Central Otago’s Quartz Reef First Off The Blocks

Media Release

21 February 2010

Central Otago’s Quartz Reef First Off The Blocks With Vintage

Celebrated Central Otago winemaker Rudi Bauer, 2010 Royal Agricultural Society’s Winemaker of the Year, has started Quartz Reef’s sparkling wine Pinot Noir harvest today – the earliest pick in Central Otago’s recent history.

“I think Central Otago produces outstanding sparkling wine and we are very proud to be leading the way,” says Rudi Bauer.

“We are very excited about this year’s harvest and expect sound quality with very good flavour ripeness. Perfect for sparkling wine.”

Quartz Reef’s range of Methode Traditionnelle Vintage and Non Vintage sparkling wine has received high praise in New Zealand and overseas. Internationally respected wine reviewer Lisa Perotti-Brown, of www.erobertparker.com, doubted finding a better non-vintage sparkling wine than the Quartz Reef Methode Traditionnelle Non Vintage, describing it as “liquid gold”.

Rudi will have a crew of 20 – 30 people harvesting the grapes over the next week. Quartz Reef also has two international interns helping out, Perrin Meunier from Domaine Jean Jacques Confuron in Burgundy and Chantal Forthun from Bonny Doon in California.

This year, Rudi will fit in a trip to California between his sparkling vintage harvest and the start of the Pinot Noir harvest, due to begin in mid March. Rudi has been invited to attend the World of Pinot Noir 2011 event being held in California in early March.

The World of Pinot Noir aims to bring extraordinary Pinot Noir producers from around the globe together, and the event has been described as the is the equivalent of Woodstock for pinotphiles.

Quartz Reef’s range of award winning Methode Traditionnelle sparkling wine, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris is available from the Quartz Reef Winery and in selected outlets throughout New Zealand. The wine range is also enjoyed internationally in Australia, Asia (Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan), Canada, the United Kingdom and some European countries.

Ends.

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