Show Stopper Selection
Winter Warmer Selection
Central Otago Serious Cellar Selection
Pinot Lovers' Dozen
Northburn Station Riesling 2008
Lowburn Ferry Skeleton Creek Pinot Noir 2009
Pisa Range Estate Black Poplar Pinot Noir 2008
Domain Road Pinot Noir 2008
Domain Road Riesling 2009
Akarua Pinot Noir 2009
Peregrine Pinot Noir 2009
Hawkshead First Vines Pinot Noir 2009
Rockburn Pinot Noir 2009
Amisfield Pinot Noir 2008
"Pinot Central" book by Alan Brady
Gibbston Valley China Terrace Pinot Noir 2009
Lowburn Ferry Home Block Pinot Noir 2009
Gibbston Valley Pinot Gris 2009
Central Otago Serious Cellar Selection
Lowburn Ferry Skeleton Creek Pinot Noir 2009
Pisa Range Estate Black Poplar Pinot Noir 2008, Pinot Gris 2010
Felton Road 2010 pinot noirs - Bannockburn, Block 3, Cornish Point
Felton Road Bannockburn Chardonnay 2010
Rippon Mature Vine Pinot Noir 2008
Mt Difficulty Pinot Noir 2009
Roaring Meg Pinot Noir 2010, Pinot Gris 2010
Gibbston Valley Pinot Blanc 2009
Carrick Pinot Noir 2009, Pinot Gris 2010, Riesling 2010
and many more click here for a full list of recent releases
SHOW STOPPER SELECTION
CENTRAL OTAGO SERIOUS CELLAR SELECTION
from around the subregions of Otago
Bannockburn
Bendigo
Wanaka
Lowburn
Gibbston
Alexandra
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, Drumsara Pinot Noir 2008, Lowburn Ferry Home Block Pinot Noir 2009, Lowburn Ferry Pinot Noir 2008, Peregrine Pinot Noir 2009, Pisa Range Black Poplar Pinot Noir 2008, Brennan Pinot Noir 2007, Desert Heart Pinot Noir 2007, Akarua Pinot Noir 2009, Wild Irishman Pinot Noir 2008, Hawkshead First Vines Pinot Noir 2009
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.
15 April 2011
Vintage 2011 is coming in all over Central Otago, with growers pleased to be experiencing some fine autumn days to complete the season. The vintage has been a challenging one - it got off to a good start in spring with little frost and good flowering conditions, however cool and wet temperatures over the rest of the summer season created challenges for growers. Volumes harvested were similar to last year; parts of the region still have another week or so to completion of the harvest.
Two Bannockburn wineries won trophies at the Royal Easter Wine Show in Auckland recently.
Akarua Pinot Noir 2009 was awarded the NZ Winegrower Magazine Trophy for Champion Pinot Noir, and Mt Difficulty won the Datacom Trophy for Champion Pinot Gris for its Roaring Meg Pinot Gris 2010.
Matt Connell was thrilled with this latest Pinot Noir Trophy, especially as the 2009 vintage was Matt's first winemaking at Akarua.
... read more
11 February 2011 Three Central Otago wines are the three highest pointed finalists for the Pinot Noir Trophy in the Sydney International Wine Competition to be announced later this month. In contention in the Pinot Noir Category are: Lamont Wines Pinot Noir 2007, Lowburn Ferry Home Block Pinot Noir 2009, and Rockburn Wines Pinot Noir 2009 - all from Central Otago and chosen from an international line-up! These three wines will be presented blind matched with food during a Dégustation Banquet on 26th February. The banquet will be a demonstration of the pleasurable and symbiotic relationship between wines and food. Each year, this event is the Competition’s premier showcase, where seven considered and rehearsed dégustation food courses are chosen to accompany the three highest pointed wines from seven of the Competition’s thirteen Style Categories. For each dégustation course, one of the three wines, presented blind, will be the Trophy winner for that Style Category. The other two of these wines will be the Runners Up in their Category, the other the Trophy Winner. All will be on tasting display along with other Blue Gold finalists at the prestigious TOP 1OOTM Competition Banquet.
26 November 2010
Three Central Otago wines won top honours at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards in Auckland last week. Peregrine Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009 won Air NZ Champion Wine of the Show, as well as the JF Hillebrand Champion Pinot Noir Trophy. Gibbston Valley China Terrace Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009 won the O-I NZ Champion Sustainable Wine, and Olssens Slapjack Creek Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009 won the Kapiti trophy for Champion Exhibition Red Wine. See our Show Stoppers Selection.
11 November 2010
Central Otago's medal haul at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards, announced yesterday, includes 101 medals, including 17 golds. With 14 golds for pinot noirs, Otago accounted for almost half of the nationwide tally for that class.
New Zealand Winegrowers global marketing director Chris Yorke said the quality of pinot noir entries in this year's awards was exceptional.
Trophies and elite gold medal winners will be announced at a gala dinner on 20th November.
Gold medal-winning wines from Otago at this year's Air New Zealand Wine Awards were:
Domain Road Vineyard Central Otago Pinot Gris 2010 (pure), Peregrine Central Otago Riesling 2008, Gibbston Valley Reserve Central Otago Chardonnay 2009 (pure), Akarua Central Otago Reserve Pinot Noir 2009 (pure), Amisfield Central Otago Pinot Noir 2008 (pure), Bald Hills Central Otago Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2009 (pure), Black Quail Estate Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009, Domain Road Vineyard Central Otago Pinot Noir 2008, Gibbston Valley China Terrace Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009 (pure), Gibbston Valley Schoolhouse Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009 (pure), Grasshopper Rock Central Otago Pinot Noir 2008, Lowburn Ferry Home Block Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009, Mondillo Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009 (pure), Olssens Slapjack Creek Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009 (pure), Peregrine Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009, Thornbury Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009 (pure), Wild Earth Vineyards Central Otago Pinot Noir 2008.
Any birds wishing to indulge themselves at Olssens Garden Vineyard in Bannockburn on Sunday 21st November will be in for a major fright with the staging of Scarecrow Gathering. Scarecrows of all shapes, sizes and characters some of whom were last seen 8 years ago are returning for a reunion and bringing with them a number of new scarecrows and friends from around the area.
21 September 2010
TROPHY FOR LOWBURN FERRY
LOWBURN FERRY "HOME BLOCK" PINOT NOIR 2009, from Central Otago, was named Champion Pinot Noir at New Zealand's largest wine competition on Saturday. Taking the top award at the NZ International Wine Show in Auckland from a field of over 250 Pinot Noir, of which 28 won gold medals, was "stunning" according to owners Roger and Jean Gibson. The wine has also won a gold medal at the recent Bragato wine awards and 5 stars from leading New Zealand wine critic Bob Campbell, MW.
7 September 2010
This week our thoughts are with Cantabrians who are probably still reeling after last weekend's 7.1 earthquake near Christchurch, the numerous aftershocks and total disruption to the city. We've had numerous emails from overseas customers also sending their support. Anyone abroad wishing to keep on eye on the news I suggest they check www.stuff.co.nz for the latest. Any full case orders we send to Canterbury over the next month will include a free bottle of wine!
1 September 2010
Central Otago wines had strong results in the NZ Winegrowers Bragato Wine Awards held last weekend in Blenheim.
Gold medals were awarded to the following Central Otago wines: Desert Heart Riesling 2009 , Domain Road Riesling 2009, Black Quail Estate Pinot Noir 2009, Domain Road Pinot Noir 2009, Gibbston Valley China Terrace 2009, Lowburn Ferry Home Block 2009, Mondillo Pinot Noir 2009, Mount Dottrel Pinot Noir 2009, Pisa Range Estate "Black Poplar Block" Pinot Noir 2008.
CHAMPION WINE OF SHOW and the BRAGATO TROPHY went to Cobblestone Te Muna Pinot Noir 2009 from Martinborough.
1 September 2010
Rockburn 2009 Pinot Noir last week scooped the award for Best Pinot Noir and the Trophy for Wine of Show at the Association of Australian Boutique Winemakers Awards. Rockburn’s winemaker, Malcolm Rees-Francis, commented. “We are thrilled to have received such an outstanding accolade for our 2009 Pinot Noir, against some evidently fierce competition. Certainly this award once again places Central Otago at the forefront of great Pinot Noir regions, which was exemplified by the ‘09 vintage; a classic for Central Otago with excellent concentration and character evident in the wines. The Rockburn ‘09 Pinot is already showing great complexity, poise and grace and it can only improve with age.” Release date October 2010.
Other recent accolades:
Gibbston Valley Pinot Gris recently won the trophy for Best New Zealand Wine at the 2010 Japan Wine Challenge. The same wine was also awarded the trophy for Best New World White Wine at the Japan competition.
1 September 2010
Four Central Otago representatives head to Burgundy next week on the Burgundy Exchange Programme to experience a vintage in the homeland of pinot noir. They are: Duncan Gibson (Peregrine), Sam Jary (Quartz Reef), David Foes (Amisfield) and Jean Gibson (Lowburn Ferry) - c'est moi!!! Yes, that's me....!!! The exchange occurs every year between the CFPPA in Beaune, ( a viticulture and winemaking institute in Burgundy) and the Otago Polytechnic in conjunction with Central Otago winegrowers. I'll report back in October. Jean
7 July 2010
The 2007 Desert Heart Pinot Noir produced by Bannockburn based Desert Heart Vineyards has been awarded a trophy at the worlds most influential independent wine competition – the International Wine Challenge (IWC) in the UK this week - see our hot deals.
New releases for Felton Road wines, and we have a new label just released, Ellero, from the Pisa Terrace near Cromwell - 2008 pinot noir and a 2009 Gewürztraminer.
21 May 2010
Three Central Otago pinot noirs have won gold medals at one of the top events on the international wine calendar: - Desert Heart Pinot Noir 2007, Grasshopper Rock Pinot Noir 2008 and Domain Road Pinot Noir 2008 all won gold at the the prestigious and influential 27th annual London International Wine Challenge this week where a record number of 46 countries and thousands of wines were entered - trophies will be announced later in the year.
Also this week, Lowburn Ferry Pinot Noir 2008 won a Gold Medal at the Liquorland International Wine Competition in Auckland.
See our TOP PICKS
14 May 2010
The busy harvest season is nearing an end in Central Otago with the bulk of grapes picked and in the wineries. Growers across the region are very happy with the crop quality, and we look forward to some great wines from 2010!
25 March 2010
Central Otago wineries and winemakers came up trumps at the Royal Easter Wine Show Awards held in Auckland last weekend.
Mondillo Pinot Noir 2008 won the Trophy for Champion Pinot Noir, and then the tiny Bendigo vineyard swept aside 1517 wines from around the country to go on to be named Champion Wine of Show
The vineyard has produced six vintages, the first in 2004, each picking up awards and delivering a loyal global following.
The wine is made at Quartz Reef in Cromwell. Quartz Reef is headed by Rudi Bauer who was awarded the coveted title of Winemaker of the Year at the same event.
Wooing Tree Blondie 2009 - a unique Blanc de Noir made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes - was also awarded Champion Rosé at the show.
12 March 2010
Central Otago gold medal winners at the Royal Easter Wine Show in Auckland:
Mt Difficulty Target Gully Riesling 2009, Gibbston Valley Pinot Gris 2009, Hawkshead Pinot Gris 2009, Davishon Pinot Noir 2007,
Desert Heart Mackenzies Run Pinot Noir 2008, Lake Hayes Pinot Noir 2008, Maori Point Pinot Noir 2008, Mondillo Pinot Noir 2008,
The Aurora Bendigo Pinot Noir 2008, Valli Bannockburn Vineyard Pinot Noir 2008, Waitiri Creek Pinot Noir 2007, Wooing Tree Beetle Juice Pinot Noir 2008, Wooing Tree Blondie 2009.
Trophy winners will be announced at a presentation dinner on Saturday 20th March 2010.
18 February 2010
Quartz Reef winemaker Rudi Bauer is the first kiwi winemaker to be in the running for what has been dubbed the Oscars of the wine world - the prestigious Der Feinschmecker Wine Awards. Only six winemakers from around the world will be in Germany next month to see who will be International Winemaker of the Year. The competition is the wine world's equivalent of the Oscar ceremony.
Quartz Reef applies the proven winemaking talents of Austrian-born Rudi Bauer, who continues to enjoy & explore the Pinot Noir's many dimensions, and the convergence of the old and the new wine worlds.
Wines produced from the Cromwell winery, Central Otago, include pinot noir, pinot gris and Methode Traditionelle.
3 December 2009:
Lowburn Ferry Pinot Noir 2008 has won a coveted Top 100 Award in addition to a Blue-Gold at one of the world's most exceptional wine shows. 
The Sydney International Wine Competition is unique among international wine shows in that the wines are first judged on wine quality before being judged alongside food. Only wines that score high enough to be awarded a Gold Medal in each judging qualify for the unique Blue-Gold (or double Gold) Medal.
The 100 wines which score the highest number of aggregate points in both judgings are then given The Top 100 Wine Award. Trophy winners from the Sydney International Wine Competition 2010 will be announced in February.
( read more here... )
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