Pinot Noir Charity Auction: Central Otago Cataract Patients

28 June 2012

Pinot Noir Charity Auction to Central Otago Cataract Patients

Central Otago Winegrowers will again combine to produce a Central Otago Cuvée from the 2012 vintage.

Futures on the Celebration Cuvee were sold at the highly successful auction held at the Central Otago Pinot Noir Celebration on the 28 January this year. The auction was conducted on behalf of the Central Otago Pinot Noir Charitable Trust. The Celebration included a series of tasting’s and workshops by well known winemakers and pinot noir experts with delegates attending from all round the world. The event concluded with the auction which drew a fantastic response from both New Zealand and overseas bidders.

$25,000 of the proceeds from the auction will go to the Mercy Hospital Outreach Charitable Trust. The Mercy Hospital Charitable Outreach is set up to provide surgical intervention to the sick and needy in the wider community. There is a focus on providing surgery for those whose quality of life would be improved by surgery, but lack the financial capacity and do not qualify for timely intervention within the public hospital system. In the 2011-12 financial year there were over 68 procedures undertaken at Mercy Hospital as part of the programme. These procedures occurred in a wide range of specialist surgical areas but there was a particular focus on providing Ear, Nose and Throat surgery, especially Grommets and Eye surgery, such as cataracts. The donation will be used to provide surgical services targeted at Otago and Southland patients, particularly those with cataracts. Mercy Hospital Charitable Outreach will match any donation dollar for dollar, and the surgeons provide their time at a much reduced rate.

Also auctioned was the magnificent artwork by leading Christchurch artist, John Walsh. “John’s work is definitely the pièce de résistance, as it will form the label on what is already deemed to be a Collectors’ edition of Central Otago Cuvee” said Alistair King, Chairman of the Central Otago Pinot Noir Charitable Trust. “Some of our bidders will cellar this wine for many, many years, both here in New Zealand and overseas.”

The wine will be made under the guidance of Peter Bartell, winemaker from Vinpro Limited in Cromwell.

Alistair King said, “We should feel proud of our region’s wine producers who rally together to support local community groups. Mercy Hospital Charitable Outreach has a serious need for funding and the Trust is delighted to support them. We would also like to thank our sponsors who helped make the 2008 Celebration and Auction an absolute success.

ENDS

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