There’s a certain rhythm to Australian tourism in Queenstown.
Words by Lauren Molloy for paper mâché
Each year, as the ski season rolls in, so do the flights filled with powder chasers, après-lovers, and those seeking that crisp South Island high. But beyond the snowfields and ski passes lies a growing appetite for something slower. Something softer. Something else.
On a recent visit for paper mâché, I was lucky enough to explore one of the region’s newest, and most magnetic, culinary destinations, Ayrburn. Just minutes from the charming gold rush town of Arrowtown, this reimagined 60-hectare estate has quickly established itself as Queenstown’s most delicious detour, a place where heritage, wine, and the pleasure of slowing down comes together.
Yes, the slopes are still there. But down in the valley, something incredible is unfolding.
A Living Chapter of Central Otago’s History and Prohibition
The history here is worn into the stone. Ayrburn was once one of the region’s most successful merino farms, a place of grit and graft. The bones of that story remain, visible in the buildings that have been faithfully restored and repurposed across the property. The Woolshed, The Dairy, The Dell, The Barrel Room, they each carry the language of a working estate, but with the polish of a modern hospitality collective.
Walking through Ayrburn feels like time folding in on itself, where heritage and ambition are held in equal weight. But beneath the surface lies a more intriguing layer of history. During the Prohibition era, several of Ayrburn’s original stone buildings doubled as secret bars, underground cellars, and quiet gathering places for the thirsty and the defiant. These stories, once whispered, have now been carefully preserved and woven into the estate’s offering today
There’s not a corner that hasn’t been considered. Every view is framed with intention. Every brick seems to hold a secret of the past. And yet, there’s nothing quaint about it. Led by Chris Meehan, Ayrburn’s vision is bold. Think private residences. Think luxury lodgings. Think music, film, retail, and art. But all in good time. For now, food and wine lead the conversation, and they speak fluently.
The Woolshed, Where the Day Unfolds
Lunch was at The Woolshed, a long, slow, sunshine-drenched affair. It’s a space that leans into its past without being bound by it. Inside, original stonework and timber beams meet soft leathers, cool concrete, and unfussy warmth from a central fireplace. Outside, a terrace spills out toward the rolling hills and heritage trees, complete with striped umbrellas and a hum of mid-afternoon chatter.
The menu is both generous and grounded, the kind of food that wears its sourcing on its sleeve. South Island lamb shoulder, dry-aged beef, hand-churned butter, smoked fish caught just up the coast. There’s an unpretentious confidence to it all, each dish designed to amplify the quality of the produce, not complicate it.
A glass of the estate’s own chardonnay met its match in a vibrant heirloom tomato salad with house-made stracciatella. The sirloin, dry-aged and pasture-fed, arrived perfectly rested, with a gloss of bone marrow jus and anchovy butter that still lingers in memory. Dessert was declined… not out of lack of interest, but sheer fullness.
It’s the kind of place that invites you to settle in, unhurried, as if there’s nowhere else to be, and there really isn’t, until your wine tasting booking.
The Cellar Door, A Different Kind of Tasting
After lunch, we wandered a few metres downhill to The Cellar Door. It’s easy to miss if you don’t know where to look, the entrance is tucked into a stone courtyard, down a few steps and through a thick timber door. What awaits is something of a secret: The Barrel Room.
Beneath vaulted ceilings and among stacked barrels, guests are welcomed into one of the more intimate wine tasting settings in the region. There are no slick counters or hurried pours here. This is a seated, guided experience, all candlelight, cool stone, and quiet charm.
Sommelier Jolie led our tasting with an exceptional warmth and precision – knowledgeable without the ego. She spoke about the wines not as products but as people you’re getting to know. Five pours across the estate’s own range: Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Rosé, and a surprisingly weighty Pinot Nior.
Each wine was paired with a story, of vineyard origin, of climate struggle, of late harvest or cool ferments. And each tasted like it belonged exactly where we were.
Estate Wines, Bannockburn’s Quiet Revelation
Ayrburn’s wines are grown on a single estate vineyard in Bannockburn, a sub-region of Central Otago known for its dry climate, mineral-rich soils, and long ripening season. There’s a delicacy to the way these wines show up, elegant, earthy, and full of character.
The Pinot Noir is perhaps the headline act, as expected for the region, but it’s the Rosé that caught us off guard, dry and textural, with a whisper of blood orange and alpine herbs. Jolie shared that the winemaking is handled in close collaboration with some of New Zealand’s top vintners, with a commitment to site expression over commercial style.
It’s not just wine to taste. It’s wine to take home, which many do, given the Cellar Door ships across Australia and New Zealand. But more than that, it’s wine that speaks of place. Not in grandstanding notes, but in quiet confidence.
Produce with Provenance
What impressed us the most about Ayrburn is how everything flows from the land. The estate has gone to great lengths to champion seasonal produce, much of it grown onsite or sourced from nearby growers, who share their regenerative values.
The farm’s former dairy now houses a retail outlet and bakery, and there are whispers of gardens and glasshouses to come. But even now, the food tells that story. From foraged mushrooms and handmade pickles to whole roasted carrots with estate-grown honey, this is a place where provenance isn’t just a buzzword, it’s built into the fabric.
The chefs work closely with local farmers, fishers, and artisans. There’s an understanding that when ingredients are grown with care, they don’t need to be overworked. A respect for simplicity that feels refreshing in a world of overly fussed plates.
It’s rare to find somewhere so rich in story, so committed to experience, and so assured in its delivery. The kind of place that doesn’t just meet expectations, but quietly reshapes them.
This is not Queenstown as you know it. It’s slower. Warmer. More delicious.
And though it’s still unfolding, Ayrburn already feels like somewhere you’ll return to. Maybe not just for the wine, or the meal, or the view, but for how it all made you feel.
Planning a visit?
Lunch at The Woolshed is available daily.
Wine tastings in The Barrel Room run from 11am to 5pm, bookings recommended.
Explore more at ayrburn.com
