Category: from the editor

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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

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Editor back in charge, Coming events – From the Editor

Hi Team, I am back, and I am not quite sure that we, Pat and I, have organised this properly. We didn’t generally have the kindest of summer weather while we were away and we have been well aware that it is still very much winter since our return. We will need to time things a little better if we do this sort of thing again.

Editor back in charge

So after Acting Editor, then Acting Acting Editor, it is back to plain old Editor again. Whilst travelling around southern England I did note there were a few vineyards and wineries advertised. After our last trivia evening where a question revolved around the demise of British wineries due to climate change, I was interested to see where the industry is at now. For the same reason it collapsed, ie climate change, there has been a significant resurgence in the last few decades. There are currently about 500 vineyards covering 4,500 acres in Southern England and Wales. They currently produce only about1% of the world’s wine but it is a start. Note that “In the News” I have included an item about their first national wine awards.

As for visiting wineries and sampling European wines our touring did not incorporate any established wine regions. When we went visiting we took New Zealand wines when we could source them. Far better to encourage the British relatives to think about purchasing NZ wines.

Coming events

Only one link of the chain of destiny can be handled at a time -Winston Churchi
Only one link of the chain of destiny can be handled at a time -Winston Churchill

You will note that in the ”Coming Events” section there is quite a bit of TBAing. We have had a few late changes to deal with over the last couple of years and your committee think that we might commit to events a little too far ahead. We are trying not to get too far ahead but fear not, we have lots of great opportunities to tap into.

Cheers
Robin Semmens, Editor

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Editor, editor, editor…

Robin (Editor), Pat and grandkids – 2015.

As was mentioned last month, your Editor is offshore enjoying the northern hemisphere summer.

Then your Acting Editor Richard took sick and so I’ve stepped in to try and keep you all up to date. Hopefully, that explains the delay in getting this out this month and maybe even the quality of the content.

Fortunately for Richard and my sakes, Robin should be back to resume the mantle of Editor next month and hopefully he’ll have some wine tales from abroad to include in our newsletter.

Keep warm and don’t forget, Mulled Wine is a great way to do that these wintery evenings.

Wayne Kennedy,
Acting “Acting Editor”

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Editor offshore & Giesen

Your regular Editor is currently offshore enjoying weather that can only be warmer than here. I hope you find this edition, which is just a little shorter, of equal value to Robin’s.

I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at Giesen/Lehman tasting. It has all the potential to be a winner.

Cheers
Richard Taylor, Acting Editor

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AGM – From the Editor

It’s time for our AGM and we are looking forward to a great attendance. Look at the benefits, scintillating company, some nice food, some even nicer wine, and all at no cost to you personally’

The notice is incorporated above and a couple of the supporting documents are attached to the emailed newsletter. Other information will be available at the meeting. No need to bring your tasting glasses, Cellar Club glasses will be available.

Cheers
Robin Semmens, Editor

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Ata Rangi, Blue Wine, Fair Go, Quiz night

Ata Rangi

One of the matters that arose from the Ata Rangi tasting was the challenge to match our door charge to the cost of the evening. We don’t want to risk member resistance by charging too high a door price. We were pleased that we had a good membership turnout. This tasting was subsided by 5 to 6 dollars per member. We figure this into our costing structure but we would just like to remind members that one of the benefits of the wine club is the subsiding of tastings such as Ata Rangi, which might otherwise be more expensive than people are prepared to pay.

Blue Wine News

I hope you have all noticed that we scooped the Dominion Post with the blue wine story in the last newsletter. Observant members will have noted that the paper has only carried an item on this subject in the last week. When it comes to wine, look for it here first.

Fair Go

I refer back to the quote in a previous newsletter about making ice blocks with leftover wine, which confused me greatly as I had to ask, “what is leftover wine?” This all leads me to the last issue of this newsletter where I mentioned the Fair Go episode which highlighted that some producers were using Australian wines to bolster their cheaper lines. The argument was that as 70% of NZ white wines are exported they cannot produce enough “economy”
wines for the local market.

Quiz night

While researching for our quiz night it transpires that the average price for a bottle of New Zealand wine in Britain (where a significant amount of our wine goes) is only $5.92. Apparently, a sizable amount of NZ wine is sent to the UK in bulk and re-bottled there. Seems a lot of trouble to go to for this price. Surely they can get that amount selling locally. This confuses me almost as much as blue wine and wine ice blocks.

Cheers
Robin Semmens, Editor

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Year under control, Fair Go

Year under control

Things are progressing nicely and we have the majority of the planning for the year under control. We are looking forward to the schedule of tasting and events for the year and expect the usual high level of support from members. Please remember, we always welcome your feedback and ideas.

Fair Go

I am sure many of you will have watched the Fair Go episode on TV recently where New Zealand producers were using some Australian wines to bolster their cheaper lines. The warning is clear, read the label well if you want to be sure you are drinking NZ wines. The argument was that as 70% of NZ white wines are exported they cannot produce enough “economy” wines for the local market. Is the inference that NZ consumers don’t matter? In any event the label should clearly state that it is the “Wine of Australia”. Naturally, no one who is a member of the Cellar Club would be fooled by such rubbish and would immediately identify the taste as a standard Aussie whine.

Cheers
Robin Semmens, Editor

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2017, Upcoming events

2017

As always we commenced our festivities for this new year with the BBQ at Derek Thompson’s house. On the agenda for the year we have Ata Rangi, and after the success of the last quiz evening, we have decided to try it again.

Upcoming events

Your committee is working on options for the latter part of the year, but these will include the AGM in May, the mid-year dinner in July and the second dinner in December. As a definite, we have Seifried’s from Nelson booked in for August and other projects. We have found that a downside of arranging tastings too far in advance is that situations can change. These have resulted in late withdrawals necessitating urgent substitutes. We are trying not to work too far in advance. As always, we are happy for input from members on future events and tastings.

Cheers
Robin Semmens, Editor

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Looking back on 2016

As ever, I find this a time to reflect on what the year has offered. We had a great day for the BBQ in January. Always a pleasant afternoon for those attending. February saw a tasting with Roberta Montero presenting for the Artisan Winegrowers of Central Otago. An interesting and somewhat different approach to winemaking from this group. March was a very successful tasting of Argentinian wines presented by Josefina Telleria from South2South. In April we had Edward Donaldson presenting for Pegasus Bay. The AGM in May passed quickly and members enjoyed some wines from the Club’s cellar before we moved on to June where Foxes Island and  held centre stage. This was a very professional presentation.

Things really got rolling in July with the mid-year dinner at Logan Brown. Some issues around service but otherwise an excellent evening. August was time for Keith Tibble to present an Australian evening, mainly Elderton from the Barossa Valley but included offerings from McLaren Vale and Clare Valley. September was with Gavin Yortt and Squawking Magpie from Hawkes Bay. October was a highlight with Jane Hunter presenting from Marlborough. It was great to get an icon of the NZ wine industry for this event. November completed a somewhat international year with Cangrande doing Italian wines for our festive tasting. Dinner at Muse this month completes our year.

Your committee have been very pleased with the programme and hope everyone found something to enjoy. Have a great Christmas and then we will look to developing 2017 events to match those of the past year.

Cheers
Robin Semmens, Editor

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