North Canterbury News: December 16, 2021
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NEWS<br />
The <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>December</strong> <strong>16</strong>, <strong>2021</strong><br />
35<br />
Golden OldiesCountry Music<br />
Join Smokey &Lorraine&their groupof<br />
musicians, entertainers&followers for a<br />
Pre Christmas SingSong, on Saturday<br />
<strong>December</strong> 18th from 2pm, in the John<br />
Knox Centre, cornerofHigh &King<br />
Streets Rangiora. Arelaxing afternoon of<br />
Christmas &Oldtime songs&music<br />
alongwith audience participation.Covid<br />
rulesatdoor apply,&Vaccine Pass must<br />
be shown at door for entry Admission $4<br />
whichincludeslight afternoontea For<br />
otherdetails contactLorraine(03)<br />
3273231.<br />
Big Dig postponed<br />
The Big Dig, the annual Amberley Lions<br />
Club eventfor children, has been<br />
postponed from <strong>December</strong> 27 due to<br />
Covid19. The club hopes to set anew<br />
date when the SouthIsland movesto<br />
greenunderthe new traffic lightCovid<br />
settings.<br />
Christmas PicnicTour<br />
The <strong>2021</strong> 8th annualChristmas Picnic<br />
Tour, originallyscheduled for this<br />
coming Sunday, <strong>December</strong> 5, has now<br />
beenpostponed until Sunday,<strong>December</strong><br />
19. The laterdate willallow peopleto<br />
obtain their vaccinationcertificates for<br />
those thatmay have not had the time to<br />
obtain thembeforethe original dateof<br />
the 5th of <strong>December</strong>.All details will<br />
remain the same as previously notified<br />
in regardstothe event. Avaccination<br />
certificateWILL have to be shown if<br />
asked for @the BetterHalf Kitchen and<br />
Bar,inlinewith the new Covid 19 rules<br />
implemented by the Government. Afinal<br />
reminder aboutthe event will be sent out<br />
on the 15th or <strong>16</strong>thof<strong>December</strong>.<br />
AmberleyBeachSurfcasting<br />
Competition<br />
Due to unforeseen circumstances, the<br />
Amberley District Lions has made the<br />
decision to postpone the upcoming<br />
competition,whichwas due to be held on<br />
January 30, until furthernotice.The<br />
decision willbereviewed in February.<br />
Council praises recycling<br />
Waimakariri’s recycling effortshave<br />
improved.<br />
For the first time in 18 months, all<br />
kerbside recycling from Waimakariri was<br />
accepted for processing at the central<br />
processing facility during October.<br />
Eco Centralprocesses recycling for<br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong>’s councils and rejects anyloads<br />
that contain greater than 10 percent<br />
contamination.<br />
Contamination usually consistsof<br />
unrecyclable items such as soft plastics,<br />
nappies and general rubbish.<br />
Last month was the first since April2020<br />
that all of Waimakariri’s kerbside recycling<br />
fell under that contamination threshold.<br />
‘‘Thisisasignificant milestone for us,’’<br />
says Waimakariri District Council solid<br />
waste asset manager Kitty Waghorn.<br />
‘‘A huge thankstoour residents for doing<br />
the right thing with their recycling, and<br />
continuing to improve since leaving Alert<br />
Level 4this year.’’<br />
Ms Waghornsays October’s random truck<br />
audits at Eco Central showed<br />
contamination levels below 5%, with an<br />
average of 3.5% over three separate audits.<br />
‘‘Thisisahugeimprovement over the<br />
7.2% average from August, which included<br />
one rejectedload,’’ she says.<br />
Waipara Downs Chardonnay ... David DouglasClifford (left) and Scott Berry toast to their<br />
success.<br />
PHOTO: SUPPLIED<br />
Small vineyard wins big<br />
By ROBYN BRISTOW<br />
Asmall Waipara Vineyard is quietly<br />
making abig impact.<br />
Waipara Downs has won gold on the<br />
threeoccasionsithas entered the Japan<br />
Wine Challenge, with its Chardonnay from<br />
vinesgrown on free draining limestone rich<br />
soil,just north westofthe Waipara<br />
township nearthe Waipara River.<br />
Its latestGold was awarded in recent<br />
weeksfor its 2019 Waipara Downs<br />
Chardonnay, whichwas also judgedBest<br />
New Zealand Wine at theChallenge.<br />
Scottand Sally Berry, are thrilled with<br />
the win, and are very proudoftheir young<br />
winemaker DavidDouglasClifford.<br />
‘‘It is fantastic,’’ says Sally. ‘‘Waipara is<br />
really starting to get recognisedfor the<br />
winesitproduces,’’ shesays.<br />
International judges award the medalsat<br />
the independent competition, which was<br />
established in 1997 withthe aim of<br />
demonstrating the potentialofthe<br />
Japanese winemarket to overseas wine<br />
bodies.<br />
Waipara Downs, which has been in the<br />
Berry Family for 35 years, with the first<br />
plantings of Chardonnayand Pinot Noir in<br />
1986, received its firstGoldmedal in 2005<br />
for its 2004 Waipara Downs Chardonnay. It<br />
followed thisupin2020 with Gold for its<br />
2018Chardonnay.<br />
Sally saysthey onlybottleChardonnay<br />
and PinotNoir wine from the 4ha block<br />
planted 35 years ago.<br />
Around 600 cases of Chardonnay are<br />
bottled each year from handpickedfruit,<br />
barrel fermented for 10 months in French<br />
Oak. ‘‘It is our premium wine,’’she says.<br />
Scott, Sallyand David work the 25ha<br />
vineyard, which produces over 2000 tonnes<br />
ayear. All but the harvest from the 4ha<br />
blockiscontracted out.
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