We can’t tell you much about this evening as committee members are still working on the detail. We are organising an evening with a difference and are looking forward to some fun and nice wines. More detail in the next newsletter.
What age can do for/to wine? – September 2017
Well our tasting for September was certainly different and a great learning experience. It’s not often you get to taste 11 wines from the period 1974 to 1996. And to help judge these wines, Wayne had organised a novel rating system that required each table to come up with a ratings that were [4] Superb -aged perfectly, [3] Still enjoyable or has interest, [2] Drinkable but dying, [1] Dead – nothing to commend it to lastly, [0] In decay – not even going to taste this.
He had also arranged for John Saker to attend the tasting and he proved to be a valuable contributor to our discussions, using his knowledge and wine judging skills to highlight things that many of us might not have considered. He particularly liked the Aussie 1990 McWilliams Mount Pleasant Elizabeth Semillon which still had some structure, fruit flavour and mouth feel.
However, it was on the decline from its probable peak 7 or 8 years ago. But still, it did show how a white wine such as a great Hunter Valley Semillon could last. Of the other 10 wines tasted, there were two 1994 wines that attracted the most support, a Leconfield Coonawara Cabernet Merlot Cabernet Franc blend and a French Cordier Sauternes. Sadly 4 of the wines were rated as a 1 or zero. Whilst the oldest of these was from 1975, there were others from the 1994-1996 period that did not measure up. The 1975 had suffered from a leaking cork and had oxidised badly whilst two of the others were white wines that in all honestly , should never had been cellared that long [because of their grape and style].
Wayne’s biggest disappointment of the night, however, was the wine that had been stored in a very large bottle dating back to 1893. The providence of this wine actually dated back to the period 1980 to 1995 and had been stored in this old bottle for later tasting. Wayne had tried to find out more about this wine from CJ Pask who was reputed to have taken it from a barrel and stored it in the bottle for Richard Gooch to taste at a later date, but Chris couldn’t recall the occasion. In any event, this wine was one to be rated a zero, having unfortunately deteriorated to such an extent that no one was prepared to suggest what it might have included, even if the suspicion was that it was once a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and maybe some Cabernet Franc, all from young vines on the Gimblett Gravels.
In conclusion, whilst this evening may have lacked a standout wine that would make the tasting memorable, it did serve to be both educational and to serve as a warning. I think most members will have gone home and looked for those forgotten wines at the back of their cupboards or cellars in order to drink them before they start their inevitable decline into mediocrity.
A special thanks to Linda Caradus, partner to the late Richard Gooch. It was her wish to give the club these very old wines so that we could use them as a learning experience and they certainly did that. It was just a shame that overseas business prevented her attending the tasting and seeing the interest that the 11 wines provided.
Upcoming events, Bottle a day
Upcoming events
Good grief, where is the year going? Much to look forward to however with Stonecroft next week and the November Festive tasting which will have Spanish wines as a theme. The December dinner venue is sorted and we will be going to the Cashmere Lounge in Khandallah. It is only yards away from the Khandallah train station if anyone is travelling from town.
Bottle a day
Now much has been written and said about the benefits, or lack thereof, in a regular glass of wine. While waiting for Winston to make up his mind you might need two a night. At long last however Wayne has found an oracle who deserves some attention. He reckons that a bottle a day does you no harm and indeed is probably good for you. Unsurprisingly not all the experts agree.
Cheers
Robin Semmens, Editor
Have you heard
Women in Wine NZ launch
(New Zealand Winegrowers Media Release – 28 August 2017)
The inaugural Women in Wine NZ launch event sold out. The first New Zealand Winegrowers’ Women in Wine NZ event, sponsored by Plant and Food Research, drew a capacity crowd with all 165 tickets snapped up. The event took place last week at the ASB Theatre in Blenheim, and marks the official launch of the Women in Wine NZ initiative.
New Zealand Winegrowers is keen to support women in the industry and encourage more to take up roles of leadership and governance, said Jeffrey Clarke, Acting CEO of New Zealand Winegrowers. “This first event is a great way to kick-start Women in Wine NZ. Having such a strong turnout for the first event just goes to show how much our members value the initiative. ”
New Zealand Winegrowers teamed up with three speakers who shared personal accounts of their professional journeys to date:
- Sandra Taylor, CEO, corporate sustainability expert and writer (US)
- Jeni Port, Journalist (Australia)
- Nadia Lim, NZ MasterChef Winner 2011, co-founder of My Food Bag (NZ)
The speakers discussed the challenges they have encountered along their careers and offered insights into how they overcame them. Women in Wine NZ is not just about networking, and is open to anyone involved in the industry – regardless of gender or role, said Mr Clarke. “We are an innovative industry and it is proven that diversity – gender, experience, perspectives and backgrounds – contributes to the development of new ideas. If we want to continue moving forward, initiatives that foster a more diverse and engaged industry will only drive our success.”
Stonecroft, Hawkes Bay – October 2017
Stonecroft is a small, family owned winery making organic Gimblett Gravels wines in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand. The owners are Dermot McCollum and Andria Monin, who live on the Roy’s Hill vineyard with their two children Emer and Oscar, plus Jasper the cat and Stanley the chocolate lab.
At Stonecroft, they seek to express through their wines the unique character of their vineyards and each vintage. The intention is to make wines which are intense, full-bodied, elegant and fruit-driven, but capable of significant bottle development. The ability of the wines to improve in the bottle has been demonstrated over more than 20 years, with many of the early examples still drinking well. Their total production is very small; with around 3,500 cases produced annually. Both the vineyards and the winery are certified organic.
Andria will be presenting on the night. A tasting not to be missed. More next month.
Seifried, Nelson – August 2017
Anna Seifried gave a presentation about the history of her family and the vineyard, where the wines were not the focus of the tasting, leaving the wines to speak for themselves. It was an enjoyable, fascinating presentation which was well received by those who attended the meeting. Anna was a confident and polished speaker and the presentation was well supported by a slide show. She intends to use the presentation in the near future on a planned overseas trip to potential markets. The weather was not the best on the night and a number of people were away due to sickness and other reasons.
24 people attended the tasting which was slightly lower than we had hoped for but despite these orders were good and Anna was pleased with how the meeting had gone.
Just to recap, the wines tasted included; the Old Coach Road Sauvignon Blanc 2017 (pre-release) as a quaffer and was followed with;
- Seifried Nelson Gewürztraminer 2016
- Seifried Nelson Würzer 2016
- Seifried Winemakers Collection Barrique Fermented Chardonnay 2015
- Seifried Nelson Pinot Noir 2015
- Seifried Nelson Zweigelt 2014
- Seifried Winemakers Collection Sweet Agnes Riesling 2016
A most enjoyable tasting.
Seeing out the year, Woman power
Seeing out the year
Things are getting back to normal and it seems like we were never away. Although numbers were down due to the inclement weather last month’s Seifried tasting was a most enjoyable event. Seeing out the year we have the “Aging of Wines” tasting, Stonecroft from Hawkes Bay, a November Festive theme concentrating on Spanish wines and the Christmas Dinner. A great finish to the year, but surely it is not September already!!
Woman power
It is interesting to note that since September last year, and up to our October tasting next month, we will have had five wineries featured, the other meetings being dinners, a quiz night, AGM, and supplier presenters. Of those five three will have been supported by women presenters. Jane Hunter, Anna Seifried and in October Andria Monin from Stonecroft.
What an opportune time to highlight women in wine in New Zealand. The “In the News” section this month features a media release from New Zealand Winegrowers about the launch of a new group “Women in Wine NZ”. Women are having an increasingly significant role in the New Zealand wine industry, to the great benefit of consumers and the country alike.
Cheers
Robin Semmens, Editor
Have you heard
Sussex Winery receives prestigious title at the inaugural UK Wine Awards
(English Wine Producers – 26 July 2017)
The Bolney Wine Estate was delighted to receive the prestigious ‘Winery of the Year’ award at the inaugural UK Wine Awards. Spearheaded by English Wine Producers’ Julia Trustram Eve and members of the EWP and the UK Vineyards Association, the UK Wine Awards is the national competition for wine produced from grapes grown in England and Wales, inspired by the growing popularity of English and Welsh wines.
The respected title for the Sussex-based winery, which is run by Sam Linter, is testament to the hard work Sam and her team have put into The Bolney Wine Estate. The ethos at the winery is to produce the best wines possible and ensure quality is at the heart of everything – something which has clearly paid off. The high standards Sam has set – from maintaining the highest level of viticulture and vinification to the training the staff receive – has seen the winery go from strength to strength.
Sam Linter, Winemaker and MD of Bolney Wine Estate comments: “We are over the moon to have won ‘Winery of the Year’ at the UK Wine Awards – we still can’t quite believe it! It’s such a prestigious accolade and an endorsement of the hard work each and every one of us at Bolney puts into our wines. We’re delighted that UK wine is finally getting the attention it deserves – and we’re incredibly excited for what the future holds for the industry.”
Bolney also won ‘Top Still Wine’ and ‘Most Outstanding Single Varietal Wine’ for its Foxhole Vineyard Pinot Gris 2016 with judges remarking it is “a delightful example of Pinot Gris; pure, expressive and fragrant with notes of honeysuckle and spiced pear.” A dry white wine with fragrant aromas of rose, jasmine and conference pear, the palate is wonderfully rich and creamy with a slightly honeyed character – a perfect summer’s wine.
What age can do for wine – in September 2017
What happens when you unearth some older wines? We are arranging a September meeting with a difference.
Have you ever wondered what age can do to wine? Many of you may remember the late Richard Gooch. He presented to the club several times and last year, his wife Linda donated some of Richard’s older wines to the club for us to use as a learning experience. The oldest ones date back to the early 1970’s. More about the wines next month but it includes a mystery wine for us
to determine what it is and we will have Cuisine wine writer John Saker on hand to help us assess their quality.
Some wines may be past their best, others may be superb. Who knows. But this will be a great learning experience for anyone wondering what age can do to wines that are left to languish forgotten at the back of our cellars.
But a word of warning. This tasting will be closed to just members and we will likely need to limit it to 36. So once this month’s tasting is out of the way we will ask you to register your attendance.
Check out the event details.
Mid-winter dinner – Bistro 52 – July 2017
A late change necessitated a different venue for our mid-year dinner and fortunately Bistro 52 were able to step in, albeit a week later than the scheduled date.
33 people attended the July dinner at Weltec Bistro 52. We had 4 last minute cancellations. Feedback received about the dinner was excellent and the staff did well. There was comment that the 3 desserts were the best yet from Bistro 52. The atmosphere of the restaurant was enjoyable. There was no seating plan and some confusion over seating arrangements, however this did not detract from the enjoyment of the event.
The committee thanks Anne for organising the dinner.