Newsletter June ’26

Here’s a summary of the June 2026 newsletter from The Cellar Club Inc.

June Event: Margrain Vineyard Presentation

  • Date & Time: Wednesday, 10th June, 8pm
  • Presenter: Kate Throp, Margrain’s Cellar Door/Sales/Marketing/Admin lead
  • About Margrain: A family-owned vineyard in Martinborough, established in 1992, known for its commitment to quality and a complete vineyard experience (tastings, tours, accommodation, and dining).
  • Wines Featured: La Michelle Methode Traditionelle, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Rivers Edge Pinot, Home Block Pinot.
  • Extras: Cellar Door open daily, kitchen open Wed–Sun, vineyard tours, and accommodation available.

Club Updates

  • May AGM Recap:
    • All committee members remain for another year.
    • Subscriptions stay at $25 for 2026/27.
    • Wayne Kennedy was unanimously made a Life Member.
    • Financial and President’s reports are on the club website.
  • Screwcaps Collection:
    • The club will stop collecting screwcaps after the AGM.
    • Members can bring any remaining screwcaps to the June meeting for donation to Kidney Kids NZ.
    • For recycling locations, visit recyclemap.co.nz.

Looking Ahead

  • July: Proposed Mid-Winter Dinner at The Johnsonville Club; members’ attendance feedback requested.
  • August: Margrain, Wairarapa event.
  • September: To be confirmed.

Wine News

  • Bell Hill (Canterbury) Named NZ Winery of the Year 2026 by The Real Review.
    • Recognized for consistency and excellence.
    • Other top wineries: Felton Road (runner-up), Prophet’s Rock, Quartz Reef, Bilancia.
    • Special awards for Cloudy Bay, Neudorf, Burn Cottage, Chateau Garage, Greywacke.
    • Rising Stars: Jascha Oldham-Selak and Sanne Witteveen.
    • Full list and event details available online.
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Newsletter May ’26

Here’s a summary of the May 2026 newsletter for The Cellar Club Inc.

Key Highlights

  • Annual General Meeting (AGM):
  • Scheduled for Wednesday, 13 May 2026 at the Johnsonville Community Centre.
  • Agenda includes confirmation of previous minutes, financial and president’s reports, election of officers, a notice of motion for life membership, subscriptions, and general business.
  • A special motion proposes granting Wayne Kennedy life membership in recognition of 41 years of service as Auditor, Treasurer, President, and committee member.

Wine Tasting Recap

The club hosted a tasting event featuring Gold Medal winners from the NZ International Wine Show (October 2025).

Wines tasted included:

  • 2025 Rapaura Springs Reserve Pinot Rose (Double Gold, Champion Rose)
  • 2025 Te Kairanga Estate Sauvignon Blanc (Double Gold, Champion Sauvignon Blanc)
  • 2025 Sileni Advocate Grand Reserve Albarino (Double Gold)
  • 2025 Sugar Loaf Riesling (Double Gold, Champion Riesling)
  • 2024 Craggy Range Martinborough Pinot Noir (Double Gold, Champion Pinot Noir)
  • 2023 Barossa Valley Estate Shiraz (Double Gold, Champion Commercial Red)
  • 2024 Beach House Cabernet Malbec (Double Gold)

Committee Updates

  • The committee supports Wayne Kennedy’s life membership nomination.
  • The club currently has 55 members, including five life members.
  • Life membership criteria and rights are detailed, emphasizing exceptional, sustained service and positive impact.

Volunteer Opportunities:

  • Members are encouraged to help with pouring at tastings and with setup/cleanup.
  • The club seeks a new volunteer to manage its website, as Steve is stepping down after 13 years.

Upcoming Events

  • June: Margrain, Wairarapa tasting.
  • July: Mid-Winter/Mid-Year Club Dinner (TBC).
  • August: Event TBC.

Wine News

  • New Zealand was named Wine Region Winner in the 2026 Azure Road Impact Awards Drinks Category.
  • Loveblock Winery received the Best Wine Brand award.
  • NZ wine industry’s sustainability efforts highlighted, with 98% of vineyard area certified under Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand

Special Event

Long lunch with Chef Laurent Loudeac at Kanteen Cafe, Wellington, on Sunday 24th May. Five courses with wine matches for $150.

Other Notices

  • The club will stop collecting screwcaps after the AGM; remaining collections will be donated to Kidney Kids NZ.
  • Contact details for club officers and committee are provided.
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Newsletter April ’26

Key takeaways from the April 2026 newsletter.

Upcoming Event: Gold Medal Winners Tasting

  • Date & Time: Wednesday, 9th April, 8:00 PM.
  • Cost: $16 for Members, $40 for Guests.
  • Focus: A selection of seven wines that won gold or double gold medals, five of which also won trophies in their respective classes.

Featured Wines

  • 2025 Rapaura Springs Reserve Pinot Rose (Champion Rose Trophy)
  • 2025 Te Kairanga Estate Sauvignon Blanc (Champion Sauvignon Blanc Trophy)
  • 2025 Sugar Loaf Riesling (Champion Riesling Trophy)
  • 2024 Craggy Range Martinborough Pinot Noir (Champion Pinot Noir Trophy)

Recent Club Activity

  • Penfolds Evening: Members recently enjoyed a prestigious tasting led by Wayne Kennedy. The 2012 Penfolds Bin 9 Cabernet Sauvignon was voted the highlight of the night.
  • Tribute: A glass was raised to late club member Mark Haythornthwaite, featuring a Pinot Noir from his own vineyard.

Industry News & Community

  • Big Sky Wines: A featured article describes the community-driven harvest at Big Sky Wines in Te Muna Valley, where owners Kath Jacobs and Jeremy Corban utilize friends and neighbors to hand-pick grapes for their organic winery.
  • Charity: The club continues to collect screwcaps for Kidney Kids NZ.
  • Future Meetings: The AGM is scheduled for May, followed by a presentation from Foxes Island in June.
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Committee Musings May ’25

Thanks

It was great to have everyone help with the tables and chairs at the start of last months’ meeting and taking the same down after the meeting. Also taking the tables contents: spittoons/water jugs/cracker plates back to the kitchen. Could we please continue this new routine.

Reminder

We can’t arrive to do the setting up activities any earlier than 7:30pm as we interrupt the cleaner(s) schedule, the cleaners are in the hall until 7:30pm.

Hobbies

Now we’re approaching the time for indoor hobbies, perhaps the following will give you inspiration for indoor fun:

 

Committee Musings June ’25

AGM

Following the AGM, the committee received confirmation that the Club website was now up to date with all the AGM reports, as well as the new club rules.

Starting times

Having regard to the AGM general business discussion on starting times, the committee reviewed the start times of our monthly tastings and agreed it should remain at 8 pm. The AGM start of 7.45 pm was because there is no quaffer before the meeting starts.

Thanks

Thanks to everyone for the help with setting up the tables and chairs at the start of our evenings and taking the same down after the meeting.

Appreciation also for taking the tables contents: spittoons/water jugs/cracker plates back to the kitchen.

Wine Fair, Tuesday 24th June @ The Wellington Club

The Wellington Club (Te Pou Maruwehi)
The Wellington Club (Te Pou Maruwehi)

Some of your committee attended, by invitation, a Wine Fair at The Wellington Club on Tuesday 24th June. The evening showcased the rich diversity of NZ’s wines and their distinctive winemakers from boutique producers across the country. And introduced most of us to a number of the smaller vineyards from Central to Matakana.

If you would like to Google some of the vineyards or hear more about them, these were the vineyards at the evening:

  • Schubert, Martinborough- est. in 1998
  • Hans Herzog, Blenheim – planted in 1996
  • Te Motu, Waiheke Island – est. in 1999 – the oldest family-owned vineyard on the island
  • Puriri Hills, Auckland – set up in 1996 – they make red wines in the French style
  • Rock Ferry, Blenheim – set up in 2005 – organic new world wines [10 varieties]
  • Valli, Central Otago – est. in 1993
  • Dragon Bones, Waitaki Valley, North Otago off-grid – est. 2005
  • Organised Chaos, Clive, Hawkes Bay
  • Mon Cheval, Waipara
  • Zenkuro Sake, Central – est. 2015 – rice and yeast are imported from Japan, they want to change the public perception of how to drink this
    Corofin, Blenheim
  • Gillman, Matakana – est. 1998 – they make unapologetically only red wines
  • Julz – Collaboration Wines, Hawkes Bay – est. 2010

The evening was an interesting sampling from some great vineyards, with above average priced wines that were discounted for the evening. It was nice to be able to talk with the growers/wine makers about how they produce the product and about their differing views on terroir etc.

Committee Musings Aug ’25

Subscriptions

A gentle reminder to those members whose yearly subscriptions are outstanding, that these need to be deposited in our bank account – details at the end of the newsletter as usual.

Appreciation

Thanks again to everyone who helps with the tables and chairs at the start of our evenings and taking the same down after the meeting. Also taking the tables contents: spittoons/water jugs/cracker plates back to the kitchen.

Looking Ahead

Committee Musings Sept ’25

Thanks

Thanks again to everyone who helps with the tables and chairs at the start of our evenings and taking the same down after the meeting. Also taking the tables contents: spittoons/water jugs/cracker plates back to the kitchen.

Looking ahead:

  • October – Rockburn, Central Otago
  • November – Tbc
  • December – Christmas Dinner, 10th December, at La Cloche Kaiwharawhara. Note your diaries now.

Committee Musings Oct ’25

Survey

Your committee is trying something new with a survey coming soon to members, your opinions matter on the running of this club and how things are done. This will be coming to your Inboxes from Wayne Kennedy, our Treasurer, for you to complete.

If two members of your household have the same email address, we will send you two copies of the same survey so that you can each provide us with your views.

Please check your Junk Mail or Spam folders for this survey in early October, to ensure you don’t miss out on your chance to comment.

Thanks

Thanks again to everyone who helps with the tables and chairs at the start of our evenings and taking the same down after the meeting. Also taking the spittoons, water jugs and cracker plates back to the kitchen.

Looking Ahead

  • November – Tbc
  • December – Christmas Dinner Wednesday 10th – La Cloche, Kaiwharawhara
  • January – nothing for 2026 as we are taking this chance to alter our license so we can hold something for 2027 – watch this space for 2027!

Committee Musings Nov’25

Continued thanks

It continues to be helpful to have everyone help with the tables and chairs at meetings and taking the same down at the end, thanks. Also, taking your table’s spittoons/water jugs/cracker plates back to the kitchen.

Wines secured

We have secured 5 trophy wines and 2 double gold wines for our NZIWS Awards presentation timetabled for April next year.

Survey results to come

Thanks everyone for going online to respond to our survey. Unfortunately, you busted it, but not before we had gathered some great intel. We will try and report back on the survey in a future newsletter.

Looking ahead

  • December – Christmas Dinner, Le Cloche –there will be the normal welcoming glass of bubbly on arrival to start off the festivities. An order form for the meal, plus payment will be sent out separately.
  • January 2026 – Reminder: Currently there is no function planned for this January, but your committee is currently considering a specific idea for 2027. That said, if you have an idea that we also might consider, please talk to a committee member.
  • February 2026 – Askerne Wines

Committee Musings Dec’25

2026 Events coming up

  • Reminder: Currently, there is no function planned for this January, but your committee is currently considering a specific idea for 2027. That said, if you have an idea that we also might consider, please talk to a committee member.
  • February – Askerne Wines
  • March – Penfolds Tasting: wines from your Club Cellar, plus new wines

Acknowledgments

Your committee would like to acknowledge how the Club works for and on behalf of everyone in the wine industry. We are a sought-after Club for the wineries, especially the ones that have presented in the past, and want to present to us again. This is down to everyone who attends and orders at our monthly events. Lets continue this into 2026.

Survey update

Thank you to everyone who answered the Survey that we recently sent out. We received 41 responses in total. To give a summary of responses:

  1. On the question of which influences your decision to remain a member, there were large numbers besides ‘an opportunity to try new and different wines’; ‘to meet winemakers and hear them talk about their wine’ and also ‘socialising with other members – this seems to sum up the reason for our Club!
  2. There was an overwhelming response to the question. If you could only choose between these two … To try new and different wines won over To purchase wine at discounted price.
  3. If you decide to purchase wine, what is your main consideration – more people leaned towards the combination answer of quality and price of the wine.
  4. What price would influence your decision not to purchase wine had an interesting tally of responses. We had pretty even responses to $20, $40, $60, with slightly more ticking ‘Price is unlikely to prevent me purchasing a wine that I really like.
  5. What style of BYO restaurant dining would you prefer we organise, had slightly more people opting for ‘Cafe/Bistro Dining, over Fine Dining and Ethnic restaurants. This reply gives us a steer to focus on, thanks.
  6. What price (incl. corkage) would you consider too great at a restaurant, had a tie between $100 and ‘My decision would not be based on cost’.
  7. Is easy access to public transport a consideration in your decision to attend a restaurant event, again had an interesting response percentage: 60% said ‘no’, and 40% said ‘yes’.
  8. Do you enjoy the events presented by the Club that don’t involve purchase options had an overwhelmingly positive response!
  9. In relation to events presented by the Club, would you like to see – we had an overwhelmingly positive response under ‘About the same number’.

It is positive for your committee that members feel that things are going in the right direction. Please feel free to talk to a committee member if you have any concerns or ideas to pass on, thanks.