BURGUNDY TASTING TO EXPLORE THE ‘CRU’ QUESTION Pinot Noir - that wonderful heady variety generates such passion in people – it inevitably leads to posing more questions than it does answers. The 2012 Central Otago Pinot Noir Celebration – being held in Queenstown 26-28th January not only includes tastings of Central Otago pinot noir, Winery and Restaurant Lunches, and a Grand Dinner, but will also explore the ‘could’ve, should’ve’ vineyards of Burgundy during a formal tasting of Burgundy wines. Local winegrower and co-coordinator of the tasting, Nick Mills, poses the question, “as appreciators of pinot noir today, do we view certain vineyard sites or climats differently, in terms of their taste, esteem or cru compared to what the Burgundians concluded when they fixed the appellation system in the 1930’s, or even historically before then?” M. Thibault Liger-Belair of Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Burgundy will explore this ‘cru’ question in his presentation to delegates. While there are clearly strict appellations that have been established and set into French law, do they truly reflect quality and esteem? Some in Burgundy would argue there are ‘Village’ level vineyards today that in terms of quality rank alongside Premier Cru, some Premier Cru possibly deserve to be elevated to ‘Grand Cru’ status and perhaps even some, on the other hand, that deserve demotion. The formal tasting session aims to understand how winegrowers might apply this knowledge when seeking to assess our own lands, however informally, here in Central Otago – and of course provide a pretext, as admirable as any, to tasting a series of exceptional wines. Nick Mills, with the assistance of Mosaïque Bourgogne Internationale, Central Otago’s French partners in their winegrower exchange programme, has selected six Burgundy Premier Cru wines from the 2006 vintage: Domaine Jean-Marc Boillot Pommard 1er Cru, Les Rugiens Domaine Comte Armand Pommard 1er Cru, Clos des Epeneaux Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru, Les Saint-Georges Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru, Les Saint-Georges Domaine Amiot Servelles Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru, Les Amoureuses Domaine Sylvie Esmonin Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru, Clos Saint-Jacques Registration has now opened and can be completed online at www.pinotcelebration.co.nz. NOTE: Accommodation is filling fast in Queenstown and to avoid disappointment we strongly recommend early registration. For further information please contact: Jen Parr – Chairperson 2012 Central Otago Pinot Celebration Committee Ph: 021 254 7772 Email: jen@terrasancta.co.nz Nick Mills – Rippon Vineyard & Winery, 03 443 8084
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