WINE AND TIME

Wine&Time THE LATEST FROM NEW ZEALAND WINE WORLD

CANNED WINE EXPORTS SET FOR MULTIMILLIONDOLLAR GROWTH

● Globally the bottled wine industry has struggled to develop a millennial customer base and sales as a result. ● Two Wairarapa winemakers are on a mission to educate the local industry about canned wines and are about to start a major export drive into the US. ● The move follows an approach by $16bn

US retail chain Wholefoods after a win in a major canned wine competition. ● The winemaker has had some significant success already - becoming the top selling canned wine in Canada (the world’s largest liquor buyer) ● In contrast to bottled wine sales declining globally, the company doubled its volumes last year and project US sales to grow them by ten times within the next couple of years - providing a major boost for Marlborough growers who would supply them. Congratulations to Peter Russell from Matua Wines for becoming the 2021 Tonnellerie de Mercurey Marlborough Young Winemaker of the Year.

Peter was defending the title so was delighted to win the Marlborough competition for a second year in a row. He will now focus on taking out the national title when he competes against finalists from Central Otago and the North Island at the National Final which will be held later in the year.

“I’ve received lots of messages from other contestants and members of the wine industry and I feel grateful to be part of a such a supportive community” says Peter “I’m extremely looking forward to taking part in the national final.”

Congratulations also goes to Ruby McManaway from Yealands who came second. Ruby also won the best Fruitfed Supplies Speech as she kept the audience entertained on the topic of Low Alcohol Wines.

Congratulations also goes to Alun Kilby from Marisco for taking out third place.

The other contestants were Eden Kelleher from Yealands, Joshua Twedell from Babich and Ellie Hobbs from Rose Family Wines. The calibre of the contestants was very high with them all winning various awards.

Joshua Twedell won the People’s Choice Award for the best wine blend prepared during the competition and voted for by the dinner guests. Ellie Hobbs won the Indevin Wine Judging Section as well as the Vin Olympics and Eden Kelleher was awarded a Leadership Course at NMIT.

PETER RUSSELL BECOMES 2021 MARLBOROUGH YOUNG WINEMAKER OF THE YEAR

MARISCO AD

NEWS HEADLINES

● 46% of the Australian population drink wine during an average 4-week period. The percentage is up by 3.4% ● Demand for Australian and New Zealand wines is increasing in Hong Kong, whilst, in contrast,

China is at its lowest point in 5 years when it comes to Australian wines. The United Kingdom is now the biggest Australian export market. ● Indervin completes its Villa Maria purchases of all assets, for an undisclosed sum.

● Otago Polytech will roll out its Cromwell Campus, specialising in Commercial Wine Cellar operations. Certificate in Cellar operations. (Level three) ● In the United States, Wine makers are more reliant on the 55+ market, whilst the younger segment opts out for other alcohol categories.

certified high-country station, which is situated on the shores of Lake Wanaka and only a 10-minute drive from the town centre.”

Lakeside accommodation partner, the Edgewater Hotel, is offering festival goers a 10% discount on rooms, and transport will also be available between the hotel or town centre and the venue.

“We have some great events and entertainment lined up, including a ‘Wine Blind’ tasting master class with renowned wine journalist, author and writer Joelle Thomson, plus a ‘Wine and Cheese Match’ with another wine expert who is still to be announced,” says White.

“Ripe also gives festival goers the opportunity to make the most of a long weekend in Central Otago, with Otago Anniversary Day falling on Monday 21 March 2022.”

White is delighted that in its first year the festival has been selected as a finalist for the New Zealand Events Association’s Award for Excellence: Best Lifestyle Event 2021.

“This is a fantastic validation of the success of our sold-out inaugural event, and we are looking forward to welcoming even more people next year. Our aim is to make Ripe one of the top wine and food events in New Zealand.” Limited early bird and VIP tickets are available online starting from $46 at ripewanaka.nz.

THE WĀNAKA WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL

Early bird tickets on sale now for Ripe

Ripe is returning to Wānaka to celebrate the best wine and food from the finest growers and producers across Central Otago on Saturday 19 March 2022.

Early bird tickets are now available for the second consecutive Ripe festival, which was the brainchild of Wānaka local, and owner of Otago Event Planning, Nathan White.

“Ripe is all about celebrating Central Otago producers and their intimate connection with the land, while offering tantalising experiences to satisfy everyone’s taste buds on the day.”

The 2022 event will feature 20 of the region’s best wineries, complemented by a selection of delicious local food stalls, entertainment, and exceptional panoramic lake and mountain views from the festival’s new venue, Glendhu Station.

“We are very excited to be hosting this event at this stunning family-owned, organically

Ripe Festival attendees enjoy a masterclass in March 2021. Journalist, author and wine writer Joelle Thomson.

Photo credit: Andy Woods.

NOBLE ROT PROVIDES A “SOMMELIER’S JOURNEY” FOR CHÂINE DINERS IN WELLINGTON

Take a Polish born sommelier trained in Germany, Italy and Australia and an Indian trained chef, invite knowledgeable guests from the Chàine des Rotisseurs to a six course dégustation meal in a multi award winning wine bar and you have the makings of a memorable evening.

Helen Meehan, the head of the châine in Wellington had given Maciej Zimny, Polish sommelier and co-owner of Noble Rot, firm instructions that the focus of the evening should be on the wine. Mariej delighted the diners with his selections.

On his “Sommelier’s Journey” he selected wines Italy, Nelson, Germany, South Africa, South Australia and Spain, and created food and wine matches that surprised and delighted.

The meal began with two canaps, a chicken liver parfait, and a horn of pastry filled with whipped goats cheese accompanied by a Prosecco Rosé, which was rather fuller bodied and sharper than the usual prosecco and was therefore a better match with the richness of the canaps which were themselves off set by a pickled carrot. Each course, bar the chocolate dessert, featured a pickle in some form.

The Smoked Prawn crumpet was served with a Neudorf Albariño from Nelson, delicately scented with floral and citrus with a touch of minerality.

A pickled pork pithivier came rich, with a milky cow’s cheese, a mustard mix, and a quail egg on sauerkraut. The wine was a Pfalz pinot gris whose firm texture and lingering after taste made a great match.

The Wakanui beef eye fillet was served evenly red rare throughout with a cauliflower floret being the accompanying pickle, plus a square of pomme anna, charred shallots and jus. The wine was a Kaapzicht Estate Shiraz from Stellenbosch, flavoursome and smooth.

A cheese course followed: a pasteurized ewe milk with truffle balancing the rich earthy cheese triangle slice with crumbled hazelnuts, figs and beetroot adorned with a cherry syrup. Served with a McLaren Vale Grenache.

A highlight was the dessert wine, a 100 percent Monastrell from Spain, dark, sweet, and luscious, a highly concentrated and complex flavouring recalling figs and ripe fruits, one of the few wines that goes well with a rich dark chocolate chemeux.

Noble Rot is Wellington’s only Continental style wine bar, with its intimate, unpretentious décor, brick walls painted white, channelling an intimate European underground vibe.

Noble Rot offers degustation menus nightly, exquisite bar snacks and stocks over 500 wines.

Among other honours, it’s been awarded “Wine Experience of the Year” three times each by two separate bodies since it opened in 2016, a tribute to co-owners Josh Pointon and Maciej Zimny, who met while both were studying for the Wine and Spirits Education Trust Diploma, internationally recognised as second only to the Master of Wine.

IMAGINE IF YOU COULD SEE WHAT’S IN THE BOTTLE BEFORE YOU BUY IT?

Meet Wine-oji®, your image-based wine guide

Stop before you pop the top! See the wine and taste it with Wine-oji®

WINE-OJI

Wine Without Wor ds

FROST FIGHTING IN CENTRAL OTAGO

It’s no surprise that the Spring frosts have been tough for winegrowers in Central Otago. With harsh conditions and multiple frost protection solutions, two local growers explain how their frost fans are helping them through this season. Timbo Deaker has been involved in the Central Otago wine industry since 1992. Now the Operations Manager at Viticultura, he knows a thing or two about frost protection. He manages multiple vineyards around Central & North Otago. When frost fighting, Timbo uses 80% frost fans (managing approximately 25 of them) and 20% irrigation, where there is no inversion layer for a frost fan to bring the warmer air down to protect the vines. However, the difficulty with irrigation is water shortages and regulations around the region.

Timbo describes the timeline for Spring frost season as October 5th – December 5th. From a management point of view, there is a 6-week stint of being on call all night. He explains that frost fighting is a communal time of year. You can see the car lights in the valley, everyone is awake together and gets stuck in”. To help him stay awake his fuel for frost fighting is “Whittakers chocolate and a single malt scotch”. “For the last 15 years, the coldest day has been the cursed November 27th”. Timbo and the team are hoping it isn’t the case this year but are always prepared for the possibility. When asked what he likes the most, he said the alarm text messages he receives when the temperature has dropped to a set level, this helps him to prepare for a night ahead of frost fighting.

Alan Peters-Oswald, Winemaker at Nanny Goat Vineyard takes a more relaxed approach to frost fighting. He is based in Queensbury, a small sub-region in between Cromwell and Luggate. He has four frost fans protecting approximately 20 hectares of vineyards. He has chosen the fivebladed frost fans as he is mindful of his neighbours and wants to reduce noise. This season, only two of the four frost fans were used as two were installed on newly planted vines. Luckily, he said he has only used his frost fans five times this Spring season. But he is prepared to potentially use them again in the upcoming weeks. Alan uses the AutoStart/ Stop™ feature that allows the frost fans to turn on automatically at a set temperature. Before a frost, he checks that his fuel tanks are full and moves the temperature sensors to colder areas on the vineyard to ensure he is completely protected in a cold snap.

FrostBoss® frost fans are made here in New Zealand where they protect a range of crops including wine grapes, cherries, apples and kiwifruit. New Zealand Frost Fans has a Service Centre in Cromwell to provide after-sales support. Find out more at www.nzfrostfans.com This article was written by Abbie Franklin, Marketing Coordinator of New Zealand Frost Fans.