New Zealand’s Premier Annual Pinot Noir Event
Celebrates its fourth consecutive year with a series of nation wide consumer tasting events and dinners held from
October 16th-19th showcasing pre approved same vintage 2005 Pinot Noir. All NZ Pinot producers were invited to enter
their 2005 wines and tasting samples of ready for market wines were reviewed by the highly experienced Fine Wine
Delivery Company tasting team.
Fine Wine Delivery Company owner Jeff Poole and his team initiated this unique Pinot event in 2003 as part of their
vision to help wine consumers successfully navigate the myriad of styles and variable quality emerging in an
increasingly cluttered Pinot market place. “By allowing our highly experienced independent tasting team to evaluate the
wines first we are able to eliminate those Pinot exhibiting obvious faults, lacking in definition or dramatically under
delivering in value. Pinot consumers are then offered tickets to tasting evenings in Christchurch, Wellington and
Auckland where they are able to sample the entire pre approved line up and make informed buying decisions suited to
their style preferences.”
Invited winemakers from each region will travel with the tour and present to consumers regarding the overall quality of
the vintage within their region. Post every tasting a dinner is held to showcase the specific Pinot of the touring
winemakers matched with outstanding cuisine. Poole says “with winemakers the ilk of Dr Andrew Shackleton representing Te
Kairanga Wines and the Martinborough region, Chris Young - Gravitas Wines and Nelson/Marlborough, Grant Whelan - Kaituna
Valley Wines and Canterbury and Matt Dicey - Mt Difficulty Wines and Central Otago, Pinot consumers are being exposed to
some of NZ’s finest at their craft”.
Around 1,000 Pinot devotees will attend the four tastings evenings and a further 200 the special Pinot dinners. Poole
says “The exciting addition of the ‘Consumers Choice Awards’ this year offers consumers the opportunity to pass
judgement on the finest 65+ Pinot Noir from 2005 and cast a vote for their four regional selections plus overall
favourite. The anticipated 1,000 plus consumer entries will be secretly tabulated immediately after the final Auckland
tasting on Friday October 19th and the regional and overall awards will be announced during the dinner later that
evening. A $1000 worth of New Zealands finest Pinot Noir will be given to the lucky taster that successfully nominates
the regional and overall award winners.”
In addition Pinot lovers will be able to purchase Pinot Noir of their choice at excellent prices. Poole says, “an
integral part of the Pinot events is to encourage people to experiment taking the risk out of buying and thereby
maximise their enjoyment.” At each of the 3 cities all those that have purchased a minimum of one case will
automatically go into a draw for a luxury weekend for two. The prize will include return airfares to Auckland,
accommodation at the Sky City hotel. On the Saturday a personal tour of Kumeu River Winery will be followed by a long
lunch at a superb waterfront restaurant. That evening a Special Pinot Noir dinner will be hosted in the Fine Wine
Delivery Company cellar lounge. The following day will see the lucky 6 being taken to Waiheke Island for a long Lunch at
Te Whau winery prior to there return flights home.
ends