Register for Burgundy Tasting at Pinot Celebration 2012

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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