Pinot Lovers Unite

Wellington is to host its third Pinot Noir festival from January 31 to February 3 2007. 500 of the world’s leading Pinot Noir experts, producers and enthusiasts have been invited to the prestigious tri-annual event, which was founded in 2001 to showcase the depth and quality of what is now officially NZ’s most widely planted grape variety. Confirmed speakers and panellists for Pinot Noir 2007 include top French wine writer Michel Bettane and leading UK wine lecturer and judge Matthew Jukes. “Pinot Noir 2007 has some serious aims,” says board chairman Steve Smith. “We want to promote NZ’s super and ultra premium wines to the world, focusing on the uniqueness of our wines and the special contribution they make. But we also want to have 500 of the world’s key wine media, trade, connoisseur wine lovers and winemakers join us for a celebration of NZ Pinot Noir and give them an experience like they have never seen.”