Pinot noir to star in 4-day event

Wellington will welcome pinot noir lovers from all over the world for four days of celebration and education in January.

The fifth Pinot Noir NZ event will have more than 300 wines from 112 wineries, and wild foods.

Actor Sam Neill will open the event, which is held every three years, and the Two Paddocks winery that he owns in Central Otago is one of the brands that attendees will be able to taste.

Villa Maria general manager of winemaking and chairman of the event, Alastair Maling, said some regional topics would be debated, some left-field and contentious.

Topics include whether winemakers should let regional styles dictate, the role of a winemaker, technology in making good pinot noir, whether or not sub-regions exist and if anyone cares.

Two Paddocks general manager Jacqui Murphy said some of the most influential wine media and buyers in the world would be attending. "It will be at an informative level directed at some of the world's most renowned international media, trade and buyers - plus our local pinotphiles.

"Most importantly, it is going to be a lot of fun and these visitors will leave Wellington with a memory montage of fantastic tastings, personalities and the aura that now surrounds our New Zealand pinot noir."

Speakers include master of wine and award-winning wine writer Tim Atkin, from Britain, wine critic Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Melbourne fine wine merchant Philip Rich and Wine Spectator contributing editor Matt Kramer.

Positively Wellington Tourism chief executive officer David Perks said the event, taking place from January 28 to 31, would bring visitors to the city at a time of year when it was typically quiet.

"Being a city with lots of good restaurants with wine regions of high quality on either side, Wellington feels like exactly the right kind of place to do this," he said.