Central pinot noir toasted in January

Central Otago's pinot noir will be on show to media from around the world early next year.

Wine media, and people who like a good pinot noir, will be enjoying the best reds the region has to offer during next year's Central Otago Pinot Noir Celebration.

Prophet Rock winemaker, Paul Pujol, who is in his second year as chairman of the organising committee, said they were expecting about 240 people to attend the celebration.

Forty Central Otago wineries will be participating, with tastings, food and wine matchings, and vineyard visits during the celebration from January 24 to 26.

Although those attending will be based in Queenstown, they will be driven to wineries throughout the region, and will also dine in restaurants, which have designed special fine dining menus to match the wines.

''We will have a really good mix between keen wine enthusiasts, and the general public, and probably there will be quite a large contingent of wine journalists and writers from North America, Asia and Australia,'' Mr Pujol said.

It will be the 14th time the celebrations will be held.

''Visitors will get to try some amazing wine selections from all the participating wineries,'' he said.

''There will be some wines they won't see anywhere else in the world, as well as some old vintages.

''Some will be really quite unique.''

One of the features of the event will be the celebration of the exchange programme between Central Otago and Burgundy, France.

Now in its 11th year, some Central Otago people from the wine industry are sent to Burgundy for their harvest, and in a reciprocal arrangement, several from Burgundy come to this region for our harvest.

''It is relaxed and casual, and they will have a great exposure to the people behind the wines,'' he said.

Southern Rural Life