Gibbston Valley Winemakers Dinner at Bellamys

Gibbston Valley Winemakers Dinner at Bellamys, Grand Hall, Parliament House

Gibbston Valley Wine and Cheese were featured at the winemakers dinner hosted by The Right Honourable Jonathon Hunt (The Speaker of the House of Representatives NZ). Bellamys Chef Charles Noville created a wonderful 6-course menu with a Central Otago theme around the wines cheeses and other local products. Highlights were canapés featuring Monks Gold cheese with a green-gage cinnamon jam and served with Sauvignon Blanc an entrée of duck liver parfait dusted with a Gibbston Valley Late Harvest Riesling jelly (served with Late Harvest Riesling) osso bucco of Otago mountain goat served with a pinot noir infused black cherry compote (served with 2002 Pinot Noir and 2003 Pinot Blanc) the concluding cheese plate consisting of Gibbston Gold and Balfour (sheeps milk cheese) and accompanying apricot Moorish chutney from Provisions of Cromwell.

Chef made special comment of the quality of all the wines in the Gibbston Valley portfolio and their food friendly characteristics and effused over the “European flavours” of the cheeses.

Gibbston Valley Winemakers Dinner The dinner was attended by MP’s and partners, Parliament staff and invited guests with a strong Otago presence being asked to speak at various points of the dinner. Local MP David Parker, Dunedin member David Benson-Pope and Tourism Minister Mark Burton all spoke with pride about the wonderful food and wine experiences they have enjoyed at Gibbston Valley and applauded the enterprise of the winery and new cheesemaking operation in their contribution to the regional tourism mix. Wine Sales Manager Claudio Heye and Cheesery Manager Leigh Mathieson rated the evening as one of their favourite such experiences and were delighted with the warm reception and genuine enthusiasm of the guests towards the Gibbston Valley products.

Gibbston Valley Wines is a boutique producer of the highest quality wines, set in Queenstown's spectacular Gibbston Valley. They are one of the original pioneers of the Central Otago wine region and produced the first commercial vintage for the region in 1987. Today it is NZ's most visited winery. It comprises vineyard, wine cave, restaurant, wine tours, courtyard alfresco dining, wine sales and gift shop. Gibbston Valley Wines has won more awards for Pinot Noir than any other winery in New Zealand, including the trophy at the London International Wine Challenge for the top Pinot Noir/Burgundy in the world.

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