The 10th Central Otago Pinot Celebration commences in Queenstown on 30th January and forty of Central Otago's leading pinot noir growers eagerly await the grand tasting when they get to show their latest pinots. There are some outstanding 2012 pinots and plenty of earlier vintage wines.
Grasshopper Rock will be showing four vintages during the Celebration:
2008 - at the Grand Tasting
2009 - at the Winemakers Party (Friday)
2011 - at the Downtown Lunch at Public (Saturday)
2012 - at the Grand Dinner (Saturday) and at the Grand Tasting (Friday)
A highlight of the Celebration will be the Burgundy tasting and having Aubert de Villaine of Domaine de la Romanee Conte on the panel. Pablo Chevrot of Domaine Chevrot et fils will also be at the Pinot Celebration as part of the Climats of Burgundy delegation.
Grasshopper Rock will be showing four vintages during the Celebration:
2008 - at the Grand Tasting
2009 - at the Winemakers Party (Friday)
2011 - at the Downtown Lunch at Public (Saturday)
2012 - at the Grand Dinner (Saturday) and at the Grand Tasting (Friday)
A highlight of the Celebration will be the Burgundy tasting and having Aubert de Villaine of Domaine de la Romanee Conte on the panel. Pablo Chevrot of Domaine Chevrot et fils will also be at the Pinot Celebration as part of the Climats of Burgundy delegation.
The Burgundy Tasting
Central Otago and Burgundy have much in common apart from an annual educational exchange of young people. The focus on small family owned vineyards dedicated to growing pinot noir in a most difficult climate brings us together. As farmers the fascination is with the land and understanding why one site can can consistently produce outstanding pinot noir year after year when another site is less favoured. This is why I find exploring Burgundy and Central Otago so interesting.
The Burgundy tasting is an opportunity to look at three pairs of wines. The map below shows where the three pairs come from in relation to each other. It is thanks to Climats of Burgundy that we have the opportunity to look at these wine together.
The Burgundy tasting is an opportunity to look at three pairs of wines. The map below shows where the three pairs come from in relation to each other. It is thanks to Climats of Burgundy that we have the opportunity to look at these wine together.
Pair #1
Two wines by third generation owners Domaine Chevrot et fils from the 2010 vintage. The southern end of the Côte-d'Or known as Maranges. Pablo Chevrot will be at the tasting.
a) Domaine Chevrot et fils, Maranges Villages, Sur le Chêne, 2010
b) Domaine Chevrot et fils, Maranges 1er Cru, Les Clos Roussots, 2010
a) Domaine Chevrot et fils, Maranges Villages, Sur le Chêne, 2010
b) Domaine Chevrot et fils, Maranges 1er Cru, Les Clos Roussots, 2010
Pair #2
Two wines from opposite sides of the Volnay township. Both wines produced by Domaine Marquis d’Angerville and from the 2008 vintage. A challenging year but it will interesting to see how the two sites compare. Taillepieds is considered Volnay's finest 1er Cru.
c) Domaine Marquis d’Angerville, Volnay 1er Cru, Taillepieds, 2008
d) Domaine Marquis d’Angerville, Volnay 1er Cru, Clos des Ducs, Monopole, 2008
c) Domaine Marquis d’Angerville, Volnay 1er Cru, Taillepieds, 2008
d) Domaine Marquis d’Angerville, Volnay 1er Cru, Clos des Ducs, Monopole, 2008
Pair #3
Two wines from Échezeaux, the largest Grand Cru in Côte de Nuits. Both 2008 vintage. Domain Dujac produced from vines in Les Champs Traversins and Domain de la Romanée-Conti from vines mostly in les Poulailleres. (See map).
e) Domaine Dujac, Echézeaux Grand Cru, 2008
f ) Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Echézeaux Grand Cru, 2008
e) Domaine Dujac, Echézeaux Grand Cru, 2008
f ) Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Echézeaux Grand Cru, 2008
The vineyard locations have been identified from Inside Burgundy by Jasper Morris MW. The images are from Googleearth.
The full programme here
The full programme here