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CENTRAL OTAGO WINE CELLAR
Subscribe to our free newsletter for latest, news, new releases, events and happenings. XMAS HAMPERS & GIFTS ![]() Check out our wide range of Otago wine Christmas gifts and gift hampers - includes gourmet baking and preserves, wines, fresh Central Otago cherries, books... UK WINE DELIVERY
These wines are already in the UK and ready for immediate delivery. 6 and 12 bottle packs - order by 10th December for Xmas delivery! TOP PICKS Rockburn Pinot Noir 2007 Rockburn Pinot Gris 2007 Domain Road Pinot Noir 2007 Lowburn Ferry Pinot Noir 2006 Lowburn Ferry Pinot Noir 2007 Mt Rosa Pinot Gris 2007 Drumsara Ventifacts Block Pinot Noir 2007 Olssens of Bannockburn Jackson Barry Pinot Noir 2007 Wild Earth Pinot Noir 2007 Wooing Tree Pinot Noir 2007 NEW RELEASES FOR NOVEMBER/DECEMBER Lowburn Ferry Pinot Noir 2007 Locharburn Pinot Gris & Pinot Rosé 2008 Felton Road 2008 Rieslings Felton Road Calvert Pinot Noir 2007 Mount Edward Pinot Noir 2007 Coal Pit Pinot Noir 2007 Shaky Bridge Pinot Noir 2006, Chardonnay, Gewurz 2008 Leaning Rock Riesling 2008 Mt Rosa Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir 2007 Domain Road Pinot Noir 2007 Rabbit Ranch Pinot Noir 2008 Lake Hayes Pinot Gris 2008 Wooing Tree Pinot Noir & Beetle Juice Pinot Noir 2007 Chard Farm River Run Pinot Noir 2007 Pick & Shovel Pinot Noir 2007 Michael Cooper's Wine Atlas & Buyer's Guide 2009 Mount Michael Pinot Gris & Riesling 2008 and many more click here for a full list of recent releases
AIRNZ TROPHY FOR ROCKBURN (again) Cromwell's Rockburn Wines 2007 pinot noir has won two of the 18 trophies awarded at the 2008 Air New Zealand Wine Awards. Rockburn won the JF Hille-brand New Zealand Ltd Champion Pinot Noir Trophy and the Fairfax Media Champion Open Red Wine Trophy. This is the second year in a row that Rockburn has won the Fairfax Media Champion Open Red Wine Trophy 20th November 2008: LOWBURN FERRY CONTINUES GOLD CONSISTENCY Lowburn Ferry pinot noir wines, from Central Otago, are showing continued consistency in quality. Every vintage made under the main label has now attained gold medal standard. The latest result was announced last week for Lowburn Ferry Pinot Noir 2006 which has been awarded a Gold Medal at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards. The 2007 still very much in its youth was awarded Silver.
13 November 2008:
POLAR BLAST HITS CENTRAL OTAGO Central Otago wine growers spent several nights last week fighting frosts after a chilly southern blast treated growers to the bizarre sight of snow falling in their vineyards with green growing shoots. The unseasonal weather delivered snow down to sea level in the south and settled briefly on the ground throughout the region last Wednesday. Temperatures were reported as low as minus 4 degrees Celcius in parts of the region last Saturday morning. The regions citizens woke to the sound of wind machines, helicopters and water pumps as growers battled the low temperatures. Although there are reports of damage and loss it seems that the region has got of reasonably lightly in view of what could have happened if a clearance in the weather had occurred at an earlier stage with snow still low on the hills.
6 November 2008:
The award, chosen by 10 of Australia's top sommeliers, makes Malcolm the first New Zealander to win a Young Winemaker title since the competition began eight years ago. Established in 2001, the Wine Society Young Winemaker of the Year Awards recognise the extraordinary talent of Australia's and New Zealand's most promising young winemakers. Rees-Francis joined Rockburn Wines at their new Cromwell winery for the 2006 vintage, having spent four vintages as assistant winemaker at Felton Road Wines. Another Central Otago winemaker, Matt Edwards, was a close runner-up in the awards for his Devine Pinot Noir 2006.
1 October 2008:
The Remarkable Gibbston Valley Pinot Noir Central Otago 2006 has just won the Bouchard Finlayson Pinot Noir Trophy at the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC). Founded in 1969, the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) is one of the premier competitions of its kind in the world and aims to promote the quality and excellence of the world's best wines, spirits and liqueurs. Gold medal winners from Otago were: Remarkable Gibbston Valley Pinot Noir Central Otago 2006, Drumsara Ventifacts Block Pinot Noir Central Otago 2007, and Mount Difficulty Roaring Meg Pinot Noir Central Otago 2007 - see our hot deals page to order! WILD EARTH RELEASES 2007 VINTAGE
30th September 2008:
3rd September 2008:
The Mike Wolter Memorial Trophy has particular significance in Central Otago in remembering one of the pioneering winemakers in the region, Mike Wolter. It was carved by another wine pioneer, the late Rolfe Mills, of Rippon Vineyard.
Renowned New Zealand winemaker Claire Mulholland has been appointed by Amisfield Wine Company.
25 July 2008: WILD EARTH BEST IN WORLD ?
18 June 2008 The IWC web site lists the following trophies for this wine from its 2008 competition: Gibbston Valley Reserve Pinot Noir 2000 and Bald Hills Pinot Noir 2005 have both previously won the IWC trophy for Best International Pinot Noir . ...read the full story and find out more about ordering
WILD EARTH WINES TAKES TROPHY IN WORLD'S LARGEST WINE SHOW
RECORD VINTAGE 6 June 2008: Pruning is happening across the Central Otago region now the grapes are in. The region has produced a record vintage in 2008 - with estimates of between 8000 and 10,000 tonnes of grapes harvested, more than double the previous biggest vintage in 2006. New Zealand Winegrowers official statistics for the 2006 vintage were 4612 tonnes, and 3434 tonnes for 2007 - cool weather at flowering had resulted in poor fruit set and smaller berries last year. This year several new wineries came on stream producing their first commercial crops, and berry and bunch sizes across the region were generally bigger. Some winemakers have likened the vintage to that in 2003 which produced some very good wines. Rudi Bauer, from Quartz Reef, said there were yield variations across the region and expected those with lower yields would produce some very good wines. He estimated about 25% of the grapes produced had gone outside of the region.
PINOT CELEBRATION DATES CONFIRMED
RIPPON GETS RATED
ORGANICS FOR CENTRAL OTAGO Central Otago Winegrowers Association has been awarded a major grant from Organics Aotearoa New Zealand (OANZ) to advance the region in developing organic viticulture. This is the first of its kind for viticulture in New Zealand. Working in conjunction with Organic Winegrowers of New Zealand (OWNZ) the programme will act as a pilot project that can be replicated in other winegrowing regions throughout the country and aims to be an inspiration to the wider New Zealand viticulture industry. Martin Anderson president of the Central Otago Winegrowers Association said the programme was important to ensure the quality and soil health of the region is maintained. "The future of our region and the products we produce is reliant on the health of our lands and waterways, we are taking a considerable step in the right direction to protect the future generations of land users," he said. It is intended a number of vineyards will sign up to the programme by the end of 2008, 50% by 2010 and the majority by 2015.
PISA RANGE SHORTLISTED
WINERY AIDS SADDLEBACK RECOVERY
SYDNEY PINOT NOIR TROPHY FOR GIBBSTON HIGHGATE PINOT NOIR March 5th 2008: The Sydney International Wine Competition is one of the few wine competitions in the world to award trophies to wine for their compatibility with food. The Air Sea Global Perpetual Trophy for Best Pinot Noir of the Competition was awarded to Gibbston Highgate Estate ‘Soultaker’ Pinot Noir 2006.
HARVEST BEGINS IN CENTRAL OTAGO
March 5th 2008:The grape harvest began at Bendigo today with the first pinot noir grapes brought in for making methode traditionelle at Quartz Reef winery in Cromwell.
COMING EVENTS CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT NOIRS POPULAR CHOICE 6th December 2007
AIR NZ WINE AWARDS 2007 TROPHY WINNERS 26th November 2007:
OLSSENS TAKE WINESTATE TROPHY
26th November 2007: Also this weekend the Winestate Magazine Wine Awards were announced in Australia, where Olssen's of Bannockburn Slapjack Creek Pinot Noir 2005 won the Winestate Pinot Noir Wine of the Year 2007.
AIR NZ WINE AWARDS 2007
13th November 2007:
CUISINE WINE TASTING: 17th October 2007:
"New kid on the block" - Judge Rock, a small family winery from Alexandra has leapt into the limelight with five stars - Best Buy in Cuisine magazines NZ Pinot Noir tasting this month! At $29.95 Judge Rock Pinot Noir 2006 is a great value pinot - "...this elegant wine by winemaker Carol Bunn is built around a good core of authentic Pinot Noir flavours of earth, cherry and spice."
See our SERIOUS CELLAR NZ PINOT NOIR SELECTION - and our TOP PICKS
CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT NOIR NAMED BEST IN THE WORLD
The following week at a prestigious gathering at the Grosvenor Hotel in London’s Park Lane, the IWC announced their top 9 Champion awards to the very best wines in the 2007 competition as well as other industry awards. Earlier in this competition, as judges tasted and assessed the 9,358 wines that had been submitted, in what has become the world’s largest blind tasting, Bald Hills Pinot Noir 2005 had been named a regional winner with the New Zealand South Island Pinot Noir Trophy. It was also one of 19 international award winners with the International Pinot Noir Trophy. However the ultimate accolade was announced during the awards ceremony where Bald Hills stole the limelight with their Pinot Noir being hailed as the International Wine Challenge 2007 Champion Red.
The final honour was still to come with the announcement of the IWC Planet Earth awards which have been introduced to reflect an important trend in consumer demand, as well as rewarding those who not only excel in winemaking but also put the planet at the heart of their wine making activity. Once again Bald Hills took centre stage and claimed their second champion title with the Planet Earth Sustainability Trophy Enquire for availability
![]() DECANTER RELEASES RATINGS
UK magazine "Decanter", just released, lists two five-star ratings for Central Otago pinot noirs - Peregrine 2003 Pinot Noir and Mt Difficulty Roaring Meg Pinot Noir 2003 - while four stars (highly recommended) went to the following pinot noir wines: Lowburn Ferry 2003, Carrick 2002, Cornish Point 2003, Mount Michael 2002, Mount Difficulty 2003.
TRIPLE SCOOP IN WINE AWARDS FOR LOWBURN FERRY ![]()
Lowburn Ferry Vineyard in Central Otago scooped three of the top trophies, including CHAMPION WINE OF SHOW at the Bragato Wine Awards held in Gisborne on Saturday night. The winning wine was Lowburn Ferry Pinot Noir 2003, made from the first vintage harvested on the 3ha vineyard in the Lowburn Valley, 5km north of Cromwell in Central Otago.
OTAGO WINES TAKE GOLD AT BRAGATO WINE AWARDS 2005 26th August 2005: Three top Otago Pinot Noir wines have won gold medals at the Bragato Wine Awards, held in conjunction with the annual grape and wine industry Romeo Bragato Conference in Gisborne. These awards are unique in New Zealand in that they recognise the grapegrowers, the vineyard and excellence in viticultural practice.
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