PRESS RELEASE, AUGUST 2004:
Roxburgh Bistro Excels In 2004 Wine Awards
Roxburgh Bistro is announced the National Winner in the second annual Lace Fine Wine Merchants New Zealand Wine List of
the Year Awards announced on August 1st 2004.
The awards attracted over 300 entries from all corners of New Zealand with Wellington Establishments providing four of
the seven category winners. Roxburgh Bistro was the National Winner of the award and earned a Decanter Rating of 5.
The Decanter Rating is a source of pride and also provides encouragement to continually enhance and improve the wine
list for the restaurant.
Lace Fine Wine Merchants managing director Chris Eerden says that the awards attracted entries from “the best of the
best” and ratings are an invaluable guide for the wine interested diner.
A “Decanter Rating” says stop and drink your wine here!
“The judging panel is a ‘who’s who’ of the New Zealand wine industry and any establishment awarded three Decanters or
more has a wine list to savour.” Mr Eerden said.
Judges:
Cameron Douglas
Chris Eerden
Vic Williams
Brent Marris
Joelle Thomson
PETER DE PUNT
SOMMELIER, ROXBURGH BISTRO, WELLINGTON
BACKGROUND & PHILOSOPHY
Peter is originally from Belgium where he trained at the Sopexa Agency in Brussels.
After graduating in 1998, as a Sommelier in French Wines and Spirits, Peter worked as a Maitre’d and Cellar Master at
‘De Plezanten Hof’ Restaurant in Brussels. Two years later he moved to London to work at Chez Moi as a Sommelier and
then as the Restaurant Manager of Cicoria, West Hampstead.. Peter’s London experience lead to a friendship with some
‘Kiwi’s’ who persuaded him to visit New Zealand.
What was intended to be a 2 year working holiday has extended to a permanent stay in Wellington. Peter enjoys the ‘Kiwi’
lifestyle and being able to apply his knowledge and passion in a dynamic and growing New Zealand wine industry.
Peter’s core wine philosophy is to give people the ultimate wine and dining experience;
“I feel successful when people try something that they have never tried before and they feel confident to keep
experimenting with their own wine choices.”
Peter feels privileged to be working at Roxburgh Bistro with top New Zealand Chef, Mark Limacher. He is constantly
striving to find the best possible wines that complement and enhance the menu at Roxburgh. Selecting wines for the two
Roxburgh lists is a careful yet experimental process. Peter strongly believes that being open-minded and unpretentious
is a must as appreciating wine is about discovery and being able to share your knowledge with other people.
Peter strives to offer a variety of New and Old World wines and tries to showcase the best of most varieties. The Cellar
List is an extensive and rare collection of over 350 wines and offers a broad range of French wines as well as
innovative New World wines. The Restaurant List is designed to complement the menu at Roxburgh and consists of over 60
wines with a focus on the “Best of New Zealand.”
ENDS