Our New World specialist, Roger Jones, continues his tales from New Zealand. This time, he delves into the story of Central Otago, an area first brought to the UK's attention by the bold 'New World' Pinot Noir some 20 years ago. Today, the region not only produces Pinot Noir with poise and fresh, focused elegance but also magical white wines. On his recent visit to the region he met up with the key players, tasted some of the exciting new white wines and attended an outstanding celebration of wine and food called Roam.

here’s no holding back New Zealand pinot noir with some sensational wines in this tasting, says MARY-THÉRÈSE BLAIR.

One of the first things you’ll notice when you arrive to Otago on the South Island is The Remarkables—a towering saw-toothed mountain range along the edge of Lake Wakatipu that is one of few in the world that runs directly north to south. These dramatic peaks set a strong tone for a wine country getaway in Central Otago, which is prized for its award-winning wines. “Pinot Noir is by far the most well-known variety here,” Ilias Hamzaoui says, who is the restaurant & bar manager at Rosewood Matakauri.

Central Otago's organic wine movement, spearheaded by Central Otago Winegrowers Association (COWA), has reached an important milestone: 30% of the region's vineyard area is now certified organic, the highest proportion in Aotearoa New Zealand.

A major wine auction this Labour weekend will see some of the world's most prestigious wines go under the hammer. It will include around 300 auction lots with some individual bottles expected to sell for up to $50,000.

One of the features of the weekend is special charity wine lots for the Central Otago Pinot Noir Charitable Trust.

McArthur Ridge’s Southern Tor is racking up global awards.

It was ironic that when winemaker Matt Connell heard a Pinot Noir he’d made was named as the best in the world at a prestigious competition, he couldn’t actually toast the incredible achievement with a glass of the triumphant red.

Growing up on a Taranaki dairy farm, Nina Downer was accustomed to the isolated and repetitive nature of her parents’ work, milking at dawn 365 days of the year.

Idealog sits down with Pip Clarke, the award-winning Head Winemaker from Mount Michael Wines, to talk about what it is like being one of the few females in her role and what goes in the daily life of someone creating a delicacy.

It’s a blue-skied, post-frost Central Otago morning as Owen Calvert drives through Bendigo and up to Tarras.

Kinross on the outskirts of Queenstown has been judged as having the country's best cellar door experience. The Gibbston Valley winery has taken out the first-ever Qualmark New Zealand Wine Tourism Award. Kinross chief executive Nicky Sygrove says she is proud of her team's efforts to secure such recognition. "Providing a world-class guest experience is at the core of everything we do," she says.

Beyond the bubble of Queenstown, this area offers the kinds of adventures you can truly appreciate only by slowing down.

A Master of Wine shares essential sips from a region that continues to make New Zealand wine globally renowned.
Central Otago Pinot Noir stands alongside Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc as New Zealand’s great vinous success story.

Despite being a “younger” wine region — its modern viticultural history dating back to the pioneers of the early 1980s like Alan Brady, Anne Pinckney and the late Rolfe Mill — it has risen rapidly to establish itself internationally as the region for premium NZ pinot noir.