Burgundy’s Most Coveted Wines Land on NZ Soil

Burgundy’s Most Coveted Wines Land on NZ Soil

Wines from Burgundy’s most famous - and probably the world’s most elite - wine estate have landed on New Zealand soil.

The five definitive examples from the Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru vineyard are the highlight of the 2008 Central Otago Pinot Noir Celebration Formal Tasting. The Celebration is to be held in Queenstown the 25th and 26th January 2008.

The significance of the Romanée-Saint-Vivant vineyard is evident by the recent sale of a 12-bottle case of 1967 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti for £58,650 (NZ$156,505), making it the most expensive case of wine ever sold in the Sotheby’s London saleroom.

Stimulating presentations of this grand terroir will be led by renowned Burgundy expert Allen Meadows (aka Burghound) and Jean-Pierre de Smet of Domaine de l’Arlot. A formal tasting of five examples of Romanée-Saint-Vivant 2004 will follow: Domaine de l’Arlot, Domaine Robert Arnoux, Domaine Jean-Jacques Confuron, Domaine Follin-Arbelet, and Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.

This will be a rare opportunity to explore the historical, geo-political and cultural aspects of the Benedictine Order, with specific reference to their work in and around L’Abbaye de Saint-Vivant and the vineyard itself.

In addition to the Formal Tasting, the Celebration programme also includes two major tastings of Central Otago pinot noir: the Grand Tasting, which opens the Celebration, and the Gala Tasting to conclude the first day. In total, the Celebration showcases over thirty-five Central Otago wine producers.

Two hundred delegates from around the world descend on Queenstown for the Celebration, in its sixth year. Past media and VIP attendees have included internationally acclaimed wine author, judge and founder of Coldstream Hills winery in Victoria, James Halliday; world renowned wine authority and Master of Wine, Jancis Robinson; premier Burgundy critic, Allen Meadows; and chief wine writer for Japan’s Shuhan News, Yoshiji Sato.

For registration information, please visit www.pinotcelebration.co.nz

ENDS

© Scoop Media