The Central Otago Pinot Noir Celebration 2012 is held on the 26th to the 28th of January in Queenstown and is aimed at taking you on a journey of discovery through the wonderful world of Otago cuisine and wine.
It’s a superb event attended by delegates from around the world, by some of the most influential people in wine, and it’s a great way of promoting the region.
To give you an idea of what goes on, here’s what I got up to at the last one I went to, in 2009.
We started Day One off with a coffee and sticky bun from Provisions and then launched head first into the Grand Tasting where I tasted over 50 wines from the then current vintage, 2007.
We were then ushered off to a lunch at Wai with wines presented by Mount Edward.
Back to the Millennium for the second part of the tasting and after another 50 wines my teeth were starting to rattle, and I was, no joke, dying for a beer. Lo and behold, there was Richard Emerson with his amazing array of Emerson’s beers, just outside the door. The organisers are really on the ball.
(Just as a disclaimer, I didn’t drink constantly for three days. I spat most of the wines, I swear. I like to remember what I taste. My wife tells me I drink too much; I tell her I’m just doing my job.)
The next day we reconvened for a day out at the wineries, with more tastings, a great lunch at Carrick, and a few more wines in the afternoon. Evening saw us descend on Botswana Butchery, where older vintages were poured alongside canapes and plenty of banter.
On the last day, the Saturday, we started off early with a flight of six Grand Cru Burgundies including Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Echezeaux, a real treat and some of the most intense and exciting wines on the planet.
That evening it was up to the Skyline for the Gala Dinner, where chef Martin Bosley cooked, delegates drank each other’s BYO wines and John Key, who had only been Prime Minister two months, entertained us with a hilarious speech. Finally, The Bunker for mojitos. What a night.
In 2012, the format is similar with a Grand Tasting, restaurant and winery lunches, a formal tasting (it’s not that formal) of Burgundies followed by a Grand Dinner, this year hosted by chef Jonny Schwass, the Cuisine Restaurant Personality of the Year. I met Jonny recently and tried some of his food. He’s a real talent and currently without a restaurant due to the Christchurch earthquake, though it’s due to re-open soon.
So, if you’re keen get to know our amazing wines and the people behind them, this is the event for you.
Paul Tudgay is the Queenstown Resort College business hospitality manager and a wine appreciation lecturer
Your say
Here is to 2012
Hi Paul. Have very much enjoyed your 2011 articles and am looking forward to them kicking off in 2012!
When will you be starting the wine tasting again?
Happy Days
05 Jan 2012 07:52AMDuncans
Have your say
You will need to register or login before you can post a comment.
