As a region, Central Otago makes great wines and has already done a good job of pulling together to promote its wines worldwide. It’s also good at building relationships which is why I found myself back in Queenstown today going for a muddy mountain bike ride in the pouring rain with three winemakers.
It was not a perfect day for cycling – nor for cricket. New Zealand was supposed to be taking on Pakistan in Queenstown today but rain stopped play. It didn’t stop the hardcore cycling winemakers. I was offered the choice of pulling out but that would have been too easy. If you let a bit of wet weather stop you cycling in England, you’d never sit on a saddle again. Funny then, that England invented the five day cricket game, a soggy Matt Dicey of Mt Difficulty responded.
Several falls (Dicey 1: Gibb 2), a bloody knee, and bruised hip later, three sodden, mud-stained winemakers were drinking tea and taking warm showers in my bathroom. The bathtub is now full of silt, grit and wet clothes and I’m sure the chamber maid will be cursing me tomorrow. But it’s been a good day for wine, relationship building and spectacular views from the saddle. And the Pinot celebration – which, is the reason for me being here – hasn’t even started yet.
I’ll be keeping you updated of all the goings-on from the seminars and after-school events on the blog and through twitter…
