Top International Wine Media Anticipate Aromatics Symposium
Top International Wine Media Eagerly Anticipating Nelson International Aromatics Symposium
A select group of
the world’s most influential wine commentators will be
descending on the small country village of Upper Moutere,
near Nelson in early February to taste, compare and discuss
Aromatic wines.
They include internationally
recognised wine experts Matthew Jukes and Jamie Goode from
the UK, David Lawrason from Canada, Alder Yarrow and Jordan
McKay from the USA, Cees van Casteren and Cuno Van’t Hoff
from the Netherlands, Felicity Carter from Germany and Jan
Arrnhenius and Jan Peterson from Sweden alongside some of
New Zealand’s top wine commentators.
The symposium
is on Friday February 1st and Saturday February 2nd 2013 at
the Moutere Hills Community Centre, Upper Moutere, Nelson.
It has been specially timed to flow on from the Pinot Noir
2013 conference in Wellington.
Chairman of the Nelson International Aromatics Symposium, Patrick Stowe, says the bevy of significant wine media who will be attending the event is great news for New Zealand Aromatics.
“This gives us the chance to have these hugely respected commentators spread the word about our Aromatics. They’re the people who are followed and listened to in the global world of wine, so it’s a major coup for us that they have chosen to attend the symposium,” says Patrick Stowe.
Jamie Goode, a London-based wine writer, wine lecturer and established wine judge, and currently wine columnist with UK newspaper The Sunday Express, is excited about coming to the Nelson region for the first time.
“I'm so looking forward to meeting
like-minded wine people and also getting a snapshot on the
fast-changing, dynamic Kiwi aromatic scene. I think New
Zealand Aromatics is an as yet untold story internationally.
So much focus has been on Marlborough Sauvignon and Pinot
Noir, but New Zealand is also capable of stunning aromatic
whites, although a lot of that potential is as yet latent.
But the New Zealand wine growers have shown that they can
learn fast. And Nelson seems to be a hot spot for
aromatics,” says Jamie Goode.
Felicity Carter, an Australian now living and working as editor-in-chief for the prestigious based Meininger's Wine Business International Magazine, (which is sold in over 40 countries) as well as being an international wine judge, says she is excited about what she can learn from the symposium.
“Aromatics is
a topic of crucial importance for understanding wine, so
I’m very much looking forward to learning more. I’m
passionately in love with Austrian Grüner Veltliner, but
know very little about its New Zealand cousin, so it will be
a good opportunity for me to learn more about the various
manifestations of the variety.”
Felicity says she’s also looking forward to the event because it has a reputation for being fun as well as informative. “ My experience of the New Zealand wine trade is that they have a unique ability (shared with the Australians, of course), to combine very serious, thoughtful work with humour, all delivered in a collegiate atmosphere. “
David Lawrason is an independent wine writer, educator and wine competition judge based in Canada. He is currently VP of Wine for winealign.com, columnist for Toronto Life and Ottawa magazine as well as Grapevine published in Ontario.
David says he was last in Nelson in the early
90s and can’t wait to return for the
symposium.
“It has been my fantasy ultimate getaway
spot - tranquil, secluded and gorgeous with an abundance of
orchards, cold water seafood and of course, fragrant wines.
It seems the perfect spot to discuss and drink aromatic
whites. Over the years I have closely tracked Nelson wines
that have arrived in Canada; a reasonably constant trickle.
Returning to Nelson will be a highlight of three weeks in
NZ.”
The symposium will also be reviewing top
Austrian Rieslings alongside top Kiwi versions, as well as
some select Nelson Rieslings to investigate the influence
of the aging process.
Award-winning Austrian winemaker Markus Huber is the key note speaker talking about the Grüner Veltliner variety which is Austria’s most popular white wine and has been popularised by the nickname ‘Gru-vee’
“To have attracted this caliber of wine media to come to Upper Moutere and the Nelson region is a mark of the growing respect for New Zealand Aromatics on the world stage. We feel honoured to host such an impressive group of experts and we will ensure they’ll learn something, have a great time and taste some great wines,” says Patrick Stowe.
For more information on The Nelson International Aromatics Symposium 2013 go to www.wineart.co.nz. Tickets are still available.
ENDS