A most lavish tour
Takes to the air to experience Queenstown’s luxury heli-wine tour.
SLaura Baker
tanding on top of Isobel Glacier, looking down on the majestic Wanaka landscape below, a glass of Veuve Clicquot in hand, I realise I’d seriously underestimated the luxury heli-wine tour.
When I was told about the trip I assumed that dropping into wineries from a private helicopter would be a once in a lifetime treat. But now midtour with a wide smile permanently plastered to my face I happily concede that it’s far superior than anything I imagined.
The Rees Hotel launched the bespoke tours in conjunction with The Helicopter Line to cater to wine enthusiasts and high-end experience driven travellers. Teaming Queenstown and Wanaka sights with a few glasses of its finest, all from the best seat in the house - what’s not to love?
The standard tour includes stops at Mt Difficulty Winery, Rippon Vineyard and Cardrona Pub. However the private tours are personally tailored to each client. So you can pick and choose your stops as you please.
I meet the tour’s host, Mark Rose, general manager of The Rees, in the lobby of his five-star hotel.
‘‘Are you dressed warm enough?’’ he asks, ‘‘because I thought we could stop off at a glacier.’’
Rose, who has hosted the tour countless times for work and pleasure, has recently introduced the glacier visit to add that extra something and he’s eager to show it off.
Chauffeuring us to the airport he acknowledges that sure it’s not the cheapest tour in Queenstown, not by a long shot, but if you’re going to spend your money than you might as well spend it on the best, he justifies.
I’m sceptical, but it doesn’t last long. The moment the helicopter lifts up and the spectacular mountainous region reveals itself from the air I understand.
Our first stop is Rippon in Wanaka. It’s the most photographed winery in the world, according to locals.
‘‘Ready for the great reveal?’’ our pilot asks as we glide over the crest of Roys Peak, unveiling the spectacle of Lake Wanaka below.
Landing on the shores of the lake, winery visitors point and take photos of the helicopter. I imagine this is what it feels like to be royalty.
We’re waved in by cellar door manager Leslie Johnston who escorts us past the public tasting room and to our private table overlooking rows of pinot noir vines, Lake Wanaka and its surrounding mountains - its trademark view.
Johnston walks us through the wines ‘‘crafted alongside mother nature, without manipulation’’. Speaking of them as if they’re old friends.
Osteiner, gamay, Tinker’s Field pinot noir, sauvignon blanc, riesling and gewurztraminer, each an expression of the biodynamic agriculture, its soil, land and climate.
She’s thoroughly engaging, but I kept finding myself distracted by the view. The locals were right. I snap scores of photos before finally being pulled away.
Flying over Ruby Island and across the rugged tussock peaks of Mt Aspiring National Park we approach Isobel Glacier. The helicopter swoops over the large, vibrant blue cracks in the glacier before landing safely on the snow coated top, at around 7000ft.
It’s just two degrees outside, with a wind chill of God knows what, but that doesn’t stop us from disembarking and toasting to the memorable moment.
Descending off the Pisa Range we head through Cardrona Valley and on to the iconic Cardrona Pub. Originally built in 1863 during the gold rush era. It’s everything you’d hope for in a quintessential Kiwi pub.
We head for the large beer garden out the back, joining locals and tourists near the open fire for a lunch of fish and chips and burgers and a final drink for the day.
The writer travelled courtesy of The Rees and Destination Queenstown.