Sampling Central Otago pinot noir at Carrick Winery in
Bannockburn yesterday are (from left) master sommeliers
Fernando Beteta, of the United States, wine writer Tim
Atkin, of Britain, New Zealand Winegrowers Association
deputy chairman Steve Green, of Bannockburn, and Akarua
winemaker Matt Connell, of Bannockburn. Photo by Rosie
Manins.
Drawn to Central Otago for its pinot noir, international
wine industry heavyweights have been pleasantly surprised by
the district's white varieties this week.
Master sommeliers, wine writers, and critics from Canada,
Britain, and the United States were in Central Otago
yesterday sampling the district's best bottles of pinot noir,
pinot gris, reisling, and chardonnay.
Tim Atkin and Jamie Goode of Britain, Jacques Benoit and
Anthony Gismondi of Canada, and Fernando Beteta of the United
States joined eight local growers and winemakers in a master
class organised and run by Central Otago Pinot Noir Ltd.
After a helicopter flight taking in vineyards of the Gibbston
Valley and Cromwell and Alexandra basins, the group settled
at Carrick Winery in the Bannockburn area to taste more than
30 Central Otago wines.
First they tried 12 of the district's top white wines,
followed by a vertical tasting of Quartz Reef's pinot noir
from 2002-6, and 12 of the best 2007 pinot noir.
A lunch at Carrick's restaurant included further education
about what Central Otago's wineries had to offer.
Master sommelier Fernando Beteta, of Chicago, said people
would be "pleasantly surprised" by the riesling in Central
Otago - best-known for its pinot noir.
"It [Central Otago riesling] reminded me of that from parts
of Europe, and showed beautiful winemaking.
"Central Otago wine shows high quality and consistency across
the vintages."
Wine writer Tim Atkin, of London, said since he was last in
the district six years ago Central Otago's white wines had
developed significantly, and were emerging as respectable
varieties in their own right.
"Pinot gris has got much more exciting, chardonnay is being
taken more seriously . . . there is some fantastic riesling
here," he said.
Central Otago was one of the most beautiful, exciting and
young wine regions, he said.
"As the vines get older and sub-regional differences become
more apparent it gets more and more exciting, particularly
for pinot noir.
"I think it's one of the great pinot noir areas of the world,
and one of the most under-priced."
The five international guests will attend Pinot Noir 2010,
starting in Wellington on Monday.
- rosie.manins@odt.co.nz
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