Hong Kong to host Stonier International Pinot Noir Tasting this November The Stonier International Pinot Noir Tasting (SIPNOT) will debut in Hong Kong this November, giving the local wine trade a rare opportunity to participate in one of the world’s leading benchmarking events for Pinot Noir. Led by renowned wine critic Jeannie Cho Lee MW and joined by The Flying Winemaker, Eddie McDougall and Stonier winemaker Mike Symons, the tasting has a history in Australia of driving interest and discussion around Pinot Noir wines from all regions of the world. “Traditionally, the Pinot Noir story in Hong Kong has centred on Burgundy and this tasting aims to expand the knowledge and exposure to outstanding Pinot Noir producers from other fine wine regions of the world, many of which have developed a highly regarded history with this fussy variety” says Symons. “SIPNOT has helped benchmark Pinot Noir from regions all around the world, boosting our knowledge and appreciation of prime Pinot regions beyond France.” For 15 years Stonier has presented the SIPNOT event to pinot lovers in its home town of Melbourne, as well as in Sydney and London. Jeannie Cho Lee joins an esteemed list of SIPNOT panel alumni, including the likes of Tim Atkin MW, Matthew Jukes, James Halliday AO, Andrew Caillard MW and the late Len Evans AO OBE. At SIPNOT Hong Kong, guests will enjoy 12 world class Pinots from Old and New World producers, which have proven to excel in making exceptional Pinot Noir. Attendees will receive a tasting booklet, which will list the event wines, however the order of wines in each bracket won’t be revealed until the very end. Symons says, “Whilst SIPNOT has always had a selection of Old and New World Pinot Noirs, it has never been about pitting one against the other, instead focusing on identifying stylistic and regional variations of the wines presented, as well as getting to the heart of what great Pinot Noir is about.” With the dynamic market growth of Pinot Noir in China and Hong Kong, SIPNOT will provide guests with an academic perspective on the true nature, value and quality of Pinot Noir based on region, vintage and producer. China is now the fourth largest export market for French Burgundy producers, behind Japan, Britain and the US. The Bourgogne (Burgundy) Wine Board advised in May, 2014, that mainland China is showing strong market results (up 10.5% in terms of volume and up 28.2% in terms of value), with a share of imports now going direct to Mainland China, rather than through Hong Kong as they did previously. This is particularly significant with other parts of the world showing notable slow-down in volumes of Burgundy wine imported (USA down 13.8%; UK down 27.5%; Japan down 11%). Australian Pinot Noir exports to China have grown considerably over the past 12 years, from a small base of 3,863 litres in 2001 at a value of $38,560, to 192,950 litres with a value of $2,371,523 in 2013; representing an incredible 6,050% growth in sales value accompanied by an increase of $2.30 price per litre. The event will be held at The China Club on 5 November, from 2.45pm – 6pm, and is open to media and members of Hong Kong’s wine and restaurant trade by invitation only. Due to the rarity of the wines, seats are strictly limited. Pinot Noir selection for SIPNOT 2014: • 2012 Stonier Merron’s Vineyard Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula, Australia • 2012 Freycinet Pinot Noir, Freycinet, Tasmania • 2012 Ashton Hills Reserve Pinot Noir, Piccadilly Valley, Adelaide Hills, Australia • 2012 Coldstream Hills ThEsplanade Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley, Australia • 2012 Felton Road Block 5 Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand • 2012 Cono Sur, 'Ocio' Pinot Noir, Valle de Casablanca, Chile • • 2011 Roco Marsh Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir, Oregon, USA • 2011 Bernhard Huber, Schlossberg, Spatburgunder Grosses Gewachs, Baden, Germany • 2011 Henri Gouges, Nuits St Georges, ‘Les Saint Georges’, Burgundy, France - Premier Cru • 2011 Domaine de la Vougeraie, Charmes Chambertin ‘Les Mazoyeres‘, Burgundy, France - Grand Cru • 2011 Faiveley, Corton, ‘Clos des Cortons Faiveley’, Burgundy, France - Grand Cru • 2011 Hudelot-Noellat, Vosne Romanee, Romanee Saint Vivant, Burgundy, France - Grand Cru.