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We welcome you all to our mid-winter dinner at one of Wellington’s best restaurants. The recipient of a Cuisine Good Food Awards ‘Hat’, Field and Green offer seasonal selections to reflect European influences showcasing the very best of New Zealand flavours. Taking into account your feedback on previous dinners, this establishment is spacious, at ground level and close to public transport, being a 4-minute walk from Courtenay Place.
In keeping with their emphasis on seasonal food, the chef is creating a new Winter menu and we will be some of the first to taste it. The dinner will be announced at the Club’s Te Mata Tasting on 8th June and bookings will also be open that day. While we expect to be able to cater for everyone that wishes to come, the restaurant has a limit of 48, so bookings will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
Do not miss this opportunity to dine at the restaurant which the Cuisine review says:
The lack of opulence that greets you as you step off the busy streets of Wellington into Field & Green belies the richness of the rustic culinary experience that awaits.
The LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) is an Ontario government enterprise and one of the world’s largest buyers and retailers of beverage alcohol. Through more than 660 retail stores, catalogues, e-commerce, special order services, close to 400 LCBO Convenience Outlets, which provide cost-effective, convenient and socially responsible access for rural consumers, and as a wholesaler to almost 450 Grocery stores, the LCBO offers more than 28,000 products annually, from more than 80 countries to consumers and licensed establishments.
Wines described in the series may not be available in New Zealand. Try to think about an alternative you may drink instead.
The LCBO has a responsibility to the buying public to help ensure the products they sell are safe to drink and authentic.
This series is an exciting part of exploring the world of wine that despite some tried-and-truisms, it’s always evolving and changing. Here are some fresh ideas to shake up your sipping this year.
It’s easy to be intimidated by traditional wine rituals and rules instead of following your own intuition and palate to discover what you really enjoy.
Fortunately, today almost anything goes, including many old myths, which are being busted by the modern wine industry. For instance, are you convinced that cork is better than cap? Unless you’re cellaring wine for years, screw-tops and pop-off caps now preserve the product of many coveted wines, including countless Ontario VQAs.
Still, pairing only red wine with red meat and white wine with white meat? Sommeliers aren’t; most will now happily recommend white Burgundy or creamy Chardonnay with steak, or a Pinot Noir with poultry (or rosé with everything).
If you’re drinking red wines at room temperature, the current consensus is that many of them are better served cool. Try putting your reds in the fridge for 30 minutes and, correspondingly, taking your whites out half an hour before serving to take off the big chill. There’s no right or wrong way to enjoy wine, but here are 10 new ideas to help you discover what’s new, exciting and worth trying.
1. Rethinking ABV
Popular “fruit-bomb” big red wines can be as high as 15% alcohol by volume (ABV). A new crop of complex, flavourful reds with slightly less alcohol is emerging, among them South American wines like Trivento Fair Trade Malbec, with tons of black fruit and a touch of spice, at just 12.5%. Jackson-Triggs Merlot has full-bodied fruit and rings in at 12%. Though many white wines (including the cool-climate whites Ontario is known for) are naturally a touch lighter in alcohol, look for off-dry German Rieslings, Sauvignon Blancs such as 11.5% Remy Pannier Sauvignon Blanc IGP Val de Loire, calorie-reduced whites like Skinnygrape Chardonnay with just 7.5% ABV, or Italian bubblies such as Moscatos (typically under 10%) or 6.5% Viticolitori Acquesi Brachetto D’Acqui Sparkling.
2. Bring on the funk
Savvy wine drinkers know that “noble rot” (describing the botrytis fungus that can destroy crops or produce coveted dessert wines) or “barnyard” (animal or vegetal wine aromas, courtesy of the Brettanomyces yeast that can be a virtue or a fault) can actually be desirable qualities. Likewise, unfiltered or slightly oxidized wines — once worthy of being returned — today might be just what the winemaker intended. Though so-called low-intervention or natural wines can be wildly unpredictable from year to year or batch to batch, these authentic and rustic-tasting wines are growing in popularity. Experiment with reliably consistent Bonterra Cabernet Sauvignon and Bonterra Chardonnay from their organic California winery. The Mendocino County vineyard eschews pesticides for natural solutions, from using birds and sheep to control weeds and insects to planting diverse cover crops like crimson clover and lavender to attract bees and nourish the soil. Can you taste any traces of that care in the bottle?
3. The return of sweet
Once upon a time, sweet wine was taboo; today, sweetness can be a treasured quality in wines that have acidity, tannins or other balancing qualities. The ticket to finding them on LCBO.com or shelf labels: look for “MS” (medium-sweet) or “M” (medium) wines and a style descriptor that includes “fruity.” Try trendy wine from the ancient region of Georgia: United Stars Alazanis Valley Off-Dry from the Kakheti region is a red made with acidic Saperavi grapes. Tropical-smelling, just-tart-enough Ironstone Obsession Symphony California makes a mouth-watering break from minerally and dry whites.
4. Sustainability
From fewer chemicals and less water-intensive growing to environment-friendly packaging (the LCBO’s lighter-glass “Canada bottle” is a global game-changer), wine is going smaller-footprint. Get on board with Organic Chardonnay from carbon-neutral delivery Cono Sur or Ciao Sangiovese Organic in a light, recyclable Tetra Pak. Ontario’s Tawse and Southbrook make naturally grown organic and biodynamic wines — and, like most Ontario VQA wineries, are committed to the Sustainable Winemaking Ontario program.
5. Rosé with everything
It’s not just for summer sipping anymore. Rosé’s wide range of drier styles has been discovered by wine lovers, and its versatility with every course is beloved by diners. Since colour or even the country of origin doesn’t always dictate the taste, read the label for clues about grape varietal. Grenache/Garnacha rosé will be off-dry, and great with big Mexican, Indian or Thai flavours. Pinot Noir grapes give an elegant acidic balance to dry rosés that complement many poultry and fish dishes. Sangiovese or Syrah rosés have spice that bounces well off fatty and creamy dishes, from meats to pasta. Many rosés are blends of a few grapes — experiment to find your favourites.
6. Reading the label
The pretty front label has everything you need to know — and now there’s often a wealth of new information on the back, too.
A Ageing and barrel maturation information.
B Serving and food-pairing suggestions.
C Indication of the region or terroir where the wine was made.
D Notes on the winery’s philosophy or practices.
E Importer or distributor, which might share your taste in other wines.
F Detailed information about the grape varietals.
G Contact information, from an e-mail or URL to a QR code
7. A cheat sheet
Sometimes you need to parse the shelves or a wine list with a quick but savvy eye. Voilà! A shortcut guide to trendy regions and wine styles, and fresh rules of thumb for tasting without fear.
Colour and country:
When in doubt choose whites (like Albariño) from Spain, rosés from France and reds from the U.S. (California for bolder varietals and blends, Oregon for Pinot Noir)—a highly simplified matrix that rarely disappoints.
Stellar whites:
Namecheck white wines from Portugal’s Douro region and look out for Aligoté, a staple grape in white Burgundy blends now in the varietal spotlight.
German and Austrian cool:
We all know German Riesling and Austrian Grüner Veltliner are a food pairer’s friends: watch for Austrian Riesling as the next big thing.
Egg is the new oak:
The use of big, egg-shaped concrete ageing-vats rivals barrels and stainless tanks — labels and websites often “eggs-claim” it.
Regional shortcut:
The Loire Valley in central France is a current wine world darling for whites like Chenin Blanc and light reds and rosés featuring Gamay.
Catchphrase:
Vin de soif is a French (and sommelier) catchphrase for a light, quaffable wine that’s great with or without food.
8. High-tech wine
Winemakers use drones and tablet-controlled wind machines and watering in the vineyard: time to plug into wine-tech at home. Apps like Vivino and Wine Ring expand your cellar memory, The Sonic Decanter and Ullo reportedly pour better-tasting wine and the Coravin revolutionizes single glass pours without oxidation.
9. Everyday bubbly
The time-and-labour intensive traditional method for bottle-ageing Champagne justifies its price. Winemakers’ new embrace of the Charmat tank-ageing method (long used for Prosecco) means Moderately priced bubbly can now help you toast a small work victory or Taco Tuesday. From Ontario, try Lily Sparkling Wine VQA from Colio Wine or Pelee Island Secco VQA.
10. Wine in cocktails
Aromatized (vermouth) and fortified (like sherry) wines have long been essential ingredients in sophisticated drinks. Wine is now a full-fledged star of the cocktail bar, in sangria or Champagne cocktails, spritzes or Whisky Sours with a Red-Wine Float.
The presenter is Lyn Timms of Lyns Consulting, assisted by Nicola Fraher, daughter of The Crater Rim owner. Nicola is the person preparing the food and wine matches for this evenings wine and food match – the food is appetiser-sized tasty morsels to pair with the wines.
The Crater Rim is a family-owned boutique winery situated in the rolling hills of Waipara, in the South Island. They grow, make and market limited quantities of terroir-specific wines produced from their own two vineyards and contracted sites in the Canterbury sub-regions of Waipara, Omihi and Banks Peninsula and Central Otago.
These sites have been carefully selected for their particular mix of varietal, topography, soil and microclimate – creating high quality, site-specific wines of individual character and drinkability. The Crater Rim manage their vineyards and work closely with each grower to ensure that vines are cropped low and managed sustainably, guaranteeing the best quality fruit possible from each vineyard site. The result is exceptional wines from exceptional regions.
Crater Rim recommended that their wines are enjoyed with a meal that best brings out their flavours and have produced a book so that those who drink their wines may have a range of options to do this.
With the growth of The Crater Rim’s success, it was only natural that Nicola Fraher, one of the daughters of The Crater Rim’s owner, saw an opportunity to combine her passion for food and wine by producing a book that not only told that story but brought the wines together with nutritious recipes that can be easily made and enjoyed. Nicola is a trained nutritionist with her own business; she also works in a marketing role for the family enterprise.
The food and wine matches for the evening:
Start with a tasting of From The Ashes Sauvignon Blanc
Tasting of Waipara Sauvignon Blanc matched with Tomato and Garlic Bruschetta
Tasting of Waipara Pinot Gris matched with Spicey Vegetable and Lentil Dahl
Tasting of Waipara Riesling matched with Thai Beef Salad
Tasting of From The Ashes Pinot Noir matched with Pulled Pork Sliders
Tasting of Waipara Pinot Noir matched with Spiced Beef Kofta on Tabbouleh
Tasting of Dr Kohls Late Harvest Riesling matched with Key Lime Pies
Renowned sailors, the Butterworth Family (Brad & Warren), is the new custodian of Julicher vineyard, planted in the iconic soils of Te Muna. The J-Knot on every bottle, the strongest knot you can tie, is a tribute to their vineyard’s founder, Wim Julicher.
Wim Julicher originally planted the Te Muna vineyard as an Olive Grove, but the site’s unique aspect made it far too cold for the olive trees. Luckily, it creates the perfect amount of pressure for the divine struggle required to produce world-class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
The Butterworth Family has a viticultural heritage dating back to the founding days of the New Zealand wine industry – the original 1890’s vineyard property is still in the family today.
The wines for our evening are from their Te Muna (Butterworth formerly Julicher vineyard and Layline ranges:
Western Australian Wines – Sandalford, Xanadu and Moss Wood Vineyards
Keith will let us know that Western Australian wine is more than just the Margaret River wine we are aware of. He is featuring three vineyards in the wider area on the night.
Sandalford – establishing estate at Caversham, Swan Valley had its genesis in 1840 and coincided with both European settlement in the burgeoning colony of Perth and the birth of Western Australia’s world-famous wine industry. In one of Australia’s most sustainable wineries at Caversham, Swan Valley, Sandalford creates today’s collection of Prendiville, Estate Reserve, Margaret River Range and Element award-winning wines from its two fertile vineyards.
Xanadu – Just 4km from Margaret River’s town centre and an equal distance from the magnificent coastline, Xanadu is one of the first vineyards to have been established in the region with a long history of crafting outstanding wines that embody all the region has to offer. Established by Dr John Lagan, an Irishman who arrived in Margaret River in 1968 with his wife Eithne and was inspired by the pioneering spirit of the region.
Moss Wood – situated in Wilyabrup in the Margaret River wine region, has the highest concentration of premium wine producers in the region. Planted in 1969 Moss Wood is an important, founding estate of the Margaret River wine region. Clare & Keith Mugford winemakers, viticulturalists and proprietors have been making wine and tending the vineyard since 1984 and 1979, respectively.
This will be an evening to taste Australian wines from entry-level through to upmarket expressions, so come along and taste the variations for yourself!
Wednesday 14th of July is Bastille Day and in keeping with this day, a French-inspired menu has been arranged with Chef Veronique at Le Marche Francais on Thorndon Quay.
This July is the 10th Anniversary of the opening of Le Marche Francais in Thorndon, so this is a triple celebration! A ta Sante! Je leve mon verre a la liberte (Cheers! I raise my glass to freedom.).
The menu etc will be available shortly. However, here is some additional information:
Le Marche Francais is situated on the first floor of the Woolstore Building on Thorndon Quay. Nearby is the motorway overpass and just south of that is bus stop 5492 which is used by bus routes 1, 19e, 24, 25, 26, 52, 56, 57, 58, 60e and 83.
When it comes to going home, you can use bus stop 5024 just north of the motorway overpass. So again, just a short distance away.
Chef Veronique is French, and her café provides authentic French food during the day. However, she has agreed to make her café available for our club dinner and she and her restaurant will certainly be celebrating France’s National Day with style.
This could be the perfect opportunity to bring out a French wine or two from your cellar that you’ve been saving for just such an occasion. And in keeping with the French theme, feel free to dress with a little je ne sais quoi red, white and blue anyone – or perhaps just some French flair!
So, watch your Inbox and be prepared to act quickly.
This last year has been extremely challenging, yet the club was able to hold several events to celebrate its 40th anniversary. All were very successful, and the committee was very happy with the levels of member support at those events and tastings in general.
I’m sure our President, Murray Jaspers, will refer to these in his report at next week’s AGM.
The last item of that AGM is General Business and that is often the time that your committee will look for feedback from attendees.
Please use your time this week to reflect on our club and when that last item arises, please be prepared to give your views:
On what has been good
On things that you feel could be improved or done differently
Even give feedback on new directions or ideas that you would like the incoming committee to consider.
Remember our club succeeds because of all of our involvement in it.
Less than a fortnight to go now and it was evident at the club barbecue that our members are really looking forward to this fun day out.
We ask all who are intending to come to double-check that your name is on the attached list. If you’re not intending to come, there’s no need to read any further.
There are three sections to this newsletter – please read all of them so that you’re up with the play.
Wairarapa Wine Tasting Groups – For privacy, please see read your newsletter.
We’ve allocated the groups along the lines of the seating at our dinners. If you’d particularly like to be in another group, you’re welcome to arrange your own swap.
However, please ensure overall group numbers remain the same and let Wayne know about the change.
If anyone has any special dietary requirements for our meal at Coney’s, please email Wayne asap.
While we encourage you to only drink as much wine as you can comfortably handle, please be aware that Nga Waka, Tiwaiwaka and Grava have small cellar doors and our groups will fill their tasting rooms. If there are significant numbers of people who are skipping a tasting at any one time, we’d ask that you make way for any members of the public who want to have a tasting.
And please also give these wineries your support – particularly Nga Waka seeing it’s unable to charge for tastings. There’s been quite a lot of discussion in various media about the difficulties faced by wineries who don’t have an on-licence, which is a pre-requisite to charge for tastings. for background, see the Stuff.nz article Wineries unable to profit from tasting tourism call for law change.
We look forward to seeing you soon and wrapping up the club’s 40th birthday celebrations in style!
44 people are booked to go to on this trip, which includes a tasting and then lunch at Coney Wines.
If you are one of that 44 and can no longer go, it is imperative that you text or ring Gayl on 021 040 6244 and let her know before this weekend as Coneys are seeking urgent confirmation of our numbers.
Once we do that, any subsequent cancellation is unlikely to result in a refund. Sadly, Palliser Estate is no longer part of our itinerary as they want to focus on the operation of their new restaurant which adjoins their tasting area, much like what we will experience at Coney Wines.
Updated details including times and the replacement winery will be emailed to everyone early next month, if not beforehand.
Our 40th Anniversary dinner at Bellamy’s by Logan Brown at the Beehive Wednesday 18th November, 6:30 to 6.45 pm arrival for a 7:30 pm seating.
The first Club meeting was held in the month of November 1980. To recognise that historic milestone, our celebratory dinner will be held at Bellamy’s by Logan Brown at their restaurant in the Beehive.
The Beehive, Parliament Buildings, Wellington
Please arrive early as everyone attending has to clear Parliamentary security.
Access is through the ground floor of the Beehive, the door being on the side near the steps to Parliament Buildings.
On arrival, you will need to go through a security check. You will have to go through a gate – the same as at an airport – so be prepared to empty your pockets into a tray (men) and place your handbag etc in a tray (ladies). Your BYO will need to go through the scanner too!
After passing through security proceed to the Reception desk which is on the right at about two o’clock as you come through the electronic gate. Here the receptionists will have been supplied with a list of those attending so will be able to mark you off (if that hasn’t already been done by the security guards at the gate). You will be provided with a lift key that will allow you access to Level 3.
On exiting the lift go straight ahead to the large reception area in the restaurant where there will be the customary glass of bubbles, supplied by the Club.
You will also find lists shows your seat number and at your table, there will be cards detailing your menu choices, should you need reminding.
The dress code is smart casual [think summer wedding]. For women, that’s classy casual and for men, jacket with tie optional.
Note, the previously advised seating maximum of eight diners per table has been relaxed for our dinner and we are now confident we can accommodate our more tradition groupings.
So, bring along a favourite bottle of wine and be prepared for a very special occasion.
Future event for the club in late 2020 and into 2021 is packed with a range of presenters and no less than three food and wine events .
November 18th – – Our 40th Anniversary dinner at Bellamy’s (run by Logan Brown) at the Beehive
The first Club meeting was held in the month of November. To recognise that historic milestone, a celebratory dinner has been arranged, to be held at Bellamy’s by Logan Brown at their restaurant in the Beehive. This is set down for Wednesday 18 November, so check your diaries for availability.
Details will be sent out shortly, asking for your registration and to make your selection from the accompanying menu. As for any such venue, there will be a limit on numbers which means you should register quickly to secure your place.
The food promises to be of very high quality. So, book your place and go dig around in your wine stocks to find the special bottle (or two) that you think will go best with your selection to bring with you.
Your Committee is excited about this event and is sure you will be too.
December 9th –A Fun evening with CoLab, Simon Bell
January: BBQ at Derek’s
February: Coney’s for the 13th February 2021 – our postponed 40thanniversary outing to the Wairarapa [to include visits to Palliser and Grave/Alana]
14th October – This month we have Saint Clair Family Estate from Marlborough with Alison Downs presenting.
The Saint Clair Family
Saint Clair Family Estate was established by Neal and Judy Ibbotson in 1994, having been viticulture pioneers in Marlborough since 1978. From their first vintage, when all their wines won medals, including gold, the name Saint Clair has been synonymous with quality and its award-winning record continues today.
Saint Clair is 100% family-owned, with the next generation also involved in the day-to-day running of the company.
Daughters Sarina and Julie both work within the business in sales and marketing after studying wine business marketing at Adelaide and have a vast knowledge of the wine industry. Son Tony is responsible for the design of all Saint Clair’s packaging, promotional material and advertising. He owns a design consultancy business, the Creative Method, in Sydney. Tony designed the original Saint Clair labels back in 1994 when he was a student and has been refining and expanding the range of Saint Clair labels ever since.
Our mission is to create world-class wines that exceed their customers’ every expectation.
Starter Wine
2019 Saint Clair Origin Pinot Gris Rosé
Wine Tasting
2018Saint Clair Pioneer Block 28 Pinot Blanc
2019 Saint Clair Origin Hawke’s Bay Viognier
2019 Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc
2019 Saint Clair James Sinclair Chardonnay
2018 Saint Clair Pioneer Block 22 Pioneer Block Pinot Noir
2017 Saint Clair Origin Hawke’s Bay Merlot
Book it in now – Tasting: 14th October, starts at 8pm J’ville Community Centre – look out for our sign outside
