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If you positioned all New Zealand's pinot noir growing regions around a volume dial, you'd find Central Otago somewhere up around 11. Everything about the place screams for your attention: the landscape, the people, the climate and, of course, the pinots.

The region is a hot bed of ambition, of skill and bravery, of sometime marginal viticulture and of pinots that have an amazing ability to seduce all comers. The intensity of fruit is the first captivating aspect of these wines, produced in an often arid, fast and hot growing season.

It is the most continental of all New Zealand's pinot-growing regions of note, as well as the most elevated and most southerly, home to what are possibly the most southerly growing vines on the planet down south among the lunaresque landscape in Alexandra.

The sprawling Central Otago region is actually composed of a number of very distinctive and disparate sub-regions placed amid a network of valleys, mountain ranges, lakes and rivers, all creating distinctive climate-driven characters. Soils are also a potent source of differentiation in the wines from alluvial sandy gravels to primary schist rock.

The development of greater structural articulation in terms of tannin has been a welcoming step in this region's evolution, and if there was one place in New Zealand that was always going to reap a tangible benefit of maturing vines, it was Central Otago.

This has started to play out, and the ever-growing bank of knowledge and experience of the region's winemakers, is also assuring the instant appeal of these great pinot wines. The 2013 vintage is a source of many, many great wines here.

Reviewed By: Contributing Editor Nick Stock. Nick is a renowned Australian wine writer, author, presenter and filmmaker who reports on his worldwide wine tasting experiences for jamessuckling.com

Wines Reviewed

Peregrine Pinot Noir 2012 - Score 93
"A bright, vibrant nose here with a wealth of mixed ripe berries and plenty of fresh fragrances, too. There are also poached, pepper-dusted raspberries, which make this mouth-wateringly fresh. The palate has bright and crunchy mid-palate appeal with a handy tannin surge that builds savory grip through the finish. Very attractive wine. Drink now".

Saddleback Pinot Noir 2013 - Score 92
"This is a bold and attractively fruited pinot noir that has ripe plum and red cherry fruit, not to mention boysenberries and mulberries. It's really fragrant and fruit focused with a light touch of roasting herbs. The palate has supple, smooth and soft fleshy texture; the tannins are ripe and malleable; and sweet cherry/berry flavors abound. Drink now".

The objective was to provide an authentic New Zealand Story that would help better communicate our distinct and unique attributes to international audiences around the world. The Story toolkit provides businesses with tools that helps them to talk about New Zealand in a more consistent and meaningful way to help ensure more visitors, students, investors and consumers positively engage with New Zealand

The New Zealand Story themes have been created with extensive input from over 200 leaders from the primary sector, manufacturing, Maori, export education and wider government services.

New Zealand's place in the world shapes who we are - creative thinkers with a can-do attitude. We have open minds and big hearts. Our responsibility as Kaitiaki, and the beauty of our landscape, drives our care of people and place - for now and for future generations.

New Zealand is Open to the New. An openness of space, of minds and of hearts that creates a newness of experience, attitudes and the creation of new possibilities. Openness is our character. Newness is our perspective. Being Open to New Zealand is our invitation. And those who are open to the new are the ones that change the world.

Over the course of two days the film crew were based at Peregrine Winery and worked with our staff to capture images that they would utilise to tell that particular part of the story. It's great to see some of our staff were included in the footage!
Below is the final piece that is now available for all to use, please click through to watch this fantastic short feature.

http://story.newzealand.com/story

Please also have a look at this fantastic site http://story.newzealand.com/ for more images and information.