Gibbston is the highest, coolest sub-region within the Otago region on New Zealand’s south island. It is named after the community of Gibbston east of Queenstown and in the Wakatipu Basin. Running through the valley is the Kawarau River which forms the spectacular Kawarau Gorge. The first commercially bottled wines from Gibbston date from 1987. Many of the vineyards and wineries lie next to the SH6 road. 

Site selection: The extreme climate imposes the need for careful site selection, with north-facing hillside sites most likely to provide the required ripeness levels, even if vines ripen later here than neighbouring sub-regions. 

Bibliography

Wines of New Zealand

Oxford Companion to Wine 4th edition ed. Jancis Robinson MW and Julia Harding MW (Oxford University Press, 2015).