Preliminary Programme
Plenary 1 | Reconnection to our land, Tūrangawaewae
Mihi Whakatau will open Pinot Noir 2025 with a celebration of our New Zealand heritage and an introduction to the intrinsic connection with our land. Our programme will begin with exploring the theme of Tūrangawaewae – a place to put one’s feet, a place to stand, a place to which one belongs. If Terroir is how a place is expressed, through grapevines, into something we can taste and feel, Tūrangawaewae is how a place informs, or defines us as people. It drives our sense of belonging and, in turn, how we relate back to that place.
Morning Tea | Kai and Korero
Taking time to reconnect with one another over some fantastic New Zealand kai (food).
Plenary 2 | Our Tūrangawaewae, our terroir
Delving further into our place, we discover the unique quality of our regions and how this influences the production of world class Pinot Noir. With talks from renowned local voices alongside our regional wine heroes we will discuss how the world sees New Zealand Pinot Noir.
Lunch | Reconnection, a taste of our New Zealand heritage
Regional Road Trips |
Explore incredible Pinot Noir presented from over 100 New Zealand wineries in a tiki tour of our place. Enjoy a taste of the diverse Pinot Noir New Zealand has to offer and hear about the people and stories behind our wines from the creators themselves.
Whanaungatanga Programme | Dinner Night 1
Taste of Waitaha Canterbury:
Celebrating the unique and diverse food culture of Aotearoa, New Zealand. An authentic and traditional taste of manaakitanga.
Plenary 3 | Caring for our place, Kaitiakitanga
What it means to be Kaitiakitanga? Day two investigates how we relate and care for our land, as a place, and perhaps as a living entity. We can consider guardianship as Pinot Noir winegrowers, merchants, commentators and enthusiasts. Importantly, acknowledging how the land has cared for or has provided for us.
International speakers will provide insight into guarding our place for the future followed by a local panel discussion to close the morning with stories on practice of protection and conservation of our natural environment and the resources within it, on which people depend now and well into the future.
Morning Tea | Kai and Korero
Taking time to reconnect with one another over some fantastic New Zealand kai (food).
The afternoon is all about regional experience and expression of Pinot Noir. Taste around the regional rooms and discuss with the makers one-to-one, what makes their region and their Pinot Noir unique.
Regional Road Trips |
Lunch | Forage
Regional Road Trips | Consumer
Evening | Free
The Time to come – ā Mua
Linking our past, present and future, as we, as a community drive forward to deliver world class, sustainable and innovative Pinot Noir. Day three focuses on Inspiration, commercial perspectives and insights, aspiration and innovation of New Zealand Pinot Noir.
Pinot Noir | Major Tasting
Opening the day with the first of two major tastings, you will be guided through eight outstanding Pinot Noir, each with its own unique and inspiring reason for selection. The panel will be showcasing heroic Pinot Noir that inspired them and that exemplify Tūrangawaewae, Kaitiakitanga and the innate values of wine craft in New Zealand.
Plenary 4 | The time to come, ā Mua
A powerful final plenary session will question perceptions, look globally and think ahead to the future. Prepare for multiple expert speakers and a multitude of topics on thinking old and new.
Pinot Noir | Major Tasting
The final major tasting of this incredible event discusses how we maintain connections with those in our family, community and industry in relation to Pinot Noir. We will explore how our craft, and the product itself, help us to connect with each other, both here in New Zealand and abroad.
An impressive panel will take us through a Pinot Noir tasting, showing how place informs wine, communities and culture. This session will be filled with inspirational stories, and with frank and open discussion about what is next for New Zealand Pinot Noir. Wine selected will exemplify aspiration, a guide into future possibilities, the time to come.
Whanaungatanga Programme | Night 3
Whakanui Gala Dinner:
Finale Dinner. Quality kiwi Entertainment, local music, inspirational speakers delicious food… not to mention outstanding wines and of course company.