Kinross on the outskirts of Queenstown has been judged as having the country's best cellar door experience. The Gibbston Valley winery has taken out the first-ever Qualmark New Zealand Wine Tourism Award. Kinross chief executive Nicky Sygrove says she is proud of her team's efforts to secure such recognition. "Providing a world-class guest experience is at the core of everything we do," she says.

Beyond the bubble of Queenstown, this area offers the kinds of adventures you can truly appreciate only by slowing down.