Catch Pinot, 1 -29 May, celebrates local wine and food matches.

At our Wellington restaurant we love local Pinot Noir, and have selected two of our favourite Pinots from the region and matched them with complementary Bistro dishes.

• Escarpment Pinot Noir

With Pan Fried Calves Liver with crispy bacon, red wine onion jus

• Urlar Pinot Noir

with Pinot Noir And Ghana Mousse with salted macadamia brittle, cocoa nib wafer and cherry jam

Available at the Bistro lunch and dinner

About

Enjoy the best Wellington’s very own wine region has to offer with premium Pinots from Martinborough, Gladstone and Masterton wineries, all expertly paired with noshes, nibbles and bites from Wellington’s finest eateries.

30 wineries, 47 restaurants and the Wellington Culinary Events Trust have teamed up to bring you a month long harvest celebration from the home of New Zealand Pinot Noir. The pairing of wine flavours and food tastes is practically endless.

A Wellington On a Plate event

ARA wines are grown sustainably on a naturally gifted single vineyard in Marlborough, New Zealand and the ARA sauvignon blanc and pinot noir have been described as ‘three dimensional’ and ‘immaculate’.

For these very reasons, we’re featuring ARA Wines ‘Resolute’ Sauvignon Blanc 2011 and ‘Select Blocks’ Pinot Noir 2010 for the month of June. These selected ARA wines are delicious on their own and also make a perfect pairing with the Bistro’s classic dishes.

For more info on ARA wines – Click here

Pinot Noir 2013 kicked off today in sunny Wellington and has attracted pinotphiles worldwide to discuss, debate and savour this unique variety.

So in support of this mysterious and delicious drop, we’ve selected a few favourites that we thoroughly enjoy, and hope you will too.

Porter’s Estate 2011 Martinborough

Medium-bodied, the flavours of this Wellington local are an amalgam of red berries, aromatic spices and red florals, enlivened by fine, lacy and racy acidity.

Seresin ‘Leah’ 2009 Marlborough

This bio – dynamic Pinot is a fine-structured and slightly sappy wine with supple tannins and an assortment of spice, floral, savory and cherry flavours.

Craggy Range ‘Bendigo’ 2010 Central Otago

A very pure Pinot Noir with fine, dense floral and cherry/berry flavours.

Pegasus Bay 2009 Waipara

Demonstrates impressions of black cherries, blackberries, raspberries and mulberries are underlain with savoury notes hinting of mushrooms, smoky barbequed meats

Clos Salomon Givry 1er CRU Burgundy

We couldn’t dimiss the fine craft and long history of French wine makers. This wine is a dark cherry colour, with lots of fruit and wood. The acidity present makes for a well balanced wine with nice minerality

Wycroft Reserve 2009 Wairarapa

An elegant palate shows intense dark fruit and savoury notes, of good weight and length.