Tag: Christmas

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Newsletter August ’26

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

Event Announcement

    • Riverby Estate Tasting Night
      • Date: Wednesday, 12 August, 8pm
      • Location: Marlborough’s Jacksons Road
      • Door Price: Members $12 / Guests $16
      • Riverby Estate is a family-owned vineyard with a history dating back over 100 years
      • Wines featured include Gruner Veltliner 2024, Sauv/Semillon White Blend 2021, Pinot Gris 2025, Cicada Gewurztraminer 2025, Sali’s Block Riesling, Pinot Noir 2022, and Reserve Pinot Noir 2023.

Club Updates

  • Ordering Process: Orders for Riverby wines will be taken during the event, with payment to The Cellar Club the next day for delivery
  • Health Reminder: Members are encouraged not to attend if feeling unwell.

Recent Events

  • Johnsonville Dinner
    • 34 attendees enjoyed a buffet-style meal with roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, and dessert
    • The seating arrangement encouraged mingling and conversation
    • Thanks extended to Chrissy and the Johnsonville Club team.

Committee News

  • The mid-winter meal will remain local and hearty, while the Christmas meal will be more fine dining
  • Appreciation for members who help with setup and cleanup.

Upcoming Events

  • September: Del Mundo – Wines from Argentina
  • October: JK 14 Wines – Wines from Italy
  • November: Beach House Wines, Hawkes Bay
  • December: Christmas Dinner (Wednesday, 9th December)

Membership

  • Annual subscription ($25) is now due. Payment can be made via bank transfer or at the August tasting.

Wine Industry News

  • NZ Winter 2026
    • Mixed conditions, but excellent fruit quality in most regions
    • Central Otago faced frosts and delays, but fruit is promising
    • Industry challenges include lost contracts and unharvested blocks, especially in Gisborne and North Canterbury
    • Marlborough faces uncertainty with uncontracted blocks
    • Optimism remains for increased production due to demand.
  • California Crisis
    • Many vineyards are burning vines due to oversupply and declining demand
    • 30% of Sonoma County grapes went unsold; widespread vineyard abandonment.

Next Johnsonville Club Event

  • French Wine & Cheese Night
    • Date: Monday, 10 August
    • Location: 1 Norman Lane, Johnsonville
    • Price: $30 per person
    • Features premium French wine tastings and cheese selection.
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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

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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.

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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.

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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

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M&S just brought back phenomenal discontinued festive treat that was axed a decade ago

Sian Baldwin, The London Standard | 19 November 2025

This festive sip is already popular with the masses

Christmas is a time for all the yummy food and drink and one leading supermarket has not let us down – bringing back a festive favourite after a very long absence.

M&S has brought back a tipple which was last sold a decade ago, and already customers are snapping it up – meaning it may be in short supply very soon.

Their popular rosé mulled wine has been brought back for 2025, with news that rose is the drink this festive season.

According to Ocado, searches for ‘rosé’ are up by 32 percent compared to this time last year, with sales of rosé already up by 25 percent.

M&S have seen a similar trend.

Stats show that the week before Christmas 2024, rosé sales were double those seen in their biggest week over the summer, selling 144,000 bottles of rosé in the week commencing July 6, compared to a massive 286,000 bottles being sold in the week of December 16.

As a result, M&S have now announced plans to re-release their rosé mulled wine after a 10-year absence on the shelves.

For £6 a bottle the plonk will likely be popular, with shopping bosses now is the right time to re-release the Christmas themed tipple.

Gemma Wright, trading manager for Wine at M&S Food, said: “We’ve definitely seen rosé become a customer favourite all year round. Shoppers are choosing rosé in winter because it works really well with the kinds of food people serve at Christmas. It’s also a lighter, more refreshing option if you don’t fancy a red.”

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Looking Back – Christmas Dinner at La Cloche, Dec ’25

What a lovely evening, the weather gods played ball, and the people, location and food were all wonderful!

We had people spread over three larger tables and the whole evening worked well.

As a reminder of the menu:

We were met with the usual glass of bubbles, thanks Wayne

First course – amuse bouche – was a small mushroom voul au vent and a small smoke chicken gougere

Second course – entrée – Salmon terrine

Third course – main – we had the choice of either fish or duck, both were delicious 

Dessert – Le Chocolat et les fruits rouges

A festive evening that everyone enjoyed. A comment from one of the Club members:

Had a great time last night. The food was amazing, couldn’t fault it. (especially the dessert) The staff were so friendly and efficient.

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