Top International Wine Media Eagerly Anticipating Nelson International Aromatics Symposium
A select group of the world’s most influential wine commentators will be descending on the small country village of
Upper Moutere, near Nelson in early February to taste, compare and discuss Aromatic wines.
They include internationally recognised wine experts Matthew Jukes and Jamie Goode from the UK, David Lawrason from
Canada, Alder Yarrow and Jordan McKay from the USA, Cees van Casteren and Cuno Van’t Hoff from the Netherlands, Felicity
Carter from Germany and Jan Arrnhenius and Jan Peterson from Sweden alongside some of New Zealand’s top wine
commentators.
The symposium is on Friday February 1st and Saturday February 2nd 2013 at the Moutere Hills Community Centre, Upper
Moutere, Nelson. It has been specially timed to flow on from the Pinot Noir 2013 conference in Wellington.
Chairman of the Nelson International Aromatics Symposium, Patrick Stowe, says the bevy of significant wine media who
will be attending the event is great news for New Zealand Aromatics.
“This gives us the chance to have these hugely respected commentators spread the word about our Aromatics. They’re the
people who are followed and listened to in the global world of wine, so it’s a major coup for us that they have chosen
to attend the symposium,” says Patrick Stowe.
Jamie Goode, a London-based wine writer, wine lecturer and established wine judge, and currently wine columnist with UK
newspaper The Sunday Express, is excited about coming to the Nelson region for the first time.
“I'm so looking forward to meeting like-minded wine people and also getting a snapshot on the fast-changing, dynamic
Kiwi aromatic scene. I think New Zealand Aromatics is an as yet untold story internationally. So much focus has been on
Marlborough Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, but New Zealand is also capable of stunning aromatic whites, although a lot of
that potential is as yet latent. But the New Zealand wine growers have shown that they can learn fast. And Nelson seems
to be a hot spot for aromatics,” says Jamie Goode.
Felicity Clark, an Australian now living and working as editor-in-chief for the prestigious based Meininger's Wine
Business International Magazine, (which is sold in over 40 countries) as well as being an international wine judge, says
she is excited about what she can learn from the symposium.
“Aromatics is a topic of crucial importance for understanding wine, so I’m very much looking forward to learning more.
I’m passionately in love with Austrian Grüner Veltliner, but know very little about its New Zealand cousin, so it will
be a good opportunity for me to learn more about the various manifestations of the variety.”
Felicity says she’s also looking forward to the event because it has a reputation for being fun as well as informative.
“ My experience of the New Zealand wine trade is that they have a unique ability (shared with the Australians, of
course), to combine very serious, thoughtful work with humour, all delivered in a collegiate atmosphere. “
David Lawrason is an independent wine writer, educator and wine competition judge based in Canada. He is currently VP of
Wine for winealign.com, columnist for Toronto Life and Ottawa magazine as well as Grapevine published in Ontario.
David says he was last in Nelson in the early 90s and can’t wait to return for the symposium.
“It has been my fantasy ultimate getaway spot - tranquil, secluded and gorgeous with an abundance of orchards, cold
water seafood and of course, fragrant wines. It seems the perfect spot to discuss and drink aromatic whites. Over the
years I have closely tracked Nelson wines that have arrived in Canada; a reasonably constant trickle. Returning to
Nelson will be a highlight of three weeks in NZ.”
The symposium will also be reviewing top Austrian Rieslings alongside top Kiwi versions, as well as some select Nelson
Rieslings to investigate the influence of the aging process.
Award-winning Austrian winemaker Markus Huber is the key note speaker talking about the Grüner Veltliner variety which
is Austria’s most popular white wine and has been popularised by the nickname ‘Gru-vee’
“To have attracted this caliber of wine media to come to Upper Moutere and the Nelson region is a mark of the growing
respect for New Zealand Aromatics on the world stage. We feel honoured to host such an impressive group of experts and
we will ensure they’ll learn something, have a great time and taste some great wines,” says Patrick Stowe.
For more information on The Nelson International Aromatics Symposium 2013 go to www.wineart.co.nz. Tickets are still available.
ENDS