Ten Year Milestone for Central Otago Wine Industry

PRESS RELEASE FROM CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT NOIR LTD
August 1 2016

Ten Year Milestone for Central Otago Wine Industry Ambassador Programme

Telling the world about Central Otago’s wines and proving to people who sell those wines just how spectacular they are, is the job of Central Otago Pinot Noir Ltd (COPNL).

COPNL’s latest group of brand ambassadors flew out of Queenstown airport at the end of last week, marking the completion of COPNL’s tenth iconic ‘E’Sensual’ event.

E’Sensual has been part of the Central Otago wine industry’s event calendar each year since 2007, and is targeted at international and national wine specialists who enjoy a first-hand taste of what the region’s wine industry has to offer. The 2016 E’Sensual marked the tenth anniversary of the event and celebrated the 150th E’Sensual guest hosted in the region.

Event Manager Vikki Kircher explained the event was invented to encapsulate everything that was “essential” to confirming with national and international wine specialists why they should promote Central Otago wines.

“Our guests learn about the diverse terroir, the subtleties and surprises of our wines, and of course, the passion behind the labels; the people who work and thrive in often unforgiving conditions here in Central to produce show-stopping wines,” she said.

The first E’Sensual event involved nine guests including some from as far afield as the USA and Japan.

“It’s grown since then but guest numbers are never higher than 18 at any one time,” Ms Kircher said.

“Participating Central Otago wineries are capped at 20, so that keeps the whole group at a perfect size for wineries get to know our guests, and those guests spend plenty of one-on-one time with winemakers, owners or viticulturists.”

Ms Kircher said Central’s “amazing” landscape and premium wines sold themselves. “It’s the people here who leave a lasting impression, and our guests go away with these great imprints from mixing with and hearing from these winery stakeholders.

Sydney-sider and 2016 guest Kara Maisano described the pinot noir as “sensational” but said it was the people that made Central Otago remarkable.

Paul Pujol from Prophets Rock, one of the wineries involved in E’Sensual 2016, said he was delighted with the calibre of this year’s guests.

“What makes it so worthwhile is that our wines and our region really resonate with these industry leaders. When we send them home as ambassadors for our wines we know they’ll open up new business opportunities for us.”

ENDS

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