WINE NZ MAGAZINE

WineNZ AUTUMN/WINTER 2022

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A REGION OF TERROIR-ISTS just north of Christchurch AN IN-DEPTH LOOK INTO NORTH CANTERBURY

ST CLAIR AWARDWINNING WINERY

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Contents

WineNZ

I N TH IS IS S U E

AUTUMN/WINTER 2022 CONTRIBUTORS Martin Gillion, Daniel Honan, Anne-Marie Nansett, Louis Pierard, John Saker, Charmian Smith, Vic Williams.

PHOTOGRAPHY Courtesy of Winenz.com Richard Brimer

DESIGN Spinc Media

PUBLISHERS Colin Gestro 027 256 8014 colin@affinityads.com Joan Gestro joanlucy47@gmail.com

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Both large and small wineries. Plus cellar door recommendations for tasting and dining.

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COVER PHOTO: Black Estate Home Vineyard

AN IN-DEPTH STUDY OF THE NORTH CANTERBURY WINE REGION.

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WINE AND TIME

Today’s headlines covering new vintage wines, organic wines, plus the young Viticulturalist is announced.

Ans some new look wines.

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THE RESULTS OF NEW ZEALAND’S INTERNATIONAL WINE AWARDS.

What is winning medals in the Hawkes Bay region?

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WineNZ Magazine | Autumn/Winter 2022

A look deeper into Hawkes Bay legends and a profile of those great reds

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Contents

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54 50

A PROFILE OF THE AWARDWINNING ST CLAIR WINES. How have they achieved their winning way?

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Distilled by design looks into Bacardi and profile some local Distillers.

Joan and Colin stay at The Duke of Marlborough Hotel in Russell to find out why they were offered New Zealand’s first liquor license.

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Feature | North Canterbury

NORTH CANTERBURY WINE REGION North Canterbury and particularly the Waipara Valley is home to some of New Zealand’s finest wine.

Charmian Smith finds it’s a region of “terroir-ists” - winemakers for whom the terroir determines the style of their wine.

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ome of New Zealand’s earliest vines were planted in Canterbury in the 1840s by French settlers in Akaroa - their little sickle-shaped pruning knives can be seen in the local museum.

However, the modern industry developed in the 1970s and ‘80s after Dr David Jackson of Lincoln University started planting trial vineyards around the region.

Much has happened in the 40 years since the region’s first commercial winery, St Helena at Belfast just north of Christchurch, startled the wine community by winning gold medals for its 1982 and 1984 pinot noir.

While several early vineyards were planted on the plains west of Christchurch and on Banks Peninsula, the Waipara Valley 45 minutes north of the city soon became the heart of the wine region.

For many years the outlying vineyards languished in the

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shadow of Waipara, but are now brought together under the North Canterbury umbrella. The wine region officially stretches from the Waiau river near Cheviot south to the Rakaia, west to Waikari and east on to Banks Peninsula, giving a cohesion especially for the small producers outside the Wairapa sub-region.

West of Waipara, through the Weka Pass in the Waikari area are the small but acclaimed Bell Hill and Pyramid Valley vineyards planted on limestone soils. North of Waipara, on the banks of the Waiau, is the large, exportoriented Mt Beautiful; south of Christchurch at Burnham on the original vineyards planted by the Giesen brothers in the 1980s are Straight Eight Estate and until recently Lone Goat. A handful of other small vineyards are dotted round Banks Peninsula, and on the outskirts of Christchurch are a few other producers which are mainly function centres with their own wine labels.

It’s the variety of soils, aspects and climates across the region that is so fascinating, according to Vicki Tutton from The Boneline.

Her vineyard on the terraces of the Waipara river just after it emerges from the gorge, can ripen big reds such as the cabernets, she said.

“At the other extreme you’ve still got all the racy vibrant whites. I think as a region we really have a lot of diversity.”

Sheltered from the cool easterlies by the Teviotdale HIlls, heated by the nor’westers, the

North Canterbury | Feature

The Waipara Valley is the heart of the North Canterbury wine region.

Waipara valley stretches from Glasnevin, past the Hamner Springs turnoff to Omihi in the north. Here you’ll find some of the finest Canterbury wines and most of the region’s cellar doors.

Waipara hung its hat on riesling as the variety that did best, but that was because no other region had claimed it, Greystone winemaker Dom Maxwell and Vicki agree.

The valley’s varied geology and soils, including river gravels, silt, limestone and clay, with various microclimates, aspects and altitudes make for a diversity of sites, varietals and wine styles “Liquid Geography” as Terrace Edge eloquently names its riesling.

North Canterbury riesling are certainly fine - those from old vines at Burnham can be wonderfully ethereal - but the diversity of terroir leads to a diversity of varieties that sing in the region.

There was a time when

Dom thinks chardonnay and pinot noir do particularly well on lower slopes east of the highway

where Greystone’s vineyards are.

“We are protected compared to some more exposed places and both of those varieties are fairly sensitive. We have soils that allow for good drainage, and you can’t grow big crops. There’s no way you’d set up here if you wanted to be a big commercial grower. Both those varieties respond very well to moderate crops and the inherent nature of the wine that comes from the soils here - clay, limestone, sandstone - adding noticeable textural characters to the wine.”

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Feature | North Canterbury

We all know our only point of difference is our patch of land.

Vicki Tutton, co-owner of The Boneline.

While good, commercial pinot noir can be made that is consistent from year to year, some of the more prestigious winemakers, such as Greystone, Black Estate, The Boneline and Pegasus Bay, prefer to let the terroir of different blocks shine through.

certain thing, you either chose to work with it or against it. Needless to say, the wineries that work hardest to express their piece of land are also converting to organic or biodynamic practices, and some, like Greystone, are seriously working to reduce their carbon footprint.

While there are some larger, corporate vineyards such as Waipara Hills and Pernod Ricard’s Camshorn at Glasnevin and Omihi Vineyard here, many are are family-owned and often have

That takes time in the vineyard and winery, tasting and smelling individual barrels, working with natural ferments, natural malolactic and nothing added but tiny bit of sulphur for bottling, as Dom explains.

“You handle the vineyard better but you’re always driven by what’s underneath. You can’t get away from that, but it becomes a really nice relationship with the place.”

Some are so small that the owners have to do everything, from vineyard work to marketing and pouring wine at the cellar door if they have one.

“It’s hard yakker especially for small vineyards. You can’t get away from any of the work yourself. Vines don’t go to sleep for three weeks. You can’t leave vines,” Vicki says from hard experience.

It may verge on a subsistence model, living on what you can grow and make, but its small businesses like The Boneline, George’s Road, Terrace Edge and Torlesse that a give character and a sense of authenticity to a wine region.

It’s understandable that some people sell up. It’s such a long term thing, you can’t - you don’t achieve much in 10 years because you are still evolving, Vicki adds.

“We all know our only point of difference is our patch of land,” he said.

Vicki adds: once you understand the different soils in your vineyard blocks and learn the characteristics of the grapes the vines produce, you know what to do in the winery.

other operations such as sheep or olives to supplement their income.

Dom Maxwell, Greystone’s talented winemaker.

Several vineyards have been sold in the past few years, often to foreigners who may not understand what they are getting into, and there’s a big pressure for land for dairy conversion.

She and her family established The Boneline more than 30 years ago but she says it’s going to take many lifetimes - and a group of people who stay with it - to get to the bottom as the finishing point keeps moving.

Dom explains that when you’ve been around long enough to know the land is going to do a

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The Waipara cycle trail winds through vineyards between cellar doors.

North Canterbury | Feature

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Feature | North Canterbury

DISCOVER OUR FINE WINE AND FOOD

By Charmian Smith

North Canterbury Wine Region.

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WineNZ Magazine | Autumn/Winter 2022

North Canterbury | Feature

Pegasus Bay.

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xploring North Canterbury cellar doors can take you far and wide, but Waipara, 45 minutes north of Christchurch, is the heart of the region with most of the cellar doors.

Through the Weka Pass in the Waikari area the highly acclaimed Bell Hill and Pyramid Valley, now owned by AONZ. At Burnham, south of Christchurch, Straight Eight is worth a visit if you are passing but sadly its neighbour, Lone Goat, has shut down since I called.

There are (or were) a handful around Akaroa and elsewhere on Banks Peninsula but none were open when I visited in January this year (2022), although Takamatua near Akaroa plans to open by appointment after harvest. Presumably it’s a result of Covid, the tourism downturn and other economic disruptions.

Nevertheless, some very skilled winemakers who aim for the top have chosen to work in this region. They are not afraid of experimenting, going back to older ideas or pushing new boundaries. You’ll

find uncommon wines like pet nat (natural sparkling wine), amphora-fermented wines, skin fermented wines, field blends and wines that have been crushed by foot. But there are also many fine classic chardonnays, pinot noirs, exceptional rieslings and other varieties to discover.

ground.

Waipara is also known for its food. Black Estate’s fine dining restaurant is highly recommended; Waipara Hills has a popular cafe in its imposing building; and Waipara Springs a more rustic cafe. Greystone and Terrace Edge offer wine and food matching, and others offer platters.

If you are wined out, a fascinating visit is the Iron Ridge Quarry sculpture park in Ram Paddock Rd in the dramatic Waipara gorge. Sculptor Raymond Herber bought an abandoned limestone quarry many years ago, grassed and planted it, turning it into a peaceful garden with his and other’s sculptures. It’s an ideal place for a picnic.

Pegasus Bay has closed its award winning restaurant due to Covid but now offers a curated selection of artisan deli products for DIY picnics to enjoy in its extensive gardens.

Waipara’s vineyard cycle trail runs from the village, crosses under the highway, winds its way through Greystone and Muddy Water vineyards, then across the slope to Black Estate. Torlesse and some of the accommodation providers have bikes for hire.

One of Raymond’s sculptures stands at the southern entrance to the Waipara Valley at the junction of SH1 and SH7.

If you are in the area on Saturday morning, the weekly farmers market at Amberley is well worth a visit for delicious local fruit, vegetables, nuts, goats cheese and other artisan products.

PEGASUS BAY

There’s accommodation to suit every taste and budget, from luxury BnBs, vineyard cottages and off-grid pods, to former railway carriages in the camping

The region’s most gorgeous cellar door setting is at Pegasus Bay, a chateau-inspired building set in extensive gardens with a small lake. Put together a picnic

In these uncertain Covid times it pays to check websites for opening hours. northcanterburywines.co.nz ■■■■

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Feature | North Canterbury lunch from their artisan deli products and enjoy a glass or bottle of wine in the gardens or relax in the tasting room which harks back in time with wooden floors, benches and tables, arched doorways and a wooden staircase.

Established by the Donaldson family in the mid 1980s, Pegasus Bay has always aimed high. Now Ivan and Chris Donaldson’s four sons are in charge: Matt the winemaker; Edward marketing manager; Michael local sales manager; and Paul, the youngest is general manager.

Chris’s involvement with opera inspired the names for the reserve wines, Bel Canto, Encore, Finale, Aria, Virtuoso, Prima Donna, Maestro and Fortissimo.

There’s also a new line of nontraditional wines, Vergence, to discover.

The wines are released at their peak, so expect to taste some with a few years of bottle age.

There’s a fine, toasty 2018 chardonnay and a delicious silky 2019 pinot noir, but one of my favourites over the years has been the sauvignon semillon. The 2019 is nutty from lees ageing but retains a crisp minerality without being overtly herbaceous. It’s always been a great food match.

I love gewürztraminer and Pegasus Bay’s 2019 is an excellent example, the variety’s usual over-the-top ebullience restrained by wild fermentation in old puncheons. It’s textural and charming - an excellent food wine.

They make pinot noir and a couple of bigger reds, but my favourite has to be the 2018 cabernet franc, fragrant, rich and earthy, oozing ripe plums, cherries and hints of dark chocolate on the aftertaste.

that may have come from grapes from other blocks or vineyards.

When it comes to unusual varieties, don’t miss the 2017 muscat, rich concentrated, floral, redolent with zesty grapefruit, and off-dry - it would probably be my pick for indolent afternoon’s sipping in the garden.

Greystone’s wines are impressive, precise, textural, often silky with with finesse and fine balance. I loved their fragrant, crisp, dry Pet Nat 2021, a naturally sparkling riesling with a light sediment in the bottom of the bottle and a refreshing light fizz. Pétillant naturel is also called methode ancestrale - the wine is simply bottled before it finishes fermenting.

And to top that, you must try 2016 Fortissimo muscat made in a Beaumes-de-Venise style (a white fortified wine from the south of France). Golden and fragrant, hinting of mandarin, dried apricot, wild herbs and lavender, with an oily intensity, it’s reminiscent of the Mediterranean garrigue, pegasusbay.com ■■■■

GREYSTONE WINES Winemakers often talk about their wines expressing their terroir, but Dom Maxwell of Greystone is more determined than many to actually show what it means for a wine to be a true expression of a place.

He ferments some wines in the vineyard, where they are hand picked and destemmed straight into vats half buried in the ground. It ensures the wild yeasts are native to the vineyard and not influenced by winery yeasts

Their small tasting room offers lunch matched with wine, and if you’re sitting outside you’ll see the occasional cyclist passing by on the vineyard trail.

Waipara is not usually known for its sauvignon blanc but I loved Greystone’s 2020, charming, tropical, intense with texture and creaminess from a long fermentation with wild yeast in barrels. The 2020 chardonnay is stunning, fragrant, rich, creamy, silky but with a fine underlying structure and balance - perhaps due to being crushed by feet rather than machine.

I tasted several pinots: the fragrant, textural slightly edgy but ripe and well structured 2018; the fragrant Vineyard Ferment 2019, spicy, silky, harmonious and beautifully poised; the much awarded Thomas Brothers 2019 from three barrels, a charming, spicy, savoury, velvety wine with supple tannins. greystonewines.co.nz

Pegasus Bay produces an compelling range of rieslings: the fragrant, dry and concentrated Bell Canto 2020 oozing grapefruit and mandarin will develop well; the rich, citrusy, off-dry 2019 Pegasus Bay; the 2020 Aria late harvest, lush, bright and clean on the finish; and the intense, golden, honeyed 2016 Encore.

For sticky lovers there’s also Finale, the 2019 a decadent but beautifully balanced, rich, unctuous and textural oak-aged sauvignon semillon modelled on a French Sauternes.

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Greystone.

Photo: Greystone Wines

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Feature | North Canterbury ■■■■

BLACK ESTATE Black Estate is another of Waipara’s high flyers. Its understated black building at the top of their sloping vineyard offers not only fine wine but also a fine restaurant. They specialise in local ingredients, even making their own sourdough bread with locally grown flour and a starter developed from marc - grape skins left over after pressing. Booking for lunch is strongly advised as it’s often busy.

Often they have older library wines to taste and buy - a wonderful opportunity to compare vintages and vineyards. It’s another must visit for any wine lover.

The wines are mostly single vineyard, their chardonnays and pinots among the finest in the region. Some of their wines, particularly from the Netherwood vineyard look to Burgundy for their inspiration, all aim to be true to the terroir, but winemaker Nicholas Brown is not afraid to embrace more innovative styles, such as pet-nats, (naturally sparkling wines) or skin fermented wine.

The home vineyard below the restaurant is planted with chardonnay, pinot noir and a little cabernet franc and chenin blanc, but there’s also the Damsteep 10k north with riesling and pinot noir, and Netherwood with chardonnay and pinot noir.

All are farmed biodynamically and most of the vines are now more than 30 years old.

I was entranced by the complexity and deliciousness of the 2017 Home Block unfiltered chenin blanc, intriguingly reminiscent of limes, tropical fruit, sweet ripe and fresh green apples, charmingly balanced with a bone dry finish.

Don’t miss comparing the chardonnays - the nutty lush but restrained Home Block 2020; the 2015 Home Block which had developed complexity subduing the fruit; while the 2018 Netherwood was a wine to linger

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WineNZ Magazine | Autumn/Winter 2022

Black Estate Home Vineyard.

over, the complexities, texture and layers of structure developing in the glass - one of the finest chardonnays I tasted on this trip.

A trio of 2015 pinots showed how these single vineyard wines mature, developing tertiary savoury characters hinting of forest floor characters but retaining their freshness.

Don’t miss the 2018 Home Block cabernet franc. While many New Zealand versions emulate the bigger Bordeaux styles, I felt this was more in the lighter Loire style, bright, edgy, sweet white cherries, fresh and totally charming. blackestate.co.nz ■■■■

TORLESSE Torlesse is one of the longest established, small family-owned wineries in the region. Kym and Maggie Rayner planted their vineyard in 1991 and now their two sons and a daughter-in-law are also involved.

Just off the main highway in Waipara village, their winery and cellar door have become one of the more characterful visits in the region. An old woolshed was moved on site for the winery, old refrigerated railway wagons used for storage were enclosed, and the spacious grounds offer a haven away from the traffic. Enjoy wine and a platter on the lawn.

The single vineyard wines are modestly priced and a few unusual varieties add a point of difference - a fresh, textural 2019 albariño, and a weighty 2021 verdelho.

Photo: Black Estate

It’s interesting to compare wines from the two vineyards, the home vineyard and the Omihi on clay soils a little further north. The fresher Torlesse 2020 chardonnay and the richer 2020 Omihi Road; the fresher 2020 Torlesse pinot gris with with the older, toasty fuller 2017 Omihi Road; the deliciously zesty 2020 Torlesse gewürztraminer and the more lush, almost decadent 2014 Omihi Road; the soft, slightly peppery 2017 Torlesse pinot noir and the weightier 2017 pinot from Omihi.

Kym’s pièce de résistance is his port style wine, fortified and aged in barrels in the winery roof where they slowly concentrate as they release “the angels’ share”.

The 10-year old tawny is powerful, concentrated and delicious.

Definitely not to be missed. torlesse.co.nz ■■■■

WAIPARA HILLS You can’t miss the big, gabled Waipara Hills restaurant and winery, prominent near the turn off to Hanmer Springs. As part of the multinational Accolade Wines it is the only corporate cellar door among the smaller family owned Waipara wineries. However, with 500ha of local vineyards and a popular cafe it is very much part of the Waipara wine scene. When I visited the North Canterbury winemakers were holding a pinot noir workshop in one of its conference rooms.

A discrete bit of eavesdropping impressed me by the quality of

North Canterbury | Feature to the Hell Block on gravels beside the river. Vicki Tutton, her husband, brother and sister-in-law planted it more than 30 years ago, revelling in the different soils, from bouldery glacial moraine to silty gravels, not to mention the many fossils found there which inspire the estate’s name.

You can explore this remarkable landscape on a vineyard walk.

You can’t miss Waipara Hills’ prominent tasting room, cafe and winery on the main highway.

I loved the two chardonnays: the purity of fruit and nutty, slightly toasty undertone in the unoaked Bare Bone 2020 chardonnay; and the wonderful complexity and minerality of Shankstone 2019 chardonnay, intense, textural, zesty, a wine you want to linger over, enjoying the way it opens in the glass.

information offered by the wine tasting hosts - a mini wine tutorial lapped up by interested guests.

This is the place to come if you’d like to learn more about wine in general, but make sure you book your tasting ahead.

Here you can taste the widely available Waipara Hills wines, their grander cousin Mud House which includes wines from Marlborough and Central Otago, but if you are looking for something different it’s worth tasting the more interesting Saving Grace wines which I though impressive for the price.

Because of the small production of this label, innovative winemaking techniques can be used such as a portion of skin ferment in the delicious 2018 sauvignon blanc and the wild ferment in the complex, unfiltered 2018 chardonnay.

I particularly enjoyed the exotic fruit undertones and crisp finish of Saving Grace 2018 grüner veltliner and the zesty, citrusy 2019 dry riesling.

Saving Grace 2018 pinot noir also impressed with fragrant plums, spicy oak, ripe fruit, and grainy tannins. Good value at $28.

If you enjoy stickies, don’t miss the 2019 Saving Grace Waipara Noble riesling, exuding luscious aromas and rich flavours of lime, apricot and honey, with intensity, power, texture and a crunchy finish. waiparahills.co.nz

Their fragrant wines are distinctive, structured and complex and it’s well worth the 10k trip from the highway to visit their no-frills cellar door.

The Boneline 2020 dry riesling is wonderfully fragrant, fresh with lime flowers and zest, hints of buttered toast and a well balanced, crisp, crunchy acidity.

One of Raymond Heber’s striking sculptures at Iron Ridge Quarry Sculpture Park.

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SOUTH BANK Three wineries and a distinctive sculpture park along Georges and Ram Paddock Roads on the south bank of the Waipara river have formed the South Bank group, hosting occasional events.

From the road the land looks flat, but venture into the vineyards and you’ll unexpectedly find yourself on a high terrace with several others stepping down to the river far below, and magnificent views into the far distance.

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THE BONELINE Just where the Waipara River emerges from its limestone gorge, The Boneline’s 60ha vineyard steps down the old river terraces

The pinot noirs are remarkably different. The Wai-iti 2018 is soft and silky with hints of strawberry jam, but also powerful and textural with a firm, crisp finish, while the Waimanu 2018 is more savoury, reminiscent of forest floor but with plush fruit and a taut, dry, lingering finish.

The Boneline is one of the few places in North Canterbury that can successfully produce bigger reds. Vicki describes the 2019 Amphitheatre Cabernet Franc as a drama queen and it certainly grabs your attention with aromas of blackcurrants, intense fruit, power, concentration and grippy tannins. It begs for a few years bottle age.

Iridium 2018 is a fragrant blend of cabernet franc, merlot and cabernet sauvignon, velvety with oodles of berry fruit but with a powerful intensity and firm tannins. Another wine that begs for a few years bottle age. theboneline.co.nz

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Feature | North Canterbury

The Boneline’s Hell Block on the lowest terrace down by the Wapiara river.

Vicki Tutton and Jack Hill of The Boneline.

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TERRACE EDGE Terrace Edge has an olive grove as well as a 13ha organic vineyard along the river terraces high above the Waipara River.

Their tasting room, perched near the edge of the terrace shares the sweeping views of others along the South Bank.

Besides wine, they sell pickled

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WineNZ Magazine | Autumn/Winter 2022

Terrace Edge Cellar Door.

Photo:Terrace Edge

olives and a grassy olive oil typical of the region. They also offer wine and food matching.

relative of pinot noir which produces a juicy wine with a savoury undertone.

Here the Chapman family grow riesling, pinot gris, syrah and pinot noir, but they also like to try different things and believe there’s a big future for albariño and syrah and have also planted a white Italian variety, fiano, and St Laurent, a Central European

I loved the 2020 Terrace Edge albariño with its suggestions of ripe melon, concentration, power, texture and bright, crisp finish.

Like elsewhere in the area they make a delicious, beautifully balanced riesling. Liquid Geography 2021 suggests lime

North Canterbury | Feature and mandarin, ideal with Asian or spicy food, cheeses - blue cheese and gingerbread is a favourite in their wine and food pairing.

Unusually for the region, Terrace Edge’s lush, fresh rosé is made from young vine syrah.

While most of their syrah grows on the slightly sloping top terrace, a small parcel is planted on a 45 degree slope over the terrace edge above the river - a little slice of the Rhône, they call it. The grapes go into the wonderfully fragrant 2020 syrah which hints of black pepper, is deep with concentrated fruit and a a lovely finish. A wine not to be missed. terraceedge.co.nz ■■■■

GEORGES ROAD WINES Bumping along a gravel drive you come to George’s Road vineyard hidden on the wide terrace above the Waipara river.

It’s one of those small operations where vigneron Kirk Bray does

Georges Road Wine accommodation.

Photo:Alissa Wilson

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Feature | North Canterbury everything and his wife Alison holds down a day job to support the operation. They also offer vineyard accommodation in a wine pod, and at weekends cheese platters are available. It’s a lovely place to sit with a glass of wine and enjoy the sweeping views.

Kirk returned from years overseas inspired by the small family vineyards he worked in particularly in Germany and in 2003 bought 8ha of land. He planted syrah, pinot noir, pinot gris and riesling.

Of two distinctive 2021 rosés, one made from syrah is darker and slightly toasty, but I preferred the lighter, more charming, textural Field Blend of pinot gris, riesling, pinot noir and syrah.

Kirk offers an interesting comparison between a crisp, fresh, young 2021 riesling and a mature 2016 which is fuller in the mouth, mellowed and silky but still fresh and crisp on the finish.

It shows the typical development that can be expected from this versatile variety when made well.

I was enthralled by the barrel fermented 2020 Selection pinot gris with its delicious peachy undertones and rich, creamy, nuttiness.

The fragrant, spicy pinot noir 2020 was crushed by foot and allowed to ferment with wild

Straight Eight Estate’s cellar door at Burnham.

yeast. It’s still fresh and slightly edgy but a year or two will allow it to mellow.

A stand out for me was the dark-fruited 2020 syrah, peppery and rich with a lovely crisp finish. georgesroadwines.co.nz ■■■■

BURNHAM In the mid 1980s the Giesen brothers planted vineyards at Burnham, about 30 minutes south of Christchurch. When they moved their operation to Marlborough a decade or so later, the vineyards, now containing some of the oldest vines in the country, were taken over by others, Matt King of Lone Goat which sadly closed recently, and Straight Eight Estate, a smaller parcel of vines now owned by James Shand and Mary Jamieson.

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STRAIGHT 8 EIGHT ESTATE Walk into the winery that doubles as the cellar door at Straight Eight on SH1 at Burnham and you’ll see the reason for its name - a classic 1935 Light Sports Railton Straight-eight which has been in the Shand family for 50 years. It’s been meticulously restored and is still roadworthy.

Kirk Bray of Georges Road Wines - a man who does everything himself.

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After years in the food business James Shand and Mary Jamieson bought the 35 year

old vineyard in 2004, and now do everything themselves - growing the grapes, making the wine and entertaining visitors at their cellar door.

James is a character who loves to chat and show his well priced wines and his car.

HIs pet gripe is that people don’t understand small wineries which require the owners to work all the time - in their rare time off James and Mary enjoy gardening and driving their Straight 8.

Like many tiny wine producers they visit shows, sell from the cellar door, on line and in a few local restaurants.

Don’t miss the rieslings which from this old vineyard are typically fresh delicate wines, the best almost ethereal, dancing lightly on the tongue - I’d forgotten how beautiful they can be.

The lively, taut Straight Eight dry riesling 2018 is a good example.

There’s also a mature off-dry Mr G riesling 2018, fragrant and fuller in the mouth, and a sweeter Copper riesling 2020 hinting of lime marmalade, both with that characteristic crisp delicacy.

I also enjoyed the unusual 2019 cabernet franc, crisp, textural and vibrant, oozing redcurrants and pomegranates, a typical refreshing cool climate style. straight8estate.co.nz

North Canterbury | Feature

Certified organic Pétillant Naturel

Organic Winery of the Year

Made without use of preservatives

greystonewines.co.nz www.winenzmagazine.co.nz

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NEW GREYSTONE WINES HEAD CHEF MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME

G

reystone Wines in Waipara, North Canterbury has welcomed their new head chef, Cameron Woodhouse.

Cameron has previously worked at Miro, Inati, and Eliza’s Manor in Christchurch, at Jack’s Point and Amisfield in Central Otago, and at the acclaimed Gleneagle’s Hotel in Scotland.

He says getting to run his own kitchen is a dream come true, even if it comes with a few sleepless nights.

“I love it here. I have full control over the menu, which is something I’ve not had before.

It just means I don’t sleep Sunday or Monday because I tend to lie awake planning the week’s menu,” says Cameron with a laugh.

With an ethos very much centred around fresh and seasonal produce, the Cellar Door perfectly aligns with Cameron’s own philosophy on food. On weekends, he and his partner forage for food in the neighbouring Christchurch red zone or challenge themselves to

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Cameron Woodhouse

cook up whatever vegetable has grown in abundance in their own garden.

Cameron says he is now eager to develop his foraging skills further, having spent many years learning about nature’s bounty.

A passionate chef, Cameron’s only regret in life is that he didn’t start his career sooner because he listened to those around him in his hometown of Aberdeenshire in Scotland.

“I’ve worked in kitchens since I was 14 but a chef once told me ‘do anything but be a chef’. So I went on to start a mechanical engineering degree. Well, that didn’t stick. I hated it. When I eventually decided to block out those voices, I went back to study to be a chef.”

Cameron attributes his patience in the kitchen and willingness to teach others how to cook ‘the best way not the fastest way’ to his time spent as a pastry chef at Gleneagle’s Hotel in Scotland.

“It’s given me skills which you don’t always find in a commercial kitchen. I just want to share my knowledge with others and make sure nobody makes the mistake I made in not becoming a chef sooner. I would tell anybody to be a chef, there’s no other industry I would rather be in.”

Cameron went on to travel the world, before New Zealand stole his heart and he decided to call it home.

Greystone marketing manager Nik Mavromatis says he is thrilled to have Cameron head up the kitchen at the Cellar Door.

“Cameron is the kind of guy who spends his weekend fly fishing or foraging in the red zone. He is passionate about our natural environment, is an innovator in the kitchen, and shares our ethos around organics.

The Cellar Door is open Thursday through to Sunday, with the four-course menu changing weekly.

NORTH CANTERBURY WINERY WELCOMES CHANGES TO ORGANIC WINE TRADE AGREEMENT WITH CHINA

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ertified organic winery, Greystone, located in North Canterbury’s Waipara wine region, is among the New Zealand wineries now with greater access to the Chinese market.

Thanks to an Organic Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA), announced by the Organic Exporters Association of New Zealand this week, China now acknowledges NZ’s organic standards.

Greystone marketing manager Nik Mavromatis says the agreement is a huge win for the organic wine industry, with wineries like their own now able to proudly tell consumers in China their product is organic.

“The MRA gives NZ wine companies greater access to one of the strongest markets in

the world and helps us show consumers all the organic work we do to make our wines,” says Nik. While Greystone and other NZ certified organic wineries were able to ship their product to China previously, they had to jump through hoops to gain the appropriate organic recognition, including changing labels.

“You couldn’t say you were organic unless you flew over an inspector from China and covered their fees,” says Nik. “That was going to cost us $20,000 a year, with licences needing to be renewed every year. Add in the additional labeling costs and stock management, and the MRA marks a big win for all organic wineries in New Zealand.”

Last year, Greystone exported 6,263 cases of wine to China.

Nik says he expects this figure to continue ramping up, with

the Chinese market keen on what New Zealand wineries have to offer. He experienced this fondness for NZ wine on trade visits to China prior to the pandemic.

“Chinese consumers have a preference for healthy and organic beverages more than any other market in the world.

It’s a huge opportunity for us to promote our clean, green, organic produce to China and to show off all the hard work we do in the vineyard and beyond to achieve our organic status,” says Nik. “In addition, most of New Zealand’s top wineries such as Ata Rangi, Rippon, Neudorf, Dog Point, and many more are all organic. So now China can see the best of what New Zealand wine has to offer. This will help grow our country’s reputation in one of the fastest-growing markets for wine in the world.”

In early 2014 Greystone began the conversion from conventional to organic viticulture. By 2018, Greystone’s entire 33-hectare vineyard was certified organic with BioGro New Zealand. Most recently Greystone began work in regenerative viticulture, planting a mix of flowers and crops between their vine rows.

In a statement, Andrew Henderson, Chairman of the Organic Exporters Association of NZ, says exports of certified organic produce to China are currently worth $93 million and are likely to grow due to reduced compliance costs and the increased certainty and facilitation that this arrangement provides New Zealand exporters.

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WINEMAKER OF THE YEAR Wine & Time

Wine & Time

THE LATEST FROM NEW ZEALAND WINE WORLD

ABOHBOHLABORATION: RUNGA ‘BOHSÉ’ WITH ANT MOORE WINES A

s part of the celebrations for Boh Runga Jewellery’s 15th anniversary, Boh Runga is launching a ‘Bohsé’ in ‘bohlaboration’ with Ant Moore Wines.

‘Bohsé’, which has been awarded five stars by wine reviewer Sam Kim of WineOrbit, is a pale pink pinot rosé with warm orange hues.

“Bohsé is best paired best with new season fruits and cheese, beach sunsets, cosy nights in, and your most favourite friends. It's for raising a toast and enjoying with those that you love to be with the most,” Runga says.

Bohsé is the first collaboration in what Boh Runga and Ant Moore say will be an ongoing partnership.

Moore says that the Bohsé playfully re-imagines their Signature Rosé.

“Bohsé has notes of perfumed rose petals and a hint of thyme with cookies and cream, and segues into a fruit salad of wild berries and crisp watermelon for a refreshing, dry finish.”

Moore says creating Bohsé with Boh Runga and her creative team was a fun and inspiring process.

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“I think people will love Bohsé and I can’t wait to see what we come up with together in the future.”

Bohsé has received a gold WineOrbit official rating sticker.

In his review, WineOrbit’s Sam Kim says Bohsé is elegant and delightfully flavoursome with a lengthy refreshing finish, best enjoyed from now until 2023.

“It’s succulent and fleshy in the mouth, offering juicy fruit intensity together with fine texture and crisp acidity.”

As with all Boh Runga designs, gifting was front of mind when creating the custom packaging. The Bohsé label, featuring watermelon, cookies, rose petals, and fresh herbs, was designed by Runga based on its tasting notes. The bottle comes in a beautiful gift box with a space on the back for a gift message, perfect as a thank you, just because or celebration of any occasion.

“This Bohlaboration is the first of many exciting releases to celebrate our 15th anniversary,” says Runga.

Bohsé is available for $29 online at bohrunga.com.

WineNZ Magazine | Autumn/Winter 2022

KIM CRAWFORD WINES CELEBRATES 25 YEARS 25 years of resilience from a small Auckland cottage to global success

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nternationally renowned wine brand, Kim Crawford, is celebrating a quarter of a century this year, reflecting on the ‘kiwi’ hard work, determination and innovation that has created a brand now cherished the world over.

Founded by Kim and Erica Crawford it has become one of New Zealand’s most recognisable wine brands.

With wine from two of New Zealand’s most famous regions, Marlborough and Hawke’s Bay, the Kim Crawford brand has grown dramatically during the last 25 years with annual sales volume of $26.7 million and is now the largest New Zealand wine brand by volume in both the US and Canada. Arriving at the point of great success didn’t happen overnight for Kim and Erica Crawford, with the powerhouse couple working hard and playing to their respective strengths, Kim making the wine and Erica managing the business.

Having borrowed money against their home, the pair broke the conventions of the wine world at the time and began a ‘virtual winery’ buying grapes from contract growers and making wine in other people’s wineries. Erica notes scepticism within the industry and attitudes towards their approach to starting out, which caused her to rise to the challenge and made them determined to achieve success.

“In the mid 1990s, the world started noticing Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, so we decided to put it all on the line and start our own brand. Our approach to this was to counter a market flooded with oak aged Chardonnay and the result was a truly unique expression of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

that stood out compared to existing examples on the market at the time,” Crawford said.

“We started this dream from our home in Auckland, New Zealand and hoped it would succeed. But taking the world by storm first came with a plethora of challenges and obstacles that tested us and saw us build a resilience we still carry with us today. We nearly lost it all at one point but it was fighting spirit and maverick attitude that kept us going,” Erica said.

Erica continues “we do things unconventionally, take risks, start things, and welcome difference – these are just some of the reasons that the Kim Crawford brand has resonated over the years”. From resilience came innovation and a continuing to push boundaries and set trends with Kim Crawford being the first wine label to move to screwcap closures in New Zealand, a practice that is an industry standard today.

Kim Crawford took North America by storm, with a freshness and flavour profile that these markets hadn’t seen before. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc had now become a phenomenon within the wine world and unlocked a passion that would continue to grow for years to come.

Today, Kim Crawford forms part of Constellation Brand’s powerhouse portfolio of wines. Kim Crawford Winemaker, Brett Fullerton, says the continued changes in viticulture, seasons and sub-regional profiles is what makes Sauvignon Blanc so intriguing to make, “Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand is so diverse each year which isn’t all that common within the wine world. To see a growing season and all the effort that goes into making wine come to life, we love seeing the evolution of Kim Crawford and the wines that are produced each vintage.”

Committed to innovation, Kim Crawford has an ever-developing product range such as the Illuminate Sauvignon Blanc, a low calorie, low alcohol, white wine option designed to fit with our lifestyle without impacting it. The Illuminate Sauvignon Blanc is elegant yet full flavoured, offers crisp acidity and is highlighted with a refreshing herbal and citrus finish. A quintessential expression of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, the Kim Crawford Illuminate has a grassy, passionfruit nose and a palate alive with vibrant citrus of grapefruit, lemon and lime. The Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc is a benchmark Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, this classic and consistent wine has been named in the Wine Spectator Top 100 four times. It has lifted citrus, tropical notes with a racy, bright acidity. Pairs brilliantly with seafood, fresh summer salads or wonderful as an aperitif this spring. “In the relentless pursuit of excellence, we believe in asking, why not”— Erica Crawford.

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Wine & Time

A COMING TOGETHER OF WINE MAKING GREATS L

indauer, New Zealand’s most recognised sparkling wine maker, has announced the arrival of Lindauer Prosecco DOC and Prosecco DOC Rosé to its Special Reserve collection this October.

Each bottle bears the DOC signature (or Denominazione di Origine Controllata for the professionals); reassurance that each grape has been sourced from traditionally recognised regions of Italy and crafted according to the strict and authentic Prosecco making process.

New Zealand’s biggest wine brand Lindauer launches authentic DOC Prosecco with family-owned Zonin 1821

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The new offering is the result of a collaboration between the multi-award-winning Kiwi winemaker and Zonin 1821, a top Italian wine producer and the largest family-owned Prosecco company in Italy, thus ensuring a taste of Italy in every sip.

Jane De Witt, long standing and highly awarded winemaker for Lindauer, led the creation of the new range, and comments; “Creating Lindauer Prosecco DOC brings new and exciting flavours to the award-winning

Lindauer Special Reserve range.

“The partnership marks the coming together of 40 years of New Zealand winemaking heritage and seven generations of Italian Prosecco making experience to deliver the quality for which the Lindauer Special Reserve range has become famous.

“Bringing together the expertise of two winemaking regions from across the globe to create something fresh, yet authentic has been an adventure. Our prosecco builds on a range that champions tradition – the existing Special Reserve Chardonnay and Pinot Noir based wines are bottle fermented for up to two years, producing the creaminess and aged character known in methode style wines.

“It’s the perfect accompaniment to any social occasion this spring and summer.”

Leila McCracken, Lindauer Senior Brand Manager went on to say, “For 40 years, Lindauer has been a part of the big and the small celebrations in our lives, so

Wine & Time

we’re absolutely fizzing to now bring a new taste to the range.

Launching just in time for the warmer weather, Lindauer Prosecco DOC will be there for Kiwis to taste la dolce vita, Lindauer style.”

Francesco Zonin, Vice President of Zonin 1821 said, "It is a great pleasure to partner with Lindauer and to have worked with an exceptional wine professional like Jane. This launch falls under a particularly good star for our family, as this year we celebrate the 200th anniversary of our company, 2 centuries dedicated to sharing Italian traditions and bringing moments of joy to people around the world with our quality brands."

Lindauer Prosecco DOC: With a straw like colour, this drop will remind you of sunny weather. The flavour is pleasantly intense; fruity with hints of wisteria flowers and rennet apple. It’s the perfect pairing for a tasty risotto or grilled fish, as the fresh and vivacious flavours will have your taste buds dancing.

Lindauer Prosecco DOC Rosé: The encapsulating notes of apple, red berries and wild strawberries, along with the pale pink colour of the Prosecco DOC Rosé, will add a touch of sweetness to any occasion. It’s the perfect pairing for summer hors d’oeuvres and fragrant foods; the ultimate match for an evening soaking up the day’s final rays.

Lindauer Prosecco DOC and Prosecco DOC Rosé is best served chilled, with great company, for the ultimate taste of Italy. Salute!

New Lindauer Prosecco DOC and Prosecco DOC Rosé will be available from supermarkets and liquor stores from 25 October 2021.

RRP: $18.99

Ahead of International Women’s Day, Winetopia shares which women in wine most inspire them

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inetopia, NZ’s biggest celebration of wine, has had the opportunity to work with a wealth of New Zealand winemakers over the past seven years, including many inspirational women. While it’s difficult to single out their favourite winemakers, Winetopia has selected five women in wine that they truly admire – all of these wineries will be represented within the Winetopia event series this winter.

Rob Eliott, founder of Winetopia, said: “We are passionate about the diversity within our wine industry and it’s great to see so many trailblazing women leading the wine industry forward. Over the years, we’ve had the pleasure of working with some truly inspirational women in wine.” Ōhau – CEO Donna Riley and Winemaker Jane Cooper This pioneering winery in Horewhenua (the only winery in the area) is led

by CEO Donna Riley, a hands-on businesswoman who is passionate about empowering staff and working together to realise a common vision.

Donna works very closely with award-winning winemaker Jane Cooper who ensures that only the best fruit comes off the vineyard, while preserving the distinctive Ōhau fruit characteristics.

Seresin – Winemaker Tamra Kelly-Washington Tamra Kelly-Washington is a winemaker for organic winery Seresin, renowned for being a new world winery with an old-world approach. Tamra has a wealth of experience working in the wine

industry, including working at Francisan Estate, serving as Head Winemaker for the Calatrasi Group (overseeing wineries in Sicily, Puglia and Tunisia), working as a flying winemaker in the Veneto and Abruzzo regions in Italy and working for nearly 10 years as Chief Winemaker for Yealands Estate in the Awatere Valley of Marlborough.

Monowai – Winemaker Emma Lowe Winemaker Emma Lowe travelled from Chile with her husband vineyard manager Marcelo Nunuz, to establish their vineyard and winery in the Kaweka Ranges. They selected a site on the banks of the Ngaruroro River in Crownthorpe, a cooler, higher altitude district of the Hawke's Bay where they live and work, hand crafting fine wines exclusively from grapes grown on their 22ha vineyard.

Emma graduated with a degree in winemaking from Adelaide University (Australia) and has since made wines in Australia, Switzerland, South Africa, France, Chile and New Zealand.

Carrick – Winemaker Rosie Menses Rosie Menses joined Carrick as their winemaker in 2018. Over the course of her career, Rosie has worked at some of the world’s finest producers including Craggy Range (Hawke’s Bay), Seresin (Marlborough), GD Vajra (Piemonte, Italy), Chapoutier (Rhone Valley), and Cristom (Oregon).

Rosie has a Graduate Diploma in Viticulture and Oenology from Lincoln University

ABOUT WINETOPIA Winetopia was created by the team at Lemongrass Productions who continues to nurture it today. Lemongrass Productions has decades of experience in creating fantastic event environments.

We specialise in taking people to the very heart of a subject that they are most excited about. Food, wine and new experiences are also our passions, so you'll find them intertwined in Winetopia and everything we do.

Winetopia above all else is a community - a collective of winemakers, presenters, educators, entertainers and passionate amateurs coming together each year to share their love of this scene with thousands of wine lovers like you! You'll know how to pick the key personalities - they'll have a glint in their eye at our events, like this is their calling and aside from being out on the vineyard, Winetopia is their happy place. We love every one of them for pitching in to make Winetopia the wonderland of wine it is at each and every outing.

Winetopia dates and venues: • Auckland (20-21 May) at Shed 10, Queen’s Wharf • Wellington (1-2 July) at TSB Arena, 4 Queen’s Wharf, Wellington Central • Christchurch (26-27 August) at the new Te Pae Christchurch Convention and Exhibition Centre Tickets from $37 plus booking fee. www.winetopia.co.nz

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Wine & Time

“SIMPLY PUT, THESE ARE OUR BEST WINES. NO EFFORT IS SPARED” VINTAGE RELEASE OF CHURCH ROAD’S CELEBRATED TOM WINES

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op Hawke’s Bay winery Church Road has launched a trio of its finest collection, 2018 TOM Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, 2019 TOM Syrah and 2020 TOM Chardonnay, the first time all three have been released since 2017. “Simply put, these are our best wines. No effort is spared,” states Chief Winemaker and New Zealand Winemaker of the Year 20211, Chris Scott.

“TOM wines are the ultimate expression of Hawke’s Bay. A culmination of the collective experience and understanding of the team, past and present. Seeing all three wines together this year is truly exciting. We only make TOM in extraordinary years, and use the best, carefully selected parcels of fruit from iconic Hawke’s Bay vineyards,” says Scott.

A salute to Tom McDonald, Father of Church Road and pioneer of Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, Church Road TOM wines capture the passion for a craft that has been respected and refined for 125 years. TOM wines are the pinnacle of Church Road’s relentless pursuit of producing the most exceptional wines in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand.

Syrah was the star variety of 2019 - a near perfect vintage for reds. The 2019 TOM Syrah is the first vintage since 2015, producing optimal ripening and concentrated fruit that delivers a deep, yet superbly elegant wine.

No detail is overlooked at each step of the winemaking journey, from meticulous viticulture in the Tuki Tuki Valley, Gimblett Gravels, and the famed Bridge Pa Triangle, to the thoughtful winemaking techniques, and a masterful blending and maturation programme.

This triumvirate of TOM wines show depth, structure and restrained power, the trademark of this exceptional range.

The 2018 TOM Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot is a Cabernet-dominant Bordeaux blend prominently sourced from the Redstone Vineyard (86%) which produces a distinctively different wine from the Gimblett Gravels Vineyard. 2018 was one of the warmest growing seasons on record, resulting in ripe, earthy wines with supple tannins and a beautiful fragrance that will become even more exciting with age.

2020 was another great harvest in Hawke’s Bay, and the 2020 TOM Chardonnay couldn’t be any better.

Hand-harvested, hand sorted and whole bunch pressed, the resulting wine is elegant and layered with great textual focus whilst retaining fragrance and fresh acidity as a result of sea breezes that the Tuki Tuki Vineyard is exposed to. This vineyard brings a unique mineral element to the wines that we don’t see from other sites.

“We challenge ourselves to perfect the details behind the art and science of winegrowing and winemaking, investing time, learning and experimenting as we continue to hone our skill. This is a culmination of those efforts, and we are very proud that this trio speaks to our special corner of Hawke’s Bay, Aotearoa New Zealand,” sums up Scott.

TASTING NOTES WITH TECHNICAL VITICULTURE NOTES 2018 Church Road TOM Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot RRP: $ 220 NZD 2019 Church Road TOM Syrah RRP: $ 220 NZD 2020 Church Road TOM Chardonnay RRP: $ 150 NZD Church Road TOM wines are available at retail stores, on-premise and at churchroad.co.nz

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Hannah Evans, Liquid Ideas | hannahevans@liquidideas.com.au | +61 424 083 499 Jessica Nutt, Liquid Ideas | jessicanutt@ liquidideas.com.au | +61 450 933 491

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Wine & Time

HAWKE’S BAY ORGANIC GROWER LAUNCHES PREMIUM ROSÉ FIT FOR A PRINCESS F

ollowing the success of Bostock Wines launch three years ago, Hawke’s Bay organic grower, John Bostock has now produced his first Rosé, which acknowledges the Bostock Wines location’s deep history and honours an influential woman.

Mr Bostock says he is excited to launch an organic Rosé which has been dedicated to Maori Princess, Airini Karauria, who shared his passion for the land and the Hawke’s Bay region.

“Following the success of our other Bostock wines, we thought

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it was befitting to make a serious world class Rosé. It’s also very special to recognise the Maori Princess who once lived on the land where the grapes are grown.”

The story of the Ngatarawa land and people began with Maori princess, Airini Karauria.

She became heiress to vast acres of land including Ngatarawa Farm, where she lived with her Irish husband George Donnelly.

The couple built the homestead and stables which is now home to Bostock Wines.

John Bostock’s late wife Vicki’s

family bought Ngatarawa Farm during World War Two and later converted it to grapes and used the stable buildings as a cellar door.

“We have a huge family connection with the land at Bostock Wines and its now very special to also recognise the lands deeper history and imbue our Rosé to Airini. We are excited to honour Airini who was a real force in the Hawke’s Bay community for so many years.

Princess Airini used to regularly entertain visitors in her homesteads including dignitaries

Wine & Time without chemicals, so it is very fitting that the Airini Rosé is also organic.”

Ms Kupa has spent several years researching her family heritage and has also written a book about her influential great great grandmother.

A formal launch of the Airini Rosé is planned later this year, but Evelyn and John recently enjoyed raising a glass to Airini at the Bostock Wines cellar door.

Bostock Wines Manager, Matt Stafford says the Airini Rosé is certified organic and it’s small production and focus on ultimate quality will set it apart from other Rosés on the market.

“The Airini Rosé has been inspired by the unique expression

of the Syrah variety grown in Hawke’s Bay. It showcases the beautiful spice and pure berry aromatics and is a wine of great elegance.”

The grapes are carefully selected and hand harvested to ensure optimum quality as Mr Bostock says he is committed to only making premium wine and the Airini Rosé is no different.

“Bostock wines are boutique and we are producing small quantities. I am not interested in producing large volumes of lowquality wine. We have a premium model, which is in line with our overall company vision.”

The Airini Rose is available to purchase online and at selected Retailers and restaurants around the country.

from all over New Zealand as well as international visitors which also included the Duke of York in 1901.

Airini’s great great granddaughter, Evelyn Kupa says she was thrilled when the Bostock family asked if they could name the Rosé after her great great grandmother and honour her memory and the lands history.

“Airini was an influential businesswoman and loved hosting people at the homestead where Bostock Wines is now situated. Back in those days everything was grown naturally

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Wine & Time

TAYLORS UNVEILS NEW ESTATE VINTAGES, INCLUDING NEW RELEASE ESTATE TEMPRANILLO 2020, TO NEW ZEALAND MARKET

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amily-owned Clare Valley winery Taylors has unveiled a selection of new vintage releases in its flagship Estate range, alongside a special new release of its Estate Tempranillo 2020. The suite of new red wines is now available in select New Zealand wine retailers.

Taylors Estate range has proudly carried the flag for consistent, top value Australian wines in the New Zealand market, with the Estate Shiraz, Estate Merlot and Estate Cabernet Sauvignon a staple on retail shelves. The expansion of the range to include the Estate Tempranillo offers wine lovers the chance to experience a new side of the South Australian winery.

“We have seen exciting demand in the wine category for emerging and alternative wine varieties and New Zealand is no different. While our Estate Shiraz and Estate Cabernet will always have their loyalists, the new release Estate Tempranillo allows us to bring a new wine drinker into the Taylors journey,” third-generation Company Director and Global Key Accounts Manager Justin Taylor said.

“The Estate Tempranillo is a seductive, concentrated wine - showcasing all the hallmarks of the variety with Taylors’ flare for powerfully elegant fruit concentration. It will be a popular one around the dinner table as we head into the cooler months.”

The dual region fruit selection in these new releases brings a degree of excitement in the crafting of these classic varieties, for the Taylors winemakers and fans of Taylors.

With the ‘house style’ retained at the very core of the wines, the latest vintages allow Taylors fans to discover new regions whilst pushing the value for quality equation even further.

“As an agricultural-based business, we are keenly aware of the sensitivities that come with a changing climate and the impact it has on the fruit we can source. Fortunately, we have built some incredible partnerships over the years with growers from across South Australia who have supplemented the fruit that goes into these delicious wines to ensure our Estate product remains consistent across vintages,” Taylor said.

Since 2014, Taylors has partnered with the Brown Family Wine Group in a unique distribution partnership in the New Zealand market. Both a part of Australia’s First Families of Wine, the two family wineries have a shared philosophy for producing outstanding quality Australian wine that New Zealand wine drinkers will enjoy.

Taylors Estate range is widely available in New Zealand wine retailers for RRP $19.99.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT: www.taylorswines.com.au @taylorswines #taylorswines 30

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WINEMAKING INFORMATION Taylors Estate Merlot 2020 Region: Clare Valley & Limestone Coast Maturation: Matured in a selection of French and American oak barrels for a period of six months prior to being blended & bottled.

Taylors Estate Tempranillo 2020 Region: McLaren Vale & Clare Valley Maturation: Half of the blend was matured in new American oak with the remaining half matured in a combination of both French and American oak (three and four-year-old) for eight months before final blending and bottling.

Taylors Estate Shiraz 2019 Region: Limestone Coast & Clare Valley Maturation: Matured in American oak for 12 months followed by fining, minimal filtration and bottling.

Taylors Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 Region: Clare Valley & Limestone Coast Maturation: Matured in French oak for 12 months prior to final blending and bottling.

For further information, imagery or interview requests please contact Blend Public Relations: Brian Olson | e: brian@blendpr.com.au| m: 0435 403 608

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WINEMAKER OF THE YEAR Awards | Young Viticulturist of the Year

Sam Bain announced as 2021 Corteva NZ Young Viticulturist of the Year C

ongratulations to Sam Bain from Villa Maria, Hawke’s Bay who became the 2021 Corteva NZ Young Viticulturist of the Year on 27th January 2022.

“I’ve finally got it!” he said with a mix of relief, pride and excitement, as it started sinking in that all his hard work had paid off.

Congratulations also to Jess Wilson from Whitehaven Wines in Marlborough who came second and Courtney Sang from Obsidian, Waiheke Island who came third.

The other contestants were Albie Feary from Ata Rangi, Tristan van Schalkwyk from The Boneline and Katrina Jackson from Chard Farm.

Sam Bain, who is Vineyard Manager of Spring Hill Vineyard, also won the BioStart Hortisports and the Ecotrellis Trellising Trophy.

The judges commented on how passionate and talented all the contestants are and were impressed with their leadership skills and especially their adaptability over the last few months and especially the last few days.

With the move to Red in the

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Covid traffic light system, original plans were very quickly changed to ensure the competition was safe to go ahead. For extra safety it was relocated to a remote ‘secret’ vineyard to keep numbers very limited and to be away from a winery or other people. Everything was outside with all government recommendations followed.

The Awards Dinner was cancelled although a celebration dinner will be held later in the year when safe to do so.

“We always throw in a curveball for the National Final…but none of us were expecting another Covid curveball! However, thanks to the passion and determination of the amazing Young Vit Community we managed to run the competition safely and avoid postponing for a third time” says Nicky Grandorge, National Co-Ordinator. “It has been immensely uplifting to have everyone come together and pull out all the stops, so the 2021 National Finalists could finally get together and compete.”

The original competition was set for 26 August, then rescheduled for November, before being rescheduled again to January due to Covid restrictions.

The contestants were tested on a wide range of skills and knowledge including setting up a seed drill, trellising, pest and disease, an interview, frost protection as well as the BioStart Hortisports. They had already previously submitted a research report entitled “Assess various pruning options during a labour shortage”, thus addressing one of the real challenges currently facing the wine industry. Jess Wilson won $1000 for the best report and presentation.

The contestants finally gave a speech – this year in the vineyards, instead of at the dinner – where they had to promote the best new varietal or clonal option for their region. There were some very insightful recommendations, suggesting the New Zealand wine industry has an exciting and successful future ahead.

Sam Bain will be taking home some amazing prizes. Apart from being awarded the title of 2021 Corteva Young Viticulturist of the Year and trophy, he also won a Hyundai Kona for a year, an Ecotrellis travel grant, an educational visit to Australia with Corteva, Bahco golden secateurs and other cash prizes.

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Wine Awards | The New Zealand International Wine Show 2021

NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL WINE SHOW AWARDING WINES OF THE WORLD

TROPHY TASTING NOTES DELEGAT CROWNTHORPE TERRACES HAWKES BAY CHARDONNAY 2020 This is a Chardonnay to satisfy most. There is plenty of distinctive Hawkes Bay grapefruit & melon characters and enough oak which compliments the exciting juicy flavours. Ready to enjoy, lightly chilled, food is not a necessity for this top value wine.

TRINITY HILL MERLOT 2020 Form the glorious 2020 vintage, this Hawkes Bay Merlot is dark, almost black in colour with a myriad of flavours on the palate. Rich & luscious with black plums, black liquorice and firm but not invasive tannins. A classy wine offering enjoyment & value.

GRANT BURGE BAROSSA INK SHIRAZ 2020 Inky black red with vibrant crimson edges. The chocolate and plum bouquet is cloaked with vanilla.

The taste is ripe & voluptuous with fine velvet tannins, juicy plum, prune and bottled cherry fruit with a sprinkle of pepper and a well-balanced nutty oak note to the creamy finish. Deliciously drinkable.

MUDBRICK VINEYARD RESERVE SYRAH 2020 Waiheke Island produces sensational Syrah and this is one of the very best. Aromas of cassis and plums with a hint of local delicatessen. Dark brooding, subtle French oak, long, lingering and memorable, superb. Excellent cellaring potential.

THORNBURY MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021 Sauvignon Blanc drinkers rejoice, this is a terrific example of high-quality Marlborough wine at an unbelievable price. Taste the passionfruit & limes, its crisp dry & ready to go. The judges could not fault it.

LINDAUER VINTAGE SERIES BRUT CUVEE 2017 Made from the classic blend of Chardonnay & Pinot Noir, it is rich & creamy with a tantalising & lingering finish. The bouquet has that classic Champagne character of freshly baked bread with masses of tiny bubbles in the glass. Multiple Gold medals. Multiple Trophies.

WAIRAU RIVER ESTATE SUMMER RIESLING 2021, MARLBOROUGH This is sunshine in a glass. Crammed full of citrus, fruit salad & crisp tangy flavours, this medium sweet beauty is exciting, vibrant, a wine to brighten your day. Serve well chilled it is very moreish.

GONZALEZ BYASS NECTAR PEDRO XIMINEZ NV, SPAIN This is a Sherry but not how you would know it. Rich, luscious, toffee, malt, raisins, it is Xmas Cake in a glass. A truly decadent treat - only share with good friends – or don’t share at all. A memorable experience.

MCARTHUR RIDGE SOUTHERN TOR CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT NOIR 2020 A new Central Otago star is born. Bright ruby/purple in the glass, the palate is full of black cherries, smoky oak and gamey characters. Already a delicious Pinot Noir but there are years of cellaring ahead. Another top effort from Champion Winemaker Matt Connell.

MCARTHUR LILICO CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT ROSE 2021 The colour is perfect, the fruit is perfect, the finish is perfection. Everything is in place for one of the outstanding Rose wines of the year. Medium dry with touches of strawberry, apricot & watermelon.

Delicious.

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The New Zealand International Wine Show 2021 | Wine Awards GRANT BURGE BAROSSA INK CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2020, SOUTH AUSTRALIA An intense and opulent wine jam packed with blackcurrant, dark chocolate and espresso. Big, bold & generous with immediate appeal. No need to cellar, the enjoyment is already here. Amazing wine and amazing value. Beautiful Barossa wine.

TENUTA ULISSE AMARANTA MONTEPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO DOP 2019, ITALY Shiny blackberry in a glass. Wonderfully concentrated on the nose with a potpourri of aromas. Think plum jam and dark smoky oak and saddle leather. It is inky and opulent to the taste with succulent dark fruit, an inviting savouriness, touches of dark orange chocolate and hints of espresso with surprisingly supple tannins and a long-lifted finish.

WHITEHAVEN MARLBOROUGH NOBLE RIESLING 2021 Pale lemon in colour with attractive aromas of nectarine and lemon sorbet. Everyone loves a sweet wine with dessert and this one has concentrated honey & dried fruit flavours with a luxurious and refreshing finish. Delicious now but will age gracefully for many years.

BEACH HOUSE CABERNET MALBEC 2020, HAWKES BAY 2020 is one of the top vintages of the last few decades and this Cabernet Malbec blend reflects the vintage beautifully. Blackberry and cassis flood the nose alongside hints of dried herbs. Dark chocolate, spice and a graphite edge begin to illustrate the depth and complexity of this relatively youthful wine.

On the palate the wine is bright, bold and approachable but will continue to gain complexity well into the 2030’s.

CHAMPAGNE CRISTIAN SENEZ CUVEE RENOIR NZ, FRANCE It is soothing and comforting and immensely satisfying! Fragrant aromas of ripe citrus, nectarine, yeast and floral, lead to a generous yet finely textured palate that shows delectable flavours and excellent acidity, which provides superb structure and length. A blend of 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir. A beautiful refreshing champagne with ample bubbles. Effervescence in the mouth with a balanced, silky and creamy finish. This champagne is perfect for that function or event in your life that requires an extra touch of elegance.

ASKERNE HAWKES BAY PINOT GRIS 2021 Intense aromas of pear, peach and honeysuckle with a hint of tangerine. Delicious flavours of stonefruit and ripe lemon carry through the textural and juicy palate which shows exceptional balance and length. Very impressive, top-quality wine.

JOHANNESHOF MARLBOROUGH GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2021 Exotically perfumed with notes of rose petals, violets and zesty orange. The palate is rich and moreish with a wide spectrum of flavour. There's distinctive notes of lychee, orange, peach and ginger with a hint of five spice - making it a perfect companion for spiced dishes - but there's enough fruit sweetness for this wine to also be enjoyed as an aperitif. Brilliant wine.

D'ARENBERG HERMIT CRAB 2020, MCLAREN VALE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA The Hermit Crab is a blend of Marsanne and Viognier and it's bursting with flavour. The bouquet has notes of fresh stone fruits and honeysuckle flowers followed by a palate filled with fresh fruit - pineapple and papaya, apple, apricot with a touch of grapefruit and the slightest hint of ginger. The finish is long and lingering. So tasty - an excellent alternative to the more standard white varietals.

CLEARVIEW ESTATE RESERVE HAWKES BAY CHARDONNAY 2020 Light gold colour with a desirable mealy, creamy oak scent. It's rich and bold but beautifully balanced in the palate with concentrated peach and a touch of oak spice. Mouthfilling and long with a deep savoury presence and a flinty seam that is keeping it quite tight at this stage but there’s so much more to come. Everything is in place to make this a superstar of the vintage. Clearview Estate are the masters of this style of Chardonnay.

DANCING PETREL RESERVE VIOGNIER 2020 Sensational result for this far North winery. Seductive, smooth, silky, barrel fermented in French oak, the palate has flavours of apricot and pear and on the nose hints of citrus. The finish is vibrant and very appealing. Super tasty now but there’s years of enjoyment to come.

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Feature | 2021 Trophy Results And Judges Notes

HERE ARE MANY TROPHY WINES WITH JUDGES NOTES CHAMPION WINE OF SHOW Church Road McDonald Series Syrah 2019 Deep vibrant red with purple hues, displaying a lovely combination of ripe blackberry and lifted floral notes. Some judges also noted a wonderful savoury edge which along with the pure fruit character gave the wine a certain gravitas that set it apart from the other contenders. The palate has a beautiful vibrancy whilst also displaying a richness from a high quality vintage and the benefits of some bottle age. We do see this freshness as a feature worth celebrating, a medium bodied wine underpinned by a touch of acidity contributes to the overall sensory effect.

Partly hidden, but present, tannins suggest further rewards for those willing to cellar.

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2021 Trophy Results And Judges Notes| Feature

SPARKLING WINE BEST IN CLASS Te Awanga Estate Loved Up Methode Traditionelle 2015 A deeper straw colour that suggests a wine with some age, that thought reinforced by a fine bead of bubbles that can only be achieved by long term bottle aging. The nose is an amazing combination of buttery pastries, baked apples and lifted spice notes of cinnamon.

Once on the palate the wine displays a liveliness from both the effervescence and citrus/ apple notes from the base wines.

Finishing clean, refreshing and reaching for another pour. A passion project that lives up to its name.

SAUVIGNON/SEMILLON Ka Tahi Sauvignon Blanc 2021 Pale straw with green hints suggesting a wine of youth, fruitiness and vibrancy. The aromas sit comfortably within the New Zealand vernacular for this variety. Notes of passionfruit, fennel and tropical melon leave the taster in no doubt of what they are tasting-a world class expression of this grape variety. The palate lives up to the promise on the nose with clear cut freshness, deliciousness and balance.

PINOT GRIS Haha Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2021 Deeper yellow tending towards straw.

The aroma profile is in the riper spectrum for this variety sitting comfortably in the peach/ pineapple range of aromas.

Complexity is not often seen in Pinot Gris but additional notes of custard, apple pie and vanilla sit comfortably with the fruit profile. This bandwidth on the nose carries through to a full

bodied mouthful of deliciousness.

Nothing edgy, too textural or out of line

ROSE Esk Valley Hawke’s Bay Rose 2021 A wine where less is more but what’s there is perfect in every respect. A splash of palest red watercolour leads to a measured nose of prettiness, which manages to excite the senses without going so far as challenging them.

The flow through to the palate has the same quiet confidence; what looks good, smells good and tastes good is good. Judges noted a spectrum of subtle fruit notes of watermelon and strawberry along with floral notes redolent of aromatic lilly. The palate is dry, balanced and delicious. A worthy winner from a skilled winemaking team

RED BLENDS CABERNET SAUVIGNON DOMINANT Elephant Hill Stone Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, amongst the winemaker judges at least, is approached with equal measures of trepidation and expectation. Making a dominant Cabernet Sauvignon blend is akin to approaching a high alter of judgement given its status as the King of all wines.

Deep red with some colour evolution befitting its vintage and age. The aromas were also within a window that still showed youth but hinted at future prospects, blackcurrant/ raspberry/ rosemary on the one hand, complex and savoury on the other. We liked the retention of the ‘Hawke’s Bay’ character.

Once on the palate, the related sensory elements came into their own. Weight, concentration and texture were all in perfect

proportion, the aromatic notes became more lifted and a harmony of ‘flavours’ emerged, the overall effect more important than the individual sensory components.

Presenting as a bright youthful wine with plenty of red colour with the added intensity of a purple hue. Bravely perfumed on the nose, showing clear cut varietal character in an unapologetic way that the judges loved. Fruit aromas of raspberry with lifted violet florals were bookended by sappy herbal elements. This wonderful spectrum of aromas carried through to the palate with purity, vigour and texture.

Medium bodied in weight, pure unadorned varietal flavours and a crunchy tannin/ acid texture that lead through to a powerful finish. A sensory force on every level.

OSAWA WINES NOBLE Gewurztraminer 2019 Where some wines are presented as delicate packages of fineness and nuance, this wine announces its presence in a way that left the judges agreeing that sometimes it is OK to be loud and proud.

Gewurztraminer is known for its heady floral profile but layer it up with notes of honey/ bees wax along with apricot jam/ crystalized ginger and you have an aromatic profile that not just shouts, it screams. Every aspect of this wine is full noise; colour, aroma, taste and texture. Deeply coloured in the straw/ yellow spectrum, incredibly perfumed but with an almost savoury edge which leads to a full on palate of deliciousness. The shocking sweetness, lumbering weight and outrageous oiliness of the palate don’t just equal the nose, they surpass it. Delicious, decadent and proudly so.

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LIMITED EDITION REWA ROSÉ GIFT BOX

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In the true spirit of Aotearoa — give the gift of celebration.

Numbers strictly limited Perfect for Christmas visit tohuwines.co.nz Nga hua a te whenua.

Our gift from the land.

One bottle of beautiful Rewa Rosé with two bespoke flutes in each box

John Hancock | Feature

HAWKES BAY HANCOCKS

By Charmian Smith

A

fter 51 vintages John Hancock, one of New Zealand’s most experienced winemakers, is starting a new venture, Hancock and Sons. He tells Charmian Smith about this enterprise and reflects on his past ones.

Hailing from South Australia, John Hancock joined Auckland wine producer Delegats in 1979, as one of the few fully qualified winemakers in New Zealand at the time.

“That was in the days of sugar and water which was an absolute no no in Australia - sugar and water and grape skins essentially - you only needed half an acre of grapes and you could make a million bottles of wine!” he said with a laugh.

Mūller Thurgau, about 45% of grape plantings at the time, was the best variety.

“Well-made Muller Thurgau in those days was pretty good wine, a much better entry level wine than we had in Australia which would have been made from

sultana or doradillo or palomino.”

In Australia riesling was at the top of the tree, and Leo Buring, with whom he started his career, was one of the best producers, he said.

Like a handful of other young Australian-trained winemakers of his generation, he set about improving the quality of New Zealand wine.

His early chardonnays from 1981 and 1982 won gold medals and trophies.

“That was Gisborne Chardonnay - the fruit came from Dennis Irwin [of Matawhero].

We hadn’t ventured into barrel fermentation at that stage. It was fermented in stainless steel like you would a clean dry white then bunged into barrels.”

However, a trip to Europe opened his eyes to barrelfermented chardonnay, and when he moved to the fledgling Morton Estate he developed New Zealand’s first commercial barrelfermented chardonnay, Morton Estate Black Label Chardonnay 1984. Other winemakers, such as Michael Brakovich at Kumeu River

and Paul Mooney at Mission were also experimenting with barrel fermentation, but he was the first to commercialise it, he said.

It put Morton Estate on the map and they established a big vineyard on river terraces at Marakaeko in Hawkes Bay. Then in 1993 he and two other partners bought land in the newly developing Gimblett Gravels in 1993 and established Trinity Hill.

There had been a dispute over the area because Fraser Shingle had bought land to extract gravel, but the winegrowers, led

by Alan Limmer of Stonecroft and John Buck of Te Mata, fought the resource consent and won. Now the Gravels is an acclaimed wine subregion because of its gravelly soils and warm climate.

At Trinity Hill John continued with fine chardonnay, developed syrah and other unusual varieties such as tempranillo, touriga and marsanne. His Homage Syrah was much admired and sought after.

However, after a company restructure John was shunted into an ambassadorial role. “I still had a small shareholding

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Feature | John Hancock but I ended up in a marketing role and got further away from hands-on winemaking, so I was inclined develop something that could be passed on - that was the whole premise of Hancock & Sons. I decided if I didn’t do it quickly then I’d be too old to do it,” he said.

So in 2018 he and Willie made Hancock & Sons first wines

at Moana Park winery from contract-grown fruit.

Willy (27) grew up around Trinity Hill, working holiday jobs in vineyards and the cellar door, but he had no idea what he wanted to do when he left school. So he visited his godparents who are still part owners of Trinity Hill and owned restaurants in the UK. “For two years I was working

Starting a new venture when most other people are retiring: acclaimed winemaker John Hancock and his son Willie of Hancock & Sons.

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with some really good sommeliers and got to try some amazing wines I’d never seen here,” he said.

Perhaps not surprisingly he decided to study winemaking and went to Plumpton College in the UK where he could pop over to Europe to work vintages, then eventually returned to Hawkes Bay to gain more experience.

John Hancock | Feature Now Willie aims to learn as much as he can from his father.

“You can’t read a book and get 50 harvests’ experience, so I’m trying to absorb as much of that as I can,” he said.

Willy’s brother Michael is in retail and John hopes he will also become involved as the family company grows.

“I wouldn’t like to be doing what we are doing if we didn’t have full time jobs - not at this stage. We only make about 1000 cases, It’s pretty small.

To grow much bigger would take a lot more capital and you certainly couldn’t do it part time,” John said.

At 69 John says he has no plans for retirement. Instead he and Willie are working at Moana Park Estate in Puketapu which was given a new lease of life in 2020 with a change of ownership.

Besides John Hancock, another acclaimed winemaker, Michelle Richardson formerly of Villa Maria and Peregrine Wines, has joined the team as head winemaker.

John and Willie are excited about Moana Park’s recent acquisition of Messenger Block in Stillwater, north of Auckland, on long term lease. The three hectare vineyard was established for Paul and Cathy Syms about 16 years ago to produce some of the finest Bordeaux-style wine.

They are renovating the neglected vineyard with new plantings of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc and rescuing the malbec vines which originated in France in the1860s before phylloxera ravaged vineyards there.

John and Willie are charged with making a top end Bordeaux blend.

“It could take 10-15 years to make New Zealand’s most expensive wine,” John said.

But after 50 vintages, it’s not necessarily his winemaking achievements John is proudest of.

“Funnily enough, it’s probably involvement with the export of New Zealand wine. In the mid 1980s we spent an awful lot of time traipsing round the world doing the promotional thing but most places around the world hadn’t even heard of New Zealand,” he said.

With a group of other winemakers such as Bill Spence of Matua Valley, Jane Hunter of Hunter’s, Rose Delegat of Delegats and Jo Babich of Babich, they started the New Zealand Wine Guild in London to have someone there looking after their interests.

“There’s a good relationship between different producers and different organisations, a mentality of helping each other out, and it really shows. It was ground breaking stuff in those days. When I came in 1979 there was no NZ wine exported apart from a little bit of - I don’t understand how or why - fortified wines from Corbans that went into Canada. And now it’s two billion dollars worth.” hancockandsons.co.nz

W

illie describes their winemaking as lo-fi, meaning low input rather than “natural” the trendy but ambiguous term that sometimes hides badly-made as well as interesting wine.

John was told a long time ago that the secret to good winemaking was to know when to do nothing and he thinks it’s the same in the vineyard, but it’s no excuse for bad wine, he said.

“The job’s 80% cleaning. You don’t want to be afraid of the wash-down hose or getting wet if you are a winemaker.”

Hancock & Sons wines can be found in selected Hawkes Bay restaurants or on line.

John, of course, makes chardonnay, two of them. The white label Bridge Pa chardonnay 2019 hints of citrus and peach, with suggestions of nuts and oak and a delicious fresh finish.

The black label Reserve chardonnay 2019 is more in the style of the Morton Estate Black Label chardonnays with which John made his name, classy, big, complex, creamy, oozing hints of almond, oak and mineral.

There’s a charming cabernet franc rosé with hints of red fruits, mineral and a dry, textural finish named Lillies after the ship on which the Hancock forebears sailed to South Australia.

Their Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 is deliciously juicy, oozing blueberries, medium-bodied and finishing with fine, dusty tannins.

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Feature | Great Reds

HOME OF BIG REDS

By Charmian Smith

S

ome of Hawkes Bay’s best wines are their reds - syrah and the Bordeaux blends which include various combinations of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, malbec and cabernet franc. Some of the best have cult followings overseas.

However, despite the quality having improved hand over fist in the past few decades, these bigger reds are not as fashionable here as they used to be.

“That whole trend of the world looking for charming, easy drinking affordable wines explains why those aromatic and softer styles of wines like pinot gris [rosé and pinot noir] are continuing to do really well,” said Nick Picone, former chief winemaker at Villa Maria, who produces some of the regions finest reds in their Reserve label.

John Hancock, one of New Zealand’s most experienced winemakers, agrees.

“While we think the [Gimblett] Gravels are

Gimblett Gravels vineyards source of some of Hawkes Bay’s finest reds.

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fantastic and make great wines, Bordeaux style wines, certainly within New Zealand, are not fashionable. I think something like 50-70% of all red wine sold in New Zealand is pinot noir. That leaves Hawkes Bay out in the cold,” he says. Formerly of Morton Estate then Trinity Hill, he has now started his own brand, Hancock and Sons, with his winemaker son Willie.

He believes syrah is also a natural for Hawkes Bay. “Syrah is fantastic but not an easy sell. It’s like a grown up

Great Reds | Feature pinot noir in a way but the top reds coming out of Hawkes Bay don’t really get what they should in comparison to pinot noir. Right now they’re not flavour of the month.”

Unfortunately, apart from some cooler, high altitude vineyards in Central Hawkes Bay and perhaps one or two other pockets, pinot noir is not particularly suited to the region.

John thinks many New Zealanders are looking for reds that are lighter like pinot noir whereas Hawkes Bay reds, particularly out of the Gimblett Gravels, can be quite tannic and tough.

“We are trying to move away from that. We want the wines to be more accessible,” John said Nick explains there’s an ongoing discussion about whether they need to be considering other varietals, like tempranillo or cabernet franc which can produce lighter, less tannic wines that do not need several years bottle age to show their best, as the top end Bordeaux blends do.

The problem is that changing varieties takes a long time. Once planted, vines take two to three years to produce a crop and need to be a decade or two old if you want to make really fine wine - and by that time fashions may well have moved on.

It’s taken several decades for some of the best syrahs and cabernet merlots blends to evolve the quality they have.

Twenty years ago many Hawkes Bay reds were leafy with underripe, mouth-puckering characters. Since then the Gimblett Gravels, Bridge Pa Triangle and more of the Havelock Hills have been planted, and red varieties on unsuitable soils pulled out. Apples are currently the booming crop in Hawkes Bay. “Those are the places now where you can regularly ripen fruit of the right quality to make high quality Bordeaux style reds,” says Steve Smith MW whose new venture, Smith and Sheth, aims to make super premium wines.

Viticulture has also changed massively. For the top wines, it is

John Hancock. One of New Zealand’s most experienced winemakers.

related to the right site, the right clones, the right rootstock, the right viticulture. That has been the major reason for the change, along with vine age and an overwhelming move to more natural techniques. There has also been some fine tuning in the cellar, such as more gentle extraction, he said.

He believes New Zealand should tell a stronger story about its finest wines here and in export markets.

However, things are changing.

On my recent trip to Hawkes Bay I noticed several delicious reds with softer tannins than the big cabernet merlots they still do so well. There are a surprising number of cabernet francs if you look for them, and we are seeing more of the the Spanish variety tempranillo being made or blended with other varieties.

Again, they are in small quantities but well worth searching out.

And, of course, there’s an increasing number of delicious rosés being produced from red grapes. They make delicious summer drinking.

Nick Picone, former chief winemaker at Villa Maria.

Hawkes Bay can do superb big reds.

Hawkes Bay finest reds mature quietly in barrels for several months to a couple of years.

Steve Smith MW : New Zealand should tell a stronger story about its finest wines.

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Feature | Smith and Sheth

GREAT WINES Smith & Sheth’s studio and barrel cellar with a stunning, wide-screen video for private tastings.

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Making wines that will sit alongside the great wines of the world is Smith and Sheth’s ambition.

Charmian Smith talks to wine maestro Steve Smith about his latest venture..

Smith and Sheth | Feature

Village Oenothèque in Havelock North, Smith & Sheth’s tasting room and wine bar.

S

teve Smith, Master of Wine, viticulturist, entrepreneur, academic and thought leader, is one of New Zealand’s high fliers.

He also has a happy knack of finding wealthy Americans who want his help to make fine wine in New Zealand - or perhaps it’s their luck to find him.

Steve’s expertise covers most aspects of the wine industry. After working for the Department of Agriculture with eminent viticultural researcher Richard Smart for 10 years, he moved to Villa Maria.

Over the next decade he not only achieved his Master of Wine, but also developed vineyards around the country and promoted the now renowned Gimblett Gravels region.

Then he met the Peabody family, helping them establish the striking Craggy Range winery in the Tukituki Valley and vineyards in the Gimblett Gravels and Martinborough Terrace and develop their highly regarded wines.

During a break he went to Stanford University on a Prime Minister’s business scholarship to study corporate entrepreneurship and strategic marketing, and was involved in several government boards, including Te Hono, a panel of leaders of the agriculture, food and fibre industries, chartering a different future for the New Zealand agriculture section - and he was chancellor of Lincoln University for three years.

“I spend half my life in wine and half doing other things,” he explains.

His latest wine venture is Smith and Sheth.

In 2014, over a glass of chardonnay, he met Brian Sheth, a Texan entrepreneur and conservationist and found they enjoyed each other’s company and shared similar goals.

“He wanted to have something that was in the fine wine space, but didn’t want it to be big or glamorous. He wanted the high end but very connected to the land, very connected to natural production systems. He didn’t have any particular ideas about how he wanted to do it, just as long as we made great chardonnay and great pinot,” Steve explained.

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Feature | Smith and Sheth Steve wanted to include highend sauvignon blanc as well.

“One of the questions I’ve been asking myself for the past five years is who is the Didier Dagenau of New Zealand?

People have played around the edges of it, including some of the great producers out of Marlborough, but no one’s really said this is something that we should look at.”

Considered a wild radical, Didier Dagenau produced sauvignon blanc in the Loire Valley, France, from the 1980s, overturning traditional practices and cultivating his vineyards biodynamically long before it became a thing. He produced wines of individual expression reflecting both his vineyards and himself.

“It’s not a stamp that says ‘I’m going to use lots of new oak’ or ‘I’m going to do this sort of stuff.’

It’s the stamp that says ‘this is what this piece of land is, this is what this vineyard tells me, this is how to best to capture that’.

“They are unashamedly expensive and they’ve earned their right to be expensive. They are beautifully packaged, and

there are great stories behind them. Didier was an amazing character,” Steve said.

“While chardonnay and pinot noir might be our greatest opportunity - and I genuinely believe they are - if we have a fine wine project in New Zealand it’s got to include sauvignon blanc.”

Their Smith and Sheth project has several parts: the development of their own vineyards to produce fine pinot noir and chardonnay; Cru, wine from some of the best old vineyards; and hospitality - Village Oenothèque in Havelock North which includes a cellar door offering tastings, a wine bar, and the Heretaunga Studio, a private tasting experience including barrel samples and a stunning video in their barrel cellar lounge.

With his intimate knowledge of the New Zealand industry, Steve knew the old vineyards on the best soils for the style of wine they aimed to produce.

“I absolutely loved the sauvignon blanc from the old rocky soils round Renwick which are a bit out of favour now because they don’t produce

herbaceous sauvignon blanc,” he said.

For chardonnay he went to three Hawkes Bay sites, including the now mature Howells vineyard he helped establish years ago on the edge of the Bridge Pa Triangle, and pinot comes from Central Otago .

Brian Sheth also wanted to buy property that could produce the greatest chardonnay and greatest pinot in the country.

At the top of Steve’s list was Pyramid Valley, a small biodynamic vineyard in Waikari, North Canterbury, established by Mike and Claudia Weersing. After two years negotiating, they took over the property in 2017.

“That is truely one of the greatest chardonnay sites I’ve ever been on - limestone, clay and a high altitude location.

Brian loved it because of its biodynamic and natural approach,” he said.

For pinot noir they bought the Lowburn Ferry property in Central Otago from Roger and Jean Gibson.

“It was a weekend thing for them, but over the time they

WINES

D

Village Oenothèque in Havelock North, Smith & Sheth’s tasting room and wine bar.

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uring a tasting I noticed Steve let out an involuntary “yum” under his breath after each wine.

There is certainly something delicious about Smith and Sheth wines as well as a savoury element that can be hard to put your finger on. Steve describes it as something that balances the natural exuberance of New Zealand fruit.

While the newly planted vineyards at Pyramid Valley and Manata are yet to produce, Smith and Sheth’s Cru wines are available.

Cru 2019 Wairau Sauvignon Blanc ($35) is utterly refreshing, dry and textural, flinty, from low cropped vines.

Compare the chardonnays: the nutty, toasty, creamy, citrusy 2018 Heretaunga chardonnay with the 2018 Howell chardonnay with its juicy stone fruit, crinkly texture and nutty undertones.

Cru’s reds are finely tuned,

ripe and textural but not heavy or overly tannic.

Theres a delicious 2018 cabernet franc from the Howell Vineyard, savoury with darkfruited and dried herbs.

Don’t miss two peppery Syrahs: the spicy, floral but delicious dark fruit of the Heretaunga 2018; and the ripe juicy fruit, charm and complexity of the Omahu 2018 from low cropping old vines.

Steve says he wants to celebrate Hawkes Bay’s Spanish heritage - Antony Vidal one of the first commercial winemakers there, and the Spanish Mission architecture in Hastings and Napier. He produces an albariño and includes tempranillo in his 2018 Cantera Omahu, co-fermented with cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc.

It is dark fruited, fragrant with underlying minerality and exotic, fine-grained tannins, smithandsheth.com

Smith and Sheth | Feature

STEVE’S THOUGHTS ON NZ WINE

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Brian Sheth (left) and Steve Smith sharing a vision to make some of the world’s best chardonnay, pinot noir and sauvignon blanc.

made some fantastic pinot noir.

Again a small vineyard but with land we could develop and plant as we could at the Pyramid Valley property,” he said.

“That’s taken us two and a half years to get together We had to create the Smith and Sheth brand and to redesign both Lowburn Ferry and Pyramid Valley brands.”

The Pyramid Valley brand will have two estates, Waikari and Manata, the name of the newly planted Central Otago vineyard.

Manata will focus on pinot noir with a bit of chardonnay and Waikari will have a strong focus on chardonnay with a bit of pinot noir. They will be made by Huw Kinch at the new Pyramid Valley winery while Central Otagobased Nick Paulin oversees the viticulture.

They have also bought and planted the last patch of bare land in the Gimblett Gravels at Omahu, he says.

“Those three properties have been set up to produce wine that are $150 a bottle. Our aim is for those wines to sit alongside some of the great wines of the world.

That’s our ambition,” he says.

With the overriding aim to make fine wine, their vineyards are closely planted, farmed

regeneratively and the wine make naturally.

“Do we still follow biodynamics?

Yes. Do we still do things with wild yeast, low sulphurs and all that sort of stuff? Yes, but actually our ambition is to make fine wine first that happens to be made naturally,” he said.

“Doing things naturally actually requires great science and great intellect. Those people who undertake the natural wine approach without the science fail,” he said.

“You don’t leave things to chance.You use all the tools you have from a science and experience background to look after the natural ferments, to make sure we don’t have botrytis in our vineyard because we’ve done the canopy management right and all that sort of stuff.”

The Fit for a Better World vision for the New Zealand agricultural sector that Steve was involved in is based on regenerative production systems.

“That does’t mean you don’t add stuff but what you do is every year leaving the place better than when you started,” he said “That is better socially, better physically, better environmentally - and better wine.”

teve believes there are two drivers of New Zealand wine: the sauvignon blanc story and the fine wine story.

The sauvignon blanc story is the engine room of the New Zealand wine industry.

It’s important because it produces identifiable, unique, wine at a price a lot of the world can afford and no one else can replicate, he says.

“If you talk to consumers around the world why they love drinking New Zealand sauvignon it’s because it’s the most refreshingly delicious white wine they can buy. So if we are to be the home of the world’s most refreshing white wines, other varieties can play a role in that, such as albariño.

I think there’s a really important opportunity for New Zealand to position itself, not just with sauvignon blanc but as home to the greatest refreshing white wines in the world.”

Complementary but different, is the fine wine story based around chardonnay, pinot noir and high end sauvignon blanc as well as some syrah and cabernetinfluenced wine which adds texture and depth to the story, but it needs a stronger story than is told at the moment.

“I think that’s an investment the industry should make because it will provide a halo for the balance of the Industry. I’ve been talking about that for a very long time and I think it’s even more important now,” he said.

“It’s important the whole industry supports both propositions. The guys who produce a bucket load of sauvignon, their business will become more valuable if the country has a reputation for producing small volumes of expensive wine.”

Producers of expensive wines need to respect the fact that without Marlborough sauvignon blanc, the industry wouldn’t have anywhere near the reputation it currently has.

“I think there’s a lot of work that needs to be done at the leadership of the industry to make those two things happen together, and it’s not just at a brand and marketing level but it goes down to research and investment in the future level, because they will require different things,” he said.

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Advertorial | Fleck Mineral Water

RE-HYDRATION & WINE

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ow do you rehydrate when drinking wine? You probably know that alcohol causes dehydration and you’re trying to find the best way to rehydrate quickly. Alcohol is a diuretic which means it makes you produce more urine. It does so by blocking the release of a hormone in your brain called antidiuretic hormone (ADH). ADH is released by your pituitary gland, and in normal circumstances, signals to your kidneys to reabsorb water.

Because alcohol blocks the release of ADH, it means your kidneys flush out more water.

Taking your time, rehydrating slowly is the best approach.

One of the most important questions to ask is when to rehydrate after drinking alcohol.

Taking your time after a night out and rehydrating over several hours is by far the best approach.

That way, your liver is clearing the alcohol from your bloodstream while you continue to rehydrate.

Making sure you drink water between each alcoholic drink and also straight after your night out is key. Otherwise, you run the risk of waking up with a hangover and all the symptoms of dehydration that come with it.

Drink in moderation and within recommended limits. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or

taking any prescribed medication or have any medical conditions including food allergies, it is best to consult your doctor before taking food supplements.

naturally occurring low mineral water or artificially softened water (specifically water low in magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca) or bicarbonates)“ – Kozisek (2020).

If you’re a wine lover, looking for more than just rehydration, it’s worth considering Fleck Mineral Water instead of your typical New Zealand drinking/bottled water.

Fleck is a mineral water from Queenstown with minerality that’s much higher than other local waters.

In 19 EU countries, there are rules or guidelines for calcium and/or magnesium levels in drinking water. Fleck’s calcium levels are more typical of a European bottled water and right in the “goldilocks” zone for content of this key mineral. When you drink Fleck with your wine, its near optimal levels of calcium and magnesium ensure healthy hydration.

We correctly think of typical New Zealand water as very pure but it is also lacking in minerals. The health significance of this is not well-appreciated here but as a recent European scientific paper put it, in a nutshell: “Epidemiologic studies completed in different countries by different teams of researchers since 1960 have consistently reported chronic health effects of

Go to fleck.co.nz and click on BUY to make a purchase

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WineNZ Magazine | Autumn/Winter 2022

Another thing, when you drink Fleck alongside our elegant wines, its higher bicarbonate levels buffer acidity, which can help open up some of these wines. Central Otago is the home of Fleck and some of our most elegant wine styles – a perfect match.

Enjoy your wine, especially New Zealand wine and look after your body with Fleck Mineral Water.

Sparkling mineral water from Queenstown’s landscape.

QUEENSTOWN NEW ZEALAND

Feature | Saint Clair Neal and Judy Ibbotson, founders of Saint Clair Family Estate.

30 YEARS ON Saint Clair has built an enviable reputation both domestically and internationally since Neal and Judy Ibbotson launched their first wine nearly 30 years ago. Now their daughters, Sarina and Julie, are growing into the ever evolving business and its philosophies of constant improvement and building relationships, Julie Ibbotson-Grono tells Charmian Smith.

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hildren in wine growing families often help out in the business, and it was no different for the three Ibbotson children at Saint Clair.

Their parents, Neal, then a farm consultant, and Judy, planted their first vineyard at Doctor’s Creek in 1978 on the family farm near Blenheim. Their young children were enlisted to help and would be rewarded with a toffee pop at the end of a row, Julie Ibbotson-Grono says with a laugh.

“Later, as we were growing up we did some wire lifting, and we did other jobs in the holidays.

It’s hard work out there so in my summer holidays I worked in a packhouse with garlic.”

When she and her older brother and sister Tony and Sarina were at university, the Ibbotsons launched their own wine brand, Saint Clair, in 1994. It was named after James Sinclair, the first settler on the land. Again they often helped in the business during the holidays.

Nevertheless, they were all encouraged do something

Saint Clair | Feature unrelated to wine, Julie said.

“I went nursing, Sarina went teaching and Tony went to design school. I always wanted to travel and that’s part of the reason why I chose nursing.”

The other reason, she says, was when visiting a schoolfriend in the Burwood Spinal Unit she admired the dedication of nursing staff.

After registration she joined Sarina who was teaching in London. She had intended to stay two years but stayed five, and that’s where she met her husband, Dave Grono, an Australian doctor.

“Though I loved nursing it was not something I wanted to do forever. I found the shift work really hard and working with people with chronic renal disease was quite hard in that they died. You get to know people really well and then they die. I found that quite traumatic.”

When she and Dave moved to Australia she decided to do a postgraduate degree in wine business and wine marketing.

“I met lots of likeminded people and really enjoyed it.

Then I looked for a job in the

wine industry but not at Saint Clair because it’s really important to learn by working for other people.”

After several years in Australia she and Dave decided to come home when they had their first child.

She wanted to see what she could contribute to the family business and joined Sarina who had also studied wine marketing and was already working at the winery.

That was about 11 years ago and shortly afterwards Saint Clair renamed itself Saint Clair Family Estate.

“We still work very closely together in the marketing and Saint Clair’s grown and we’ve grown since then,” Julie said.

Then a new venture presented itself. The Saint Clair cellar door and cafe in Rapaura Rd had been owned by Bruce and Bridget Crawford and when they retired they offered the surrounding vineyard, cafe and house next door to Saint Clair.

Julie, Sarina and Tony, whose The Creative Method company in Sydney designs the Saint Clair marketing materials, bought the cafe and vineyard while Julie and Dave bought the house as a family home.

They renovated the cafe, introduced a full lunch menu as well as lighter options and wine tasting. Now the Saint Clair Vineyard Kitchen is a popular lunch destination with its big windows, verandas and outdoor dining among the vines.

Although they employ managers, Serina and Julie lead the business.

“That’s been a good learning curve with business ownership and operating and profit and loss statements and what have you.”

Meanwhile, she and Sarina have been learning, listening, doing and growing into the management of the family estate, becoming directors on the newly formed board.

Tasting wine at the Saint Clair Vineyard Kitchen.

Although Neal still steers the ship, he now does more of the

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Feature | Saint Clair things he enjoys, playing golf and spending time in their holiday house at Kaiteriteri, she said.

“When he’s in Blenheim if it’s not golf day he comes to the winery every afternoon and he always has his door open for people to come and have a face-to-face chat. He’s always at the other end of his computer and ready to provide advice, to consult with. He will do that however long he wants to.”

Some years ago they started planning for succession, talking about what Neal and Judy wanted, what opportunities there were for Sarina and Julie, and where they saw the business going. Successful succession is a choice and needs family members who want to continue, she said.

“It’s really hard to talk about because you are talking about the death of your parents, and it’s not easy to talk to them about that,” she said.

“Also we had to ask ourselves if this is something we wanted because we don’t have to work in this role and do this for the company.”

Aware that conflicts can easily arise between family members in family businesses, they aim to keep relationships positive.

Because she and Sarina have worked closely over the last 10 or 11 years she feels they can recognise each other’s strengths and see where the other is coming from.

“We see success in terms of us continuing to have Christmases together, and to be able to do whatever it is and still love each other and have positive relationships with each other,” Julie said.

“We are not taking over anything but it’s evolving. Our goal is to continue the legacy and keep those values that Neal and Jude have installed in us as children that we now have within our business, to work with people, to develop relationships, to be kind.”

They continue to follow Neal’s aphorisms: Quality wine floats to

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The Ibbotson family, from left, Julie, Tony, Judy, Neal and Sarina.

the top; People people people; Win-win relationships, she said.

“When we have relationships with our importers or our growers, it has to be a win-win relationship, something in there for them, something for us, never just a take-take.”

Neal and Judy regularly travelled to all their 75 global markets and to wine shows around the world, developing strong relationships with key importers and Sarina and Julie plan to continue to do so.

The company also has a culture of constant improvement.

The staff are encouraged to think about HDWDIB, an acronym they use often which stands for “how do we do it better?”

Whatever they are doing, they ask themselves how could it could be improved, she said.

When staff suggest an improvement they are encouraged to think about how it would work and what the benefits and costs would be. There’s a simple form to fill in which is followed up each week.

A green team works on improving their sustainability, such as reducing bottle weights, waste and their carbon footprint.

Saint Clair wines are much awarded in wine competitions here and around the world and they promote their numerous medals and trophies.

“If we can say, particularly internationally, ‘buy our wine, we think it’s good but these

people think its good too’, that’s important in a new market. They might not know much about Saint Clair but we say ‘here we are and this is the success we’ve had’. It’s just part of the sales pitch.”

About six years ago Saint Clair bought two other Marlborough brands, Lake Chalice and Delta, each with its own winemaker.

Because of exclusive deals with importers in many countries, they can’t offer others Saint Clair wines, but now they can offer their other brands, she said.

Saint Clair produces four tiers of wine, the easy-drinking Vicar’s Choice, the main Origin label, single vineyard Pioneer Block wines and the top tier Reserve wines.

With vineyards spread throughout Marlborough (Neal was one of the pioneers in the Awatere Valley and the Dillon’s Point area), they also have one in Hawke’s Bay’s Gimblett Gravels for the bigger reds.

About half their grapes come from growers who compete to produce grapes that make it into a Pioneer Block label.

“If they produce a Pioneer Block wine, their name goes on the label, and they love that. They get paid more for their grapes and other growers may say ‘what do I need to do to get my grapes into a Pioneer Block wine?’. It inspires people to do better in their vineyard and aspire to producing better quality. That’s what it’s all about,” Julie said.

The Premiere of Our Pioneering Pink Saint Clair Pioneer Block Rosé 1 0 0 % FA M I LY OW N E D, 1 0 0 % N E W Z E A L A N D W I N E , 1 0 0 % S U S TA I N A B L E WWW.SAINTCLAIR.CO.NZ @saintclairfamilyestate @saintclairwine Distributed by: Negociants NZ

@saintclairwine

Feature | Distilled by Design

Distilled by Design BACARDI SHAKES UP COCKTAILSAT-HOME WITH LAUNCH OF TAILS COCKTAILS

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his is the first time this new range of premium batched cocktails from TAILS will be available for consumers to enjoy at home. The brand was originally created for the hospitality industry, offering a hassle-free solution for serving premium quality cocktails easily, quickly and consistently.

“Over the last two years, cocktail awareness has boomed as people served up daiquiris, espresso martini cocktails and mojitos to make staying-in feel extra special,” said Evert-Jan Bos, General Manager of TAILS. “Now, as the on-trade reopens, consumers are enjoying the experience of being back in the bar and they’re ordering cocktails more than ever before.”

BACARDI SHAKES UP COCKTAILS-AT-HOME WITH LAUNCH OF TAILS® COCKTAILS. (Photo: Business Wire)

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Distilled by Design | Feature

ABOUT TAILS ®

To tap into this thriving cocktail culture, TAILS is bringing a taste of the bar home with new-look packaging and new recipes. Made using the Bacardi portfolio of premium brands blended with top quality ingredients, the pre-batched cocktail range is perfectly positioned for the rise in entertaining at home, and an ever-growing demand for hyper-convenience. People can now enjoy the experience of shaking up a bar quality cocktail in just 30 seconds, with no planning required.

Evert-Jan adds: “This is a game-changer for the home bar. TAILS COCKTAILS offer both incredible taste and convenience, making it easier than ever for people to enjoy the same flavor and complexity of a cocktail made from scratch, without any effort or expertise. No shopping for ingredients, no measuring, no recipes - just add ice, shake and pour – how easy is that?”

There are five TAILS COCKTAILS - the ‘Rum Daiquirí’ made with BACARDÍ® rum; the ‘Whisky Sour’ with DEWAR’S® Blended Scotch whisky; the ‘Gin Gimlet’ with BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin; and the ‘Espresso Martini Cocktail’ and ‘Passion Fruit Martini Cocktail’, both made with 42BELOW® vodka.

Francis Debeuckelaere, Regional President, Western Europe, Australia & New Zealand, comments: “Of course you can never replace the experience of enjoying a favorite cocktail in a local bar, however we’re going one step further to offer more and more fantastic choices for consumers.

With TAILS we’re delivering new experiences for the home, putting cocktails on the menu whatever the occasion. We are pioneering a whole new ‘ready-toshake’ category.”

A QR code on every 50cl bottle links to a 30 second ‘how to’ video which explains the three simple serving steps, along with garnish suggestions, for each cocktail: 1, add ice and 125ml of the TAILS cocktail to a shaker; 2, experience that ‘bartender feeling’ by shaking until ice cold; and 3, pour into a glass.

TAILS will be available from April in supermarkets, specialist liquor stores and online across the UK & Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria, and Australia, supported by a digital-first marketing campaign focused on building awareness and driving trial of the new range.

For more information on TAILS COCKTAILS, visit www.tailscocktails.com.

Always drink responsibly.

TAILS COCKTAILS is an exclusive range of premium pre-batched cocktails that bring the experience of the bar to consumers’ homes, with all the flavor and complexity of hand-made cocktails, but none of the effort.

Established in 2010, TAILS was founded with a vision to make high-quality cocktails more accessible to a wider audience of cocktail lovers. Each TAILS COCKTAIL begins with the highest quality, premium spirits – BACARDI® Rum, 42BELOW® Vodka, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® Gin and DEWAR’S® Blended Scotch whisky – blended with top quality ingredients. The TAILS brand is part of the portfolio of Bacardi Limited, headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda.

Visit www.tailscocktails.com.

ABOUT BACARDI Bacardi Limited, the largest privately held spirits company in the world, produces and markets internationally recognized spirits and wines. The Bacardi Limited brand portfolio comprises more than 200 brands and labels, including BACARDÍ® rum, GREY GOOSE® vodka, PATRÓN® tequila, DEWAR’S® Blended Scotch whisky, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin, MARTINI® vermouth and sparkling wines, CAZADORES® 100% blue agave tequila, and other leading and emerging brands including WILLIAM LAWSON’S® Scotch whisky, ST-GERMAIN® elderflower liqueur, and ERISTOFF® vodka. Founded over 160 years ago in Santiago de Cuba, family-owned Bacardi Limited currently employs more than 8,000, operates production facilities in 10 countries, and sells its brands in more than 170 countries. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited. Visit http:// www.bacardilimited.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram.

Contacts Phillippa Williams, Corporate Communications Manager, Western Europe, Australia & New Zealand, pholmes@ bacardi.com Andrew Carney, Corporate Communications Director, Western Europe, Australia & New Zealand, acarney@ bacardi.com

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Feature | Distilled by Design

BEAUTIFUL SINGLE MALT WHISKIES

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ince 2010 The New Zealand Whisky Collection has been able to offer some of the oldest and rarest NZ made whiskies to whisky enthusiasts around the world.

The intention was always to re-start whisky production in Otago. The dream finally came true in February 2021 when their new distillery – installed in the historic Speight’s Brewery in Dunedin – was commissioned and the sweet spirit started flowing in the city once again.

They are the first whisky producers operating in Dunedin since New Zealand’s first distillery Willowbank was closed down in 1997.

After selling award winning single malts and beautiful blends like The Oamaruvian, which has become a brand of its own, the company is starting a new era.

The newly appointed GM & Head Distiller Michael Byars was employed in the beginning of last year, not only for his skills and qualifications as a distiller and

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experienced winemaker, but to guide the company through this significant transition.

Michael’s vast experience and knowledge in winemaking plays an important role in distilling.

His well-developed palate and sense of smell, experience in production processes and logistics and understanding the importance of local quality ingredients, help the head distiller to craft something special.

While patiently waiting for their new spirit to mature into whisky, the company is bringing out exciting new products to complement their aged ex-Willowbank stock, which is slowly diminishing. In addition to producing their fresh, fruity newmake spirit “Art of the Cut” for the market, the head distiller has been busy crafting a new range of beautiful single malt whiskies.

Specially selecting casks for the wanted characteristics and carefully blending them, Michael Byars has succeeded in continuing the style & flavours of their previously popular whiskies with red wine finish. The Dunedin

DoubleCask, The Oamaruvian Revolution and The Oamaruvian Cask Strength whiskies have spent 3 years maturing in American ex-bourbon casks before soaking up luscious flavours from Central-Otago Pinor Noir barrels, for an additional 1.5 years.

Whiskies with rich flavours of dried fruits and spices, warm notes of honey and caramel with a hint of Oamaru Sea Spray to finish. Crafted with respect for previous traditions while utilising new skills, ideas and passion for creating quality spirits – this beautiful single malt range will easily please any concerning whisky lover.

W W W. T H E N Z W H I S K Y. COM

Distilled by Design | Feature

WORLD CLASS WHISKY FROM THE HEART OF OTAGO.

Aromas of beeswax and fresh cereal flavours, toasted oak and soft spices with fruity cherry finish.

Dunedin Doublecask 500ml 40% ABV

WWW.THENZWHISKY.COM |

@thenzwhisky www.winenzmagazine.co.nz

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Feature | Distilled by Design

SANDYMOUNT DISTILLERY

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Richard Wilson, supplied by Sandymount Distillery

aunched in May 2021, Sandymount’s Lovers Leap Dry Gin has made itself very comfortable on the shelves of liquor stores and in the homes of its already loyal drinkers.

With its first year drawing to a close, Sandymount Distillery is gearing up for sustainable expansion, with plans underway for new products and the development of the distillery itself — including the land it sits on.

The distillery is a small batch artisanal distillery situated on a five hectare rural property overlooking Hooper's Inlet on the eastern side of Otago Peninsula in Dunedin.

There are two hectares of native bush and two of pine forest. All the native botanicals are sourced from these forests and the water is drawn from a spring that bubbles to the surface just above the distillery building.

The distillery’s flagship gin Lovers Leap is a smooth dry gin with light floral botanicals, subtle juniper, and a sweet citrus finish. In its first year, it has been awarded Silver at the 2021 New Zealand Spirits Awards and Bronze at the 2021 Junipers NZ and 2021 Australian Gin Awards.

On the nose, Lovers Leap is

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fresh and grassy, with earthy herbaceous elements and a gentle citrus element, while the palate finds floral elements with hints of herbs and citrus, and a background of pepper. The initial mouth feel is dry but smooth, with a delicate juniper dry down and a long and subtle finish. Ghosts of the botanical flavour elements haunt the tongue and sinuses.

Distiller Richard Wilson began distilling four years ago, a hobby that quickly became an obsession, until he made the call to leave his professional career in the facilities management sector to concentrate on distilling his unique products full-time.

He grew up on the Otago Peninsula, making it a natural choice for his distillery’s location, and the memories and scents of his youth are integral to his recipe development and ingredient choices. The Sandymount Chapter series uses the concept of synaesthesia (the stimulation of senses to create a pathway to memory) to tell the distiller’s story through gin designed to evoke the scents and moods of the Otago Peninsula.

incredible birdlife back to the hillsides they once populated, and replenishing the soil to give his 1000 new native trees and bushes the best possible start.

For now, he is concentrating on planting the six species, tarata, mānuka, kawakawa, horopito, tī kōuka and harakeke, that he uses in the Tī Kōuka Forest Gin. He also has wormwood and angelica flourishing, and is nurturing an orchard in preparation for the new products he’s designing for release later this year.

As the distillery matures, he intends to grow as many of the other botanicals onsite as possible, including some of the harder to grow species, such as olives, grapes, and feijoa, a challenge given they typically don’t thrive in southern coastal areas. Sandymount gins are New Zealand made at the simplest level.

Lovers Leap and other Sandymount products are available from good liquor stores (or coming soon) and the cutest bars around the country and online. The limited release of Chapter Two will be available in May 2022.

LOVERS OLOROSO SOUR 60ml Lovers Leap Dry Gin 30ml Olorosa 60ml lemon juice 20ml rich simple syrup 1 egg white Shake with ice and strain into your favourite glass

Wilson will be developing the property over the next 12 months, starting with clearing old pine trees to invite the Lovers Oloroso Sour by @for_the_love_of_cocktails

Distilled by Design | Feature

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Feature | Distilled by Design

QUEENSTOWN HELI-GIN TOURS A WORLD FIRST

Nigel Hobbs & Brad Patterson enjoying a gin on the mountain

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Innovative Queenstown tourism company Altitude Tours has today launched the world’s first heli-gin tour.

Distilled by Design | Feature

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he award-winning tour operator has designed the unique tour around some of the country’s most coveted gin spots, with helicopter transfers provided by The Helicopter Line.

A by-road option is also available via luxury Mercedes vehicles.

the experience one step further with an incredible scenic flight to the Cardrona Distillery, including a celebratory toast at a secluded alpine location with panoramic views, as well as tastings in private rooms, shared grazing boards and a traditional German Tarte Flambee pizza at the Gin Garden.

Altitude Tours managing director Nigel Hobbs says the company’s two gin experiences are the only gin tours offered in NZ, and its heli-gin tour is a world first.

“Both gin experiences are full sensory and have been designed to be a nice mix of sightseeing, education and fun,” adds Hobbs. “It is perfect for all types of people, and also offers some flexibility and opportunities to taste other spirits and wine or beer, too.”

“Gin is very ‘in’ right now and distilleries are popping up everywhere,” he says. “The gindustry is the new craft beer and the Central Otago climate and alpine conditions are ideal for developing pure, smooth gin,” he says. “These experiences are catering to the keen market of gin enjoyers by offering an epic day out that includes impeccable gin and hospitality, and scenic helicopter flights over some of NZ’s most beautiful landscapes.”

The two new, guided experiences – the Queenstown Gin Tour and the Queenstown Heli-Gin Tour – are now open for bookings. The six-hour Queenstown Gin Tour includes transport in a luxury Mercedes, with tastings and tours at the Cardrona Distillery and The Winery, followed by a visit to the Gin Garden by Broken Heart Spirits. Guests can see how gin is distilled, taste-test and take in the scenery.

The six-hour Heli-Gin tour takes

The launch of the two trailblazing experiences tops off a significant year for the premium tour company – Altitude Tours’ Wine Sampler Tour was voted the Top Wine Experience in the world by Tripadvisor. It was also crowned as the fourth-best overall experience in NZ. The company was also finalists for Queenstown Business of the Year (Queenstown Chamber of Commerce Awards) and the NZ Tourism Industry Association Awards for the Best Visitor Experience.

“Our end game is to deliver an amazing day out for our guests, no matter what they’re into,” Hobbs says. “We’ve partnered with the best wineries, breweries and distilleries in the Southern Lakes and Central Otago to bring a first-class experience that people will never forget.

Now, we’re very excited to be launching these one-of-a-kind gin tours just in time for summer.”

Both gin experiences are full sensory and have been designed to be a nice mix of sightseeing, education and fun.”

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Let the experience

beGIN

Grain to Glass Artisan Distilling Kaimai Brewing and Distilling 8541 State Highway 2, Waikino, 3682, New Zealand 027-678-9752 kaimaibrewinganddistilling.co.nz

Rye Malt Whisky THREE TIMES WORLD’S BEST RYE WHISKY NOW AVAILABLE IN NEW ZEALAND

WWW.ARCHIEROSE.COM.AU

THE DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH HOTEL, RUSSELL

Our Stay at the Duke

By By Joan Gestro

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uilt on this outstanding spot is the Duke of Marlborough Hotel, established in 1827 and is the first licensed hotel in New Zealand since the infamous days when Russell was a whaling port.

It’s not surprising to hear that this fine hotel won a 2019 People’s Choice Award for Excellence from Hospitality New Zealand.

It’s a 19th-century hotel complete with modern facilities and a traditional twist. A lovely spacious restaurant and two large verandas overlooking the Bay, serve an extensive menu and wine list. There’s lots to do and see in this quiet slice of paradise, check it out you’ll be delighted. We felt relaxed as the hotel staff is always there to spoil you. The Duke of Marlborough is just 4 minutes’ walk from Russell Museum and the historic Pompallier House, a few cafes and restaurants to choose from, also a French cafe offering authentic French pastries, and who would want to pass that up!

Paihia is a 40-minute drive and 20-minute boat ride across the bay.

Northland | Travel

TWIN COAST Driving from Tauranga on our way to Whangarei, Cape Reinga and on to the West Coast, was a road trip filled with unusual natural history and cultural folklore. Tauranga to Whangarei is an enjoyable six-and-a-half-hour drive, with the compulsory coffee stops.

Whangarei Be careful where you book for accommodation, going on Google’s information on the three best motels in Whangarei, the one we chose for the night, left much to be desired. But we didn’t have to look very far for a great place to dine at Quay Restaurant on the famous Whangarei Wharf; great place to wander around restaurants, cafés, gift shops, including an interesting sculpture of a waka. A must stop and explore the amazing new Arts Centre.

Hundertwasser Arts Centre Situated very close to the Wharf, is a must to visit. 30 years after it was first designed, the Gallery is finally open. It takes you through a zany and vibrant artistic trip well worth your while experiencing.

81 Dent Street, Whangarei Our next stop; Kerikeri, a stone fruit haven, with many road stalls offering a myriad of fruits and vegetables. And did I mention a chocolate factory.

Dinner at the Duke of Marlborough Hotel.

Makana Confections Boutique Chocolate Factory 504 Kerikeri Rd, Kerikeri 0293 09 407 6800

Stone Store We visited the Stone Store built in 1832. Lovely spot to relax by the inlet dotted with many boats, enjoy coffee, lunch, a glass of wine on the lawn.

The Stone Store built in 1832 by the Kemp family, is New Zealand’s oldest surviving building and is now a New Zealand Historic Places Trust site. The Store, with the neighbouring Mission House now form a small museum.

Marsden Estate Kerikeri We met owners Cindy McIvor and her husband who in 1992 purchased this site planted in kiwi

fruit. They eventually decided to create their own vineyard; It was their eureka moment, as from the planting of their first grapes in 1992 they achieved many awards.

Home of award-winning food and wine: • Winner Beef And Lamb Excellence Awards 2018 & 2019 • ​Tripadvisor Certificate Of Excellence 2017 • ​Nissan Champion Trophy Wine Of The Show 2013 • ​Outstanding Northland Winery Of The Year 2010 • ​Fonterra Outstanding • Northland Winery 2009 • ​Winner International Chardonnay Challenge The cellar door is open seven days a week, with lunch and dinner cooked by Chef Dale Gartland. After 25 years, Cindy and Rod are now ready to pass Marsden Estate on to new owners. The vineyard also caters for special events.

56 Wiroa Rd, Kerikeri 0293 09 407 9398

Hundertwasser Art Centre.

Sad to say, this lovely region of Northland, Kerikeri has also been affected with the border closures; the inevitable closing down of many businesses.

Our next port of call, in the Bay of Islands, was the resort and winery on Purerua Peninsula.

www.winenzmagazine.co.nz

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Travel | Northland Wine tasting at Marsden Estate.

Andrea and Marzia recently purchased a local winery, Ake Ake.

Ake Ake Vineyard

The Landing Winery An extraordinary paradise situated along the coast of Purerua Peninsula, in the beautiful Bay of Islands, where the Reverend Samuel Marsden arrived and settled in 1814, and where the first grapes in New Zealand were planted. The unique and fertile terroir of the Bay of Islands has 200 years of viticulture history.

Peter Cooper, a Northlander at heart, after leaving Auckland, where he worked as a corporate lawyer began to develop this piece of paradise high on the hilltop. The Landing has developed into a multi-milliondollar winery that spans 1000 acres of coastal estate with luxury residences, surrounded by breath-taking views:

The Boathouse, Gabriel Residence, Vineyard Villa, Cooper residence Peter, with the help of winemakers, Rod McIvor, of Marsden Estate, Ben Byrne and Warren Gibson, working with vines grown in the long Northland summers, grown in ancient clay and sandstone soils, produce perfectly crafted wines.

Keith Baker, at the Cellar Door, will guide you through the fine list of wines.

Enjoy the culinary creations of Head Chef Jackie Smith; Grazing platters, fine dinner menu, Cellar Door lunch and many more delights to whet your appetite.

The two-and-a-half-hour vineyard tours vary from $250pp to $450pp including travel on their private boat from Wairoa Bay. Or a 55-minute helicopter ride from Auckland.

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623 Rangihoua Rd, Purerua Peninsula, Bay of Islands 09 300 3685 thelandingwine.co.nz

Sovrano Limoncello: The Vest of NZ Spanning five generations, Andrea and Marzia Loggia are part of a rich history in liqueur making.

“We emigrated to New Zealand indefinitely in 2007 from Italy, with the desire to start a limoncello business, my family, and Marzia’s family has been making wine since 1880.” Says Andrea.

In 2009, after discovering the best lemons in the Bay of Islands and best pure alcohol in the country, they launched Sovrano Limoncello.

Liqueurs including Limoncello Cream, Orangello and Orangello Cream, made with New Zealand milk and local oranges grown in Kerikeri.

The product is exported to Australia, China and the United States with the ambition to continue to expand their business, and optimism that the economy will bounce back after the current COVID-19 pandemic,

The first grapes, were planted at Ake Ake Vineyard in 1998. John Clarke and Aynsley Quenault purchased the property in 2004. ​John says “We went to the library and took some books out on how to grow grapes and make wine. Our first two wines from 2005, our first full vintage, both won medals. We set about planting more vines and building a winery we now grow seven varieties and source a few tonnes of grapes from other quality growers. Over the next couple of years, we plan to nearly double our Chambourcin plantings and we planted 400 new Pinotage in 2015”. ​In 2012 converting the vineyard to Organic grape growing began. Ake Ake Vineyard is the only fully certified Organic vineyard north of Auckland.

Andrea Loggia and Marzia, are proud new owners of Ake Ake, having bought the vineyard six months ago.

The Cellar Door, Vineyard Trail and the Vineyard Restaurant are open every day. Reservations are essential.

156 Waimate North Rd, Kerikeri Northland 09 407 8230 akeakevineyard.co.nz

Story to be continued...

Whangarei Quarry Gardens. Photo: Whangarei District Council

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