46 minute read
A look deeper into Hawkes Bay legends and a profile of those great reds
from WINE NZ
HAWKES BAY HANCOCKS
By Charmian Smith
After 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
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 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.
Starting a new venture when most other people are retiring: acclaimed winemaker John Hancock and his son Willie of Hancock & Sons.
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
Willie 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.
HOME OF BIG REDS
By Charmian Smith
Some 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 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
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 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.
John Hancock. One of New Zealand’s most experienced winemakers. 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.
Village Oenothèque in Havelock North, Smith & Sheth’s tasting room and wine bar.
Steve 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.
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
Village Oenothèque in Havelock North, Smith & Sheth’s tasting room and wine bar.
WINES
During 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
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.”
STEVE’S THOUGHTS ON NZ WINE
Steve 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.
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.
RE-HYDRATION
& WINE
How 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.
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.
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 naturally occurring low mineral water or artificially softened water (specifically water low in magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca) or bicarbonates)“ – Kozisek (2020).
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.
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.
Go to fleck.co.nz and click on BUY to make a purchase
QUEENSTOWN NEW ZEALAND
Children 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 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.
Although Neal still steers the ship, he now does more of the
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 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 Ibbotson family, from left, Julie, Tony, Judy, Neal and Sarina.
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.
ABOUT TAILS®
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. Visitwww.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. Visithttp:// www.bacardilimited.comor 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
BEAUTIFUL SINGLE MALT WHISKIES
Since 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 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.
WWW. THENZWHISKY. COM
Feature | Distilled by Design SANDYMOUNT DISTILLERY
Richard Wilson, supplied by Sandymount Distillery
Launched 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 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 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 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. Wilson will be developing the property over the next 12 months, starting with clearing old pine trees to invite the 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
Innovative Queenstown tourism company
Altitude Tours has today launched the world’s first heli-gin tour.
The 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. 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. “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 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. “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.” 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.”
THE DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH HOTEL, RUSSELL Our Stay at the Duke
By By Joan Gestro
Built 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.
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.
Hundertwasser Art Centre. 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
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.
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.
Wine tasting at Marsden Estate.
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, Andrea and Marzia recently purchased a local winery, Ake Ake.
Ake Ake Vineyard
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
