Rockburn Pinot Noir

Rockburn Pinot Noir

Selected By Air New Zealand For First Class

One highflier joins another

Whether you have your feet firmly on the ground or are enjoying Air New Zealand's First Class in-flight service you can now experience Rockburn 2002 Pinot Noir. Fresh from winning a gold medal at the Royal Easter Show , Rockburn 2002 Pinot Noir has been chosen to accompany the a la carte dining in Air New Zealand's First Class cabin on its Europe and North American routes.

The criteria for inclusion onto Air New Zealand First Class wine list is strict and Air New Zealand felt that Rockburn 2002 Pinot Noir fulfilled the main one which was the wine must be of the highest quality and reflect the best characteristics of the region from which it comes.

Rockburn (formally Hay's Lake) is emerging as a major force in the Central Otago wine industry. Taking its roots from a small vineyard planted at Lake Hayes by Dunedin Cardiothoracic surgeon Dick Bunton the company has expanded and developed vineyards in the Gibbston Valley (8Ha) and Lowburn (33Ha). 65% of the total plantings are Pinot Noir but the company has a full portfolio of white varieties which include Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Chardonnay.

Rockburn wines are distributed by Glengarry-Hancock in New Zealand and the company also exports to the United States and to the United Kingdom. The company is about to build a new winery in the Cromwell region which will have a capacity to process 500 tons of grapes. 'We are confident about the future of the wine industry in Central Otago' said Mr Bunton. 'The more experience we have in the vineyard and in processing the fruit the better we can make our product'. 'Within the next decade I expect the quality of Pinot Noir being produced from Central Otago to progressively improve' said Mr Bunton. This can only be good news for the consumer.

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