The Central Otago Wine Cellar

Aurum Blanc de Blancs Methode Traditionelle

Fine, light bubbles, dry, fresh and pure. On the palate this chardonnay based sparkling wine develops a supple roundness with purity and elegance, and hints of grapefruit and nectarine.

NZ $33.95

Congratulations to Aurum Wines, voted the "People's Choice" Top Winery for 2010 and 2011!!

TOP PIX SIX

Bracken's Order Pinot Noir 2009
Lowburn Ferry Pinot Noir 2010
Lowburn Ferry Skeleton Creek Pinot Noir 2009
Wooing Tree Pinot Noir 2009
Domain Road Pinot Noir 2009
Rockburn Pinot Noir 2009

NZ$231.00

BRACKEN'S ORDER PINOT NOIR 2009

only NZ$29.95 per bottle!!

Gold Medal & Best in Class - The International Wines & Spirits Competition London England 2011
Gold Medal - The Spiegelau International Wine Competition 2011

SHOW STOPPER SELECTION

6 bottles of Central Otago wines that have done exceptionally well in recent awards!

Mt Difficulty Central Otago Chardonnay 2008 - Gold medal NZ Intermational Wine Show

alex.gold Pinot Gris 2011Pure Gold medal - Air NZ Wine Awards 2011

Northburn Riesling 2008 -Best Riesling in Show, Hong Kong Int Wine Challenge

Wooing Tree Pinot Noir 2009 NZ International Wine Show

Lowburn Ferry Skeleton Creek Pinot Noir 2009 - 5 stars Winestate, Shortlisted WineNZ Magazine

Mt Difficulty Roaring Meg Pinot Gris 2010 - Champion Pinot Gris, Royal Easter Wine Show

NZ$180.00

PINOT LOVER'S DOZEN

NZ$503.40 (ave. price NZ$41.95 per bottle)
all fantastic pinots with rave reviews and awards:

Grasshopper Rock Pinot Noir 2009, Wooing Tree Pinot Noir 2008, Domain Road Pinot Noir 2008, Lowburn Ferry Home Block Pinot Noir 2009, Lowburn Ferry Skeleton Creek Pinot Noir 2009, Peregrine Pinot Noir 2009, Pisa Range Black Poplar Pinot Noir 2008, Brennan Pinot Noir 2007, Wild Earth Pinot Noir 2008, Akarua Pinot Noir 2009, Wild Irishman Pinot Noir 2009, Mondillo Pinot Noir 2010

January 2012

Thanks to all of our customers over the past year. We wish you all the very best for 2012!

The countdown is on now to the CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT NOIR CELEBRATION 2012 - being held January 26-28. Lovers of Pinot Noir will once again descend upon spectacular Central Otago for a world class Celebration of stunning local wine and cuisine.
The 2012 Central Otago Pinot Noir Celebration boasts a tremendous line-up of events poised to satiate the senses. Rubbing shoulders with local winemakers and renowned wine experts, delegates are guaranteed an unforgettable experience in one of the world's most dramatic wine growing regions.
Challenging to grow, impossible not to love, Central Otago Pinot Noir will be showcased by a selection of forty leading winegrowers, staged at various tastings and events across the region.
"It's a fantastic gathering of passionate people who have the opportunity to experience first hand the unique expression of our wines in the dramatic landscape where we grow our vines," says chairperson of the Central Otago Pinot Noir Celebration, Jen Parr. For more information see pinotcelebration.co.nz

11 November 2011
WINESTATE CHAMPION PINOT NOIR 2011 Australia/NZ -
Lowburn Ferry Home Block Pinot Noir 2010
11 November 2011

Lowburn Ferry Wines has added another major international award to its tally this week, bringing home the trophy for Champion Pinot Noir 2011 for Australia and New Zealand - from leading Australian publication, Winestate.
Coming from one of the smallest but brightest stars in the Central Otago wine industry, Lowburn Ferry Home Block Pinot Noir 2010 was the top wine of more than 1500 pinot noirs from throughout Australasia tasted by the Winestate magazine panels over the past year.
Trophies were presented to category winners in Auckland and Adelaide this week. Owners Jean and Roger Gibson are ecstatic with the accolade, especially as Winestate is particularly influential across Australia and Asia which are key export markets for Lowburn Ferry wines.
Being released in the New Zealand market this week to cap off an award-winning week for Lowburn Ferry, Lowburn Ferry Home Block Pinot Noir 2010 was also awarded a Blue-Gold Medal at the Sydney International Wine Show where gold medal winning wines are judged again as to how well they compliment foods to receive a blue-gold award. ...more information here

10 November 2011
NORTHBURN WINE TOURISM WINNER 11 November 2011
Northburn Station, near Cromwell, was judged Best Innovative Wine Tourism Experience in the Best of Wine Tourism Awards for Great Wine Capitals Global Network for the Christchurch-South Island wine region. The award was for the wine and food match. "It is what we have been working for from the start," says co-owner Jan Pinkney. "It shows that what we set out to do has achieved fabulous results for us. Being recognised like this shows we are doing something a little different and helping put Central Otago on the map." Global Wine Capitals awards chief judge Joanna Fountain said Northburn Station was delivering an "exceptional" wine tourism experience at its tasting and restaurant facility, known as "The Shed".

4 November 2011
As life slowly comes back to normal after the excitements of the Rugby World Cup (yay All Blacks) its already time to think about Christmas. And at time of writing this today, snow is drifting past the window.... Winegrowers will be keeping a close eye on the weather in case of frosts if this southerly weather clears.
The Air New Zealand Wine Awards have been judged in Auckland, with a haul of 85 medals going to Otago wines, particularly pinot noirs. The trophies will be announced at a gala function on 17th November. 10 of the 12 gold medals awarded to Central Otago wines were from the Pinot Noir class, with wines from Pinot Gris and Rosé categories taking the other 2 gold medals.
Central Otago results: Pure Gold Gibbston Valley Central Otago Pinot Noir 2010, Gibbston Valley School House Bendigo Central Otago Pinot Noir 2010, Judge Rock Central Otago Pinot Noir 2010, Mud House Central Otago Pinot Noir 2010, Rockburn Central Otago Pinot Noir 2010, Two Degrees Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009, 8 Ranges Central Otago Pinot Rosé 2011, alex.gold Pinot Gris 2011
Gold Brennan Gibbston Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009 , Valli Bannockburn Vineyard Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009, Charcoal Gully Estate Sallys Pinch Central Otago Pinot Noir 2010, Folding Hill Bendigo Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009

Appellation Central Wine Tours wins international wine tourism award

Award-winning Queenstown-based wine tour company Appellation Central Wine Tours has won an International Best of Wine Tourism Award in the face of stiff competition from established global wine regions.
Their win followed a jury meeting of the Great Wine Capitals (GWC) Global Network in Mainz, Germany last week.
GWC judges said ACWT won the award thanks to the excellent exposure and support it gave to wineries and other businesses in Central Otago, as well as the exceptional and memorable wine tourism experience offered to clients.
Appellation Central Wine Tours qualified for the international award by winning New Zealand’s Best of Wine Tourism Services award for the second year in a row.
...for more information on wine tourism in Central Otago, click here

October 2011
More accolades for Peregrine Wines who recently won the the Bouchard Finlayson Pinot Noir Trophy in the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) in London. The double-hemisphere achievement has left Peregrine Wines' Managing Director and co - owner Lindsay McLachlan extremely proud and humbled. "Although we've been quietly confident all along with the standards of wines we produce, never in our wildest dreams did we think we would receive two fantastic accolades like this so early in our history," he said. The multi-award winning Peregrine Pinot Noir 2009 also won three trophies at last year's Air New Zealand Wine Awards, including Champion Wine of the Show.
Peregrine Pinot Noir 2010 is the current vintage available.

Recently Nick Paulin of Peregrine Wines, Central Otago, won the 2011 Markhams Young Viticulturist National Competition last weekend, held as part of the Romeo Bragato Conference.

The Negociants NZ Trophy for Champion Pinot Noir went to Olssens Slapjack Creek Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009 at the NZ International Wine Show held in Auckland last month.

New listing: TOSQ
Thompson Vineyards specialise in the production of pinot noir and pinot gris. Their vineyards are situated on the terraces between Lake Dunstan and the Pisa Range in Central Otago. The Thompson family have been hands-on in the establishment and tending of the vines from day one, with the valued contribution of a small band of loyal helpers for expertise, advice and assistance along the way.
TOSQ Pinot Noir 2009 is the first release of wine under their own label.
Not only do Sue and Carl Thompson produce great wine, but Carl is also doing some fabulous vineyard photography. Some of his photos feature on our web site at www.otagowine.com but there is an even better selection at www.tosq.co.nz - check it out!

15 June 2011

Domain Road Vineyard from Central Otago has won a second international award this month, taking the Regional Trophy in the internationally respected Decanter Magazine 2011 Awards, for Domain Road Vineyard 2009 Pinot Noir . Earlier Domain Road won Best Riesling in Show for its 2009 Riesling at the Hong Kong International Wine Challenge.

The success of their wines over the past six years have prompted the owners to expand, and recently bought a further 10 hectare block adjacent to Felton Road, which will be planted in chardonnay, pinot gris, sauvignon blanc and pinot noir grapes. The new acquisition doubles Domain Road Vineyard's capacity but the first harvest will not be until 2015.

Another Central Otago riesling has also been in the limelight recently. Northburn Station 2008 Riesling won a gold medal and Best in Show at the Hong Kong International Wine Challenge 2011.