WineNZ Summer 2019-20

WineNZ 

Summer 2019-2020 $9.90 

Waiheke 

Man O’ War Bay 

A comfy little 

bunch of vines... 

it's not 

NZD $9.90 

First Lady oF Wine|summer Wine sipping ideas|Wine and Food events|Wine traiL updates

MARISCO CASTLE, 

LUNDY ISLAND, UK 

In fact, there are many – history tells us some incredible things… 

Among the twisted vines of Marisco Vineyards owner Brent Marris’ ancestry was a 

William de Marisco, rumoured to be one of the many illegitimate children of King Henry the First. 

Back in the twelfth and thirteenth century, the de Marisco families inhabited the small island 

of Lundy off the south-west coast of England, and were engaged in all manner of shall we say, 

‘colourful pursuits’. 

They maintained a tempestuous relationship with the monarchy of the time; at times receiving 

royal favour, and yet at others, great displeasure. The de Mariscos’ acts of piracy and treason 

ultimately defined their place in history. 

Good wines deserve a good story, so to celebrate this intruiging family history, Marisco Vineyards 

created The Kings Series. Each of these award–winning premium wines features a unique name 

and a story relating to their remarkable forebears…

Publisher's note 


CONTRIBUTORS 

Martin Gillion, Daniel Honan, 

Anne-Marie Nansett, Louis Pierard, 

John Saker, Charmaine Smith, 

Vic Williams. 

PHOTOGRAPHY 

Richard Brimer 

DESIGN 

Spinc Media 

PUBLISHERS 

Colin Gestro 

027 256 8014 

colin@affinityads.com 

Joan Gestro 

joanlucy47@gmail.com 

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES 

Jax Hancock 

06 839 1705 

jax.affinityads@gmail.com 

WEBSITE 

www.winenzmagazine.co.nz 

SUBSCRIPTIONS 

i-subscribe.co.nz and enter 

WineNZ in search 

PUBLISHER 

www.affinityads.com 

Publishers of: Active Seniors, 

Superbrands, Dive NZ, Wine NZ, 

Seniors and Travel Expo. 

Changes 

are afoot! 

WineNZ Magazine is now 

under new ownership and 

as experienced publishers 

we are looking to make 

some changes to ensure the 

magazine not only retains 

the high standards it has 

maintained over the past 23 

years but breaks new ground 

in its coverage of the New 

Zealand wine scene. 

We have retained our 

experienced team of wine 

commentators, but we will 

also be employing the 

services of new voices to 

ensure that new ground 

is covered, as well as 

reintroducing contributors 

from earlier times. 

The magazine will retain its 

main focus on wine and the 

enjoyment of wine both here 

and overseas. 

Colin Gestro 

Editor & Publisher 

When i bought 

Brookfields Vineyards, 

the most planted white 

variety in Hawke’s Bay 

was Müller-Thurgau. 

it wasn't my preferred 

choice; hence, i 

planted pinot gris, 

which was sourced 

from the Mission 

Vineyards. only 

after the Millennium 

did pinot gris sales 

explode nationally — 

and the good news is 

they are still growing. 

We at Brookfields wish 

all our customers a 

very happy holiday 

season and a healthy 

and prosperous 2020. 

cheers, 

Peter robertson 

PO Box 13257 Tauranga 3141 

COVER PHOTO: 

Man O’ War Grapes with a view 

from Waiheke Island 

Photo: Richard Brimer 

Brookfield 

Vineyards 

Phone 06 834 4615 

www.brookfieldsvineyard.co.nz 

Trade enquiries 

Hancocks 

Phone 0800 699 463 

4 WineNZ Magazine | Summer 2019/2020

Title Over Here | Feature 

2016 ‘ELSPETH’ REDS WIN GOLD 

SIX NATIONS WINE CHALLENGE 2019 

OUTSTANDING VINTAGE - OUTSTANDING WINES 

www.millsreef.co.nz 


5

Contents 


Summer 2019/2020 

8 

8 COVER STORY 

Waiheke, where Martin Gillion 

uncovers the true giant of 

wine makers. 

18 WinE and TimE 

News from New Zealand and 

around the world. 

27 nEW WinE RElEaSES 

Sarah Jessica Parker with 

Invivo launches her own 

label of wine. This follows the 

successful launch of the 

Graham Norton series of 

wines. 

32 nEW ZEaland’S FiRST 

ladY OF WinE 

Jane Hunter; high profile 

and awards with wine, a rare 

interview. 

42 SUmmER WinE CHOiCES 

Our team put forward their 

blind tasting notes for a 

range of summer wines. Do 32 

try one or two. 


Contents 

57 

52 FOOD FOR THOUGHT 

Vic Williams continues 

matching summer food with 

wine. 

62 WINE TRAILS 

Martinborough options, plus 

a few in the Hawke’s Bay 

region. 

66 ADELAIDE PARTY TIME 

62 

74 

57 RESTAURANT, FOOD AND 

WINE MATCH-UP 

A surprise to find such wine 

knowledge in Tauranga. 

Relatively new Clarence 

Restaurant and Bistro shows 

how it is done. 

61 FOOD AND WINE EVENTS 

A new piece in WineNZ. Plan 

to visit some of these events 

in 2020. 

72 OVERSEAS WINE TIME 

We visit Sicily and the Marsala 

region. Alagna is one of the 

largest fortified wineries, with 

a surprise new release for 

drinking with Sushi. 

74 LIECHTENSTEIN WINE 

UNCOVERED 

66 

NEW LOOK WINE 

TASTINGS. 

Coming soon. 

NEW COLUMNS COMING 

What I am enjoying drinking. 

Personalities give us their 

personal wine choices and 

tell us why. Wine makers’ 

profiles. The backroom 

efforts of development and 

processing grapes to wine. 

Meet some of them right 

here. 

72 


7

Feature | Waiiheke 

Waiheke 

The Vineyard Gourmet Haven 

& 

By Martin Gillion 


Waiiheke | Feature 

There can be few areas in New Zealand that have gone 

through as much of a transformation as Auckland’s 

Hauraki Gulf showpiece, Waiheke Island, just 30 

minutes by fast ferry from the city centre. 

50 years ago, travel to the island was courtesy of the 

‘Baroona’, the converted cargo ship originally destined 

for work on the Kaipara Harbour. Two hours was the minimum 

journey time to get to the beaches of Oneroa and Surfdale 

in pursuit of the sunburn and blisters that in those days were 

eagerly displayed as badges of honour. 

The rugged hills of the eastern parts of the island. farmed for 

cattle, were relatively untouched and the secluded bays of the 

Ruthe Passage or the Tamaki Strait the provenance of sailors. 

The island was known as a place where modest baches 

surrounded the stunning beaches and where there were 

scattered communities of colourful people with outlooks at 

considerable variance to those of a largely conservative New 

Zealand. Cannabis was not unknown and body piercing was in 

its infancy. 

But today, the Island is peppered with luxurious holiday homes 

(certainly not baches anymore) and has become an essential 

stop for visiting international glitteratti, be they pop stars, globetrotting 

politicians, film makers or sporting heroes. 

And it is not only the fast ferries that have made the difference. 

For apart from the beaches and the stunning Gulf scenery 

the onset of wine production in the 1980s has added a new 

dimension to the island experience. 

The world acclaim in the early 1990s accorded the pioneering 

wines of Stephen White at Stonyridge and Kim and Jeanette 

Goldwater at Putiki Bay signalled the ability of Waiheke to 

produce truly significant wines that could stand alongside the 

best of Bordeaux. International wine critics were both surprised 

and impressed. 

The transformation of Waiheke had begun. 

Michael Cooper’s 1994 ‘Wines and Vineyards of New Zealand 

quotes from Stephen White at around this time…. 

“In a decade, there’ll be 50 vineyards here. It’ll be Auckland’s 

most heavily planted wine district. There’ll be a lot of restaurants, 

and Waiheke will emerge as a sort of vineyard/gourmet holiday 

area.” 

And how true that has turned out to be! 

For while the number of producers has not yet quite reached 

the 50 mark the region now promotes itself as ‘The Island of 

Wine’ and wineries and vineyards have spread to all parts of the 

island, including those previously discarded eastern hillsides. 

The range of wine experiences ranges from the lavish 

upmarket tasting rooms and restaurants looking out to the 

Auckland skyline in the distance, to the ‘hands on’ experiences 

provided by individual vintners. 

In almost every case not only are the wines available for 

tasting but the venue provides added attractions be they wine 

matched food, stunning seascapes, accommodation or event 

venues for weddings and celebrations. 

So here are three prominent Waiheke wineries whose journeys 

to success have been different, whose locations are varied and 

whose approaches to winemaking and visitor engagement are 

in contrast. 


9


MAN O’ WAR 

VINEYARDS – 

METICULOUS 

MANAGEMENT 

Man O’ War almost defies the 

image of Waiheke as the home 

of small, boutique wineries 

producing limited amounts of 

premium wine aimed mainly 

at the local market and the 

increasing visitor spend. 

For not only is Man O’ War 

the largest producer on the 

island but as winemaker 

Duncan McTavish tells me, at 

600 tonnes they eclipse the 

output of all other Waiheke 

producers combined. “In fact we 

think our harvest accounts for 

about a third of Auckland’s total 

production.” 

So a comfy little bunch of vines 

on land overlooking a sandy 

beach it is not! 

Man O’ War takes its name 

from the secluded bay that 

was the holiday homestead of 

the business magnate John 

Spencer’s family who have had 

farming interests on Waiheke 

since the 80s. Their 1800ha estate 

encompasses much of the hilly 

coastline on the south eastern 

part of the island. 

It’s an estate that has been 

meticulously managed and 

redeveloped over the years but 

one which also includes the 

historic wartime gunnery site at 

Stony Batter. 

A site nearby is marked for a 

new winery in the coming years. 

As a testament to the family’s 

guardianship of the land, on 

your way through the hills to the 

company vineyards specimen 

trees, carefully fenced and 

protected from stock, stand 

alongside patches of virgin bush. 

It is evident that the proprietors 

have both the patience and the 

ability to fund the investments 

required. 

Both are required for the 

establishment of vineyards! 

It’s an old adage that vineyards 

may well be profitable for the 

‘family of a family of a family’ but 

rarely for the original incumbents! 

But the Man O’ War plans were 

a little different to most. While, 

encouraged by the successes 

of Stonyridge and Goldwater the 

family decided to plant in small, 

discreet blocks of sloping hillsides 

that each offered different 

possibilities in terms of variety and 

style. 

Their first vines were planted in 

1993 for a small vintage in 1996. 

Most of the subsequent planting 

took place in the years from 2004 

– 2006 and now the estate claims 



64ha of vines sequestered in 

more than 75 individual sites. 

Such an arrangement calls for 

detailed management and that 

is immediately obvious when you 

first breast the hill on the rough 

road to the winery. 

The stunning views that are 

virtually mandatory for Waiheke, 

are there in abundance. At this 

point you are several hundred 

meters above the sea at Cactus 

Bay or Owhiti Bay and the rocky 

coves below. 

But beside you are two 

immaculate vineyards with 

compact rows marching 

together over the steep slopes. 

So vineyard so normal. 

But what is not so vineyardnormal 

is that the vines march in 

totally different directions! 

In one, vines in serried rows, 

stride in a somewhat north/south 

formation down the slope towards 

the beach. The other has vines 

marshalled in what looks like an 

east/west attribution up the hill on 

the other side. 

If these vineyard ‘platoons’ 

needed a saluting platform it 

would be in the middle of the road. 

I’m assuming this is no accident 

nor whim but that each site will 

have been planted in different 

varieties. 

When I get to the Man O’ War 

beachside cellar door Duncan tells 

me that it is indeed the different 

orientation of sites that is a part of 

their management strategy. 

“We pride ourselves on a 

meticulous matching of each 

variety to one of the 76 specific 

sites. The hillside soils vary and 

aspects to the sun and even 

altitudes are different. As a result 

we not only plant them differently 

but manage them with the same 

degree of care. We’ve even had to 

work our way between the tides on 

sites we’ve developed on nearby 

Ponui island.” 

“It is difficult and costly to 

manage them all individually. With 

each site being hand harvested 

and then vinified separately 

before blending, the handling and 

winemaking is far more intensive 

than most.” 

“Our rural setting also makes life 

difficult. It is hard to attract workers 

especially those skilled in vineyard 

work so we’ve set up our own hostel 

to try and help with this particularly 

during harvest.” 

A visit to the cellar door at Man 

O’ War is certainly worth the drive. 

Unlike other Waiheke wineries 

there is no local bus to drop you 

off at the gate but there are those 

stunning views at every turn, and at 

the end of the road the cellar door 

lies right on the beach. 

There’s a restaurant with casual 

dining inside and out and the Man 

O’ War wines to buy and try. In 


11


summer it swarms with holiday 

makers but most of the people 

you will see relaxing on the 

beach with a bottle of wine to 

accompany their picnic have not 

made the tortuous route by car. 

The boats from which they 

come are anchored in the bay! 

In contrast to the large 

number of individual vineyards 

the number of Man O’ War 

wines is relatively limited as the 

different sites are blended. The 

‘Ironclad’ Bordeaux blend has 

more than 29 components and 

Syrah is blended at two levels. 

Chardonnay also features at 

two levels. Interestingly the 

Sauvignon Blanc is blended with 

25% of Semillon, unusual for New 

Zealand’s take on this variety. 

MAN O’ WAR 

WINE pROFILES: 

Gravestone Sauvignon 

Blanc / Semillon 2017 

- $29 

This wine represents an unusual 

direction for this variety with the 

inclusion of almost 25% Semillon, 

a common occurrence in France 

but not in NZ. Picked at very low 

levels, just 2 tonnes per ha it’s 

barrel fermented and aged for 

2 years in oak. “It’s the biggest 

surprise for our customer” Duncan 

reports, “Herbaceous and crisp.” 

The tasting notes refer to a ‘gin 

and tonic like finish!’ 

Dreadnought Syrah 

2016 - $64 

Again this wine is from a large 

number of steep imposing sites, 

all with equally imposing names, 

such as ‘Asylum’,‘Big North’, 

‘Madmans’‘and North Face’; 

sites which have been dry farmed 

to increase resistance to drought. 

The individual batches have 

been separately vinified with 

wild yeasts and held on oak for 

18months before blending. 

“We like to think of it as richly 

textured but restrained and with a 

streak of acidity.” 

Man O’ War wines are available 

online www.manowar.co.nz 

GOLDIE ESTATE 

– HERITAGE 

WINE 

I always like circular stories; 

where the end relates directly 

to the beginning. The sort of 

thing where super sportsmen or 

women, when the medals dry 

up, end up coaching the high 

school team that jump-started 

their career. 

Goldie Estate on Waiheke is a 

good example of the process, 

except in this case it is the land 

that ends up returning to its roots. 

Too often in New Zealand we 

seem to sell our special pieces 

of land, especially if they have 

stunning views, to American 

steel barons or narcissistic pop 

stars. Or we just cover them with 

housing developments and car 

parks. 

Such might have been the fate 



of Kim and Jeanette Goldwater’s 

Putiki Bay vineyard of the 80s: 

the first planted on Waiheke and 

one of the first in the country to 

convince the wine world that we 

could produce truly fine wine. 

Now the vineyard is not only 

still providing fruit for world 

class wines marketed under the 

‘Goldie Estate’ brand, but has 

also been protected from future 

development or resale. 

But it was not some 

bureaucratic monolith that saved 

the land. It was Kim and Jeanette 

themselves who ensured the 

survival of their historic vineyard. 

In 2009, following the sale 

of their extended interests in 

Marlborough and Hawke’s Bay to 

a US investor, Kim and Jeanette 

generously gifted the Waiheke 

property, valued at $4million, 

to the Auckland University as a 

lynchpin to their Wine Science 

course. 

“We wanted to preserve 

the vineyard’s history and do 

something that would work for 

the local community” said Kim at 

the time. 

It was an act of extreme 

generosity! 

Today the students of the 

Auckland University Wine 

Science Course are able to 

study all aspects of the industry 

from this ‘outlier’ of the main 

University campus. They have 

access to the vineyards for 

viticultural experience and 

Goldie Estate, a completely 

independent, commercial winery, 

provides hands on winemaking 

experience. 

Few oenological students, 

worldwide, would have such a 

‘hands on’ opportunity. 

Winemaker Heinrich Storm 

explains that while the students 

can make their own wines 

from some of the estate fruit, 

the Goldie wines he makes are 

completely independently made. 

He is responsible for the winery 

continuing to make quintessential 

Waiheke wines in the manner 

that the Goldwaters pioneered all 

those years ago. 

Heinrich explains that the 

13ha site is really made up of two 

vineyards. The home block that 

surrounds the winery and looks 

down to Putiki Bay caters for the 

reds, mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, 

Merlot, Cabernet Franc and 

Syrah. 

The second vineyard, across the 

road from the entrance, is mainly 

for white wines and is the original 

source of fruit for the Zell vineyard 

that had a cult following for 

Chardonnay in the earlier days. 

The estate wines of Merlot/ 

Cabernet, Chardonnay and Syrah 

are matched, in good years, with 

reserve wines of Cabernet/Merlot 

/ Franc, Chardonnay, Merlot, 

Syrah and Viognier. 

Overall Heinrich has seen a 

change in emphasis at Goldie. 

“Our emphasis is now more 

towards Chardonnay and Syrah. 

We’ve even taken out 30% of the 


13


Bordeaux blend varieties to plant 

more Syrah.” 

“We also make a Sauvignon 

Blanc and rosé,” he says. “But 

they’re not under the Goldie 

label. They are really on site for 

weddings and events which 

are an increasing part of the 

overall business. The rosé is made 

from Estate frown fruit while 

Sauvignon Blanc is sourced from 

Marlborough” 

“Visitor experiences and 

event hosting has become an 

increasing part of many Waiheke 

winery activities,” Heinrich reckons. 

“As the seasons last a little bit 

longer cellar doors and other 

visitor experiences become more 

sustainable.” 

The Goldie cellar door is 

located in the original winery 

building and offers a tasting 

of all their estate wines with 

knowledgeable and passionate 

staff to guide you through the 

selection. There’s the opportunity 

to take some nibbles with a glass 

of one of the wines and perhaps 

stroll to the top of the vineyard to 

take in the view of Putiki Bay that 

entranced Kim and Jeanette all 

those years ago. 

Unlike many of the island’s 

wineries, visits to Goldie are easy; 

the bus stops just outside the 

front gate! 

GOLDIE WINE 

pROFILES: 

Goldie Reserve Cabernet 

Merlot/Cabernet Franc 


This wine is entirely sourced from 

the home block; that from which 

the Goldwaters made their ground 

breaking wines from 1982 onwards. 

From 2002 the pinnacle wines from 

the estate have been branded 

under the Goldie name and this 

wine is one of their finest examples. 

The vintage was exceptional with 

warm dry conditions producing 

fruit at optimal ripeness. “It’s 

produced a wine that is fragrant 

with great depth and restrained 

power,” says Heinrich, “It’s on very 

limited release.” 

Goldie Estate Syrah 


This wine came from a 

difficult vintage. “We had to 

work really hard to get the 

best out of it,” comments 

Heinrich. “With careful 

picking dates and constant 

monitoring there was little 

time for anything else. But we 

had learned from the hiccups 

of previous cyclones that had 

come through.” 

Heinrich remarks that this 

wine, like the other red wines 

for this vintage, is elegant 

and fruit forward with textured 

tannins. 

Goldie Estate wines are 

available at the cellar door or 

from www.goldieestate.co.nz 



pASSAGE ROCK – pIONEER OF THE EAST 

David Evans and his Swiss wife 

Veronica Evans-Gander shared 

winemaking experiences in both 

Western Australia and Switzerland 

but in1993 made their way to 

David’s New Zealand homeland 

with a view to planting their own 

vineyard and making their own 

wines. “We dreamed of creating 

fantastic wines in a beautiful 

place near the sea,” says David. 

“We were quite young!” 

With this in mind the recognition 

that the early Waiheke wines had 

received confirmed the island as 

their preferred destination. But it 

was not easily achieved. Already 

the island was attracting serious 

viticultural interest. 

But in1994 David and Veronika 

found a site in the south-east of 

Waiheke and planted their first 

vines there under their original 

branding of Camana Farm. 

In contrast to the hilly north 

eastern part of the island where 

Man O’ War has since developed 

vineyards in an entirely different 

style, it is a relatively flat area 

of land in the Te Matuku Valley 

and looks out over the bay to 

the waters of the Tamaki Strait. 

The Passage Rock branding that 

replaced the original labelling 

takes its name from the pivotal 

navigational mark that signals 

the separation of the strait from 

the nearby Waiheke Channel. 

While the rock in question 

is conspicuously avoided by 

Auckland boaties, the wines that 

have taken its name have been 

eagerly sought after following 

the company’s ability to match 

the reputation for excellence 

pioneered in the 80s by 

Goldwater and Stonyridge. 

Now known as the Island’s ‘Most 

Awarded Winery’, Passage Rock 

counts 18 gold medals and 6 

trophies to their name. 

David comments on those 

early years: “We had identified 

the 3ha site as having potential,” 

he says when we meet in early 

Spring. “And the fact that the 

land was flatter, in one piece 

and easier to plant and work 

was a big advantage. Mind you, 

the other advantage was that 

it was quite a bit less expensive! 

Even in those early days Waiheke 

was beginning to intensify at the 

‘holiday’ end.” 

Indeed the ‘second wave’ 

of pioneering winemakers who 

settled in Waiheke during the 

1990s all found vineyard sites, 

even those without a view, hard to 

come by. But most still planted in 

the more accessible western end. 

David and Veronica were the 

only ‘new entrants’ to choose the 

less favoured and less populated 

part in the east. To this extent they 

were pioneers of a different kind. 

As might be expected, previous 

winemaking on the island 

led them to plant Cabernet 

Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc 

and Merlot. But also included 

in the mix were Malbec, Syrah, 

Chardonnay and Viognier. 

And it was one of these 

‘additional’ varieties that has 

singled David out as the pioneer 

of Syrah on the island. His 

Passage Rock Reserve Syrah 2003 

took out the trophy for the Best 

New Zealand Syrah at the Air New 

Zealand Wine Awards 2004 and 

the wine has had an unbroken 

record of gold medals ever since. 

Today much of the winemaking 

on the island has followed the 

lead of Passage Rock. For while 

Syrah was not unknown in other 

Waiheke vineyards at the time, 

David’s subsequent success was 

an inspiration to many. 

An island once committed 

to the Bordeaux varieties now 

has as much Syrah planted as 

Cabernet. In many cases wineries 

have pulled out the old plantings 

to establish new ones with the 

grape from the south of France. 


15


David grins with pleasure when 

I tell him that another winemaker 

on the island referred to him as 

Waiheke’s ‘Mr Syrah.’ 

Perhaps one of the secrets 

of the success of the Passage 

Rock wines lies not only with 

their management of the home 

vineyard, now expanded to 7ha, 

but also to the grapes he sources 

from two of the very earliest 

Waiheke vineyards, both planted 

on the promontory that reaches 

to the north from Oneroa. 

Both Fenton Estate and 

Peninsula Estate (now Fossil Bay) 

were founded in the early 90s 

and while their proprietors are no 

longer in the wine business, their 

vineyards supply David with the 

fruit from these older vines. 

David attests to the success 

of Syrah in Waiheke conditions 

but he is still a proponent of the 

Cabernet blends and the Reserve 

Cabernet Merlot from 2015 is still 

on the winery’s tasting schedule. 

“They’re a sort of firm 

handshake by comparison to 

Syrah whose welcoming grip is 

definitely not limp, but certainly 

not so assertive! The Cabernets 

can be show stoppers in the very 

best of vintages; our 2010 vintage 

was outstanding for it.” 

Encouraged to try contrasting 

vintages I found the differences 

were immediate, with the 2015 

having quite firm structure but the 

2017 being more approachable. 

David commented that Waiheke 

was not always a good place to 

grow grapes. “For while Syrah is 

generally more straight forward 

to manage, the Cabernet 

wines are harder to perfect. But 

sometimes, as with life itself, little 

imperfections make things even 

more interesting and appealing. 

It’s certainly like that with our 

Cabernet blends. And I like that.” 

Passage Rock has a definite 

‘hands on’ feel to it and when 

I meet David to discuss their 

winery journey we taste the wines 

amongst the chaos of their bistro 

renovation which looks out over 

the vineyard and offers both 

casual food such as Pizzas and 

platters as well as more serious 

options. 

The winery offers their full 

range for tasting and includes 

Chardonnay, Viognier, Pinot Gris, 

Sauvignon Blanc and rosé as 

well as those Reserve Cabernet 

Merlots and Syrahs. 

Passage Rock may be a little 

remote but both the visit and the 

wines are well worth the effort. 

pASSAGE 

ROCK WINE 

pROFILES: 

Passage Rock 

Cabernet Sauvignon/ 

Syrah/Merlot 2015 

-$65 

This wine is a combination of 

fruit from both Passage Rock’s 

own vineyards and that of 

the Fenton Estate ‘Twin Bays’ 

vineyard planted in 1998 on 

the headland north of Oneroa. 

The home vineyard vines 

were re-located shortly after 

the vineyard was established to 

enable plantings of a different 

clone and to get more heat 

exposure. It was blended 

before vinification. 

“It’s a wine for the focussed 

drinker,” David pronounces 

Passage Rock Reserve 

Syrah 2014 - $65 

The reserve Syrahs are only 

made in the very best years 

and David composed this 

wine from a blend of the best 

ten barrels with a more or 

less equal proportions drawn 

from both the home vineyard 

fruit and that sourced from 

the Fenton and Fossil Bay 

sites. It won a trophy in the 

International Wine Challenge 

in London in 2016. “Look for 

nuts, spices and dark berry 

intensity,” says David. 

Climatic conditions have 

prevented production of the 

reserves since this vintage 

although one is definitely on 

the cards for the 2019 harvest. 

Wines can be bought at the 

cellar door or online at 

www.passagerock.co.nz. 

▲ Owhanake has a unique pairing of fresh 

sustainably Waiheke grown flowers and wine. Now 

open every Saturday 9am to 1pm for their flower 

market and free wine tasting. 

▲ Mosaic Artwork and Gardens. Visit Casita Miro to 

see their Gaudi inspired Mosaic artwork done by 

the owner himself while feasting and enjoying their 

fabulous garden views. 



▲ Batch also host the Long Lunch for the Jazz Festival on Easter Monday. Dancing on 

the lawn while enjoying 3 of the top jazz acts in Australasia. Ticket prices also include a 

sumptuous 3 course buffet lunch at the fabulous Batch Winery – truly one of Waiheke’s 

most enchanting vineyards. This year it will be on Monday 13th April 2020. 

▲ Marvel at Cable Bay Vineyard’s extensive art 

collection from renowned New Zealand artist. See 

and experience the history of the land shown 

through Anton Forde’s sculpture Te puna o Hoete. 

Cable Bay Vineyards pays homage and honours 

all those who cared for the land in the past, 

present and future through this historical and 

cultural collection of carved sculptures. Dine on 

food from their very own organic garden in one 

of their two spectacular restaurants while sipping 

on their award winning wines and taking in 

spectacular views. 


17

Wine & Time 

Wine & Time 

The latest from New Zealand wine world 

CELEBRATING PINOT NOIR NZ 

2021 February 23 rd – 25 th February. 

Christchurch hosts pinot 

noir the first time in its 

20-year history. 

World famous Pinot Noir 

celebrations to hit the South 

Island. A 115-strong collective 

of New Zealand Pinot Noir 

producers are bringing their 

international celebration to 

Christchurch for the first time in 

2021, shining the global spotlight 

on one of New Zealand’s most 

exciting wines. A three-day 

celebration is held every four 

years and is widely considered 

to be one of the best Pinot Noir 

events on the planet. The last 

event, in 2017, was a sell-out 

event on Wellington’s waterfront, 

hosting international wine 

luminaries like Jancis Robinson, 

Andrea Frost and Elaine Chukan 

What is it all about – Pinot Noir. 

Brown, with Andrea Frost 

describing New Zealand as 

“one of the most dynamic and 

exciting Pinot Noir regions on 

earth. 

Western 

Australian 

wine 

master 

retires and 

puts awardwinning 

vineyard on 

the market. 

While Ian Ranson’s 

Riesling is the reigning 

Australian wine of the 

year, the winemaker 

is bowing out of the 

industry, citing age and 

the desire to hand over 

to anew generation 

as reasons behind the 

decision. 

Source: ABC 

Marlborough announces location of 

new Research Winery 

"We are delighted to be able 

to announce our location 

at the Marlborough 

Research Centre on the 

NMIT campus alongside Plant 

and Food research, 

New Zealand Winegrowers 

and Wine Marlborough. The 

Marlborough Research centre 

has been 

a key supporter of our 

establishment from day 

one and I’m pleased the vision-to 

be co-located with key research 

and industry organizations 

will become reality.” Said MJ 

Loza, CEO of Bragato Research 

Institute. 

BRI (formerly New Zealand’s 

Winegrowers Research Centre) 

has been working alongside 

NMIT and the Marlborough 

Research Centre to secure the 

site and the location will enable 

further collaboration between 

the different organizations. “The 

trial to assess the effectiveness 

of our research winery 

fermenters that took place over 

vintage is a good example 

of the collaboration already 

happening.” Says Mr. Loza. “The 

trial of BRI tanks was carried out 

by Plant and Food Research, 

based in the NMIT teaching 

winery, with NMIT students 

working on a trial. It was a real 

team effort and our location here 

supports and encourages that”. 


Wine & Time 

OUTSTANDING 

GIBBSTON 

WINE 

EXPERIENCE AT GIBBSTON 

VALLEY 

VALLEY LODGE LODGE & SPA & SPA COUNTS 

A stay at Central Otago’s newest luxury lodge wouldn’t be complete 

without an outstanding wine experience – exactly DOWN what’s on TO the menu OPENING 

at Queenstown’s Gibbston Valley Lodge & Spa. 

Gibbston ad? 

20 WineNZ Magazine | Summer 2019/2020 

Relaxed 

luxury. Unique 

experiences. 

Five-star concierge 

service. A stunning 

Central Otago 

location, nestled 

among the region’s 

oldest vines. 

packages and experiences 

will allow guests to immerse 

themselves in the rural 

playground that is Gibbston 

– creating memories that are 

perfectly tailored to them. 

“What we think will be 

particularly appealing to our 

guests will be the Essential 

Wine Experience offering. This 

exclusive package will be the 

Queenstown, New Zealand pinnacle in wine indulgence, 

– Years of meticulous 

including a premium winery, 

Wplanning are paying inemaker off Christopher vineyard A and winemaker cave tour, will then a lead a tasting 

as Central Otago’s Keys says most the private wine through tasting Gibbston with Valley’s the finest premium 

exciting luxury Gibbston offering, Valley Lodge winemaker and Single our Vineyard Lodge releases. 

Gibbston Valley & Lodge Spa’s Essential & Spa, Cellar, and lunch crafted by 

begins the final Wine countdown Experience is Head Chef, “We’ve Anthony got an Gradiska. extensive cellar with a wide 

a perfect towards opportunity opening for its guests doors; to get up range of wines. It’s going to be interesting 

“We hope that our guests 

close marked to what the by the winery launch team does. 

and it’s going to be good. We’ll allow for 

of will leave with a new found 

all preferences, probably only kicking you 

a new website and online appreciation for 

“At heart, it shows the beautiful reality of out if you want a Merlot.” 

booking portal. Bookings 

creation. Winemaking is an annual cycle Central Otago wine and 

are now available via 

of activity. Our idea is to satisfy those who food,” adds The Greg. experience “It is ends now with a convivial 

gibbstonvalleylodgeandspa. 

have a curiosity about what it’s all about.” widely regarded lunch. Executive as being Chef Anthony Gradiska 

com with the first guests being amongst delivers the best enticing in the seasonal produce from the 

Exclusive welcomed to Lodge to guests, the property the experience in world, and Winery’s we believe organic that gardens, is expertly paired 

takes mid-December. 

individuals through the working because with we wines. treat our natural 

core of Located Gibbston at Valley, the heart including of the surroundings with the utmost 

winemaking Central facilities Otago’s and founding iconic Wine 

“You’ll get a very clear and close 

patience and respect. We 

Cave. 

impression of the seasons and styles of 

winery, only 20 minutes from look forward to sharing our 

Central Otago. We want to host people 

Queenstown Airport, Gibbston knowledge and love for the 

“There’s nothing else like it. In the cave the the way we’re accustomed; deeply 

Valley Lodge & Spa will offer region and giving our guests 

atmosphere is peaceful and contemplative: informative, but super friendly and 

the ultimate in relaxed luxury, fantastic memories that will 

just you and hundreds of barrels of Pinot relaxed.” 

Noir 

fine 

lining 

wine, 

the walls. 

culinary 

Then 

excellence 

we’ll take 

last them a lifetime.” 

you 

and 

into the 

5-star 

Winery 

personal 

and even 

service. 

through the Bookings For are those now keen open to take on their wine 

Chef’s 24 Gardens beautifully to see appointed where some of the gibbstonvalleylodgeandspa. 

experience new heights, a guided 

ingredients private for villas your will lunch look will out be onto sourced. com . Those helicopter interested trip is can also available, stopping at 

This working is all about organic showcasing vineyards the quality of also keep spectacular up to date sites with and all the Winery’s major 

our people and the and schist primary mountains ingredients.” Lodge and vineyards. Spa news by 

of Gibbston. However, this is following Gibbston Valley 

Guests far will more then than enjoy just an a entertaining place short Gibbston Valley’s new venture features 

Wines on Facebook and 

film 

to 

on 

stay. 

the winegrowing 

One-of-a-kind 

process 

luxury 

in the 

24 luxury villas set amongst its Le Maitre 

Instagram . 

Lodge’s private theatre. 

“It’s visually spectacular. Of course being 

filmed in Central Otago it’s impossible 

for it not to be – but the film also captures 

all the colour and life of harvest and 

winegrowing.” 

home block vineyard, a striking central 

lodge building and separate spa. Exclusive 

biking and walking trails are dotted on the 

surrounding 1000-acres of privately-owned 

land. For further information and bookings 

go to gibbstonvalleylodgeandspa.com.

Wine & Time 

Diners will enjoy dessert prepared by award winning chef Ben Bayly, pictured in Arrowtown with Emma Chisholm. 

Progressive Dinner Tours 

launch in Queenstown 

The region’s first ever Progressive 

Dinner Tour has landed in 

Queenstown, hosted by renowned 

operators Alpine Wine Tours. 

Guests can now explore 

the very best of Queenstown’s 

renowned wineries, microbreweries 

and restaurants in just 

one evening, on the ultimate 

Progressive Dinner Tour. 

Owner-operator Emma 

Chisholm says she saw a gap in 

the market for night-time activities 

and jumped at the opportunity to 

launch something a little different. 

“Evening activity options 

are few and far between in 

Queenstown, but the Progressive 

Dinner Tour fills that void and 

gives people a chance to go on 

an incredible night-time journey 

where they can relax, meet new 

friends and experience the very 

best food, wine and craft beer 

the region has to offer,” she says. 

The Tours visit three iconic 

locations, including the 

picturesque Shotover River, the 

Valley of Vines – Gibbston Valley 

– and historic Arrowtown. Tours 

start and end in vibrant central 

Queenstown, meaning guests 

can start their evening in town 

early before pick up, or extend 

into the night following drop off. 

Guests travel comfortably in 

a luxurious Mercedes Sprinter 

driven by a knowledgeable 

local host. 

Alpine Wine Tours is familyowned 

and operated by Emma 

and director Lee Saunders. 

With family connections to 

Queenstown and the wider 

Otago region dating back nearly 

60 years, the pair’s combined 

local knowledge and family 

heritage means they offer guests 

a genuinely authentic kiwi 

hospitality experience in ‘their 

own’ backyard. 

On the Queenstown 

Progressive Dinner Tours, courses 

are expertly matched with 

multiple glasses of renowned 

Central Otago wine, locally 

brewed craft beer and a cheeky 

after-dinner nightcap. 

For further information or to 

book go to www.alpinewinetours. 

co.nz 


21

Wine & Time 

Charley Noble trainee tries new WelTec chef 

course to keep industry standards high 

Head chef at famed Wellington 

restaurant Charley Noble, Philipp 

Doerr has encouraged his young 

trainee, Olivia Scholten, to sign 

up for WelTec’s new learn-as-youearn 

Managed Traineeship New 

Zealand Certificate in Cookery 

Level 4. 

This programme is specifically 

designed for trainee chefs already 

working in professional kitchens to 

ensure the skills they learn at work 

are backed up with academic 

qualifications gained at WelTec. 

The programme puts students on 

a pathway to real success as a 

chef. 

Philipp, who is German, said the 

learn-as-you-earn approach was 

how many young people trained 

in Germany and the approach 

has his full support. 

“As a young person who is still 

learning, you can get paid and 

still get a qualification, plus you 

are immediately transferring what 

you learn in your tutorials to the 

kitchen. If you learn everything in 

the classroom and then a year 

later you try to use those skills in 

a professional kitchen, chances 

are you will have forgotten half of 

them. 

“So many people working in 

kitchens don’t really know what 

they are doing, which can be 

dangerous, particularly in regard 

to food safety and knife skills. But 

in a busy kitchen, like Charley 

Noble, we don’t have the time 

to stand over people and teach 

them how to do everything 

correctly. That is why this course is 

so important.” 

Philip has been in the 

restaurant industry for 15 years, 

11 of which have been in New 

Zealand where he joined Charley 

Noble at its inception. 

Xanadu Cabernet Sauvignon, best in wine 

show of Western Australia 

Margaret River winery Xanadu was announced as 

a winner of the Wine Show of Western Australia, Shire 

of Plantagenet Trophy, Best Wine of Show, for its 2017 

DJL Cabernet Sauvignon, and was also awarded the 

trophy for Best Red Wine of Show. Source: Winetitles 

The Global wine market is currently worth an 

estimated $342.43 billion and expected to grow 

5.1 percent by 2023. However, prohibitive barriers to 

trade in wine have made it hard for wine regions to 

compete on a level playing field in the global market. 

 

Source: Wine Industry Advisor 


Wine & Time 

Philipp describes Olivia, who 

started as a kitchen hand at 

Charley Noble early last year, as a 

“keen worker who is willing to put 

in the hard yards” and as a result, 

she moved up the ranks quickly 

and is now managing a section 

in the Charley Noble kitchen. 

“This is impressive for a 20-yearold 

who has only been in our 

kitchen since February last 

year, so I pushed Olivia to do 

the WelTec course. I believe 

qualifications are very important 

for those who have ambitions in 

this industry,” he says. 

Olivia first tried her hand at 

studying psychology at Victoria 

University Wellington when she 

left Wellington High School, then 

she worked at a restaurant in 

Johnsonville. 

“I started in this industry washing 

dishes and now I manage a 

section in a famous kitchen,” says 

Olivia. “There is so much more I 

still don’t know and I am excited 

and determined to succeed in my 

course.” 

“Hospitality is still a very 

underappreciated industry in 

Wellington,” says Philipp. “We 

work very hard to serve highquality 

food, and people don’t 

necessarily understand the level 

of skill that it requires. The more 

people with qualifications, the 

better it will be for employers, and 

ultimately, for our guests.” 

Wolf Blass crowned 

Great Australian 

Red 2019 

The South Australian Winery has, 

yet again, been crowned Great 

Australian Red, which makes 

this year the third time it has 

taken this award home since its 

conception in 2006. 

 

Source: Winetitles 

Yealands Wine Group 

appoints new CEO 

Renewed focus on worldleading 

sustainability practice 

and global market expansion 

Leading New Zealand wine 

producer, Yealands Wine Group, 

has today announced the 

appointment of Tiffani Graydon 

as Chief Executive Officer. 

Graydon brings with her a 

wealth of 25 years’ industry 

knowledge and senior 

executive experience in both 

New Zealand and offshore 

markets as well as a proven 

record in business and brand 

transformation. She has 

previously worked at Yealands 

in a General Manager Sales 

and Marketing capacity. 

“After rapid expansion over 

the last decade, Yealands Wine 

Group is now ready to enter the 

next phase of business growth. 

The future is very bright, and 

one I’m excited to lead the 

team through as we focus on 

building brand equity globally 

and here in New Zealand; 

alongside cementing our 

position in sustainable wine 

making. 

“What sets the Yealands’ story 

apart from many others in the 

New Zealand wine industry, and 

part of what drew me back to 

the company, is the opportunity 

we have to take a genuine 

leadership role in sustainable 

winemaking. It’s a value held 

strongly by our people but is 

also something which is driving 

consumers’ decision-making in 

their brand choices,” Graydon 

says. 

In the coming weeks, 

Graydon and the senior 

leadership team, will refine the 

organisation’s business strategy 

focusing resources on key 

growth areas for the business. 

The sustainability efforts at 

Yealands are centred around 

the idea to ‘tread lightly’. Its 

focus continues to be on 

delivering the best quality, 

award-winning wines, with a 

light environmental footprint, to 

its existing 65 global markets 

and beyond. 

“Yealands is the first winery 

in the world to achieve 

carboNZeroCertTM certification 

from inception and we are 

currently the only winery in 

New Zealand that holds this 

accreditation. We’re very proud 

of this achievement but we 

certainly don’t rest on our 

laurels and are committed 

to continually finding new 

sustainable practices,” Graydon 

says. 

Peter Radich, Chairman of 

Yealands Wine Group says 

“We’re looking forward to 

Yealands’ business growth with 

Tiffani leading the way. She has 

invaluable 

international and senior 

executive experience in the 

wine industry, a passion for 

sustainability, and has a strong 

determination to succeed.” 

Yealands Estate Wines is one 

of New Zealand’s largest wine 

exporters and is proud to be 

100% locally owned, a rarity in 

the wine industry. Owned by 

the people of Marlborough, 

Yealands is committed to 

opening its doors to give locals 

the opportunity to experience 

firsthand their own investment 

as well as deliver a strong 

performance over the coming 

years. 


23

Wine & Time 

Left to right: Timothy Evill of Lawson’s Dry Hills, Paul Donaldson of Pegasus Bay, Annie Millton of Millton Vineyards, 

Stephan Walliser of Fromm Winery, Karen Fistonich of Villa Maria, Judy Finn of Neudorf Vineyards, Clive Weston of 

Nautilus Estate, Aaron Drummond of Craggy Range, Pip Goodwin of Palliser Estate, Blair Walter of Felton Road, 

Helen Masters of Ata Rangi and Paul Brajkovich of Kumeu River. 

Family Event 

New Zealand’s Family of Twelve are 

thrilled to announce that our third 

annual Wine Tutorial will take place 

2nd – 4th August 2020 among the 

vines in Marlborough, home to 

four Family wineries. This unique 

event represents an extraordinary 

opportunity for just twelve wine 

professionals globally. 

Mills Reef announces move 

to new winery site 

Mills Reef Winery is pleased 

to announce that its winery’s 

operations are to be relocated 

from their current Bethlehem site 

in Tauranga, to the Leveret Estate, 

formerly Morton Estate, sited 

on State Highway 2 about five 

kilometres south of Katikati. 

Says Mills Reef director Tim 

Preston, “we explored many site 

options, but the opportunity to 

team up with Leveret and create 

a Bay Of Plenty ‘wine destination 

hub’ certainly stood out as the 

preferred option”. 

The Mills Reef brand will 

continue to source its grapes from 

the Hawkes Bay region, with the 

winemaking from 2020 season 

onward being completed at the 

Katikati site. 

“We have a lot of loyal followers 

here in Tauranga, so it’s great 

to be able to stay in the Bay Of 

Plenty. The move will also give us 

access to some new vineyards 

and we look forward to exploring 

those options”, says Tim. 

The current Mills Reef winery 

restaurant will remain open 

in Bethlehem until Saturday 

December 14th and the tasting 

room until Sunday December 

22nd. Thereafter the tasting room 

will be moved to the new Katikati 

site where wine lovers will be 

able to continue discovering and 

enjoying the Mills Reef wines on 

offer. 

The present Bethlehem site is 

already in the initial stages of 

redevelopment into a lifestyle 

retirement village. The landmark 

art-deco winery building will 

be retained and extended to 

eventually become a communal 

centre for the village. Says Tim 

“it’s great that the winery’s history 

on this site is being preserved 

through retention of the building, 

whilst naming of the village and its 

streets also pays homage to that 

history”. 

Tim further acknowledges 

that over the 25 years Mills Reef 

has been on its Bethlehem site, 

there have been many special 

occasions including weddings 

and celebrations. He says “it’s 

great that the main building will 

remain to retain those memories.” 

As for the winery’s new Katikati 

location, Tim says “we look 

forward to partnering with Leveret 

Estate to offer wine lovers a new 

and exciting wine destination 

experience for the Bay”. 

Likewise, Director of Leveret 

Estate Wines, Fiona MacDiarmid, 

says “we’ve had a long 

association with Mills Reef, and 

this move to begin sharing our 

winemaking facilities and cellar 

door is an exciting development.” 


Wine & Time 

THE LATEST BUZZ 

Now you can enjoy lower 

alcohol wine. 

A first year Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine 

Science student at EIT will be the lucky 

recipient of the new scholarship. 

Substantial scholarship up 

for grabs for viticulture & 

wine student 

The EIT Viticulture and Wine Science team 

are excited to announce a new scholarship. 

The scholarship will be awarded to one 2020 

first year student enrolled in the Bachelor of 

Viticulture and Wine Science* and is offered 

by organic winegrowing company Urlar from 

Gladstone, Wairarapa. 

The scholarship has been established by 

Kohei Koyama, Winegrower and Director 

for Urlar. Kohei completed a law degree at 

the University of Tokyo and worked in the 

financial sector for over a decade. He then 

came to New Zealand to pursue his dream 

of winemaking. Kohei gained a degree 

in Viticulture and Oenology and is now 

dedicated to support people to thrive in the 

wine industry. 

“We are looking for applicants who are 

highly motivated and passionate about 

organic viticulture and winemaking,” 

says Kohei. “The ideal candidate is highly 

committed to the wine industry and of 

course a wine lover.” 

Any first year Bachelor of Viticulture and 

Wine Science student will be able to apply 

for the scholarship with a preference for 

applicants from the Wairarapa district. 

The grant will be awarded at the end of 

semester one of the first year of the degree 

and will be paid across the whole degree. 

The successful recipient will also have 

practical work opportunities working for the 

organic fine wine producer. 

“The generous $10,000 scholarship will 

make a huge difference to a student,” 

says Sue Blackmore, Head of School of 

Viticulture and Wine Science. “It’s a fantastic 

opportunity to cover costs and study in the 

most diverse wine area in New Zealand.” 

*Subject to approval and accreditation. 

Lighter wines are bold , full of flavour and 

naturally lower in alcohol. When it comes 

to world of wine sipping, there’s usually an 

all-or-nothing mentality: You can still enjoy a 

glass without giving up what New Zealand 

wine is famous for - premium quality, varietally 

expressive and delicious wines. You can even 

say that lighter wines from New Zealand 

are perfectly matched with those aiming 

for balance when it comes to incorporating 

wellness in their life. 

Low alcohol wine sales have dramatically 

increased in the last five years. New Zealand 

has set out to be a pioneer in the low alcohol 

wine category, with consumers showing 

a growing appetite for such products. The 

challenge has been to create wines that 

maintain the same quality as their traditional 

counterparts, but Stoneleigh believe its new 

launches have succeeded: Quite often, 

experienced wine tasters don’t know it’s a 

lighter wine until we tell them. 

2019 Wine Challenge 

CONGRATULATIONS: Congratulations to the 

teams at Forrest Wines and Spy Valley for 

collecting awards at the 2019 International 

Wine Challenge. Forrest Wines, The Doctors’ 

Sauvignon Blanc 2018 picked up a Bronze and 

Spy Valley Easy Tiger Sauvignon Blanc 2018 a 

Highly Commended. Beth Forrest comes from a 

family legacy wine business and is one of the 

women making inroads in the industry. 

Barossa wine sector gets 

financial boost to promote 

wines in China and USA 

Barossa wine industry has been given a 

financial shot in the arm thanks to a $470,000 

government grant to promote Barossa wine 

in China and the USA, and attract more 

international tourists in to the region. 

 

Source: Vinex 


25

Wine & Time 

Sonoma's Kincade Fire Claims 

75,000 Acres 

What does Wine 

research and 

development 

achieve in 

New Zealand? 

The largest research and development 

effort ever undertaken by the New Zealand 

wine industry designed to position New 

Zealand as number 1 in the world for high 

quality, lower alcohol and lower calorie 

wines is underway. 

“The lifestyle Wines Programme will raise 

New Zealand already strong reputation for 

producing some of the world’s finest wines,” 

says Justine Gilliland, MPI’s director PGP. “This 

is the first wine industry programme under 

the PGP, marking not only an exciting time 

for the PGP but for our wine industry. 

Phillip Gregan, New Zealand’s Wine 

Growers CEO, says the programme aims 

to capitalise on market-led opportunities 

domestically and internationally. “Research 

indicates that an increasing proportion 

of consumers are making purchasing 

decisions around their lifestyle, such as 

choosing healthier foods and lower alcohol 

wines” he says. 

“Our challenge now is not just producing 

high quality lower alcohol and lower calorie 

wines but producing them naturally-this will 

give New Zealand a point of difference and 

make New Zealand the “go to” country for 

high quality, lower alcohol and lower calorie 

wines. 

The programme will develop a number of 

viticulture and winery tools that will enable 

the industry to service the rapidly growing 

market for lower calorie and lower alcohol 

wines with high quality, naturally-produced 

options. 

MPI will invest up to NZ$8.13 million in 

this PGP programme over seven years, 

with $8.84 million coming from industry 

partners as a mixture of cash and in-kind 

contributions. 

With evacuation orders in effect, some vintners know 

their properties survived, while other are in the dark. 

According to California state agency Cal fire, the 

Kincade fire has burned 75,415 acres and is 15 

percent contained as of Tuesday morning. At least 

123 structures, including Soda Rock Winery and 

the home of Jackson Valley Wines’ Julia Jackson, 

have been destroyed. The National Weather service 

has issued a wind advisory for the region which will 

go into effect at noon today; with gusts forecast to 

reach 45 to 65 mph, concerns are high that the fire 

will continue to spread. 

Viva Vino Italiano 

Italian wine imports to 

New Zealand have 

more than doubled 

in the past five years 

with almost million litres 

coming into the country 

last 

year. Italy is the third 

largest exporter of wine 

to New Zealand behind 

Australia and France. 

Vino Italiano 

showcased 150 Italian 

wines for tasting at 

the August 31 event 

in Auckland. It was 

attended by 16 

representatives from 

Italian wineries. 

Organiser Marco 

Nordio, the director of 

leading Italian wine 

importer Sapori d’ Italia, 

says New Zealand is 

a nation of discerning 

wine drinkers and the 

growth and popularity 

of Italian wines provides 

Kiwi wine lovers with 

greater choice. 

Italian winemakers 

attending Vino Italiano 

include Antonio Benanti 

of Benanti Winery, 

located on the slopes 

of Mt Etna in Sicily; 

Pio Boffa, owner of 

renowned 138-yearold 

winery Pio Cesare 

in Piedmont, Northern 

Italy; and Tuscan 

winery Ricasoli which 

documents the history 

of Chianti Classico. 

Sommelier Andrea 

Martinisi from The Grove, 

who represented New 

Zealand for the first time 

at an ASI World Best 

Sommelier Contest in 

Belgium in March, ran 

a master class at the 

event. 

Other master 

classes 

conducted by: 

∞ New Zealand wine 

writer, Yvonne Lorkin, 

on Kiwi versions of 

Italian classics 

∞ Angelo Minelli of Wine 

Searcher on Metodo 

Classico: Franciacorta, 

Trento and other 

DOCs 

The majority of the 

wines available at Vino 

Italiano are usually 

only available in select 

restaurants, making it a 

rare opportunity to do 

tastings. The food was 

provided by importer 

Mediterranean Foods 

and the ticket price 

includes tastings of all 

wine and food. 


New Product Releases 

Lindauer Goes Free* 

For Summer 

November 2019 

New Zealand's number one sparkling 

wine brand has launched the first New 

Zealand alcohol-removed sparkling 

wine, Lindauer Free*, just in time for 

summer festivities! 

Fresh and vibrant with a lingering 

finish, Lindauer Free* is a great choice 

for those that are looking to moderate 

their alcohol content this festive season, 

but don’t want to sacrifice on flavour or 

fun. 

Available in Sparkling Brut and 

Rosé , this very special Limited Edition 

release is made by award-winning 

head winemaker Jane De Witt, in the 

same way as Lindauer’s traditional 

sparkling wine, but with the alcohol 

gently removed at the end, leaving only 

a trace. 

Jane De Witt says, “Lindauer is a party 

favourite over summer and there was a 

real gap in the market for us to offer our 

signature taste and quality, without the 

usual alcohol content. 

“As a classified sparkling wine, the 

grapes are picked, de-juiced, fined, 

fermented, stabilised and filtered in the 

same way as our other wines. The only 

difference is that the product goes 

through a gentle and sophisticated 

‘Spinning Cone’ process at the end to 

remove most of the alcohol,” says Jane. 

At no more than 0.5% ABV, Lindauer 

Free* has roughly the same amount 

of alcohol as you could expect to find 

in a ripe banana and some brands of 

kombucha. 

Lindauer Free* Sparkling Brut and 

Rosé are widely available now in 

supermarkets and select liquor stores. 

Product 

information: 

Flavour notes: 

Brut Lindauer Free* Brut 

is fresh, vibrant and 

well balanced, with a 

lingering finish. 

Rosé Lindauer Free* 

Rosé has hints of 

strawberry and 

delightful freshness, a 

great structure with a 

lingering finish. 

Sold in 750ml bottles 

with an RRP price of 

$13.99 


27

New Product releases 

SARAH JESSICA PARKER’S 

NEW WINE “INVIVO X, SJP” 

Recently launched 

“ I 

nvivo X, Sarah Jessica 

Parker Sauvignon 

Blanc ”, made from 

Marlborough grapes, will be 

available nationwide in New 

Zealand from early September. 

SJP’s New Zealand wine will be 

instrumental in raising the profile 

of Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc around 

the world as it’s also set to launch 

in US, Australia, Japan, UK, Ireland, 

Hong Kong and Canada . 

Sarah Jessica Parker 

comments: “I have thoroughly 

enjoyed the collaboration with 

Rob and Tim, from our initial 

conversations discussing wine 

styles, to the creative process on 

the brand and label design and 

of course the Sauvignon Blanc 


New Product Releases 

blending session, it’s been one 

exciting step after another.” 

Loved worldwide for her 

acting, perfumes and her 

wildly successful shoes, Sarah 

Jessica Parker announced her 

partnership with New Zealand’s 

most innovative wine company 

to the world in February this year. 

Over a three-hour session, SJP 

and the Invivo team finalized the 

proportions from each vineyard 

to create the exact wine blend. 

Sarah Jessica Parker was 

hands-on throughout the whole 

process: “While I’m new to 

winemaking, the Invivo fellows 

generously taught, showed and 

shared as much of the art and 

science of their business and 

hopefully I have absorbed some 

of their Kiwi confidence.” 

This celebrity partnership is 

not uncharted territory for the 

growing New Zealand wine 

brand as Invivo & Co also 

produces a successful wine 

brand with UK talk show host 

Graham Norton . His brand 

debuted in 2014 selling 

12,000 bottles in the first year 

and now today sells 3.5 million 

bottles globally . Invivo & Co 

looks forward to growing 

Sarah Jessica Parker’s 

collection of wines to reflect 

her personal preferences 

and love for wine in the 

same way. 


29

Feature | NZIT Student Wine 

Student wineS 

pleaSe the palate 

Student winemakers 

from NMIT tested 

their skills against 

the refined palate of 

an internationallyrenowned 

judge at the 

2019 Marlborough Wine Show. 

It was the first time student 

winemakers were included in 

the highly-regarded wine show, 

an annual event dedicated to 

showcasing Marlborough as a 

leading wine region. 

The opportunity came about 

thanks to NMIT Viticulture and 

Winemaking lead tutor, Nadine 

Worley, who approached Harriet 

Wadworth, marketing and 

communications manager 

at Wine Marlborough, about 

including students in the show. 

Harriet agreed and the Ginkgo 

Trophy was created especially for 

the student category of the show, 

named for the Ginkgo tree in the 

Marlborough NMIT campus. 

As part of the Wine Production 

(Level 5) course, first-year 

students get the opportunity 

to produce their own wine, 

making full decisions about 

the ingredients, pressing of the 

grapes, variety, skin contact, 

and more with an allocated 50 

kilograms of grapes. 

The Wine Production course is 

part of the three-year Bachelor 

of Viticulture and Winemaking 

(Level 7). 

Students were then able 

to enter their wines into the 

Marlborough Wine Show, to be 

judged by international wine 

judge and Master of Wine 

student, Jack Glover. Student 

Discover Kinross, a stunning boutique 

vineyard hotel, bistro and wine cellar 

set deep in the heart of Gibbston, 

New Zealand’s spectacular 

‘Valley of the Vines. 

Only 10 minutes from Arrowtown, 

Kinross is the ideal base for wine 

lovers to explore Central Otago, ski, or 

simply relax in our guest hot tub, 

drinking in the view of the stunning 

Pisa range. With 14 delightful 

cottages, cellar door, wine garden, 

bistro and cycle hire on site, we offer 

couples, families and good friends a 

truly idyllic summer holiday. 

Kinross have launched an impressive 

wine club offering wine collections 

and special vintages from the area’s 

leading wine makers including Coal 

Pit, Domaine Thomson, Hawkshead, 

Valli and Wild Irishman along with our 

new wine label, Kinross. 

Visit kinross.nz to explore 

our world of wine. 

30 WineNZ Magazine | Summer 2019 

FINALIST, NZ CELLAR DOOR OF THE YEAR 2019

NZIT Student Wine | Feature 

wines made for the competition included 

Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and 

Pinot Noir. 

Henri Steele was the winner of the student 

competition and awarded the Gingko 

Trophy for her “Steele Pinot Gris 2019”. Jack’s 

judging notes said that Henri’s wine had a 

“layered palate with cleansing juicy acidity” 

and the pear and red apple skin gave it 

“varietal intensity”. 

Henri says it was exciting to make a wine 

from start to finish and to have it entered in 

such a prestigious wine show. “It was cool 

to be able to make my own wine. At a lot 

of other institutes you don’t get to do that 

until your second or third year,” she says. “It 

was really good to see how I could put two 

and two together and put the management 

practices into play.” 

She says she chose to study winemaking 

at NMIT because of the hands-on practical 

nature of the course, and the location was 

close to home. Henri was also encouraged 

by her employers, Berakah Vineyard 

Management “I really want to thank them 

for their support and how they have allowed 

me to gain experience and to continue 

working in the industry while I am studying.” 

“I’m dyslexic and learn better by example,” 

she says. “It also looked like the class would 

be one-to-one with the tutors and there 

would be lots of hands-on learning. I felt 

like I got so much great support from the 

tutors and really recommend the course to 

practical learners.” 

Henri says she hopes to take what she 

learns at NMIT and apply it to improving 

her parents’ vineyard and wine business in 

Marlborough. 

BRINGING WORLD CLASS 

WINES TO THE WORLD 

SINCE 1982 

603 Rapaura Road, 

Blenheim, Marlborough 

Open 7 days 

9:30am - 5:30pm 

Distributed Nation 

Wide by EuroVintage 

eurovintage.co.nz 

NMIT Viticulture and Winemaking lead tutor 

Nadine Worley, Best Student Wine award-winner 

Henri Steele, and Wine Marlborough marketing 

and communications manager, Harriet 

Wadworth. 

0800 HUNTERS | www.hunters.co.nz www.winenzmagazine.co.nz | @HuntersWinesNZ 31

Feature | First Lady of Wine 

At home 

with NZ's 

first lAdy 

of wiNe 

Despite her high public profile as one of the 

most awarded and recognised women in 

New Zealand wine, Jane Hunter is a reserved, 

private person. Charmian Smith visits the 

“First lady of New Zeland wine”. 


First Lady of Wine | Feature 


33


Hunter’s walkway 2016 

After more 

than 30 years 

leading Hunter’s 

Wines, Jane 

Hunter is slowly 

stepping back 

from the family business, the 

only one of the four earliest 

Marlborough wineries still in the 

same ownership. The younger 

generation, nephews, James 

and Edward Macdonald, are 

taking more responsibility from 

Jane and her brother, general 

manager Peter Macdonald.l. 

Although she’s at Hunter’s 

most days and still does some 

travelling to promote the wine, 

she can now pick and choose 

where she wants to go, she says. 

It also means that when she 

feels like it she can pop away to 

Adelaide where she has a house. 

She grew up in South Australia 

where her parents were in the 

wine industry and still has family 

there. 

An urn among the plantings - one of the delightful little surprises one does 

across when walking round the garden. 

The Hunter’s story has become 

part of the New Zealand wine 

legend - the ebullient Irishman 

Ernie Hunter founding the winery 

in 1979 and going on to win the 

top award at the Sunday Times 

Vintage Wine Show in the UK in 

1986, then again in 1987, 1988, 

1992 and 2001. It brought New 

Zealand wine and sauvignon 



A heron sculpture lurks in one corner of a neatly clipped hedge. 

If you stick around long 

enough, awards and 

recognition comes. 

blanc in particular to the world’s 

notice. However, in 1987 Ernie 

was tragically killed in a motor 

accident. 

Jane Hunter, a viticulturist 

working for Montana at the 

time, took over the reins and her 

determination and expertise 

built the company her late 

husband had founded into one 

of New Zealand’s leading wine 

producers. 

Jane has been described by 

the London Sunday Times as the 

“First Lady of New Zealand Wine” 

and was awarded an OBE for 

service to the wine industry in 

1993. Among other awards and 

recognitions, she also has an 

Honorary Doctorate of Science 

from Massey University, received 

the inaugural Wine & Spirit 

Competition Women in Wine 

Award and was awarded the 

Companion to the New Zealand 

Order of Merit (CNZM) in 2009. 

Most recently she was inducted 

into the New Zealand Business 

Hall of Fame. 

But despite all her awards and 

achievements she remains low 

key, gracious, and even slightly 

self-effacing, 

“If you stick around long 

enough awards and recognition 

comes,” she says modestly. 

Her reserve is reflected in her 

house and garden tucked away 

down a private lane in Renwick. 

Jane and her husband Graeme 

Coates both love gardening 

and about three years ago they 

moved into a spacious house 

A deer made of 

vine cuttings lurks 

in the bushes. 


35


“What we are finding 

now in Marlborough 

is a lot of people 

want to sell their 

vineyards but they’ve 

got these whopping 

great big houses on 

and no one wants 

the houses. We all 

want vineyards but 

we don’t want these 

great big houses 

that are on them. 

I remember dad 

saying do not do it.” 

The upstairs sitting room with views of the Richmond Ranges is a lovely 

place to sit and read or for an intimate chat. 

on a secluded, almost half-acre 

corner section. 

The garden faces north and 

west so the sun sweeps right 

around. On one side it backs 

on to Te Whare Ra’s organic 

vineyards and behind the 

northern fence is a big ravine 

making it difficult to be built out 

on that side, she says. 

They’ve made some alterations 

to the garden, including taking 

out several trees and building a 

swimming pool on the sheltered 

western side of the house. 

Tucked away on one side of 

the pool is a small vegetable 

plot, still to be camouflaged by a 

screen. 

Irrigation is a limited resource 

especially in Renwick, so they 

redesigned the automatic 

irrigation scheme and installed 

a reservoir tank. It runs at night, 

and they don’t even try to keep 

the lawn green at the height of 

summer. But it does mean the 

garden looks after itself when 

they are away, she says. 

In the back corner beyond the 

pool a screen hides the working 

area, the water tank, compost 

bins and garden shed. 

The main part of the garden 

on the northern side of the 

house is in an English style. They 

combined two smaller gardens 

into a large lawn surrounded by 

FROM TOP: 

A striking 

Australian 

Aboriginal work 

hangs over the 

mantelpiece in 

the lounge. 

Jane relaxes 

on the patio 

outside the 

kitchen. 

Objets d’art, 

paintings - all 

arranged with 

Jane’s natural 

flair. 



Family garden 2018 - from left Peter Macdonald (general manager), Jane Hunter, Edward Macdonald (assistant 

general manager) and James Macdonald (senior winemaker). 

Jane with Tabitha Jane Hunter & Winery Cat 2016 

bedding with taller plants behind 

to help shelter it from the wind. 

Graeme, who lived in Scotland 

for several years, compared the 

view of the Richmond Hills from 

upstairs to what he had been 

used to there - except for a few 

deer wandering about, Jane 

said. So she gave him some deer 

made out of vine cuttings one 

Christmas. They now lurk in the 

undergrowth. 

Jane loves colour in the garden 

and having flowers inside. She 

mixes hebes with roses, and has 

planted lots of lilies, dahlias and 

hydrangeas. A pergola, once 

a laburnum arch, has been 

taken over by roses, wisteria and 

clematis. Big colourful geraniums 

fill some of the large pots and 

sculptures are dotted around, 

accenting corners or tucked 

away to surprise a visitor strolling 

round. 

Similar accents of colour and 

intrigue, inviting corners and 

attractive nooks with interesting 

arrangements of objects d’art 

feature in the house. Here they 

prefer smaller, more intimate 

spaces rather than open plan 

living, she says. 

When there are no guests 

staying upstairs, the large 

landing with the sun streaming 

in and views of the Richmond 

Hills is a lovely place to sit and 

read or for an intimate chat. 

Characteristically it features 

several of Jane’s attractive nooks 

and interesting arrangements. 

A striking South Australian 

Aboriginal work hangs over 

the fireplace in the downstairs 


37


Cellar Door 2018 

“When I was 

growing up in 

South Australia, 

my father always 

said ‘never put 

your house on a 

vineyard,” she said. 

lounge, with new cabinetry either 

side. On the opposite wall is a 

large drawing of dogs that used 

to decorate Hunter’s restaurant. 

When it closed to make way for 

the renovated cellar door, she 

brought it home. 

Over the years Jane has 

had numerous canine friends 

who featured in the Hunter’s 

newsletter, but now she only has 

Bella, a large, elderly ginger cat. 

She is set in her ways and always 

chooses the best places to sleep, 

Jane says with a laugh. 

Perhaps surprisingly, she chose 

not to live in a vineyard. 

“When I was growing up in 

South Australia, my father always 

said ‘never put your house on a 

vineyard,” she said. 

“What we are finding now in 

Marlborough is a lot of people 

want to sell their vineyards but 

they’ve got these whopping 

great big houses on and no one 

wants the houses. We all want 

vineyards but we don’t want 

these great big houses that are 

on them. I remember dad saying 

do not do it.” 

The village of Renwick has been 

Jane’s home for many years. She 

used to live a couple of streets 

away from her present house in a 

beautiful old cob cottage she’d 

renovated. Then she and Graeme 

lived in Blenheim near the Wither 

Hills for a few years before looking 

for a place with a larger garden. 

Jane’s flair for gardening 

extends to the gracious 

surroundings of the Hunter’s cellar 

door in Rapaura Rd which is in 

the original farmhouse on the 

site. It has been through several 

incarnations as a restaurant but 

was renovated a couple of years 

ago, and now also boasts a 

resident artist’s studio. 

The award-winning, two-hectare 

garden includes a native area 

featuring local indigenous 

vegetation incorporating some 

rare and threatened species. 

Surrounding the tasting room are 

secluded lawns and pergolas 

for relaxing with a glass or two of 

wine and a platter of food. 

HunTER’S WinES 

603 Rapaura Rd, 

Blenheim. 

+64 3 572 8489 

www.hunters.co.nz 



JAnE HunTER’S 

FAvOuRiTE WinES 

Gewürztraminer - a lush wine 

with a surprising dry finish - 

great with Asian food. 

MiruMiru Rose - love the 

colour, love the taste and it's 

so summery. 

Offshoot Chardonnay - great 

texture and complexity - a real 

food wine. 


39

Tastings | Tasting Intro 

Our hosts 

EIT Our hosts for all wine tastings 

Tim Creagh, supervises the blind tastings, in order for Simon Nash 

(Master of Wine) and his team to select a range of Summer Wines 

to recommend. 

EIT students attend and gain practical hands-on experience in 

the tastings. 

EIT - A leading wine educator 

Located in sunny Hawkes Bay, a region celebrated 

for the diversity and quality of its wine styles, EIT’s 

School of Viticulture and Wine Science, offers New 

Zealand’s widest range of viticulture and wine 

science programmes. 

Taught by world-class lecturers with industry 

experience, EIT’s programmes range from 

certificates and degrees to postgraduate 

qualifications. These qualifications encompass 

viticulture, winemaking, wine business and wine 

marketing. 

The modern learning environment includes the 

institute’s purpose-built winery and organic vineyard 

with 20 varieties of grapes growing there. EIT’s strong 

connections with the local wine industry open 

up opportunities for students to gain hands-on 

experience working in wineries and vineyards in the 

area. 

Aligned with industry partners, EIT continues to 

develop innovative programmes. From 2020 the EIT 

Viticulture and Wine School will offer a new threeyear 

degree providing comprehensive skills and 

knowledge in both Viticulture and Wine Science. 

The degree provides a strong science foundation 

with practical application and industry interaction 

in all three years. The degree has in-depth focus 

on growing grapes and making wine, as well 

as the essential skills required once working in 

industry related to wine and business i.e. people 

management and wine marketing. The latest 

research findings, industry technology and 

important issues related to sustainability are key 

topics. 

Students will get an opportunity to make their 

own wine, work in vineyards, complete a harvest 

internship, develop a wine palate and gain 

practical skills like tractor driving, first aid and forklift 

licence within the degree structure. Students will be 

able to study courses full- or part-time as well as by 

up-to date distance online learning. 

Master of Wines, Simon Nash. WineNZ Taster Profile & Team Leader. 

Simon Nash M.A., Master of Wine (1994), Wine agent and consultant. With over 

30 years’ experience internationally, Simon is based in Hawkes’ Bay, NZ and 

works in a wide variety of roles. 

Simon also judges wine and leads the programme for WineNZ magazine. 

Additionally, he is a judge and consultant to the Fine Wines of New Zealand 

programme, supported by Air New Zealand. 


Tasting Intro | Tastings 

Chris Scott | Graduate 

Chief Winemaker at 

Church Road Winery 

NEW 

UPDATED 

DEGREE 

FOR 2020 

Make your passion 

your profession 

Bachelor of Viticulture & Wine Science 

New to EIT in Hawke’s Bay in 2020 – an 

updated three year degree which will give 

you comprehensive skills and knowledge in 

both Viticulture & Wine Science. 

The degree provides a strong science 

foundation with practical application and 

industry interaction in all three years. There 

is an in-depth focus on growing grapes 

and making wine, as well as the essential 

skills required once working in industry 

related to people management and 

wine marketing. 

The latest research, industry technology 

and important issues related to 

sustainability are key topics. You will get an 

opportunity to make your own wine, work 

in a vineyard, complete a harvest internship, 

develop a wine palate and gain practical 

skills like tractor driving, first aid and forklift 

license within the degree structure. 

With EIT’s flexible study approach you 

can study the BVWSc degree either fulltime 

on-campus or part-time via distance 

learning. You are welcome to make an 

appointment to discuss your study options 

with our staff either in person or by phone 

and to view our facilities. 

There’s never been a better time or place 

to discover the intriguing world of wine. 

eit.ac.nz | 0800 22 55 348 | 


41

Tastings | Summer Wine Suggestions 

Summer win 

Our Wine Tasting Team, headed by Master of Wine, 

Simon Nash, is looking to change the way our 

tastings are conducted in order to better provide 

readers with responsible guides to wines available in 

New Zealand. 

While this is under way, in lieu of our regular summer 

tasting, we have asked our judging team to each 

recommend 3 choices; Sparkling, Rose, Sauvignon 

Blanc. Please do enjoy these options for summer 

sipping along with your usual favourites. 

Sauvignon Blanc 

Seifried Family Winemakers 

Sauvignon Blanc Nelson 2019 

Simon Nash: Very pale, bright, light aromatics, 

almost sherbet, quite delicate, youthful, possibly 

a bit dilute? Good lemon/lime flowers. 

Matt Kirby: Very focused, lime blossom 

with orange and mandarin. Palate is long and 

enduring, very good. 

Barry Riwai: Classical, currant bud, nettles, 

passion lime. Great array of aromas carries 

through to the palate. Good length with a ripe 

full-flavoured finish. 

Hamden Estate 

Dry River Terraces 2019 Martinborough 

Simon Nash: Light pale, fresh looking. Shy 

nose, quite reserved, more weighty. Good 

weight. Sweaty, quite complex, serious, will 

develop. 

Matt Kirby: Dusky and restrained aromas, 

Palate has moderate intensity, with orange and 

nettle. 

Barry Riwai: Nettles, hint of thyme and lime, 

may be peppery, spice. Palate is still a little 

disjointed but plenty of potential. 


Summer Wine Suggestions | Tastings 

e suggestions 

Auntsfield 

Single Vineyard 

Marlborough 2019 

Simon Nash: Pale bright, 

fresh juicy, mix lifted, 

pithy grapefruit, clean 

very youthful, crisp, 

citrus, lime, very pure, 

enough complexity. 

Matt Kirby: Sea spray 

and ripe notes of fennel, 

guava and lychee. Palate 

long, a richness and 

sweetness but shows 

balance. 

Barry Riwai: Fennel, 

lime, some with a touch 

of tropical passionfruit. 

Mango, full weighty 

palate. Persistent back 

palate. Some thiol but 

gives length. 

Toitoi 


Marlborough 2019 

Simon Nash: Very pale, light 

bright. Light lemon also some 

chalky notes. Nicely balanced. Soft 

edge but good mid-palate, lime juice. 

Matt Kirby: Very aromatic of passionfruit and guava. 

Concentrated palate with powerful fruit and balance. 

Barry Riwai: Mango, pineapple, touch of navel orange. Fuller 

riper style. Good weight with a bit of warmth. Passionfruit 

flavours with acidity tighten the finish. 


43



Seifried Family Winemakers 

Old Coach Road Sauvignon Blanc Nelson 2019 

Simon Nash: Fuller lemon, some weight. Some sulphur reductive 

character, bitter lemon drops, nice fruit, possibly lacks intensity mid palate, 

sound expression, and good finish. 

Matt Kirby: Softer aromatics, Mandarin and lychee, the palate is textured 

and flows nicely with good balance. 

Barry Riwai: Fruit with natural expression, Lemon and passionfruit, 

understated palate, greywacke fruitiness carries through. 

Donaldson Family 

Main Divide Sauvignon Blanc 

Canterbury 2019 

Simon Nash: Mid lemon colour, sweaty 

with some matchstick characters, solid 

style, quite broad, some complexity with 

citrus and texture driven character. 

Barry Riwai: Fruit with mineral 

expression. Lemon and passionfruit, 

understated palate. 

Matt Kirby: Appealing strawberry leaf 

notes. Good tension to the palate with 

mineral or salt spray characters. 

Domain Road 

Sauvignon Blanc Central 

Otago 2017 

Simon Nash: Nice colour, bright with 

lime tints, quite peas, asparagus-like on 

the nose, quite developed, ditto palate, 

green edge fruit spectrum, olives etc. 

Matt Kirby: White floral, tropical 

melon and lychee, some development 

that is held well by good acidity. 

Barry Riwai: Red currant, berryish 

nose, backed by a leafy tomatillo/cape 

gooseberry aroma, very pretty perfume, 

medium length and line. 



Rosé 

Bladen 

Pinot Rose Marlborough 2019 

Simon Nash: Light pale pink bright 

almost watery, quite nice, delicate 

rouge/face powder, good on palate, 

juicy, zesty, good acidity off dry, 

quite crunchy. 

Matt Kirby: White floral, hair oil 

and strawberry. Good balance and 

some structure. Well made. 

Barry Riwai: Palest pink, array of 

berry fruits and candyfloss. Light 

but with good intensity of flavour, 

would be easy to drink, fine subtle 

finish with layers to explore and 

entertain. 

Hamden Estate 

Dry River Terraces Pinot Rose Martinborough 2019 

Simon Nash: Almost cherryade colour, light neon bright, raspberry, even 

cola/cherryade nose, dry entry but also quite chewy/tannic, solid finish. 

Matt Kirby: Super light hued, glossy, strawberry and cherry palate, is full 

and appealing with great balance. 

Barry Riwai: Vibrant red vermillion. Cherry aromas with dried strawberry. 

Good phenolic texture but with some alcohol heat, medium carry. 


45


Rosé 

Domain Road 

Pinot Noir Rose Central Otago 2019 

Simon Nash: Pink bright some body, strawberry shortcake, 

quite nice, off dry, good acidity, fresh, quite lively, Grippy, 

good fruit. 

Matt Kirby: Attractive, light tuned fruit, melon and 

watermelon. Good drive focus. 

Barry Riwai: Smokers lollies, blood orange, some flinty 

reduction. Dry linear palate, finishes with minerality, 

would like more fruit generosity. 

Hunter’s 

Marlborough MiruMiru 

Rose NV 

Simon Nash: Nice pale, salmon pink 

colour, bright leafy strawberry nose, good 

fruit but quite simple, soft, but short. 

Matt Kirby: Complex biscuitty, rose, tea 

leaf, palate is textured and full. 

Barry Riwai: Pretty pink, creamy hint of 

berry, peach, creamy meal, tasty grains, 

medium length, attractive yeasty finish. 

Wild Earth Wines 

Pinot Noir Rose Central Otago 2019 

Simon Nash: Lively, pink, bright, quite light. Nice lifted strawberry leafy. 

Soft on entry, dry impact, not zesty, lively though. 

Matt Kirby: Strawberry, cream and cherry aromas with a weighty palate. 

With almond meal and good balance. 

Barry Riwai: Vibrant colour, rosehip and spice, raspberry, very complex, 

bone dry finish with oodles of berry and 

apple flavour, very good structure 

and soft acidity. 



Hunter’s 

Pinot Noir Rose Marlborough 2019 

Simon Nash: Nice lipstick pink, bright, nice nose, dry vinous and nice 

balance. Off dry with good juice grip. Long flavour. 

Matt Kirby: Some light tones quite lifted aromas, blood orange and 

good balance. 

Barry Riwai: Closed nose, some reduction. Purely textural palate dry 

and lean, but neutral. Reduction gives focus to the palate. Palest pink. 

Glover Family Vineyards 

Zephyr MKI 

Rose Marlborough 2019 

Simon Nash: Fresh looking, bright, 

light, leafy but quite shy character. Nose 

is dry but quite flat fruit. 

Matt Kirby: Eucalyptus and spearmint 

aromas. Good tension to the palate with 

great acidity and dry finish. 

Barry Riwai: Raspberry with a slight 

blackcurrant edge. Bright sherbet 

acidity. Medium concentration. Light 

and fresh. 

Pask Winery 

Instinct Berry Blush Hawkes’ 

Bay 2019 

Simon Nash: Quite full pink, blood 

orange colour, quite weighty, pink 

grapefruit blood orange nose, nice 

balanced palate, quite soft but with 

some juicy fruit. 

Matt Kirby: Super ripe tropical fruit 

characteristics, palate less moderate 

intensity with strawberry and fennel. 

Barry Riwai: Plum and royal gala 

toffee apple, dry full bodied, mid palate. 

Hints of blood orange. 


47


Sparkling 

Pernod Ricard Petit Cordon 

Brut Prestige NV Marlborough 

Simon Nash: Quite full colour, very nice 

crunchy, biscuitty, nice autolytic zest. 

Attractive, open, bready, elegant, classy 

acidity, long finish. 

Matt Kirby: Opulent, white floral, and 

stone fruit. Some yeasty notes well 

balanced, umami. 

Barry Riwai: Yeast autolytic, 

marmite, almond, hazelnut, very 

fine structure but with robust 

yeasty umami flavours, very 

long, perfect balance. 

Hunter’s 

MiruMiru 

Reserve 

Marlborough 

2015 

Simon Nash: Bright, 

light/gold, some 

brioche/baked pastry. 

Matt Kirby: Some 

great brioche lees. 

Characters good 

interesting and great 

balance, marmite. 

Barry Riwai: yeasty 

nose, meal lemon and 

crispy croissant. Firm 

structure, perhaps needing a touch 

more softness, would suit a fish dish with its 

lemony acidity. 



Hunter’s 

Marlborough MiruMiru Rose NV 

Simon Nash: Nice pale, salmon pink colour, bright leafy strawberry nose, 

good fruit but quite simple, soft, but short. 

Matt Kirby: Complex biscuitty, rose, tea leaf, palate is textured and full. 

Barry Riwai: Pretty pink, creamy hint of berry, peach, creamy meal, tasty 

grains, medium length, attractive yeasty finish. 

Hihi Wines 

Hihi Sparkling Albarino 

Gisborne 2019 

Hihi Wines 

Hihi Gizzy Fizzy 

Gisborne 2019 

Hihi Wines 

Hihi Bubbly As 

Gisborne NV 

Simon Nash: Mid, bright, lively, 

some lemon note, quite short, 

lemony up front, zest, but short 

simple finish. 

Matt Kirby: Clean crisp apricot. 

White flower, some sweetness but 

balance is achieved. 

Barry Riwai: Orange blossom and 

green melon, more frizzante style, 

fresh fruited but with an attractive 

dry finish. 

Simon Nash: Full lemon/gold, 

bright, though frothy on the rim, 

ripe lemony note, quite simple, 

lemony, light but juicy and 

clean. 

Matt Kirby: Bigger style, with 

apple skin and honey, broader 

palate. 

Barry Riwai: Nutty almond 

nose, strudel like apple spice a 

little hard on the finish. 

Simon Nash: Full colour, 

gold, bright. Lifted peaches 

and cream. Viognier style, ripe 

fleshy broad, quite sweet, plum, 

simple finish. 

Matt Kirby: Lychee, rose petal, 

Turkish delight, moderate dry, 

will have appeal. 

Barry Riwai: Candied lemon 

zest, and citrus blossom, dry 

finish, toffee and seared lemon. 


49

Advertorial 

Sauvignon 

Martinborough's 

way 

Hamden Estate is 

located on the Dry 

River terraces about 

six kilometres south 

of Martinborough. 

The area was 

originally part of Dry River 

Station, which was established in 

1877. Nearby vineyards include 

Luna Blue Rock, Coneys, Grava, 

Stonecrop, Cirrus and Arapai. 

The river terraces are about 

10 metres deep at Hamden 

Estate. The terroir typically 

comprises river stones and silt, 

with a high limestone content 

from the surrounding hills. The 

site is quite exposed, particularly 

to the prevailing north-west 

weather, and despite slightly 

cooler temperatures than 

Martinborough itself, is largely 

frost-free. The open aspect 

helps keep the canopy dry and 

mitigates disease pressure. 

David Iggulden is a retired 

lawyer, while Jo works in the gas 

industry in Wellington. Their lifelong 

love of wine and vineyards 

developed on the back of their 

travels in Europe and grew 

through friends and wine clubs. 

David completed studies in 

viticulture and winemaking at the 

Eastern Institute of Technology, 

ostensibly as an extension of his 

interest in wine and winemaking, 

rather than in preparation for 

entering the industry. 

The purchase of the vineyard 

site came about almost 

by chance. A weekend in 

Martinborough led to the 

discovery and purchase of 20 

acres of bare land from a local 

sheep farmer. This marked 

the start of a near continual 

commute between their home 

and work in Hawera and the 

vineyard in Martinborough. 

David and Jo were well 

supported by family and friends 

in these early years as they 

developed the vineyard. The 

occasional mismatch between 

the romantic notion of life on the 

vineyard and the hard reality of 

working in the heat and stony 

ground was cured with good 

humour, good music and good 

wine. 

Today, the vineyard canopy 

totals about three hectares. The 

initial vines were established in 

2001/2002, with the balance 

planted in 2009. There is a 

large section of pinot noir, with 

smaller plantings of chardonnay, 

sauvignon blanc and pinot gris. 

The vineyard also includes a tiny 

amount of Riesling, and although 

it tends to struggle on our site, it 

produces extremely good wine. 

Hamden Estate is an 

accredited sustainable vineyard. 


Advertorial 

Jo and David have applied 

sustainable practices from 

day one – from a light-touch 

approach to spraying through to 

using sheep to control undervine 

weeds and leaf plucking. They 

also use seaweed teas as foliar 

fertiliser and conduct regular 

soil testing to confirm that they 

are having a positive effect on 

the vineyard. The outcome is a 

minimal intervention approach 

that produces very clean fruit. 

The wines have been made 

at Margrain Vineyard by Strat 

Canning for the past twelve 

years. David and Strat have 

a great working relationship, 

discussing styles prior to 

each vintage and making 

subtle tweaks to suit fruit and 

production. Strat is an innovative 

winemaker and has been happy 

to work with David’s penchant 

for experimentation. Strat also 

tolerates David operating as 

Chief Apprentice during vintage. 

This year’s sauvignon blanc 

is a great example of the 

complimentary approach 

enjoyed by Strat and David. Jo 

and David had made a trip to 

the Peljesac Peninsula in Croatia 

earlier in the year. They came 

across a tiny winery feeding 

grapes through a crusher on 

the side of the road, with the 

must chilled with a couple of 

bags of ice. Using a mix of sign 

language and broken English, 

David was able to establish that 

the aromatic grapes received 

up to seven days skin contact. 

Several tastings confirmed that 

the wine did not lack for finesse 

or character. On his return to 

Martinborough, David discussed 

the idea with Strat. Not wishing to 

go down the orange wine road, 

they agreed that an overnight 

soak on the skins would be a 

good start. The result is, of course, 

the wine that features this month. 

This wine might be recognised 

as a little closer to the traditional 

New Zealand Sauvignon 

overlaid with Martinborough 

characteristics. It shows 

passionfruit and pineapple on 

the nose continuing through to 

the palate without any harsh 

acidity. To have our wine stand 

alongside the multi-trophy 

winning Seifried Sauvignon Blanc 

is somewhat humbling. 

Jo and David have been 

resident on the Vineyard since 

2009. They are in the process of 

establishing accommodation 

on site so that they can host 

visitors amongst the vines. There 

is a cellar door with tastings 

available most weekends and 

every day during the Christmas 

period. David likes nothing better 

than a conversation about wine, 

preferably with a glass in hand. 

He can also tell you the story 

behind the distinctive paper doll 

label and elucidate on the merits 

of living in a house with three 

daughters. 

Address: 214 Dry River Road 

Martinborough 

Available on line: 

www.hamdendenestate.co.nz 

e-mail:info@hamdenestate.co.nz 

Wines available online,at the 

cellar door (open weekends 

and by appointment) and 

Martinborough Wine Merchants. 


51

Food | Vic's Food N Wine... 

Vic Williams 

Vic Williams is a seasoned wine and food writer who 

has spent the last 25 years communicating about 

their combinations in print and on radio. 

Time to relax 

The sun is shining, 

the working year is 

behind us and the 

lengthening days 

suggest a twilight walk 

followed by a relaxing 

glass of something cool and 

undemanding before dinner. 

That is the promise of summer, 

and after a spring induced by 

climate change to deliver even 

more unpredictability than usual, 

it’s quite a relief. 

Now is the time to get creative 

about our evening meals, 

trying new recipes that may 

well become staples in the 

year ahead accompanied 

by wines that are new to our 

repertoire. Statistics tells us that 

most shoppers, confronted 

by the bewildering number of 

labels on the shelves, stick with 

those they know. That’s a shame. 

Winemakers are an adventurous 

lot, and because our industry 

is relatively young they are 

constantly experimenting, with 

often-exciting results. 

As consumers, we can support 

this initiative, but venturing 

further afield we can also add 

imported styles that have a long 

history in their countries of origin 

but are not commonly seen on 

our own tables. 

The fact that you are reading 

this magazine shows that you 

have a keen interest in the 

product of the grape, and are 

well aware that it is the only 

beverage specifically designed 

to accompany good, honest 

food. That is the premise of 

this column, but as always, the 

matches outlined on these 

pages are only suggestions. Real 

joy is to be found in discovering 

your own ‘perfect combo’. 

Have fun! 

Mirin-grilled carrot sticks 

in nasturtiuM leaVes 

Wine match: Méthode Traditionnelle sparkling wine 

This idea for a pre-lunch or 

dinner nibble was born from a 

desire to find a new use for the 

prolific nasturtium plants that 

occupy a corner of the garden. 

Trim carrots to form straightsided 

batons and place in 

boiling water for three or four 

minutes, until slightly softened. 

Cut each baton lengthwise 

into four sticks, toss in olive oil 

and mirin (sweet Japanese rice 

wine) and grill briefly to lightly 

caramelise. Smear a 

thin layer of miso paste 

onto the underside of 

nasturtium leaves and 

roll each one around 

a carrot stick. It is the 

miso that makes the 

dish work so well with 

a yeasty Méthode. 

Made from fermented 

soy beans, it has an 

earthiness that sits 

perfectly with the wine. 


Vic's Food N Wine... | Food 

tea-sMoked salMon With hoMe-Made 

pita toasts 

Wine match: Pinot Gris 

To hot-smoke skin-on salmon, 

clear it carefully of its pin bones 

using tweezers or needle-nosed 

pliers, then marinate it flesh side 

down for a couple of hours in a 

splash each of soy sauce, mirin 

and Shao Xing (Chinese rice 

wine). Line a wok with a double 

layer of foil and add a couple 

of tablespoons each of white 

rice (uncooked) and tea leaves 

(we used Lapsang Souchong), 

plus a teaspoon of raw sugar 

and about half the marinade 

liquid. Heat on high until smoke 

begins to appear, then place the 

salmon, skin side down, on a rack 

over the top. Cover and seal the 

gap between wok and lid with 

rolled tea-towels (use old ones – 

they’ll go brown). Smoke for three 

minutes, turn the 

heat off and leave 

the lid on for a 

further four or five 

minutes. Serve 

warm or at room 

temperature with 

grilled triangles 

of split pita 

bread. This dish 

works well with a 

smoky, oak-aged 

Chardonnay, but 

it is a standout with 

a dryish Pinot Gris. If 

the back label doesn’t 

divulge the sweetness level, 

buy from a good wine shop 

and ask for one with a residual 

sugar level under 8gm/L. 

hoMe-Made 

pappardelle pasta 

With rocket and 

Walnut pesto 

Wine match: Chardonnay 

Making pasta at home using a 

hand-rolled machine or, if you are 

really keen, a rolling pin is simple 

and satisfying, but the dish will work 

just as well with a shop-bought 

dried style. It is the pesto, made by 

pulsing rocket leaves, garlic, walnuts, 

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and 

extra-virgin olive oil, that provides 

the wine link. Chardonnay that 

has been fermented and matured 

in French oak barriques (225-litre 

barrels) develops a nuttiness that 

is perfectly complemented by the 

walnuts, while the faintly hot rocket 

brings out the wine’s fruit acids. 

We poured a Villa Maria Reserve 

Gisborne Barrique 2015, but any 

good oak-aged example will do the 

business. 


53

Food | Vic's Food N Wine... 

Beef and laMB MeatBalls With Baked VegetaBles 

Wine match: Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend 

Adding about one-third lamb mince to 

the lean beef helped these meatballs hold 

together, although we still encouraged the 

process by stirring in a beaten egg and 

a judicious sprinkling of breadcrumbs. 

Spice was provided by ground cumin and 

cinnamon, chopped and pre-fried red onion 

and garlic plus a handful of finely chopped 

parsley and Vietnamese mint. Browned in 

oil, the meatballs were folded through a 

melange of capsicums, red onion wedges 

and thickly sliced parboiled potatoes before 

the whole combo was sprinkled with sweet 

paprika, seasoned and roasted. The dish 

works with almost any robust red, but it is 

particularly successful with the blackcurrant 

and sweet spice characters of a Cabernet 

Sauvignon/Merlot blend. Cabernet’s upfront 

fruit is accentuated by the capsicums, while 

the meatballs are cosseted by the savoury 

warmth of fully ripe Merlot. All boxes ticked! 

spicy eggplant 

Wine match: Primitivo 

Eggplant, cut into thick wedges 

and browned in oil, was tossed 

in a cautious amount of Harissa 

and brown rice malt syrup, plus 

seasoning. The result was flavourloaded, 

sticky unctuousness that 

we discovered was perfectly 

matched by the gutsy, sweetedged 

flavours of Primitivo – the 

Italian grape that, it has been 

proved, is named Zinfandel in the 

US. The eggplant is addictively 

delicious on its own, but offallovers 

could emphasise its 

rusticity by serving it alongside 

thick slices of pink-cooked lamb’s 

fry. The Primitivo we opened 

was from Domodo in the Italian 

province of Puglia, situated in 

the ‘heel’ of this boot-shaped 

country. 


OUR WATER

Guylian the world’s favourite Belgian chocolates. 

The perfect match for any occasion. 

The World’s Favourite Belgian Chocolates

Restaurant Reviews | Feature 

THE CLARENCE 

HOTEL AND BISTRO 

By Joan Gestro 

The new Clarence 

Hotel and Bistro is 

now situated where 

once was the historic 

Tauranga Post Office, a 

beautiful building with a 

gracious frontage, a rotunda on 

one side serving as a popular bar 

area in the summer. 

The Clarence Hotel and Bistro 

now boasts two chic and funky 

restaurants, fine accommodation 

upstairs with 10 individually 

designed suites. The symbolic 

representation of the Bee 

comes from the existing tiles 

on the roof, manufactured in 

Marseille, France. Government 

buildings the world over have 

commissioned tiles such as these 

and now their adventure has 

come a long way to rest above 

our heads. 

We dined in the Bistro, we 

found it interesting seeing chefs 

preparing fine cuisine. We 

were lucky to have David, our 

French waiter, with his extensive 

knowledge matched our three 

courses with the right wine. 

The Bistro serves innovative and 

classic dishes, if you are looking 

for a more casual fare, try the Iki 

Bar, whose staff go out of their 

way to make you feel welcome; 

surrounded by music, cocktails, 

wines, craft beers and Southern 

Asian Street food to delight your 

appetite. 

Our First course: 

Colin’s choice of Pork Schmaltz 

with Love Rosie’s Bread was 

matched with Nautilus Rose 

2015, a sparkling wine from 

Marlborough- Berry fruit and 

Brioche notes. This sparkling 

wine cleans your palate for the 

next course. 

My choice of Anchovies, 

matched with Dry Riesling 

Spatlese “Fromm” 2018 from 

Marlborough, with fresh acidity to 

cut the saltiness of the Anchovies, 

which were tender, delicious, not 

too salty, a product of Italy. 

Our Second Course: 

Colin chose Consommé, his dish 

matched with Arneis 2015 Hawkes 

Bay lime and honey aromas with 

a dry finish to work really well 

with the strong aromas of the 

Consommé dish. 

My choice was Truffle Risotto 

matched with Harakeke 

Chardonnay 2015 from Nelson, 

Nectarine, peach and oak 

aromas nice texture to work with 

my delicious creamy risotto. 

Our Third Course 

Colin’s choice of Coq au Vin was 

matched with a Central Otago 

Tekapoto Estate 2013 Pinot Noir. 

Nice tannins flavours to work 

with the poultry dish. A small 

winery with a fantastic philosophy 

around the wine. This wine is 

a multi-awarded world best at 

London’s IWSC. 

My choice Goat Ragu, I asked 

David our wine buff at Clarence restaurant. 

for a small portion which came 

smothered in pappardelle with 

not enough of the delicious 

Ragu. Still a generous portion 

and delicious. David matched 

this dish with Waiheke Island Man 

O’ War-Dreadnought 2016 Syrah, 

Intense Cherry and Liquorice 

flavours and tannins to balance 

the Caribbean spiced Ragu. 

We enjoyed the experience with 

delicious food good staff who 

made you feel welcome and help 

in any way to make our evening a 

great experience. We will certainly 

be back as they also offer A Five 

Course Tasting menu with wine 

match. Can’t wait to enjoy this 

with a bunch of friends. 


57

How best to subscribe to every 

issue of wine NZ 

magazine. 

Go to... 

Isubscribe.co.nz 

And search Wine NZ. 

Or write to 

Wine NZ magazine 

P.O.Box 13257. 

Tauranga 3141. 

Annual sub.. $39.60 

Two year sub..$75.20

New Zealand Cellar Door 

of the Year 2019 

We are delighted to have won the inaugural Cellar Door of the Year Award at 

the New Zealand Wine Awards 2019. 

Come and enjoy the full food and wine experience for yourself at the home of Church Road. 

We have a range of different, immersive and interactive experiences available for visitors. 

Enjoy Responsibly 

150 Church Road, Taradale, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand 

info@churchroad.co.nz | +6468338225 | www.church-road.com 

See our website for opening hours, experiences and restaurant bookings.

HAWKE’S BAY’S LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE 

THE 28TH ANNUAL HAWKE’S BAY 

Thank you 

Thanks to the generous support of everyone involved, this years auction 

was a roaring success. We raised a total of $241,100. 

With the backing of our wonderful group of wineries and sponsors, all the money 

raised at auction goes directly to Cranford Hospice. Thank you all! 

hbwineauction 

@hawkesbaywineauction hawkesbaywineauction.co.nz 

mardigras 

EVENT HIRE 

LIVING 

Hawke’s Bay 

mardigras 

EVENT HIRE

Food & Wine Events | Food 

Food & Wine Events 

➽ 

➽ 

➽ 

➽ 

➽ 

➽ 

➽ 

➽ 

➽ 

➽ 

➽ 

➽ 

➽ 

Marlborough Wine and Food 

(February 8 th 2020) 

Whitianga Scallop Festival 

(September 21 st 2019) 

Toast Martinborough 

(November 17 th 2019) 

Waiheke Wine and Food Festival. 

(May not be held in 2020) 

Hawkes Bay Wine and Food 

(June) 

Graggy Range 

(November) 

Taste of Auckland 

(October 31 st – November 3 rd ) 

Hokitika Wildfoods Festival 

(March 7 th 2020) 

Wellington on a Plate two weeks 

(August) 

Bluff Oysters Food Festival 

(May 23 rd 2020) 

Central Otago Pinot Noir 

Celebration 

(January 30th- February 1 st 2020) 

North Canterbury Wine and 

Food Festival (Waipara Valley) 

(8 th March 2020) 

Pinot Noir New Zealand 2021 

Christchurch 

(February 23 rd – 25 th 2021) 

These are mostly annual events with dates 

being as accurate as possible. Please Google 

for updates as they are posted by organizers 

of events. 


61

Feature | Tripping Around the Vines 

TRiPPinG AROUnD 

THE VinEs 

By Joan Gestro 

MARTINBOROUGH 

Our two-and-a-half-hour trip up the East Coast, after 

leaving Wellington, over the windy Rimutakas, was 

rewarded by the quaint town of Martinborough. 

Martinborough is now a boutique town with 

Restaurants, bars and cafes, all very well stocked 

for the foodie. When we arrived in the town centre, 

the place was buzzing with people relaxing in the 

late afternoon sun over a glass of wine and nibbles 

or early dinner. A very vibrant little town indeed. 

Residents commute to Wellington, for work every day, 

a bit of a trek over the Rimutakas, but there is a train 

service that many choose instead of driving. 

MARGRAIN VINEYARD 

In the heart of Martinborough’s wine region, you will 

find Margrain Vineyard. Their Vineyard and Winery 

Tours take you through the vine to wine process and 

the history of Martinborough wine making, tasting as 

you go of course! Tour and Platter package cost is 

$49.00 pp. 

Margrain offer villa style accommodation, set 

amongst the vines. Lovely, comfortable and 

quiet. Continental breakfast is complementary; of 

preserved fruit, cereal and milk. Quite good as the 

accommodation was very reasonable and a bonus 

of waking up to a view of the vineyard. 

LOCATION: Ponatahi Road 

Martinborough 5792 

We made our way up the coast to the wonderful 

Hawkes’ Bay where we stayed for a couple of 


Tripping Around the Vines | Feature 

nights at the Woolshed Apartments situated in the 

township of Havelock North, there is so much to 

experience in this wonderful region. The township is 

full of colour from the fresh hanging baskets full of 

blooms. Beautiful, colourful and very well presented. 

It’s obvious that the business owners, the council 

and locals are a ‘house proud’ lot. 

Our friends, having moved from Wellington, tell us 

they have seen a lot of change in the last 25 years. 

BLACK BARN VINEYARD 

This boutique vineyard is five minutes from the 

village of Havelock North, situated on the Te Mata 

hills providing stunning views for the visitor, a perfect 

situation to spend an hour or two over lunch and a 

wine tasting. 

Black Barn offers luxury accommodation of 

seventeen properties. Not cheap but absolutely 

unique and recognized amongst the very best 

available in New Zealand. 

The Black Barn Growers Market is held every 

Saturday morning in the summer months where you 

will find many mouth-watering goodies. 

There is an amphitheatre for entertainment, which 

has been described by internationally recognized 

singers as the best outdoor venue in New Zealand. 

The whole amphitheatre is surrounded by 50-yearold 

Muscatel grapes. Black Barn Rose 2018 

Vintage, a most enjoyable drop indeed on a warm 

afternoon tripping through the vines. 

Their 2019 Vintage is now available on line at 

www.@blackbarn.com, $23 per bottle. Enjoy! 


63

Feature | Tripping Around the Vines 

Photos show Winery, Restaurant and Tasting room. 

CRAGGY RANGE VINYEYARD 

The Giants Winery complex is home to the 

Cellardoor and the Terroir Restaurant. Craggy 

Range is situated in a premium wine growing area 

of Havelock North. 

Nestled among the romantic vines are selfcontained 

boutique cottages. Craggy range was 

established in 1997 by Terry Peabody and Steve 

Smith. The vineyard gets its name from the Range 

that almost surrounds the area. We were told Dame 

Kiri, amongst other celebrities, had given sold out 

performances in the amphitheatre, set amongst a 

man-made lake, with impressive bigger than life size 

animal sculptures. 

We enjoyed a wine tasting by a superb official wine 

taster who served us; giving us the background of 

Gimblett Gravels and information on each variety 

that we tasted. Gimblett gravels is a sub-brand and 

boasts a separate winegrowers association, hence 

a separate label on the Craggy Range bottles we 

purchased. The Gimblett Gravels brand combines 


Tripping Around the Vines | Feature 

the French concept of terroir with modern day 

thinking; to define, protect and market wine. 

The district is 800 hectares strictly determined 

by gravelly soils, laid down by the old Ngaruroro 

River, which were exposed in the 1860’s. (More 

of this in our next WineNZ issue, as we visit and 

discuss how the gravels grapes produce superior 

award-winning wine.) 

As our focus is on wine and its production 

methods, we were most impressed by the pristine 

vineyards and surroundings, the architecture 

fitting in with the surrounding area, and 

professionalism of all the staff of Graggy Range, is 

indicative of very proud owners/caretakers. 

We purchased a Rose Gimblett Gravels and a 

Merlot Gimblet Gravels, which will not take us too 

long to enjoy. Havelock North’s Craggy Range’s 

rugged vastness and the unique history of its 

Gimblett Gravels and delicious wines left us with 

lasting memories. Lovely place to visit. 

LOCATION: 253 Waimarama Road 

Havelock North. New Zealand 


65

Feature | Adelaide Throws a Party 

Adelaide 

throws a party 

DENNIS & ROSAMUND KNILL head across the ditch 

to visit one of Australia’s most acclaimed food and 

wine regions. 

The foodie buzz is present throughout Adelaide. This group is enjoying the 

vibe at Plant 4, Bowden. 

We're in 

Adelaide 

for Tasting 

Australia’s 

annual food 

and wine 

celebration. Held every April 

eager foodies are drawn in from 

all over Australia to experience 

this extraordinary 10-day festival 

where restaurants, producers and 

caterers converge to put on an 

array of food and related events 

with global appeal. 

The idea started 20-years ago 

as a simple food harvest put on 

by the locals at Botanic Park. 

Such was its success that it was 

moved to Elder Park and in 2018 

the festival organisers moved the 

venue again to the picturesque 

surrounds of Victoria Square in 

the centre of the city. 


Adelaide Throws a Party | Feature 

Dinner at sunset at Kangaroo Head on Kangaroo Island. 

Our itinerary makes it sound 

blissfully easy, a little too easy. 

Like most tourists we started our 

culinary journey with a leisurely 

stroll through South Australia’s 

most-visited tourist attraction, 

the 150-year-old Central Markets 

located in the heart of Adelaide’s 

eat street district. 

The two-acre open courtyard 

is all under one roof clamorous 

with cries of 250 food sellers all 

eager to share their knowledge 

and bounty of delights with 

an enthusiastic food loving 

audience. But most striking was 

the aromas and smells of fresh 

fruits and vegetables, seafood, 

artisan cheeses, meats and 

smallgoods, breads and pastries 

that guaranteed to excite the 

taste buds. All that marred our 

happiness was the fact that 

we could not take away the 

temptations set before us. For the 

lucky locals this marketplace is 

an integral part of city life with 

seasonal fresh produce reflected 

in the regions cuisine. 

Wineries in the Adelaide Hills make for great day trips from the city. 


67


It’s nearly 7pm on a warm 

autumn’s evening and time 

to have some fun with some 

fabulous food as well. The DJ is 

entertaining the party-like crowd 

who are eating and queuing for 

a smorgasbord of possibilities 

served from stalls by some of 

the city’s best restaurants. For 

an atmosphere of less frenzy 

and with high expectations we 

make our way to the long line 

of glasshouses all of which are 

decorated with imaginative flair 

and a hint of decadence 

Everyone is happy, we talk easily 

to strangers across the table, the 

wine is flowing and we eagerly 

pursue the four-course menu 

themed “Kitchen Fire” cooked by 

a line-up of celebrity chefs using 

smoke, coal, flame and grill and 

wielding skillets with practised 

dexterity. 

The following morning we rise 

early for a chartered flight to 

Kangaroo Island with forty other 

enthusiastic compatriots. After 

landing at the recently revamped 

Kingscote Airport we board a 

coach to be transferred for a 

long lunch at Sunset Food and 

Wine, a clifftop oasis located at 

the top of a hill with spectacular 

views overlooking Eastern Cove in 

Penneshaw. 

The cuisine under the direction 

of resident chef Jack Ingram 

and guest chef Jacqui Challinor 

of Sydney fame showed there 

is after all no master chef who 

can perform to the utmost with 

anything less than the freshest, 

highest quality ingredients. The 

result was a Mediterranean feast 

washed down with equally superb 

wine. 

After swapping stories with our 

new found friends for several hours 

it was time to re-board the coach 

and enough time stopping off for 

a nightcap at Kangaroo Island 

Spirits, one of South Australia’s 

most celebrated boutique spirit 

producers. Jon Lark guided us 

through his quirky cellar door with 

its diverse range of award winning 

gin, whiskey, vodka and liqueurs 

which we were urged to toss back 

at regular intervals. 

Food to write home about being served at Hains and Co, Adelaide. 


Adelaide Throws a Party | Feature 

Locally made spirits are almost as popular as accompaniments for glorious food as wine in Adelaide. 

Our Kangaroo Island interlude 

allowed us the realization that the 

best of times and the best of food 

are often to be found at remote 

locations. 

Welcome to McLaren Vale. A 

forty-minute leisurely drive south 

of Adelaide suburbia submits to a 

low swell of undulating vineyards 

dotted with the odd quaint 

cottage and rolling expanses of 

vines. 

The gorges, flats and climate 

remind us of the winelands of 

Southern France. Warm sunny 

days and gentle sea breezes off 

the Gulf of St Vincent to temper 

the high temperatures of summer. 

First stop overlooking Encounter 

Bay is Victor Harbour. A heady 

combination of pine and sea 

spray this once whaling town is 

a popular little seaside village 

boasting sun, surf, clear turquoise 

waters and stunning views. 

After a picnic lunch we visit 

Gemtree Winery for wine tasting 

with a platter to match. Then 

off to The Cube at D’Areberg 

Winery for another wine tasting 

and a guided visit through the 

museum. Often referred to as 

Willy Wonker’s Factory or the Mad 

Hatters House, the Cube is more 

than a tasting room but rather 

a place that cements McLaren 

Vale’s reputation as not just a wine 

destination. 

Barossa Valley with its 200 

wineries and 800 growers has 

been so well defined as Australia’s 

premier wine-producing region 

it’s tempting to think that’s all it 

has to offer. That may be enough 

for some, but in fact there’s 

much more to this 30-kilometre 

valley that never fails to surprise, 

driven by its soil, climate, people, 

seasons and of course the 

grape vines. When one thinks 

shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and 

grenache all the big names are 

here, Jacob’s Creek, Penfolds, St 

Hallett, Seppeltfield, Wolf Blass and 

Yalumba are a few that come to 

mind. 

Today we are touring the 

Barossa with John Baldwin, a most 

hospitable, sometimes hilarious 

and charming guide and owner 

of Barossa Daimler Tours. John 

immediately understood why we 

wanted as much as we could 

get from this region so visits to 

Seppeltfield Gin Distillery and 

an unforgettable lunch at Vino 


69


Lokal by chef Ryan Edwards and 

then onto Jacob’s Creek for some 

serious wine tasting. We sampled 

two exceptionally priced reds from 

their new Double Barrel range. The 

first a 2015 shiraz that displayed 

great structure and texture with an 

abundance of concentrated fruit 

and 2015 cabernet sauvignon a 

full bodied red that was rich and 

satisfying in flavour and rounded 

off with a smooth soft tannin finish. 

Back in the city a must-doexperience 

is Adelaide’s best 

known and favourite beach. A 

20-minute tram ride from the city 

is Glenelg, Adelaide’s premier 

seaside destination and home 

to some of South Australia’s most 

expensive real estate. Synonymous 

with white sandy beaches, wide 

ocean views and stunning 

sunsets, not to mention its vibrant 

restaurant and café brigade. 

It’s also worth building up an 

appetite for a walk along Gouger 

Street, Adelaide’s undisputed eat 

street and another great place to 

start a culinary tour. Greek, Italian, 

Asian communities have long 

had gastronomic influences in this 

centrally located area accessible 

by foot bringing a wealth of 

alfresco dining with its world class 

restaurants, bars and cafes. 

With so much to see and do 

Adelaide deserves more than 

a week. With all its culture, taste, 

art and beauty we visited all the 

sights, tasted some exceptional 

cellar doors and sampled some 

exquisite cuisine raising our 

glasses along the way. 

As we fly out, the city in all its 

glory is revealed once again. With 

so much to see and do Adelaide 

deserves more than 6-days. No 

doubt about it. 

NEED TO KNOW 

Patrons soaking up the atmosphere in one of the bars in Gilbert Place, Adelaide. 

Getting there: 

air New Zealand have five direct 

flights a week. Log onto 

www.airnewzealand.co.nz 

Where to stay: 

hilton adelaide 

www.adelaide.hilton.com 

Best eats: 

Concubine (asian fusion), 

press Food and wine (Modern 

australian), shobosho (Japanese), 

Nido (Italian), africola (south 

african), Louca’s (seafood) 

Places of interest: 

the Bradman Collection, Botanic 

Gardens, Colonel Light’s Lookout, 

Carrick hill, Mount Lofty summit, 

ayres house, aboriginal Cultural 

Centre, art Gallery, st peters 

Cathedral, railway Museum, 

adelaide oval, haigh’s Chocolates, 

National wine Centre 

Tours: 

Barossa Daimler tours 

www.barossadaimlertours.com.au 

Best shopping: 

rundle street Mall, King william 

street 

Background reading: 

adelaide a brief history by Kathyn 

Gargett and susan Marsden, south 

australia Lonely planet by Denis 

o’Bryne 

Other information: 

south australia tourism 

Commission 

www.southaustralia.com 

Pictures: South Australian Tourism 

Commission. 


Wines of Distinction 

Celebrate the 

best of the season 

with Palliser’s 

bubbly duo 

It’s hard to choose between 

The Griffin and The Rose, 

so we recommend getting both! 

Delectable bubbles that 

make any day an occasion. 

palliserwine 

Available at specialist wine stores 

& directly from palliser estate 

www.palliser.co.nz

Feature | Sicilian Wine - History in the Making 

Sicilian 

Wine - 

history in 

the Making 

By Joan gestro 

Marsala, on the eastern coast 

of Sicily, was on our itinerary 

for a visit during a recent 

trip, to a country of very 

fine horticulture, climate 

and soil type, perfect for 

grapes, olives, vegetables, lemons and fruit of all 

description. 

The Alagna family winery, into its fourth 

generation of ownership, is a master at fortified 

wines. Antonio Alagna showed us through and 

didn’t hesitate to lay out a tasting range for us 

to sample and of course purchase if we wished. 

The VINeYARDS 

Technologies and land conservaTion 

The company owns about 50 hectares of land 

in the municipalities of Marsala, Mazara, Trapani 

and Selemi. In these areas the vines necessary 

for the production of its wines are cultivated: 

Zibibbo, Nero d’avola, Grillo, Catarrato, Inzolia 

and Damaschino. These are all local grapes 

that can only be grown in Sicily and need 

a special microclimate that is only found in 

the province of Trapani. The company uses a 

mixture of traditional and modern techniques 

for the production of these grapes. For example, 

this one started using mechanical collection 

systems, but it also uses ancient systems like 

the saplings. Furthermore, the entire production 

is done trying to minimize the environmental 

impact and preserve the natural heritage of the 

area. 

The CeLLAR 

respecT for TradiTion and qualiTy 

Currently, the company is equipped for the 

production and storage of wines that are 

produced in the vineyards of the area and 

the aging and bottling process is also carried 


Sicilian Wine - History in the Making | Feature 

out. The company has a capacity of 50,000 

hectolitres of wine distributed in various types 

of containers: steel, cement, fiberglass or large 

wooden barrels. Furthermore, it is possible 

to see a wide range of machinery used for 

the production and refinement of the final 

product, including a large and sophisticated 

grape pressing system that is necessary for 

the production of fine quality wines. Marsala 

wine is one of the main products of the Alagna 

company. 

LANNI’ (DOC sicilia) is a smooth blend of Nero 

d’avola, Syrah and Merlot, aged in oak casks 

used to store fortified wines, in order to obtain 

tobacco and cherry frangrances. 

Grapes are picked late in the season to create 

a dark colour and smooth taste. The wine has 

10gr of residual sugar and 14% in alcohol. It is 

not filtered to have even more flavours. 

The Lanni’ name is short, easy to remember 

and pronounce. It is the contraction of names 

(A-LA-NI-A) It’s a blend and a name that only 

we make. 

It must be a fIrst, anywhere on earth!? 

Concept: Kosho fully embraces the growing 

fusion gastronomic culture by linking the 

ancient Sicilian winemaking tradition with 

Japanese cuisine. The delicate and fruity tones 

of this wine made with a blend of Sicilian 

grapes, perfectly matches with the umami 

flavours of the main Japanese dishes (Sushi, 

Sashimi, Temaki, Hosomaki) 

It Is the fIrst wIne for sushI In ItaLy 

Name: it comes from KOSHU, a typical grape of 

Japan. But Kosho is easier to remember. 

Alcohol: 12% 

Grape (white) blend of inzolia, damaschino 

and catarratto, grown in our vineyards in Sicily. 

Aging: 3 months in steel 

Packaging: 75cl cork. 

AWARDS 

85% POINTS AT VITEA GUIDE AIS 

ASSOCIATION 2019 

88% POINTS AT 5 STAR COMPETITION 

IN VINITAY 2018 

Kosho (sushi wine) 

IGP SICILIA / PDI SISCILIA) 


73

Feature | Right Royal Wines 

PART ONE 

Right Royal 

wines 

The tiny European principality of Liechtenstein has 

had a wine industry for more than 200 years. 

By Gillian Vine 


Right Royal Wines | Feature 

Since 1712, the Liechtenstein royal 

family has been able to look down 

from their castle at Herawingert 

vineyard. 

SQUASHED between 

Austria and Switzerland, 

landlocked Liechtenstein 

covers a mere 160 square 

km, one-sixteenth of New 

Zealand’s land mass. 

With a total population roughly 

equal to Blenheim’s, it is one of 

the world’s smallest countries but 

has a surprising industry, false 

teeth. Indeed, something like 20% 

of the world’s fake molars are 

manufactured here. 

Tourism draws some 1 million people 

a year, but they don’t stay long (86% 

are day trippers). Most are content 

to wander around the immaculate 

capital, Vaduz, pay €3 (about 

$NZ5.20) to get their passports 

stamped, maybe visit a museum 

and drift through the vineyard above 

the town. 


75


Vines on the slope below Gutenberg Castle, where wine had been produced since the Middle Ages. 

Smarter tourists try the country’s 

wines, something they are unlikely 

to get at home, as Liechtenstein’s 

100 growers sell locally almost all 

their output – about 80 tonnes 

from around 30ha in vines. A 

tiny quantity of wine does go to 

Switzerland so you may be lucky 

to get a sip in Zurich. 

On its western border with 

Switzerland, Liechtenstein has a 

small chunk of the Rhine Valley. 

Sloping southwest, the area is 

blessed with good soils; 1500 

hours of sunshine a year and 

the hot, dry föhn winds that help 

sweeten the grapes. 

Viniculture started here about 

2000 years ago and when the 

Romans rolled through, they 

upped production, although 

the industry fell over when the 

Romans were driven out. 

The Christians took over, with 

many monasteries having their 

own vineyards. By the Middle 

Ages, when Charlemagne (742- 

814 A.D) united much of Europe, 

Liechtenstein’s Gutenberg Castle 

had a significant winemaking 

industry. 

Charlemagne’s edict that wine 

pressers should wash their feet 


Right Royal Wines | Feature 

Princely bubbly at the royal cellars, Hofkellerei des regierenden Fürsten 

von Liechtenstein. 

before tramping the grapes, 

didn’t go down well, but the 

industry survived. 

In 1712, in a bit of smart political 

manoeuvring, Prince Johann 

Adam of Liechtenstein acquired 

the county of Vaduz and, with it, 

the 4ha Herawingert vineyard, 

ideal for growing pinot noir and 

chardonnay grapes. 

Things looked good, the country’s 

vineyards grew and at their peak 

in the second half of the 19th 

century, wine was the country’s 

main export. 

Then disaster struck on three fronts 

– poor harvests, disease and 

foreign competition – and the 

wine industry all but collapsed. 

Happily, the past 40 years have 

seen an increase in winemaking 

but today there are only 

about 30ha in vines, a tenth of 

Liechtenstein’s 19th century high. 

There is a surprising range 

produced from such a small 

area – pinot noir, chardonnay, 

Gewürztraminer, dry white Grüner 

Veltliner, merlot and Riesling. 

The prince’s Herawingert vineyard 

is complemented by 42ha in 

Austria, owned by the royal family 

since 1436. 


77


Vine motifs abound in Liechtenstein. 

Above Vaduz, it’s a 

short walk through 

the vineyard to the 

princely wine cellars, 

Hofkellerei des 

regierenden Fürsten 

von Liechtenstein. 

Wine tastings are 

available, last 30 to 

60 minutes and the 

price of about $30 a 

head includes four or 

five wines. Don’t miss 

the Blauburgunder 

(“blue Burgundy”), 

as this is the local 

pinot noir, probably 

the country’s bestknown 

wine, which 

has been grown 

in Liechtenstein for 

more than 300 years. 

They offer a good 

bubbly, too. 

So let’s drink to the 

health of Hans-Adam 

II, current Prince of 

Liechtenstein, and 

his country’s tiny 

but impressive wine 

industry. 

Even a drinking water tap is decorated with grapes. 


TWO RIVERS 

ISLE OF BEAUTY ROSÉ 2019 

CHAMPION ROSÉ TROPHY 

NZ Wine of the Year Awards 2019 

BEST ROSÉ WINE TROPHY 

Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International 

Wine & Spirits Competition 2019 

Championing New Zealand Rosé Around the World. 

www.tworivers.co.nz

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© 2018 Bentley Motors Limited. Model shown: Continental GT Convertible.

WineNZ Summer 2019-20

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