Newsletter March ’26

Key takeaways from the March 2026 newsletter.

March Event: Penfolds Tasting

  • Date: Wed 11 March, 8pm
  • Cost: Members $18 / Guests $22
  • Format: Panel tasting comparing aged cellar wines vs recent vintages.
  • Lineup highlights: Bin 28 (2006 & 2023), Bin 128 (2007 & 2022), Bin 9 (2012), Bin 138 (2012).
  • Extras: Prize draw for 2006 Bin 28 or 2007 Bin 128.

Club Notices

  • Health: Stay home if unwell.
  • In Memoriam: Former member Mark Haythornthwaite has passed; his 2024 Pinot Noir will be used for a tribute toast.

Recent Event Recap: Askerne (Hawke’s Bay)

  • Attendance: 35 members.
  • Insights: Askerne farms 32ha with 18 varieties; mostly hand‑picked; global wine consumption down to 1961 levels, but NZ exports up 1%.
  • Tasted wines: Rosé 2025, Chardonnay 2024, Viognier 2023, Pinot Gris 2024, CSM 2023, Reserve Merlot/Cab/Malbec 2021, Dessert Cab 2022.

Committee musings

  • Membership drive: Encourage guests; highlight easy access to train/bus.
  • Volunteers: Thanks for setup/pack‑down help.

Coming Up

  • April: Gold Medal/Trophy Wines (2025 NZIWS)
  • May: AGM
  • June: TBC

Feature: Halite Wines (Haidee Johnson)

  • Philosophy: Minimal‑intervention, expressive wines; organic growers; focus on Pinot Noir’s versatility.
  • Signature wine: Light Dry White — Pinot Noir made in a Chardonnay style (Abel clone).

Industry News

  • Millton Winery closing after 41 vintages; final wines discounted.
  • Te Awanga Estate group liquidation: $12m owed; wine club shipments stopped.
  • Wine Grenade liquidation: Tech company collapse due to IT failure; $475k owed.

Vineyard Visit: Swift Wines (Hawke’s Bay)

  • Experience: Casual lawn seating, platter‑basket system, rosé slushies, two sparkling wines.
  • Fun detail: Dachshund mascot appears on labels and greets visitors.

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Newsletter February ’26

Key takeaways from the February 2026 newsletter.

Askerne Tasting – Main Event

  • Date & time: Wednesday 11 February, 8pm.
  • Cost: Members $12 / Guests $16, plus $1 raffles.
  • Presenter: John Loughlin, Co‑Founder of Askerne.
  • Wines featured: Rosé 2025 (welcome), Chardonnay 2024, Viognier 2023, Pinot Gris 2024, CSM 2023, Reserve Merlot/Cab/Malbec 2021, Dessert Cabernet 2022.
  • Tone: Positioned as the first big club event of the year with a strong turnout expected.

Additional February Event – Italian Night

  • Venue: Johnsonville Club, Function Room.
  • Format: Guided Italian wine tasting with food pairings, sit‑down style.
  • Status: Limited spaces; pricing and tickets to be announced.

Overall Focus

  • Clear emphasis on kicking off the year with two substantial tasting events.
  • Strong variety in wine styles, from aromatic whites to structured reds and a dessert wine.
  • Encouragement for members to attend and engage early in the 2026 calendar.

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Newsletter – Jan ’26

Key takeaways from the January 2026 Cellar Club newsletter.

February Tasting: Askerne (Hawke’s Bay)

  • Event: Askerne tasting with Co‑Founder John Loughlin.
  • Date: Wednesday 11 February, 8pm.
  • Venue: Clubrooms.
  • Background: Askerne has grown from an 11.6ha family venture (est. 1993) into a diverse producer with a long history of award‑winning wines and evolving styles.
  • Notable history:
    • Early plantings from 1993–1996.
    • First cellar door opened in 1997.
    • Multiple gold medals and trophies through the 2000s.
    • New Icon series launched in 2018–2019.
    • Continued innovation through 2020–2021.

December Christmas Dinner Recap

  • Venue: Le Cloche.
  • Experience: Excellent food, friendly staff, and a relaxed evening across three large tables.
  • Menu highlights: Bubbles on arrival, amuse‑bouche, salmon terrine, choice of fish or duck, and a standout chocolate‑and‑red‑fruit dessert.
  • Member feedback: Very positive, especially about the dessert.

Wine News Highlights

  • Swift Wines (Hawke’s Bay):
    • New colourful cellar door on Mere Rd.
    • Build‑your‑own platter system and six‑wine tasting.
    • Limited sparkling Albariño (Pipi) available.
  • Wairarapa Wines Harvest Festival:
    • Saturday 21 February, Masterton.
    • Tickets available online.
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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.