Our History

Paying tribute to an Otago pioneer

The legacy of Como Villa Estate started with an entrepreneurial pioneer named Thomas Oliver. After moving to Alexandra to pursue opportunities offered by the gold rush era, he purchased the property and built the original stone house that now acts as the cellar door.

Oliver and his business partners established a network of water races and were major contributors to the success of gold mining in the area - supplying much needed water to local miners to operate their sluice boxes.

While there is a lot of history recorded on the achievements of his water race business, few know that he was also among the first to plant grapes and produce wine, something the region is well-recognised for these days.

Since discovering the old, underground wine cellar at Como Villa Estate, John and Pam Chapman have been slowly restoring the old stone house, in honour of someone who played an important role in Central Otago's history.

Como Villa Estate releases a tribute wine dedicated to the entrepreneurial spirit of Thomas Oliver. The wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It pays homage to the types of grapes that may have been grown on the property over a 150 years ago.

Proceeds from sales go toward the continued restoration and preservation of the historic stone house and wine cellar.

The History of Como Villa Estate

Thomas Oliver made his way to New Zealand from England, eventually settling at Dunstan in 1863 where he took up licence at the London Inn on Tarbert Street (later renamed Bendigo Hotel). Oliver started a business partnership with two other men from the district and over the next 10 years began constructing and acquiring water races and mining rights in the area.

During this time, Oliver sold the London Inn and relocated to a 'residence area' on Earnscleugh Road. Here he built a substantial stone house and named the property Como Villa.

Come in and sample our wines and learn more from John and Pam, who have collected a remarkable amount of Central Otago's history and artifacts.