Bouchard Finlayson’s popular series of Tutored Wine Tastings continues this June in both Cape Town and Johannesburg. With informal settings in central locations, these public events are designed to give wine enthusiasts the chance to learn more about Bouchard Finlayson’s special vintages. Winemaker and ‘Pinot Pioneer’ Peter Finlayson himself will present Bouchard Finlayson's Reds: Hannibal and Pinot Noir in Johannesburg on Wednesday 5 June from 18h30 - 20h00, at the Croft & Co Deli in Parkview. Wine lovers will have the opportunity to taste up to 10 different wines and learn more from the expert himself. The wines will be sampled alongside tasty treats from Croft & Co (catering cost per person: R150). Capetonians won’t miss out, as they will be able to experience the same tasting on Tuesday 11 June at Kyoto Garden Sushi on Kloof Nek Road, taking place from 18h00 – 19h30. This tasting will be hosted by Oenologist Jessica Saurwein, assisted by Lizette Kühn, with Kyoto Garden Sushi providing snacks to match the wines presented (catering cost per person: R150). Pinot noir is Peter Finlayson’s Pièce de Résistence. His Bouchard Finlayson Tête de Cuvée Pinot noir 2010 has just won Gold at the world’s leading wine competition, the Decanter World Wine Awards in London; while last year his Bouchard Finlayson Tête de Cuvée Pinot noir 2009 scored Gold at the Five Nations Wine Challenge 2012 in Sydney, as the only South African winery to obtain an award for Pinot noir. Locally, the Nedbank Green Wine Awards 2012 voted his Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak Pinot noir 2011 as Best Red Wine in the newly introduced Biodiversity and Wine Initiative (BWI) category. At the upcoming tutored tastings Finlayson also looks forward to introducing guests to the delights of Bouchard Finlayson Hannibal, whose 2009 vintage has also just won Gold at the Decanter World Wine Awards: ‘Hannibal’s concept is based on its original design of mixing French and Italian cultivars. The essence and soul of this Italian, French blend is captured in the pitching of six grape cultivars into one wine – Italian Sangiovese as its principal component, plus Pinot noir, Nebbiolo, Mourvedré, Barbera and Shiraz. All these cultivars are grown in our unique Hemel-en-Aarde Valley terroir, which is composed of heavy clay soils. In dry years these soils offer red wines of bold composition and abundant complexity – red cherry, flowers and a whiff of truffle on the nose, with a little spice. It will be my pleasure to share some of the older Hannibal vintages to guests at the upcoming tasting events.’ Bookings are essential – please contact info@bouchardfinlayson.co.za or ¦ Tel +27.283123515. Further Tutored Tastings will be scheduled for later in the year – details to be announced on Bouchard Finlayson’s blog in due course.