Looking Back – On our Mission Evening

Tasting – Summer Festive Evening, Mission Estate w/Tammy Edwards

This was a fun, festive evening, hosted by Tammy, Mission’s Rep, who
along with Wayne, chose the wines for our evening.

We were fortunate to have two of their premier Jewelstone range, to
savour, along with a Rose’ from Stables to compare with a Jewelstone
Rose, plus Mission’s Brut Cuvee bubbles, made in the champagne way.

Tammy updated us with the news that the CEO for the last 30 years was departing for other pastures. So they now have at Mission a new CE, new-ish vintner and new web page with new motto – ‘History in the Making’! Exciting times!

This evening has left everyone with some thoughtfully selected wines to source for Christmas celebrations. As a reminder of what to put on your shopping list, the wines we tasted were:

  • Mission Fete Brut Cuvee – Pinot Gris from Mission’s Home Block at Taradale, zesty with delicate pear and apple and fine mousse.
  • 2025 Stables Rose – made from a mix of grapes, to be used as an aperitif, cheap and cheerful
  • Jewelstone Rose [noting that 2024 has recently been released and is now called Blanc De Noir], This will cellar well for another five years if you want to. Handpicked whole bunch pressed organic Merlot grapes from Mere Rd in the Gimblett Gravels.
  • 2022 Jewelstone Chardonnay – these grapes were from their Green Meadows site in Taradale, made up of two clones, hand harvested and gently pressed, the firstly placed in French oak before spending time in neutral barrels.
  • Mission Reserve Syrah – Gimblett Gravels grapes, a nice light-ish wine, from a single vineyard. Can be kept for up to five years.
  • Mission Reserve Malbec – light, dry and on oak for 12 months, this can be cellared for five more years if you wish.
  • Mission Estate Late Harvest Riesling – this was a nice light-ish desert wine, and as well as going well with our Xmas fare provided by Wayne, it would pair nicely with lemon meringue pie.

Summer Festive Evening w/Tammy Edwards, Mission Estate

Wednesday 12th November, 8 pm Start

Door Price: Members $10, Guests $14

For our November we are returning to Hawkes Bay and trying some wines not previously tasted by us. We’ve described the evening as a Summer Festive Tasting as we are looking to taste some bubbles, compare two Rosés, as well as looking at two great reds that you might want to enjoy at a summer BBQ. We are finishing with a sticky that we know will appeal to many of our members.

That said, there is also plenty of quality in this tasting as it includes two wines from the Jewelstone range, Mission’s premier range, as well as two of their reserve wines. And the other good news is these wines have been heavily subsidised which is why the door price is so attractive.

Here’s what’s on our tasting list for the evening, in no particular order at this time.

  • Mission Fete Brut Cuvee
  • Stables Rosé
  • Jewelstone Rosé [noting the 2024 has recently been released and is now called Blanc De Noir]
  • Jewelstone Chardonnay
  • Mission Reserve Syrah
  • Mission Reserve Malbec
  • Mission Estate Late Harvest Riesling

And finishing our last formal tasting for the year, there will be a Christmas  morsel to go with the last wine. What a great way to finish!

This is going to be a fun evening, and we look forward to seeing you all there.