Drumsara – Central Otago Pinot Noir

The tasting is being held at the Olivers building in Clyde and is scheduled for Sunday October 25, between 2pm and 5pm. The release tasting will focus on wines that have recently become available for sale from the sub‐regions growers. More than 17 producers in the Alexandra basin will take part in the first annual event.

Complementing the Clyde Food and Wine Festival held over Easter weekend, which also promotes the sub‐regions wines, this years tasting will be the first opportunity for consumers to sample a collection of 2009 aromatics from the sub‐region at the same time.

Any new release Pinot Noir wines will also be promoted during the tasting. Producers may also choose to show an older wine, to demonstrate how wines from the Alexandra region evolve over time.

Different in format to the Easter Festival, the New Release Tasting will focus on tasting, discussion and education. “We want everyone to taste every wine being shown so the pours will be of tasting size. We see this event as an extra opportunity to directly engage consumers about our wines and to discuss the various aspects of our sub‐region that differentiate us from the other growing areas in Central Otago” a spokesperson for Alexandra Wine Growers explained.

“Wines from Alexandra are unique to wines from the other sub‐regions, and this event will help us to explain why we think Alexandra is such a great place to grow wine” they said.

An Alexandra wine recently won the Champion Pinot Noir Trophy and Reserve Champion Trophy at the 2009 Bragato Wine Awards.

Well known cooking author and TV personality, Annabelle White, is attending the event and will present some ideas on matching Alexandra Basin wines with food.

More than 30 wines will be available for tasting during the 3 hour event. Admittance to the event is by ticket only, at a cost of $15 per person. The ticket includes entry to the tasting, the opportunity to taste over 30 new wines, a take home tasting booklet with information about each wine, Annabelle White’s presentation, light nibbles and special pricing for orders placed on the day.

Bought separately, you could expect to pay in excess of $500 to taste the collection of wines that will be available. Alexandra Basin Winegrowers believes the $15 ticket price provides enormous value for money and guarantee a fun, educational and enjoyable Sunday outing. “You can even sleep in the next day!”