Golf and Wine combo. Comparable as a premium Queenstown experience provider that bundles with wine tourism.
• Ziptrek Ecotours: Queenstown zipline operator and Appellation's combo partner on the Zip and Sip Tour. Comparable as an adventure-tourism operator in the same Queenstown ecosystem.
• Real Journeys (TSS Earnslaw): Heritage tourism operator running the TSS Earnslaw steamship cruises; Appellation's Cruise and Wine Tour partner. Comparable as a Queenstown tourism operator with cross-sell arrangements.
• Kiwi Discovery: Queenstown small-group tour operator offering wine, scenic, and combo tours. Comparable on tour format and tourist customer base, though broader than wine-only.
• KJet Queenstown: Queenstown jet boat operator and combo-tour channel partner with Appellation (Jet Boat and Wine Tour). Comparable as a Queenstown adventure-tourism operator with bundled wine offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AppellationWineTours%C2%A0
• Instagraminstagram.com/appellationwinetours
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/appellationwinetours

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Appellation Wine Tours - Queenstown, NZ