Region to show off its pinot noir

Marlborough will show off its darker side at a New Zealand Winegrowers wine tasting in Australia next week.

Wine Marlborough general manager Marcus Pickens said the region had been asked to exhibit at this year's NZ Winegrowers Australian Spring Release to show it could grow more than just sauvignon blanc. His team had jumped at the chance to showcase eight labels of 2008 pinot noir.

"We know that as part of the new release tasting there will be some classy sauvignon blancs from 2009 and a first look at some 2010 wines. In light of this we decided it was an opportune time to further promote the diversity of Marlborough and the sub-regionality of one of our other great wine styles, pinot noir."

The wines were picked by blind tastings and are from vineyards in the Wairau, Awatere and southern valleys.

Nautilus Estate winemaker Clive Jones will go to the September 7 tasting to guide trade officials, media and consumers through the wines and explain the effect of the sub-regions.

Australia is the second-largest export market for New Zealand wine. Britain is the largest.

The wines on show will be: Nautilus Estate Pinot Noir 2008, Seresin Leah Pinot Noir 2008, Framingham Wines Pinot Noir 2008, Saint Clair Pioneer Block 14 Doctors Creek Pinot Noir 2008, Vavasour Wines Pinot Noir 2008, The Crossings Awatere Valley Pinot Noir 2008, Auntsfield Hawk Hill Pinot Noir 2008 and Churton Pinot Noir 2008.

- The Marlborough Express

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