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FROM THE EDITOR
which we identify. Brands everywhere are facing EVER HEARD of something called ‘placethe challenge of how to engage with consumers making”? (No, not setting the table.) Well, neither in this cluttered world. Experts talk about the had I until I interviewed a retail strategist for our importance of an immersive experience: bringing feature story this issue. It turns out that placea brand to life in bricks and mortar outlets and making is one of the things the liquor industry connecting with consumers in a more personal, needs to be exploring in order to improve and meaningful way through the data you gather enrich consumer engagment in the face of chalabout them. lenges around flattening alcohol consumption, More than ever, it’s about being part of an market fragmentation and mercurial consumers. enriched social experience – and when you conThese challenges have been brought to light sider that’s what this industry by research company Nielsen has at its heart, that should be in the US, which has released easy, right? But it’s no longer its latest figures and details of It’s no longer just about just about the social experitrends in the US liquor market – the social experience ence that happens once the trends that will inevitably have a that happens once the consumer buys your product or trickle-down effect here. consumer buys your enters your establishment – it’s Place-making is the pracproduct or enters your about how you’re communicattice of creating a space for establishment. ing with them in the lead-up to like-minded people to come that moment, and afterwards. together for a shared social How do you make your brand experience. Yes, I know, it’s the one they identify with; the one that is a natusounding a lot like a pub, but with place-making ral fit for their tribe? It’s a fascinating concept there is more to it than simply somewhere to and one we could be hearing a lot more about. drink. There might be an educational aspect You can find out more about place-making and (such as classes), a retail element or entertainother trends in our story on page 24. ment. The key difference lies in thinking beyond Enjoy the issue. just your brand to the community that the place attracts: the tribe. Human beings are tribal by Victoria Wells nature – we all want to feel we belong, and Editor – Drinksbiz in these consumer-driven days our sense of victoria@drinksbiz.co.nz belonging is often derived from the brands with
DRINKSBIZ AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017
The tribe has spoken
EDITOR’S PICKS 2014 Wairau River Syrah Reserve Notes of black pepper in a Syrah win me over every time, and this fullbodied, earthy Marlborough example has the spice in spades. (Pg 30)
Tuatara Moolah Chocolate Milk Stout Because I’m the kind of person who would happily eschew dessert in favour of a sticky or, in this case, a luscious bittersweet chocolatey beer. (Pg 52)
Victor Gin Heavy on the botanicals yet light on the palate, the new gin from Thomson Whisky has become one of my new favourite things. Its heady aromatics lead into delicate flavours of cardamom, coriander and lemongrass. Sublime. (Pg 75)
DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017 5
CONTENTS
Publisher Karen Boult karen@boult.co.nz +64 21 320 663 Editor Victoria Wells victoria@drinksbiz.co.nz +64 27 575 9021 Designer Lewis Hurst lewis@hcreative.co.nz +64 21 146 6404 hcreative.co.nz Advertising Roger Pierce advertising@drinksbiz.co.nz +64 9 361 2347 +64 274 335 354
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In the clear VODKA CATEGORY REPORT–PAGE 63
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OUT & ABOUT Sarina Ibbotson of Sai
nt Clair
Matt Zadow of Yalum
Clive Weston
Out & About Negociants Fine Wine Tour Trade and media gathered in Auckland for Negociants’ showcase of more than 100 wines from its fine wine portfolio of Australian and New Zealand labels. The tour event was also held in Christchurch and Wellington.
Michael Cooper
Patrick Dillon and Van
yo Pavlovski of Sea
farers
Photos by Mareea Vegas
Yvonne Lorkin
Dariush Lo
Gracie Taylor
and Ali Andrew
laiy and Re
becca Smid
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Wayne Bevins an
d John Lovett of
Blue Elephant Th
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Moët Party Day Events for Moët Party Day were held in Auckland and Christchurch in June, as part of a wider global campaign for the champagne house’s brand platform, The Now. Laura, Rachel
Sk ye
ie Chung Ross , Soph
, Kelly McAul
iffe and Alex
and Victoria Ha
dlow
Kneebone
Matilda Rice 8 DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017
and Ar t Gre
en
ba
OUT & ABOUT
Mereana Radema
kers and Carmen
Huter
Megan Hutchison and
Jessica Brit ten
Freddie Leckie and Ella
Keegan
Lula Inn opens The Lula Inn opened its doors on Auckland’s Viaduct in June, on the former site of The Crew Club. With a South Pacific style, it offers dining and a specialty cocktail menu, with gin a focus. (More on page 79).
Bernice Mene and gue
Justine Hun
st
ter and Sam
antha Hayes
Invivo launches 2017 Graham Norton wines Samantha McKenn a Pead PR , Nikki Birrell & Ashley Ropati fro m Dish magazine
Rob Cameron, Sarah Szegota
from NZ Wine Growers and
guest
Guests gathered at Lion HQ in Auckland to join Tim Lightbourne and Rob Cameron of Invivo for the launch of the 2017 vintage range of Graham Norton wines. (More about the wines on page 46.) Photos by Michael Bradley
s from raig Inne ck and C es o rr a h S vo vi Win Bruce eron of In Ro b C a m , if rt o sp E
Andy Anderson
Lois Scot t fro m Riedel and Rosie McGaffi n from Remix
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and Neville Fin
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DIARY DATES
DIARY DATES AUGUST Tuesday 1 – Thursday 31 August AUCKLAND RESTAURANT MONTH A month-long celebration of Auckland’s dining scene with culinary events, special menus, local and international guest chefs, and Street Eats returning to Queens Wharf. Events listing and menus online. heartofthecity.co.nz
Monday 7 August AIR NZ WINE AWARDS ENTRIES OPEN Entries are open until September 8, with judging in October and the 2017 Air New Zealand Wine Awards gala dinner held in Hawke’s Bay on Saturday 25 November. airnzwineawards.co.nz
Friday 11 – Saturday 12 August BEERVANA A two-day showcase of local and international craft breweries at Wellington’s Westpac Stadium over four ticketed sessions. Tastings, new releases, on-off brews and old favourites. beervana.co.nz
Tuesday 15 August HANCOCKS TOUR (AUCKLAND) A trade showcase of wine, spirits, beer and stemware from the Hancocks portfolio, along with on-site training to be held at Eden Park. Register online. hancocks.co.nz
Saturday 19 – Monday 21 August 4TH ANNUAL WINE & FOOD CELEBRATION - AUCKLAND Three days of wine tasting, tutored masterclasses and free cookery demonstrations at the New Zealand School of Food and Wine. Events include #Foodography Dinner, guest chef Samir Allen at the celebration dinner and the New Zealand Sommelier and Junior Sommelier of the Year competition. event.foodandwine.co.nz
Sunday 20 August NEW ZEALAND SOMMELIER AND JUNIOR SOMMELIER OF THE YEAR This competition will again be held at the New Zealand School of Food and Wine, with professionals working in hotels and restaurants around the country putting their wine knowledge and service skills to the test. Event details and registration available online. sommelier.co.nz
SEPTEMBER Tuesday 26 September NEW RELEASE TASTING - NELSON The latest wines from across the Nelson region and a chance to meet the local winemakers. 5pm - 7pm at The Boathouse, 326 Wakefield Quay, Stepneyville. winenelson.co.nz
OCTOBER Sunday 1 October MARLBOROUGH BEER FESTIVAL A celebration of Marlborough beer, including Moa, Renaissance, and newcomers Golden Mile Brewing at Village Vines. vinesvillagecafe.co.nz
Saturday 7 October BAY OF ISLANDS FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL Beer, wine and cider from across the region served up in Paihia. paihianz.co.nz
Sunday 8 October HAWKE’S BAY CELLAR DOOR OF THE YEAR CHALLENGE 2017 Recognising service and excellence at the Cellar Door, the Hawke’s Bay Cellar Door of the Year Award will reflect the overall performance of a winery rather than an individual. The challenge will see the top six finalists vie for the top three places. showgroundshb.co.nz
Tuesday 17 October HAWKE’S BAY A&P BAYLEYS WINE AWARDS Now in its 17th year, this is the oldest regional wine awards competition in New Zealand. Entries are accepted from wineries with wine made from 85% Hawke’s Bay grapes. The Awards dinner will be held in the Waikoko Gardens with judged and awarded wines served throughout the evening. For ticket details visit the website. showgroundshb.co.nz
Saturday 16 September WHITIANGA SCALLOP FESTIVAL One of New Zealand’s most iconic seafood events returns to Whitianga, with local seafood, beer and wine. scallopfestival.co.nz
10 DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017
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COVER STORY: WOODSTOCK™ EASY ROLLER
There’s more to bourbon than cola
New Zealand’s #1 bourbon RTD is giving fans something new to celebrate. Woodstock™ has released Easy Roller – a refreshing new twist on bourbon, designed especially for Kiwi drinkers.
“As the leader of the category we are really excited to introduce bourbon RTDs to new occasions – it’s something that we’ve never done before in New Zealand.” SINCE LAUNCHING more than 20 years ago, Woodstock™ – the authentic barrel aged Kentucky bourbon – has cemented itself as part of Kiwi culture, becoming the #1 Bourbon RTD in New Zealand*. Now, parent company Independent Liquor is launching a new sub-brand designed to open bourbon RTDs up to new occasions and give the category a boost in the process. Woodstock™ Easy Roller launched to market on August 3rd and is available as Easy Roller Bourbon with Ginger Beer, and Easy Roller Bourbon with Apple, both 5% ABV. Laura Youngman, Senior Brand Manager Bourbon at Independent Liquor, says it’s a huge moment for the Woodstock™ brand. “This is such an exciting launch, for our biggest RTD brand. We’ve blended authentic barrel-aged bourbon with delicious new mixers so you can get the lift you love with the refreshing hit of Ginger Beer or Apple. The new flavours taste amazing, they’re the perfect fit for the occasions with friends.” Youngman says the creation of Easy Roller was to give another bourbon RTD option other than cola. “There’s absolutely still that market for bourbon and cola – but it’s great to be able to give our Woodstock™ consumers more choice from the brand they love.” The team at Independent Liquor has spent the past 18 months researching and developing Easy Roller, which has been created based on feedback
from Kiwi consumers. Youngman says Independent Liquor’s ownership of Woodstock™ has allowed them to create something tailor-made. “We’ve done all the hard yards here, all the innovation and insight – it’s all been developed out of New Zealand based on what our bourbon drinkers want – as opposed to taking something from global that may not fit our local palate.” The finished product is already generating excitement. “In terms of purchase intent from our research, Woodstock™ Easy Roller has significant appeal for consumers, with 75% of people saying they would buy this product!” The branding for Easy Roller stands apart from the more traditional black and white look of Woodstock™ Bourbon & Cola. “It’s a brand new look. It’s really fresh, unlike anything Woodstock™ has done before. Easy Roller really does make you feel relaxed, laidback, ready for that occasion with your mates,” says Youngman. “Woodstock™ has been ingrained in New Zealand culture for over 20 years, and now we’re really proud to offer such innovation to our customers and loyal consumers.” Woodstock™ Easy Roller launched to market on August 3 and will be supported by an above the line campaign from September 1. *AZTEC and Nielsen May 2017
“It’s all been developed locally, based on what New Zealand Woodstock™ drinkers have been telling us they want.”
DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017 13
INDUSTRY NEWS
Langham celebrates Earth Check Platinum
Michael Shah (Director of Sales and Marketing Langham Akl), Right Hon Sir John Key and Franz Mascarenhas (Managing Director Langham Akl)
Finalists to vie for Young Viticulturist title Six finalists will compete for the title of Bayer Young Viticulturist of the Year, when the final takes place in Marlborough on August 29th.
THE REGIONAL finals were held over June and July, and tested contestants (all of whom are aged under 30) in a range of practical and theoretical areas such as wine marketing, due diligence on vineyard investment, general viticulture, trellising and tractor operations. Now in its twelfth year, the Bayer Young Viticulturist of the year is aimed at growing the future leaders of the New Zealand wine industry and increases the confidence, skills and networking opportunities of those who compete. The final round of the competition tests all aspects of vineyard management. It includes both theoretical and practical questions as well as delivering a speech in front of a dinner audience of key industry players. The national winner takes the title of Bayer Young Viticulturist of the Year 2017, as well as a Hyundai Santa Fe for a year, a $5,000 AGMARDT travel scholarship, $2,000 cash, wine glasses and a leadership week where they meet some of the top leaders in the New Zealand wine industry. They also go on to represent the wine industry in the Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition in November.
Auckland/Northern Winner: Tim Adams – Obsidian 2nd place: Jake Dromgool – The Landing, Kerikeri 3rd place: Nick Pett – Cable Bay
Hawke’s Bay Winner: Anton Luiten – Constellation 2nd place: Ben Richards – Indevin* 3rd place: Chris Borain – Villa Maria *NB: Ben Richards will represent Hawke’s Bay in the national finals as Anton Luiten will be overseas working a vintage in California.
THE LANGHAM, Auckland celebrated its EarthCheck Platinum status in July, with an unveiling ceremony officiated by guest of honour, the Right Hon Sir John Key. It is the first hotel in Australasia to gain the prestigious EarthCheck Platinum Certification, representing 10 years of continuous certification with EarthCheck – the world’s leading sustainability certification authority for Travel and Tourism. Stewart Moore, CEO and founder of EarthCheck, congratulated The Langham, Auckland on its Platinum achievement. “The hotel is a leading operator in the region and a valued member of a global group of tourism operators who dare to make a difference.” The Platinum Certification places The Langham, Auckland as a leader in the unique worldwide group of sustainable tourism operators that are certified to the internationally recognised EarthCheck Platinum standard. Guests at the event were gifted with a jar of ‘Langham Urban Honey’, which was harvested from the hotel’s 10th floor beehive. 14 DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017
Wairarapa Winner: Ben McNab-Jones – Urlar 2nd place: Scott Lanceley – (self-employed and contracting within the region). 3rd place: Johnny Wills – Te Kairanga
Nelson Winner: Laurie Stradling – Kaimira Estate
Marlborough Winner: Anthony Walsh – Constellation 2nd place: Matthew Gallop – Constellation 3rd place: Shannon Horner – Marisco
Central Otago Winner: Annabel Bulk – Felton Road 2nd place: Ben Holt – Carrick Estate 3rd place: Derek Beirnes – Akarua
INDUSTRY NEWS
New chair of judges for Air NZ Wine Awards
WARREN GIBSON, chief winemaker at Trinity Hill and proprietor of Bilancia in the Hawke’s Bay has taken the reins as Chair of Judges for the Air NZ Wine Awards, taking over from Kumeu River’s Michael Brajkovich, who served from 2011 to 2016. Gibson has been a regular on the judging scene over the years at New Zealand’s major wine competitions as well as at a range of wine shows in Australia. He acknowledges
he has big shoes to fill following Brajkovich’s tenure, but is excited by this new challenge. “I would like to respect and continue the great work of Michael’s Chairpersonship, along with the previous efforts of many others”, says Gibson. “In saying that, I am also currently discussing potential to make small positive changes to help keep the awards evolving and relevant”. The Air New Zealand Wine Awards is the
Change at the top for DB DB BREWERIES Managing Director, Andy Routley, is moving on from the New Zealand operation in August, heading to Amsterdam to take on a new role within The Heineken Company, as Managing Director B2B Europe. Peter Simons, currently Managing Director of Heineken Hanoi, will start as Managing Director in New Zealand from August 21. Andy Routley joined DB Breweries in 2013, shortly after the organisation become a wholly owned subsidiary of Heineken. Peter Simons joined Heineken in 1991 as part of the Netherlands sales organisation. Since then, he’s held a number of commercial and management roles across the world, including management of joint venture businesses with SAB and Diageo, GM of Export for Central & Eastern Europe and most recently as Managing Director of Heineken’s Hanoi-based Vietnamese Operating Company.
premier wine competition in New Zealand and is owned and organised by New Zealand Winegrowers, the national organisation for the country’s 1600 grape growers and winemakers. Entries for the 2017 competition open to New Zealand wineries on Monday 7 August. The awards dinner announcing the trophy winners will be held in Hawke’s Bay on Saturday 25 November. AIRNZWINEAWARDS.CO.NZ
Winter warmer from Six Barrel Soda Co. NEW FROM Six Barrel Soda Co. is a Lemon Honey Ginger syrup, ideal for use in hot or cold drinks. It combines fresh lemon juice, organic Pacific ginger and New Zealand honey from J. Friend & Co to create a refreshing drink with an earthy, spicy backbone of ginger. Mix with hot water to create a reviving winter drink, or use with premium mixers or in cocktails. RRP $16.50, 500ml syrup. SIX BARREL SODA CO. DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017 15
INDUSTRY NEWS
Pirates and outlaws inspire new bottles WITH ITS new range ‘WANTED, THE BANDIT CRAFT LINE’, Saverglass takes inspiration from accounts of swashbuckling pirates braving the high seas to hunt Spanish ships laden with gold, and of outlaws on the plains of the Rio Grande waiting to ambush unsuspecting couriers of precious treasures. A collection of 13 bottles infused with this spirit of independence, strength and character offers you a canvas on which to write your own legend. It is no surprise that leading makers and artisan producers alike, impelled by the romanticised legends of old, seek
16 DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017
to create a unique narrative that associates their brand with the bold strength, brazen independence and rebellious spirit of these irrepressible piratical personalities. This same trend has inspired new bars, saloons and watering holes that cater to a clientele on the hunt for their own treasures and attract Millennials seeking unique and authentic experiences and creative, original and refined cocktails served in a unique atmosphere that distill the essence of the moment. FIND OUT MORE AT SAVERGLASS.COM OR PHONE 09 522 2990
INDUSTRY NEWS
High hopes for smaller vintage The 2017 grape harvest has come in smaller than expected, according to New Zealand Winegrowers. THE 2017 Vintage Survey shows the harvest totalled 396,000 tonnes, down 9 per cent on last year. “Given strong demand in overseas markets wineries had been looking forward to a larger harvest this year,” said Philip Gregan, CEO of New Zealand Winegrowers. “With the smaller vintage however, export volume growth is likely to be more muted in the year ahead.” Gregan said the smaller vintage was due to weather conditions.
“Generally summer weather was very positive but there were some challenges as the season progressed.” In terms of vintage quality he said wineries were confident the vintage would deliver the fruit flavours for which New Zealand wine is renowned. “Reports from across the wine regions indicate that generally wineries are positive about the vintage quality. However, as always the ultimate test will be how the market reacts to the wines when they are released. At this stage we are confident the 2017 vintage wines will add to New Zealand’s reputation as a premium producer of cool climate wines.” New Zealand wine is exported to more than 90 countries and wine exports are currently valued at $1.65 billion per annum. Wine is New Zealand’s fifth largest export good.
Head online for the LCQ HAVING DELIVERED the Licence Controller Qualification (LCQ) in a classroom setting since its inception in 2003, Piet van de Klundert, Director of The Learning Place, could see the potential for a better, more affordable and more accessible way to do it – and the idea for the online LCQ was born. He says that in the early days they came up against several challenges inherent in hospitality. The first was simply trying to work in with the schedules of people working in a hospitality business. “Although we tried to deliver it when staff were available, we couldn’t always deliver it at times that fitted in with staff rosters,” he says. The cost of training a new person in the LCQ was also prohibitive. “What we found was that with high staff turnover rates in the hospitality industry some businesses were having to train new staff for their operation constantly. Paying $250 every time you had to train
a new person in the LCQ before they applied for a Manager’s Certificate was really expensive.” Alongside this, the new 2012 Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act introduced a new playing field where all licensed premises faced greater risks and stiffer penalties. “Previous ways of delivering the message in the LCQ wasn’t always keeping the risk factor down,” says van de Klun-
dert. “Candidates and businesses need to be sure that the information in the LCQ is relevant, up-to-date and lowers the risk profile for all participants in the sale and supply of alcohol on licensed premises.” “This is when we decided to put the LCQ online in a format that was accessible, affordable and up-to-date. The learning platform that the course sits
Sky’s the limit for top wines SIXTY NEW ZEALAND wines have been chosen for Air New Zealand’s 2017 ‘Fine Wines of New Zealand’ list. The annual list is created by a panel of six judges, each of whom is charged with recommending what they feel are the finest examples of a specific wine variety. After a tasting process the panel must reach collective agreement on the final list. Judges for the 2017 list were Masters of Wine Alastair Maling, Michael Brajkovich, Sam Harrop, Simon Nash, Steve Smith, and Master Sommelier Cameron Douglas. The Fine Wines of New Zealand programme is now in its second year and Air New Zealand acts as patron. A selection of the wines will be offered to Air New Zealand’s Business Premier passengers throughout the year. SEE THE FULL LIST AT FINEWINES.NZ
on is brilliant – it’s easy to work through and being an open book assessment at the end makes it systematic to work through, acquiring the correct knowledge along the way. “Candidates can take as long as they like within the 45 days to complete it, meaning it can be done when they want to and doesn’t tie them to a set day to sit the course. The information is relevant and up-to-date with advice from Police, Licensing Inspector and representatives from a Medical Officer of Health.” The online LCQ from The Learning Place has been pre-moderated by Service IQ, the body that issues the LCQ Certificate. The course has also had input from stakeholders such as Police and Licensing Inspectors. The entire course including the lessons and assessment is done online. “We have had thousands of candidates complete it successfully,” says Piet van de Klundert. “There is also an 0800 helpline if you have any issues along the way. It costs just $150, including the cost of the LCQ Certificate and NZQA credit hook-ons, so you can have more staff trained and lower the risk to your business, staff and patrons.” GO TO GETLCQ.CO.NZ TO ENROL
DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017 17
INDUSTRY NEWS
Mission Estate buys Ngatarawa
US ‘Glambassador’ for Invivo INVIVO HAS partnered with American media personality Nigel Barker, with the former model, judge and photographer on America’s Next Top Model now their US Glambassador. Barker was introduced to Invivo’s Pinot Noir five years ago while in New Zealand shooting America’s Next Top Model. He struck up a friendship with owners Tim Lightbourne and Rob Cameron who sent him the wine whenever they could. When Invivo launched in the US earlier this year with Invivo Sauvignon Blanc, Invivo Pinot Noir and Graham Norton’s special edition Sauvignon Blanc, the pair brought Barker on board in an official capacity.
Negociants to distribute Ant Mackenzie ANT MACKENZIE has moved distribution of all his wine brands to Negociants New Zealand in an exclusive, national distribution agreement that sees Negociants distribute the Theory & Practice, Alluviale and Craft Farm brands. NEGOCIANTS NZ
18 DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017
MISSION ESTATE has acquired the Ngatarawa brand portfolio of The Stables, Stables Reserve, Glazebrook and Alwyn. Chairman of Ngatarawa Wines, Brian Corban, said that the Ngatarawa directors were pleased the brands would become part of a well-established winery that has a direct stake in the region and understands the New Zealand wine business. Ngatarawa Wines was founded in 1981 by Alwyn Corban and Garry Glazebrook and is recognised as the pioneer of the Bridge Pa Triangle in Hawke’s Bay. Owned by cousins Alwyn and Brian Corban, it has more than 30 years’ experience making Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay and Riesling. Peter Holley, CEO of Mission Estate says, “We’re immensely proud of this move as combined we have more than 200 years of winemaking heritage. Ngatawara and Mission together provide a complementary and robust offering of the best wines of both Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough.” The sale process was due to be completed by June 30th.
Distributed by Federal Merchants & Co. Ph: 0800 846 824 | E: info@federalmerchants.co.nz | W: federalmerchants.co.nz
INDUSTRY NEWS
World of wine LOOKING TO gain a qualification in wine or to improve your knowledge? The New Zealand School of Food & Wine, founded by Celia Hay, has been educating wine professionals since 1995. Located in Auckland’s Viaduct, NZSFW is accredited by the WSET® (Wine and Spirit Education Trust, London) and offers regular wine programmes. The teaching staff come from throughout the industry and are passionate about sharing their vast knowledge. Class sizes are small, with a wine tasting and discussion session included each day to develop students’ palates, and include evening, weekend and weekday short course options.
Certificate In Professional Wine Knowledge (Sommelier) The New Zealand School of Food and Wine is the only WSET® authorised provider in New Zealand offering a 12 week classroom-based teaching programme. This intensive programme offers the hospitality professional or the wine enthusiast an international qualification that provides a thorough understanding of the principal wines and spirits of the world and key factors influencing style, quality and value.
Certificate in Wine This popular introductory course offers the opportunity to learn about wine and winemaking. It focuses on the main wine varietals
.
grown in New Zealand and the styles of wine that have built their reputations.
WSET® Levels 1-3 A series of courses ranging from basic wine and spirits knowledge through to in-depth wine tastings and understanding of wine regions. WSET is considered by many to be the foundation towards becoming a Master of Wines.
French Wine Scholar A comprehensive programme covering everything needed to become fully versed in the world of French wines. The New Zealand School of Food and Wine is rated NZQA Category 1 and is a member of the Restaurant Association of New Zealand and Hospitality New Zealand. FIND OUT MORE AT FOODANDWINE.CO.NZ
‘Somm of the Year’ On Sunday August 20, talented wine professionals from around the country will compete in the New Zealand Sommelier and Junior Sommelier of the Year competition, as part of NZSFW’s 4th annual Wine & Food Celebration. Entrants will put their wine knowledge and service skills to the test in front of expert judges. Final judging is open to the public from 2pm-4pm. FIND OUT MORE AT EVENT.FOODANDWINE.CO.NZ
Professional Wine & Spirits Training Learn from experts in Central Auckland. Wine tasting and discussion every class.
Certificate in Wine, includes WSET® Level 1 • •
8 Tuesday Nights, 6 - 9pm. Starts 5 September. 2 Weeks including winery visit. Starts 27 November.
WSET® Level 1 - 3 Award in Wines • •
Weekend and part time short course options. Please see our website for intake dates.
WSET® Level 2 Award in Spirits • .
4 Days. Starts 13 November.
French Wine Scholar •
5 Days. Starts 9 October. Celia Hay | admin@foodandwine.co.nz www.foodandwine.co.nz 09 377 7961
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Local flavour BREWED IN Nelson, the Pete’s Natural range is made by husband and wife team Pete Blommaert and Marleen Suy. Since launching the lemonade eight years ago they’ve been adding flavours and refreshed the packaging last year. The range is low in sugar and free from additives, artificial preservatives, colours or flavours. They’re also gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan-friendly. The drinks use New Zealand fruit and hops and include Lemonade, Lime-O-Nade, Currant Crush, Orange Berry, Lemon Chilli (complete with fresh bird’s eye chilli), Feijoa, Kola, and Ginger Beer. CONTACT PETESLEMONADE.CO.NZ OR PHONE 021 0785 758
Maule Valley = Chile = Carmenere Chile, the only country in the world never infected by phylloxera, cradles the Maule Valley which combines the best winemaking weather, very fertile soil and Pacific Ocean breezes. In that paradise, one of the oldest Estates is “LaOriental” (Bodegas Casa Donoso) where the first vines were brought from Bordeaux in the late 1800’s.
New Zealand agents: SUR Wines
(04) 383 9596 021 44 95 96 info@sur.co.nz
Tourism boost for Greystone GREYSTONE WINES and its PurePod have debuted on Australia’s longestrunning network television programme, travel show Getaway. The four-minute segment showcased the luxurious ecocabin made almost entirely of glass, which sits inconspicuously above Greystone’s vineyard in the Waipara Valley. The Greystone PurePod is one of six stories showcasing a collection of the South Island’s top tourism attractions, which are still relatively unknown to the Australian tourism market. Last year alone, Getaway attracted more than 10.5 million viewers. Tony Saunders, Tourism New Zealand’s General Manager, Australia, says it is a real bonus to secure such a high impact broadcast which meets all Tourism New Zealand’s objectives. “These stories reinforce our efforts to
encourage travellers to visit more regions and to travel outside the peak season. The features also support our South Island campaign to encourage more Australians to take a self-drive holiday”. The PurePod’s construction is designed to be minimally invasive on the land it is constructed on. The lighting, filtration and heating systems are all powered by solar panels, backed up with a bio-fuel capable water heater. There are four PurePods scattered
around Canterbury, all of which are remote, minimalist, sustainable and offer guests an immersive experience in nature. Greystone Wines general manager, Nick Gill, says “North Canterbury offers an incredible range of world-class food, wine and accommodation, much of which are off the beaten track. We hope the show will garner more interest from our local and international visitors.” SEE THE VIDEO – SEARCH ‘GREYSTONE PUREPOD’ AT VIMEO.COM
Spotlight on Australia at Vinexpo
Lion brews up coffee plan LION HAS launched a coffee blend called The Good Patron as part of an initiative to make it easier for on-premise operators to offer customers coffee. The package includes the coffee itself (a blend developed by New Zealand Master Roaster David Burton), machinery and servicing, Barista Academy training and Southern Hospitality accessories in an all-in-one package. The aim is to make serving coffee a simpler prospect for on-premise owners by combining all the individual aspects under one package and one invoice. Operators need not be existing Lion clients to sign up.
AUSTRALIA’S WINE will be showcased at the next Vinexpo Hong Kong on 29-31 May 2018. Vinexpo says that as the world’s fifth largest wine exporter, the second largest exporter to China and with a growth outlook of 25% in volume by 2020, Australia is a major industry player. It is estimated that growth in consumption of its still wines will be US$4.3 billion between 2016 and 2020. “Vinexpo is very proud to welcome Australia as the Country of Honour for the 20th anniversary of its Hong Kong edition. This decision reflects Asian consumers’ growing appetite for Australian wines and Vinexpo aims to celebrate the buoyancy of the Australian winemaking industry,” says Guillaume Deglise, CEO of Vinexpo. Details of the programme, in collaboration with Wine Australia, will be released in coming months.
D RINKSBIZ WITH APEX LABELLING
The perfect label
From boutique brewers to premium wine brands, Kiwi company Apex Labelling has been creating solutions for businesses across the country for 40 years
WHEN IT comes to reliable, adaptable labelling, some of the biggest names in the beer and wine industry turn to Apex Labelling. “We’re the only people in New Zealand manufacturing labelling solutions for customers,” says owner Sam Howe. “Whereas other manufacturers have an off the shelf labelling product which they make fit the application, we build exactly what customers need.”
Versatile Apex Labelling provided solutions for contract bottler and brewer Steam Brewing in Auckland, which required the ability to change between multiple products on their bottling lines quickly and easily. “Because they do contract brewing they do a lot of product changes with different SKUs,” says Sam Howe. “They also have a wide variety of labels that they need to apply – whether that’s for Epic, Monteith’s, or anyone else. The kit, which Apex developed, allows them to swap from a typical wrap label through to front and back labels, as well as neck labels. What’s great is the versatility and the variety of product they can do on one machine. It’s quick to change over, it’s a flexible bit of kit and you can customise it.”
Premium product Wine company Delegat has used Apex Labelling machinery for its Oyster Bay wine
Sam Howe
brand for more than 15 years. Howe says the brand’s premium positioning requires an exceptional job every time. “It’s all about making sure every product looks great on the shelf – there’s no room for labels not being on straight or being too high. Premium product means a premium label and they are using a piece of kit that has been in there since day one. We’d dearly love to sell them a new one but the old one is still going strong!”
Boutique brews Panhead Custom Ales and ParrotDog Brewery both use Apex Labelling machines for their craft product. Sam Howe says presentation is key for boutique brands such as these. “They’re both in the ‘sweet spot’ for an Apex machine in terms of the volume and the level of investment they wanted to make at this point in the evolution of their businesses, but also the fact that the appearance of their product is important. A bottle of Panhead has a distinctive label, it uses bold colours to stand out and promote the product on retailers’ shelves. The application of the label has to be good – from a consumer’s point of view, if the label’s skew-whiff then what’s the beer like?”
A custom solution With cut-through at retail more crucial than ever, brands look to set themselves apart with packaging – and Apex Labelling can offer the final piece of that puzzle with a custom-made labelling solution. Howe says they are currently working with a boutique spirits company that needs a tailor-made label for its uniquely shaped bottle. He says customised applications are just one of their specialties. “If you’ve got something weird and wacky then we can help you get a label on it.”
Servicing Apex Labelling offers nationwide servicing of its machines, although Howe says a lot of basic troubleshooting can be done over Skype or video conferencing from their Auckland offices and some clients, such as Delegat, maintain the machines themselves, with Apex Labelling supplying spare parts if required. “They’re not highly sensitive pieces of kit that will fall over if you sneeze – they’re robust and reliable and you get a good return out of your investment.” FIND OUT MORE ABOUT LABELLING SOLUTIONS AND LEASE OPTIONS AT APEXLABELLING.COM
You Make It. We Label It. Apex design, manufacture, service and support our advanced labelling solutions, here in New Zealand. Each machine is built to meet the specific requirements of your product and application.
CUSTOM MADE IN NEW ZEALAND
Phone +64 9 278 9168 sales@apexlabelling.com apexlabelling.com
FEATURE - LIQUOR TRENDS
The shifting landscape
Changing consumer behaviour, the continued rise of online and the arrival of ‘grocerants’ are all trends the US liquor market is grappling with, and they look set to affect the New Zealand market too
24 DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017
RESEARCH COMPANY Nielsen released its findings on the latest trends and innovations shaping the US liquor market earlier this year, with Senior Vice President of Nielsen’s Beverage and Alcohol Practice, Danny Brager, presenting them to New Zealand suppliers and retailers in May. While the US market may be far larger and more diverse than here, there’s no doubt our industry is facing the same challenges when it comes to advances in technology and shifts in consumer behaviour. Earlier, Brager spoke to the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) at their conference in April, where he said the landscape will continue to change quickly. “If you think we’ve had a lot of fragmentation and disruption so far then that is just going to accelerate
and the reasons are multiple: meal kits, alcohol delivery apps, brick and mortar retailers who have to be able to deliver things to compete, and direct to consumer in the wine category and wine pure play retailers.”
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES In the US, Nielsen found that overall per capita consumption of alcohol is flat. Wine and spirits dominate craft beer, which has slowed, and while the craft industry is bigger and more mature (Brager says there are more than 5,000 breweries in the US, opening at a rate of two per day), growth is tougher. The way in which people consume alcohol is changing too. “On-premise is not growing as fast as off-premise and that
FEATURE - LIQUOR TRENDS
“If you think we’ve had a lot of fragmentation and disruption so far then that is just going to accelerate”
has been the case for the last few years,” says Brager. “Beer is trailing wines and spirits and so its share of adult beverages has declined rather relentlessly through the past few years.” Value is growing faster than volume however, showing consumers’ preparedness to “trade up” and buy better quality product. Household budget constraints, growth of home delivery services and a desire to entertain at home are all contributing to this growth in off-premise sales in the US. From a food perspective here, the meteoric rise of meal kits such as My Food Bag, the arrival of services like UberEats and even simple supermarket home delivery is making it easier and more attractive for consumers to entertain at home. Online purchasing of alcohol has been available in New Zealand for some time,
but has become more curated with the launch of Kiwi company WineFriend, the arrival of Australian company Vinomofo and even Cocktail Collective, which delivers cocktail kits (down to the garnishes) to customers’ doors. The challenge for off-premise will be to build on this momentum by offering more in-store to engage customers, and personalising and simplifying their path to purchase online. For on-premise, variety becomes key (more comprehensive lists by the glass or on tap) as does in-house expertise from sommeliers and bar staff, thereby improving customer experience and engagement.
in the US as it offers simplicity and a social experience for shoppers, who can pick up fresh food items and stop for a drink or sit down for a casual meal with friends or family all in one spot. US chain Wholefoods already has bars in some of its stores, while Target is experimenting with this on a smaller scale too. In June this year, Australian department store David Jones announced a new AUD$100m food strategy, in which it would revamp its food spaces to offer integrated dining, fresh food stores (seafood, butchery, bakery etc) as well as preprepared meals and packaged groceries. The first is due to open in Sydney’s Bondi Junction in late August. Nielsen notes that while grocerants will create competition for fast-food chains and traditional restaurants, they will
also provide new opportunities for liquor brands – both for onsite consumption and retail purchasing.
NEW FLAVOURS AND VARIETALS A new take on old favourites has helped growth in a mature liquor category like whiskey. Nielsen found that whiskey flavoured with cinnamon, honey and apple showed annual growth of 11.5%, ahead of unflavoured whiskey at 5.1%. The launch here of brands such as Batch 10 honey bourbon, and the new Woodstock Easy Roller Bourbon RTDs with Apple or Ginger Beer also point to new momentum in this category locally.
RISE OF THE ‘GROCERANT’
BEWARE THE MILLENNIAL
This combination of a grocery store and restaurant is becoming more prevalent
In his presentation to the WSWA, Danny Brager pointed out the need to treat the DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017 25
FEATURE - LIQUOR TRENDS
much-hyped millennial audience (21-39 year olds) with caution. “Sometimes, as an industry, we forget that there’s more out there than just millennials to consider. At the other end of the age spectrum, 55+, that group still accounts for the largest share of wine volume and it accounts for an equal share of spirits volume as millennials do.” Brager points out that people are living longer and many will want to enjoy an alcoholic beverage long into their retirement. He also warned against thinking of millennials as one homogenous group, when they are ethnically and socially diverse. “About 28% of millennials make less than US$25k per year, whereas 15% make more than US$100k per year. Do you think they might be buying and drinking different things? I think so.”
JOIN A TRIBE Overall, Nielsen found that the key trends and innovations in the US liquor market highlight a need to offer consumers new and engaging ways in which to try, interact with and purchase alcohol. Retail strategist, Juanita Neville-Te Rito of Auckland-based agency The Retail Collective, says an important element to consider is ‘place-making’ – the art of creating spaces for people to congregate, as consumers today look for more enriched social experiences. She cites the success of Eataly in the US as an example of a store where people can buy fresh ingredients or pre-prepared meals, go to a cooking class, or simply hang out and enjoy a glass of wine with other likeminded shoppers.
Nielsen found that the key trends and innovations in the US liquor market highlight a need to offer consumers new and engaging ways in which to try, interact with and purchase alcohol. Neville-Te Rito says liquor retailers here need to find a way to integrate more with place-making opportunities to create a social experience around their offering. “Unless it’s social, you don’t connect with hearts, minds and wallets.” She says yoga lifestyle brand Lululemon has successfully built a global community beyond its clothing, to the extent that late last year it opened a men’s concept space in Toronto called The Local – although it sells the Lululemon clothing range, it is designed to provide locals with “a space
to connect, collaborate and create” and has a large communal table, big screen TV, cold-pressed coffee and can be used as somewhere to work, meet-up or hang out. “It’s cool, but you become part of that tribe,” says Neville-Te Rito. “Two doors down they’ve got exactly the same thing but articulated differently in a boxing gym – but you’re going there because you’re part of that tribe.” She says integrating shopping and social will be crucial as consumers increasingly want to identify with a ‘tribe’, such as in the new Amazon bookstores, where people are encouraged to simply go and be part of the community of booklovers. The challenge for brands is to work out how they can become part of these social spaces while staying within New Zealand’s liquor licensing laws. “The hardest part to navigate is our legislation and our behaviour as a country, which has made the legislation the way that it is. “It’s a way that you bring people together and you create a community over a period of time and we haven’t got that in this category here at all in New Zealand,” says Neville-Te Rito. “Dare I say, it’s like what the first Starbucks were: ‘Where can we go and hang?’ And you have to see it not as a profit centre but as an articulation of your brand – it’s a marketing exercise to bring people together… and sales will come as a result.” Sources: Smith. G (2017). Taking The Lead In Liquor: What New Zealand Can Learn From U.S. Trends. Nielsen. wswaannualconvention. (2017, April 25). U.S. Beverage Alcohol Forum - Keynote: Trends from Buzzy Bars to Big Data [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=ySgN00dbI-w
26 DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017
Thousands of people work in the wine industry but few end up on the bottle. At Yalumba, we’ve been making wine since 1849. One thing we’ve learnt over the years is that you can’t do much with a bunch of good grapes unless you have already picked a bunch of great people. With this in mind, in 1962, we decided to honour the great people who have made an outstanding contribution to life and tradition at Yalumba by crafting ‘The Signature’. Each release of this iconic Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz blend bears the signature of the person honoured. With the 55th Signature, we salute Andrew Murphy. Murph started his working life in the cellar where he quickly rose to Cellar Manager, qualified as a Winemaker, was promoted to Operations Manager and is today our Director of Wine. So he doesn’t need anybody to tell him that the wine which now bears his name is one of the finest Signatures we have crafted yet. In fact, he’d probably say the wine he’s ended up on is the one he’d most like to upend.
One family. Many stories.
Judy Argent 2008
Clive Weston 2009
Jane Ferrari 2010
Robert Hill-Smith 2012
Andrew Murphy 2013
2018 HARVEST PACKAGES NOW AVAILABLE
Find the best people for your business
BIG REDS - WINE CATEGORY REPORT
Big Reds
New Zealand reds scaled new heights this year thanks to a string of good vintages, a change in grape varieties and some international recognition, writes Joelle Thomson DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017 29
WINE CATEGORY REPORT - BIG REDS
Reds in New Zealand Red wine is overshadowed by white in New Zealand, which is reflected in the national vineyard with 7,960 hectares of red grapes compared with 28,231 hectares of white. Pinot Noir is the most significant red grape grown in New Zealand, occupying 70 per cent of the land devoted to red. It’s an early ripening grape, making it well suited to the country’s cool climate. Merlot is the second most planted red grape in New Zealand after Pinot Noir, but it has less than half the vineyard area. The third is Syrah, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Cabernet Franc
Syrah 2015 Church Road McDonald Series Syrah RRP $27.99 Big names can be taken for granted, but here’s one worth beating a path to – its dark purple colour suggests a dry, full-bodied red and this wine’s ripe black plum flavours are underpinned by savoury notes of cedar, hints of new oak, liquorice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and a lovely lingering finish. Top value for money. 18.5/20 PERNOD RICARD
2014 Esk Valley Winemakers Reserve Syrah RRP $59.99 Syrah is the great red success story of Hawke’s Bay. It’s rising fast in the region, having nearly doubled plantings over the last decade. This is a good example led by powerful black cherry and black plum flavours in a super concentrated wine with all the taste buttons dialled up. It’s smooth and lingers, drinks well now and will age well for four to five years. 16.5/20 VILLA MARIA
2015 Quarter Acre Hawke’s Bay Syrah
and ‘others’, which account for only one per cent of the total. All are considered to be late ripening and generally need more heat than many areas in New Zealand can deliver consistently. The majority of late ripening red grapes are grown in the North Island because summers are longer, warmer and drier, enabling time to ripen. By contrast, the early ripening Pinot Noir grape is grown more widely in the South Island than in the North because it thrives in cool climates where it retains acidity, which provides nerve, structure and its trademark flavours of red fruit.
ageing up to 10 years, possibly beyond. It’s made from hand-picked grapes, was fermented naturally (rather than with added commercial yeasts), aged on skins for 30 days and then in French oak barriques. I love the concentrated dark fruit flavours, intense clove and nutmeg aromas, smooth tannins and fresh, lingering finish. 19/20 RED+WHITE
2014 Wairau River Syrah Reserve RRP $40 If Marlborough seems an unusual location for a late ripening grape such as Syrah, check out this deep purple, dry as a bone, full-bodied red. Its flavours are all blackberries and black cherries with a subtle hint of vanilla. Syrah’s black peppery notes are full steam ahead in this big red, and nicely balanced with complex fruit notes and earthiness. An impressive wine from our largest wine region. 17/20 FEDERAL MERCHANTS
Shiraz 2015 Jacob’s Creek Double Barrel RRP $21.99 Shiraz
RRP $29-$30
Talk about a win-win. Rod McDonald’s 2015 Quarter Acre Syrah won the prestigious Champion Red Trophy at the International Wine Challenge in London in July, just weeks after winning the International Syrah Trophy, and it’s easy to taste why: this wine is full-bodied, deeply coloured and not only a tasty, approachable red right now, but also has great potential for 30 DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017
The makers of Jacob’s Creek introduced this wine to their eponymous range two years ago with much fanfare – and justifiably so. It will appeal to a wide audience
of wine and spirits lovers, who will enjoy its intense but smooth tannins, derived from both the grapes and the double-oak ageing process this wine went through. It’s big, soft, complex and full of flavours of black fruit, caramel, cedar and cloves. An interesting newcomer for an established brand. 17.5/20 PERNOD RICARD
SPECIAL CELLAR RELEASE RED 2007 Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Cabernet RRP $59.99 Sauvignon It’s rare to see 100% Cabernet Sauvignons from anywhere in New Zealand these days. This late ripening French grape has shrunk significantly here over the past decade, virtually halving from 524 hectares nationwide back in 2007 to just 283 today. This reflects the cool maritime climate, which is more suited to high quality whites, but great things can happen in warm vintages and 2007 was just such a year. This full-bodied red provides a hint of what beautifully aged wines can taste like – sandalwood, cedar and smoked mushrooms intermingle with black fruit aromas, a full body and long finish. 17.5/20 VILLA MARIA
BIG REDS - CATEGORY REPORT W INE
Kidnapper Cliffs returns 2016 St John’s Road Blood & Courage Shiraz RRP $29.99 The Barossa Valley is the world’s HQ of Shiraz – the dark, brooding black grape of France’s Northern Rhône Valley, and now Australia’s most planted grape. This big red has a smooth body, intensely spicy flavours (pepper and cardamom) and a lingering finish. 17.5/20 FEDERAL MERCHANTS
2014 Yalumba Patchwork Shiraz RRP $24.95 A deep ruby colour, black fruit flavours and big, smooth tannins all combine to make this dry, full-bodied Barossa red a winner for drinking with meaty, savoury dishes. Its sweet spice (cinnamon, caramel and vanilla) and oak maturation also give it the versatility to combine well with a hint of sweetness in food, such as plum sauce with roast meats, or mushroom-based vegetarian dishes. 17/20
The Kidnapper Cliffs brand has been relaunched by Villa Maria after a hiatus of several years. It was released originally as the jewel in the crown of the Te Awa Wines range, which has now been purchased by the Villa Maria Group – the biggest land holder in the 800 hectare Gimblett Gravels in Hawke’s Bay. Villa Maria’s marketers and winemakers have re-modelled the branding and the wines within the Te Awa range, including Kidnapper Cliffs, whose wines enjoyed a cult-like following.
2013 Kidnapper Cliffs Gimblett Gravels Syrah RRP $64.99 This wine is made using the legendary Limmer clone of Syrah, grown on the stoniest part of the Te Awa Estate vineyard in Hawke’s Bay. The 2013 vintage was a fantastic growing season in Hawke’s Bay with a warm, dry sum-
mer producing grapes that were full flavoured and suited long maturation (20 months) in French oak, 35% new. It has intense, complex flavours of fruit and spice, drinks well now and can definitely age for another decade and beyond. 18.5/20 VILLA MARIA
2013 Kidnapper Cliffs Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot RRP $64 Cabernet Sauvignon (73%) dominates this blend and is supported by Merlot (24%) and a touch (just 3%) of Cabernet Franc, which contributes deep purple colour to this wine. All grapes were hand-picked and destemmed before a brief soak to provide extra colour and ripe tannins, prior to fermentation and ageing in French oak barriques (35% new). 18.5/20 VILLA MARIA
NEGOCIANTS
2015 The Barry Bros by Jim Barry RRP $26 This is Shiraz but with the unconventional addition of Cabernet Sauvignon, which has become an Australian specialty; made here by the outstanding family winemaking team of Jim, Tom and Sam Barry. The wine is deep ruby and full of dark fruit flavour. It is bone dry, full-bodied and intensely flavoursome with smooth, ripe tannins providing outstanding structure. It drinks well now and can age further for
three to four years. 17.5/20 NEGOCIANTS
wine is full with a sweet fruity mid-palate but a dry, long, fizzy finish. 17.5/20 SUPPER CLUB WINES
Thomas Goss Sparkling Shiraz NV RRP $24.99 South Australia is home to this sparkling edition of Shiraz, made by winemaker Alexia Roberts. It’s named after a pioneer farmer and landholder, Thomas Goss, who arrived there in 1849 and farmed extensively in McLaren Vale and Willunga – now home to some of the region’s most experimental, cutting-edge wineries. This
2012 Brown Brothers Patricia Shiraz RRP $54.99 This Shiraz is made with grapes grown in the Pyrenees, Heathcote, Henty and Bendigo regions throughout Victoria, by the Brown Brothers wine family, which is based in Milawa, three and a half hours north of Melbourne. I love its deep purple colour, dry spiced fruit flavours and DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017 31
WINE CATEGORY REPORT - BIG REDS
Craggy Range top duo The new top tier reds from Craggy Range were launched in June this year and represent the third consecutive strong vintage in a row, says winemaker Matt Stafford. He notes that yields were down for this vintage of the 2015 Craggy Range Le Sol Syrah due to a cool start to vintage, but a warm dry summer resulted in a beautifully concentrated, flavoursome and youthful red that begs for more time in the bottle.
2015 Craggy Range Le Sol RRP $135 A cool spring provided plenty of nervous anticipation for the Craggy Range wine team but a warm, dry spell in mid to late January saw temperatures head past 30°C and the result is this wine that’s intense in every way – from its deep purple colour to its full body, high but balanced tannins and acidity and its long, smooth finish. Le Sol was aged for 17 months in French oak, 30% new oak, drinks well and has strong ageing potential for 9-10 plus years. 18.5/20 VINTNERS NZ
2015 Craggy Range Sophia RRP $115 Three grapes vie for attention in this wine: 73% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Cabernet Franc, all contributing body and fruit weight. The soft richness comes from the super-concentrated ripe Merlot component while the two Cabernets provide dark fruity notes. It was aged for 19 months in French oak (45% new) and drinks well now but will age for 9-10 years, potentially longer. 18.5/20 VINTNERS NZ
32 DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017
lingering finish; it’s an outstandingly well balanced wine from one of Australia’s best known wine families, who named it after their late grandmother, Patricia. 18.5/20 TAYLOR BROWN
Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 Mr Riggs Outpost Coonawarra Cabernet
RRP $32.99
Every country has its stock-in-trade red wine and Cabernet Sauvignon is often seen as second fiddle to Shiraz in Australia until you taste a big, bold red like this one. Smooth, soft and powerful with flavours of blackberries, caramel and cedar. Good value for money. 16.5/20 FEDERAL MERCHANTS
2015 St John’s Road Line & Length RRP $29.99 Cabernet Sauvignon Barossa Valley may be home to more Shiraz than you can shake the proverbial stick at, if you’ll excuse the pun (check out this wine’s label), but its unsung hero is, in my view, Cabernet Sauvignon. This dark, brooding wine puts forward a great case for Cabernet in Australia with its full body, smooth tannins and black fruit flavours, which combine in a wine that drinks well now thanks to its approachability. 17.5/20 FEDERAL MERCHANTS
2012 St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon RRP $52.99 The 2012 vintage was an exceptional one in South Australia, as this full-bodied, dry, concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon shows.
This wine spent 22 months maturing in new French oak with a small amount of American oak hogsheads (larger than French barriques) adding a sweet vanilla, toasty aroma and extra complexity to this wine. Drinks well now and will age. 18.5/20 PERNOD RICARD
d’Arenberg The High Trellis Cabernet Sauvignon
RRP $24
Winemaker Toby Porter says he often wishes he worked for a regular large winery where pressing the grapes was done in modern presses with a commercial eye to production. Instead, at the wellknown (and large) d’Arenberg winery, all the grapes are pressed in a basket press to extract the gorgeous deep ruby colour for which the winery is known. It’s an intensely hands-on, time consuming process and is also the reason for the high quality and style of all d’Arenberg wines. This is a concentrated, deeply coloured wine with pronounced fruity flavours, notes of spice and a full body. 18.5/20 NEGOCIANTS
2014 Taylors St Andrews Cabernet Sauvignon
RRP $69.99
Australia is no stranger to big reds, but here’s a wine made slightly off the beaten track because it’s a Cabernet Sauvignon from the Clare Valley rather than the better known Cabernet regions of Coonawarra and Margaret River. Dry as a bone, full-bodied, intensely flavoursome, it is made from very ripe grapes, which provide depth of colour as well as flavours
BIG REDS - CATEGORY REPORT W INE
FOCUS ON MALBEC
of powerful black fruit and big smooth tannins. Drinks well now but will improve for over a decade. A keeper. 17.5/20
2013 Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Malbec
TAYLOR BROWN
Cabernet Sauvignon Dominant 2015 Saint Clair Pioneer Block 17 Plateau Cabernet Merlot RRP $37.90 This full-bodied, dry red is made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Black fruit, spice, dry flavours, a full body and big, impressive tannins. Tasty stuff. 17.5/20 NEGOCIANTS
Merlot 2015 Church Road McDonald RRP $27.99 Series Merlot Merlot is most famous for its support role to Cabernets Franc and Sauvignon, but here’s a wine that puts forward a firm case for this grape to play the lead on its own. It has a medium ruby colour, medium tannins with soft plum and red fruit flavours supported with hints of spice such as nutmeg, cinnamon and clove. It is good quality and drinks well now. 17.5/20 PERNOD RICARD
2015 Saint Clair Pioneer Block 17 RRP $37.90 Plateau Merlot This soft, seductive Merlot from Saint Clair has big, soft plum flavours and an incredibly approachable, drink-me-now style, but give it half a chance and it also has the
structure to soften and age rather nicely for another 4-5 years. 16.5/20 NEGOCIANTS
2015 Saint Clair Premium Hawke’s RRP $26.50 Bay Merlot The Marlborough-based Saint Clair winery is best known for its exhaustive range of superlative Sauvignon Blancs, but family members have searched further afield for Merlot for this very good quality red. It’s made with grapes grown in Hawke’s Bay – home to more Merlot than anywhere else in the country. It’s ripe, bold in taste and drinks well now with its soft tannins, medium body and finish. 17.5/20 NEGOCIANTS
RRP $59.99
Malbec is bigger than Texas in Argentina these days, but hails originally from Cahors – a town in south west France. It also grows in New Zealand, albeit with just 131 hectares, mainly in Hawke’s Bay and on the decline, down from 160 hectares in 2007. But it has a staunch fan club, so is likely to remain here. Malbec is also staunch in colour, with a dry style, full body and black plum and spice flavours. This is an impressive example from Villa Maria, made with grapes grown in Hawke’s Bay’s Gimblett Gravels. It has ageing potential of 9-10 years. 17.5/20 VILLA MARIA
Tempranillo 2014 Telmo Rodriguez Dehesa Gago RRP $18 – $20 It’s no secret that Spain is home to some of the best big bodied reds on the planet right now, including “G” – the nickname given to this wine from Toro DO, which is a 100% ‘Tinta de Toro’ (also known as Tempranillo). Winemaker Telmo Rodriguez is a champion of Spain’s lesser known grape varieties, as well as the classics like Tempranillo. This is a big wine made from vines grown close to the ground as bush
vines, enabling the grapes to ripen fully in the hot days and cool nights of this region. Flavours of dark fruit, dried fruit, earthy notes and a touch of sweet spice. Outstanding value. 17.5/20 VINTNERS NZ
For distributor details see Distributor Index page 80
DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017 33
IN VINO VERITAS
Joelle Thomson Journalist, wine writer and author mailme@joellethomson.com
Time to diversify
Innovation is the name of the wine game in Hawke’s Bay today, writes Joelle Thomson
FRESHLY RETURNED from time in Hawke’s Bay, I am staggered by the innovation in that region; the second biggest of this country’s wine areas and by far the most diverse. The Bay is a hotbed of experimentation from quirky French, Italian and Spanish grape varieties to small scale Kiwi gin distilled in a Portuguese copper alembic still, and even a balsamic vinegar made in miniature Italian acacia barrels in a cool corner of a large winery. Some of the more innovative wines in the Bay include the purple-black Marzemino made at Church Road, the 2016 Te Mata Gamay (fruity, soft, summery red berry tasting wine) and 2015 Te Awanga Syrah – all three an indication that this region has many more strings to add to its already famous wine bow. The reason for my trip was the launch of three of New Zealand’s flagship wines – all branded ‘TOM’, which is the flagship of Church Road. The new 2014 release includes the Merlot Cabernet, Chardonnay and Syrah. The 2014s are far more impressive than the already very good 2013s, in my view. My pick? The 2014 Church Road TOM Syrah – a wine with the X-factor: big, ripe black fruit flavours, a full body, velvety mouthfeel and high acidity. Lots going on but beautifully balanced. And it’s not the only Syrah with wow factor in the Bay. Within days of returning to the chilly capital, Rod McDonald Wines had won four trophies for the winemaker’s eponymous 2015 Quarter Acre Syrah, including Best International Syrah, at the world’s biggest wine competition, the International Wine Challenge (IWC) in London and then just weeks later nabbed the Champion Red Trophy too. It’s encouraging to see Syrah shine, given the chequered career Caber34 DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017
Church Road
It’s encouraging to see Syrah shine, given the chequered career Cabernet Sauvignon has had in Hawke’s Bay. net Sauvignon has had in Hawke’s Bay. In the past decade Cabernet Sauvignon has shrunk from 524 to 283 hectares nationwide (mostly in the Bay), while Syrah has grown from 257 to 443 hectares (also mostly in the Bay) over the same period. Essentially, Syrah has taken Cabernet’s spot as the region’s potentially highest quality dark, brooding red wine. Syrah has become so popular at Church Road’s cellar door that the winery can’t keep up with it, says Brent Pilcher, who looks after cellar door sales, the restaurant, wine tours and tastings at Church Road. His role as National Cellar Door Manager for Pernod Ricard NZ means he works in both Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough, giving him an insight into two vastly different wine regions. Syrah is the tip of the experimenta-
tion iceberg in Hawke’s Bay and just two vintages in to making a TOM Syrah, winemaker Chris Scott confesses he is modifying his winemaking according to what he learns about this varietal each year. He says he has high hopes for the latest 2014 releases. “The 2014 season had excellent amounts of rainfall over summer and a long, dry autumn which allowed exceptional flavours and ripeness to develop. The wines are showing much greater generosity and plushness compared with the more focused wines from the previous vintage.”
Hawke’s Bay wines to try… 2014 Church Road Marzemino – deep purple, velvety black ‘red’ wine 2014 Church Road Tempranillo – red fruity, savoury and smooth 2016 Te Mata Gamay – fruity soft, summery red berry tasting wine 2015 Te Mata Cape Crest – bold, full bodied, creamy white made from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon (with a smidgeon of Sauvignon Gris)
New Zealand’s Most Awarded Winery
No great wine ever came from a spreadsheet. Winemaking is an art, not a numbers game and our winemakers and viticulturists understand this. They pick our grapes based on flavour and ripeness, not on achieving a certain yield. It’s a luxury we have from being family-owned which means everything we do is for the good of what’s in the glass. For us it’s simple: our wine is far more important than how many zeros are on our balance sheet. So open a bottle of Villa Maria and experience what passion and dedication taste like.
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Exclusively distributed to New Zealand by: Q-Liquid Ltd, 232A Neilson Street, Onehunga, Auckland Tel: 0800 111 828 Email: info@qll.co.nz Web: www.qll.co.nz BLUE_NUN_Advertising_RIESLING_TW_22012015.indd 1
23.01.15 12:40
HIGH FIVE
Top 5 winter wines
Cooler months call for hearty full-bodied reds with refreshing crisp whites on the side, as selected by wine writer Joelle Thomson
01A star
RRP $27.95
RRP $22
2015 Misha’s Vineyard ‘The Starlet’ Sauvignon Blanc Central Otago
2016 Greystone Barrel Fermented Sauvignon Blanc
She’s called ‘The Starlet’ because she’s fresh, fruity and best enjoyed when youthful. That said, this bright, crisp southern white is two years old now and coming into her own thanks to a little bottle age, which softens Sauvignon Blanc’s naturally high acidity. Like Misha’s Pinots, she is made with grapes grown on a steep vineyard at an altitude of 240-280 metres above sea level. This elevation helps avoid frost and means the grapes can hang out on the vines for longer, enabling them to gain ripe flavours with pronounced red and green apple, supported by high acidity suggestive of the cool climate origins. This is a succulent, refreshing dry white. 19.5/20
Crisp southern Sauvignon Blanc grapes were transferred to French oak barrels for a full-on wild yeast fermentation where 10% were treated to the softening, creamy influence of a malolactic conversion (where the grapes’ malic acid converts to rounder lactic acid). This softens the acidity in the wine, adding complexity to its floral and fruit flavours of honeysuckle, tropical fruit and green fruit. A lovely newcomer to North Canterbury’s Sauvignon scene. 18.5/20
NEGOCIANTS
02 It’s a full bells and whistles expression of Viognier from Waiheke Island winemaker Patrick Newton.
03Barrel of Sauvignon
RRP $17
2016 FOX by John Belsham Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough This wine is sporting a snazzy new look with an attractive floral label suggesting a soft, pretty and approachable dry Marlborough white, which is exactly what it delivers, too. It is dry (winemaker John Belsham is a fan of dryness in all the wines he makes) and while it is fruit-driven, with tropical flavours of ripe pineapple and mango, it is mediumbodied with a light, crisp finish. Good value for money – a great glass pour for bars and restaurants. 16.5/20 FOXES ISLAND WINES
04Island styles
RRP $48
2015 Mudbrick Vineyard Reserve Viognier
Fox by name
GREYSTONE WINES
This wine has lots going on and it’s a big, tasty number too: full-bodied, creamy, high alcohol (14.8% ABV) and with peachy flavours. It’s a full bells and whistles expression of Viognier from Waiheke Island winemaker Patrick Newton. 17.5/20 MUDBRICK VINEYARD
05Early bird
RRP $65
2015 Mudbrick Vineyard Reserve Tempranillo Waiheke winemaker Patrick Newton was an early adopter of Tempranillo in New Zealand. The word ‘temprano’ is Spanish for ‘early’, a nod to the fact that this wine ripens relatively early, which makes it an ideal match for Waiheke’s northern, sub-tropical, sunny climate. Look for flavours of red berries and stewed black fruit, along with subtle flavours of spice. 17.5/20 MUDBRICK VINEYARD
For distributor details see Distributor Index page 80
DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017 37
WINE NEWS
Hunter’s MiruMiru toasts 20 years IT WAS in 1997 that MiruMiru Méthode Traditionelle was launched at New Zealand House in London and in July this year Hunter’s Marlborough celebrated the 20th vintage of its trademark sparkling wine, which has won many international accolades and is widely regarded as an exceptional example of a New Zealand sparkling wine. MiruMiru, which means bubbles in Māori, is crafted in the traditional method of sparkling wine production with a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier grown in Marlborough. The 1995 vintage became the first sparkling wine to win the prestigious James Rogers Memorial Trophy at the UK’s International Wine Challenge. “From the beginning, MiruMiru did exceedingly well, receiving glowing reviews from the international wine community and winning a huge number of awards,”
Hunter’s goes gold at SFIWC
Jane Hunter
says Hunter’s Marlborough managing director Jane Hunter CZNM OBE. “This year is all about acknowledging that success and reflecting on the people who have helped craft that legacy over the past 20 years.” MiruMiru is available in a Non-Vintage, a Reserve Vintage and a Rosé NV, which launched in 2015. All three wines in the range are bottlefermented, with the Non-Vintage aged on lees for 18-24 months, and the Reserve and Rosé NV left sur lie for three and-a-half years. Hunter says commitment to quality combined with constant innovation in the vineyard, including the introduction of new clones, is the secret to the success of Hunter’s MiruMiru. Most recently it received two medals at the 2017 Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships – the third year in a row Hunter’s has won gold at the competition.
New premium range for Montana PERNOD RICARD has launched a new premium range under its Montana wine brand. The Montana Reserve range consists of five wines from regions known for their individual varietals, such as Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, Gisborne Chardonnay, Waipara Pinot Noir, and Rosé and Pinot Gris from Hawke’s Bay. Founded in 1934, Montana is one of New Zealand’s original wine brands, with its first vineyard on a small block in the Waitakere Ranges, west of Auckland. The Montana Reserve range is available now, with the new vintage Hawke’s Bay Rosé due to launch in October. RRP $16.99 PERNOD RICARD
38 DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017
HUNTER’S MARLBOROUGH
Hunter’s has won two gold medals at the San Francisco International Wine Competition 2017, with chief winemaker James McDonald describing the wins as a “breakthrough” moment. The 2016 Hunter’s Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc won gold and 93 points, while the 2014 Hunter’s Marlborough Pinot Noir picked up gold and 90 points at the prominent wine show. Macdonald says the awards will help enlighten American wine drinkers about the quality of New Zealand wine and Hunter’s wine in particular. “For a long time, our bone-dry Sauvignon Blanc and elegant Pinot Noir was not always appreciated. These medals show that palates are evolving and that the future is bright for Hunter’s in the USA.”
New Zealand’s Finest Congratulations to all the wineries selected for the 2017 Fine Wines of New Zealand list. An initiative between six of New Zealand’s leading wine experts and Air New Zealand, aimed at celebrating and showcasing the very best of what New Zealand’s wine industry has to offer. SPARKLING Nautilus Cuvee Marlborough Brut NV Deutz Blanc de Blanc Vintage 2014 Quartz Reef Vintage 2012 No. 1 Reserve AROMATICS Felton Road Dry Riesling 2016 Felton Road Block 1 Riesling 2016 Misha’s Vineyard “Limelight” Riesling 2014 Framingham F series Riesling Kabinett 2015 Johanneshof Cellars Gewürztraminer 2015 Te Whare Ra Toru SV5182 2016 Prophet’s Rock Pinot Gris 2016 Dry River Pinot Gris 2016 Greystone Pinot Gris 2016 SAUVIGNON BLANC Cloudy Bay Te Koko Sauvignon Blanc 2014 Astrolabe Province Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Saint Clair Reserve Wairau Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Vavasour Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Brancott Estate Letter Series B Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Tohu Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Villa Maria Single Vineyard Southern Clays Sauvignon Blanc 2016 CHARDONNAY Kumeu River Mate’s Vineyard Chardonnay 2015 Neudorf Moutere Chardonnay 2015 Sacred Hill Riflemans Chardonnay 2015 Dog Point Chardonnay 2014 Felton Road Block 2 Chardonnay 2015 Villa Maria Keltern Vineyard Chardonnay 2016 Vidal Legacy Chardonnay 2015 Clearview Reserve Chardonnay 2015
DESSERT WINES Forrest Wines Botrytised Riesling 2016 Framingham Wines Noble Riesling 2016 Framingham Wines ‘F’ Gewürztraminer 2015 Giesen The Brothers Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc 2014 PINOT NOIR Felton Road Block 3 Pinot Noir 2014 Burn Cottage Pinot Noir 2015 Rippon “Tinker’s Field” Pinot Noir 2013 Bell Hill Pinot Noir 2013 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir 2014 Dry River Pinot Noir 2014 Kusuda Pinot Noir 2014 Craggy Range Aroha 2015 Escarpment Kupe Pinot Noir 2014 Auntsfield Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2015 Lowburn Ferry Home Block Pinot Noir 2014 Mount Edward Morrison Vineyard Pinot Noir 2014 Greystone Pinot Noir 2014 Valli Gibbston Vineyard Pinot Noir 2015 SYRAH Craggy Range Le Sol 2015 Trinity Hill Homage Syrah 2015 Bilancia La Collina Syrah 2014 Te Mata Estate Bullnose Syrah 2015 BORDEAUX STYLE Te Mata Estate Coleraine 2015 Craggy Range Sophia 2015 Villa Maria Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2015 Esk Valley The Terraces 2015 Stonyridge Vineyard Larose 2015 Church Road Tom 2014 Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels ‘The Gimblett’ 2015
Simon Nash
Steve Smith
Alastair Maling
MASTER OF WINE
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WINE NEWS
IWC Winners 2017 Champion Trophy for Rod McDonald at IWC WINEMAKER ROD McDonald is riding high following his Champion Trophy win at the 34th International Wine Challenge (IWC) in London in July. His Rod McDonald Wines Quarter Acre Syrah 2015 was one of five wines out of the entire competition to claim a coveted Champion Trophy, winning IWC Champion Red Wine 2017. The wine had earlier won Trophies for Hawkes Bay Syrah, New Zealand Syrah, New Zealand Red and International Syrah. The IWC says the red wine category is the most hotly-contested of the competition. “This young red beat thousands of other entries from around the world, thanks to its complex and sophisticated perfume of sandalwood, lavender, white pepper and rich red fruits.”
Other Champion Trophy Winners 2017 • Daniel Thibault Trophy for Champion Sparkling Wine 2017: Champagne Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 2006 (France) • IWC Champion White Wine 2017: Maison Albert Bichot CriotsBatard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2014 (France) • Alois Kracher Trophy for Champion Sweet Wine 2017: Horst Sauer Escherndorfer Lump Silvaner Beerenauslese 2015 (Germany) • Manuel Lozano Trophy for Champion Fortified Wine 2017: Palo Cortado Tradición V.O.R.S. 30-Year-Old (Spain) • Champion of Champions 2017: Champagne Piper-Heidsieck Rare 2002 (France) This award was for any past or current Champion wine re-entered in 2017 and awarded a Trophy, qualifying it to be re-tasted by the International Wine Challenge Co-Chairmen who select their Champion of Champions. FOR MORE DETAILS ON WINNERS AT THE IWC 2017, VISIT INTERNATIONALWINECHALLENGE.COM
40 DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017
NZ wines go gold at IWC NEW ZEALAND wines made a good showing at the 2017 competition overall, picking up 407 medals, including 39 Gold, 182 Silver and 186 Bronze medals to finish sixth in the medal count. Interestingly, it was New Zealand red wines that won most of the Gold medals (26) with the majority of the remaining Golds awarded to Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc entries.
New Zealand highlights from IWC 2017 • Fifteen of the Gold medal winners were produced in Marlborough. Yealands Wine Group (YWG) and Marisco Vineyards (MV), each picked up a pair of Gold medals. The first medal for YWG was awarded for its Yealands Estate Land Made Pinot Noir 2016, with a second Gold for its Yealands Estate Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2015. Marisco Vineyards struck Gold with The King’s Favour Sauvignon Blanc 2016 and The Craft Series The Journey Pinot Noir 1 2014. • Hawke’s Bay wine producers received 11 medals across a range of styles including Syrah, Chardonnay and Viognier. Vidal was awarded two Golds for the 2014 and 2015 vintages of its Vidal Reserve Syrah. A pair of Golds was also awarded to Rod McDonald Wines for Rod McDonald Wines Quarter Acre Syrah 2015 and Rod McDonald Wines Trademark Syrah 2013. Pask Winery was awarded two Golds for its Pask Declaration Chardonnay 2014 and Pask Declaration Syrah 2014. • Otago produced eight Gold medal-winning Pinot Noir, including Brennan Wines for its B2 2014 and Tarras Wines for its Kuru Kuru Pinot Noir 2015. One of the Golds was awarded to a wine produced for UK supermarket Tesco by Villa Maria, namely ‘Tesco finest’ Central Otago Pinot Noir 2015. A single Gold medal was awarded to Ostler Vineyards based in the Waitaki Valley, for its Ostler Caroline’s Pinot Noir, 2015. • Waiheke Island's Man O’ War Vineyards secured a pair Gold medals for its Dreadnought Syrah 2013 and its Valhalla Chardonnay 2014.
A great Barossan shiraz has landed in NZ!
The Barossan showcases the superb fruit sourced from the many fabled sub-regions across the Barossa Valley, a quintessential expression of Barossa shiraz.
Lifted cherry and brooding dark fruit aromas combine seamlessly with sweet chocolate and mocha undertones. An intense, generous and full bodied wine with ďŹ ne tannins and a soft, supple ďŹ nish.
Contact your Giesen Group representative or phone 03 344 6270
DRINKSBIZ WITH PIPER-HEIDSIECK
A dash of seduction Piper-Heidsieck has unveiled a new global campaign designed to reinvigorate its image, connect it with a new generation and reinforce its position among the grande marques of Champagne. THE CAMPAIGN is boldly entitled “Dash of Seduction”, and its key element is the dash linking Piper-Heidsieck, which relates to the marriage at the origins of the House, between Henri-Guillaume Piper and the Veuve Heidsieck. Rendered in the striking red of Piper-Heidsieck, the dash speaks of love, celebration and relationships and appears on each bottle label, which have themselves been streamlined and modernised to better communicate the Piper-Heidsieck range to its new target audience of affluent under-40s. “Our job is to make Piper-Heidsieck a realistic alternative and the first choice,” says CEO Benoît Collard. “To this end, the proposed wines require a credible standard of quality and an immediately understandable image.” The labels now feature a clearer colour association with each expression of Piper-
42 DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017
Heidsieck: a bolder red (still with gold detail) for the Brut Cuvée NV, a pink more closely matched to the hue of the Rosé Sauvage, intense black for the Vintage releases, and a ‘cellar note’ style for the Essentiel, on which the cellaring year and date of disgorgement for each bottle are displayed. Piper-Heidsieck Brand Ambassador, Ned Goodwin MW, says the decision to offer such information about the Essentiel is bold and will appeal not only to sommeliers but also to the millennial target audience who seek authenticity from brands and want to know more about what they consume. “I think it embeds a strong level of sophistication, provenance, confidence and honesty in the consumer’s mind vis-à-vis Piper and that’s really good because none of the other large houses give that sort of information at all.”
D RINKSBIZ WITH PIPER-HEIDSIECK
New Releases Goodwin also highlights the drier style of the new Essentiel as helping to drive the contemporary aura of Piper-Heidsieck. With dosage of six grams (down from seven), it is now Extra Brut. The new campaign visuals speak to PiperHeidsieck’s history and its association with relationships and celebration. Rod Penna, Brand Manager of International Wines and Champagne for Piper-Heidsieck’s New Zealand agency, Hancocks, says campaign research revealed this to be crucial. “One thing that came up was how much that millennial segment really cares about relationships. Also, their casual approach – and you can see that translated in the new visuals. I think they’ve grasped exactly what this new generation is looking for and to be able to connect with that particular segment is very powerful. If we recruit them now, at 35, then we are also future-proofing the House with new loyal followers in years to come.” The global strategy includes a social media content campaign across Twitter, Facebook and Instagram that will link with PiperHeidsieck’s exclusive champagne sponsorship of high profile events such as The Academy Awards and Festival de Cannes. The campaign rollout coincides with the New Zealand release of the new Piper-Heidsieck Vintage 2008, which Ned Goodwin has tipped for great things, describing 2008 as “the bees’ knees” of his list of fine vintages from the last 30 years. “I think it’s going to be the finest champagne vintage in history,” he says. “For
me, it has the acidity of ’96, which was a lauded vintage, but it also has the extract and the power, the ripeness and the richness of 2002. The 08 is still young – it could be aged for 20-30 years, but is delicious already with lots of apricot, white peach and stone fruit.” Piper-Heidsieck’s Rosé Sauvage will come more to the fore later in the year. Penna says more activity is planned for New Zealand’s spring/summer, to build on the increased popularity of rosé wine here and the Rosé Sauvage’s natural fit with food – particularly more sophisticated barbecue-style dishes. Among the top champagne houses of the world (and in the top five in the New Zealand market), Piper-Heidsieck has arguably one of the best winemakers at its helm, with Chef de Caves Régis Camus awarded ‘Sparkling Winemaker of the Year’ a record eight times at the prestigious International Wine Challenge (IWC). This is also borne out by PiperHeidsieck’s Essentiel Cuvée Brut being named Best Non-Vintage Champagne at the 2017 Decanter Wine Awards. These successes, coupled with the brand redevelopment, will help to attract a new consumer to the brand. “The credibility is an important message to give,” says Goodwin. “It shows that Piper is not just a big production centre of champagne, it’s not just a fashionista wine, it’s actually a real wine made by real people from a real place. It’s about this new audience caring about a more sophisticated, intricate expression in their champagne.”
Piper-Heidsieck Vintage 2008 • 9.5 grams dosage with eight year lees ageing • New label • One of the truly great champagne vintages “It could be aged for 20-30 years, but is delicious already…” – Ned Goodwin MW
Piper-Heidsieck Essentiel Extra Brut • 6 grams dosage with extended lees ageing of three years, plus one year in bottle • New label features details of cellaring and date of disgorgement “It’s the extra attention to detail, the more contemporary dry expression and that honest information that makes the Essentiel so appealing.” – Ned Goodwin MW
DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017 43
DRINKSBIZ WITH ACCOLADE
Humble beginnings to a jewel in the crown WHEN THE Lindner family settled in Barossa’s Hallett Valley in the late 1800s the modern world of fine wine was beyond comprehension. Butchering was the family business and in 1912 a Shiraz vineyard was planted that started a slow-moving chain of events that would result in the St Hallett of today. The winery began in 1944 with modest ambitions for the future and an agricultural attitude to winemaking. Its evolution to become a jewel in the crown of Barossa wineries mirrored that of the region itself. Many wine legends have their imprint on the cellar and have helped shape the modern St Hallett, but none more critical than Stuart Blackwell. Stuart started at St Hallett in 1972 – before the average Australian knew the difference between Shiraz and Chardonnay. Through droughts, booms, near busts and bumper crops Stuart has steered St Hallett, ensuring that integrity and a steadfast commitment to the Barossa region were always at the top of the agenda. He shares his thoughts on his winemaking at St Hallett.
What is your winemaking philosophy at St Hallett and how does this shape your work in the vineyard and winery? At St Hallett we are all about the Barossa, which is made up of two valleys. The 44 DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017
Barossa Valley is where most of the vineyards are planted. Eden Valley is more elevated and therefore a little cooler and is a great location for Riesling and Shiraz. We’re fortunate to have access to both valleys with over 40 growers producing over 120 parcels of Shiraz alone. We keep all these parcels separate through the winemaking process, all the way up to blending. This helps us develop an intimate knowledge of the Barossa and our vineyards and we have developed exceptional grower relationships as a result. It’s this attention to detail and intimacy with the land that helps make St Hallett wines special.
can create a wine that is floral in its youth, but also has enough spine to last 20 years in the cellar. Peter Lehmann pulled me aside early in my career and told me that “the most significant thing you can do as a winemaker is to leave a legacy and make a wine that will last for generations.” This really made me think about the style and direction of some of the wines we were making and helped make Old Block Shiraz what it is.
What has been your most memorable winemaking moment? A recent vertical tasting of 30 vintages of Old Block Shiraz. It was a fascinating exercise and a real chance to reflect on the history of St Hallett. Each wine told a story of a time and a place and brought back memories of those. We have undoubtedly got better and better at making Old Block, but there were some beautiful wines in there.
What has influenced your winemaking style over the years?
You have been at St Hallett for over 30 years, what is your focus today?
In my 20s I spent some time making wine in Zimbabwe, known then as Rhodesia. I really threw myself in the deep end as I was the only winemaker there. This taught me a lot about how to design and build an efficient winery. It was a crazy time full of adventure that helped shape the course of my life for many reasons, not least of which was meeting my future wife there. From a winemaking perspective there have been two men who have most influenced me: John Vickery and the late Peter Lehmann. John really influenced the way that I saw Riesling and shaped the way we
I have handed the winemaking reins over to a young and talented team that has embraced our winemaking philosophy and improved on it in certain areas. These days most of my focus is away from the cellar spending time with our sales teams and customers and telling the stories of the Barossa and St Hallett. St Hallett is now part of the Accolade Wines portfolio and distributed by Hancocks Wine, Spirits & Beer Merchants whose comprehensive premium brand selection has been complemented by this iconic Barossa winery.
New GM at Accolade Wines ACCOLADE WINES has announced the appointment of Chris Flaherty as General Manager Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. Based in Sydney, Flaherty will start in the role from August 28th. With over 30 years experience in all alcohol beverage categories, Chris Flaherty has worked in four Australian states and in markets throughout the Asia Pacific region. His previous roles include Chief Executive Officer of ASM Liquor, Managing Director Australia and New Zealand at Treasury Wine Estates, and a number of positions at Diageo. Based in Sydney, Chris Flaherty will report to Accolade Wines Executive Chairman, Jim Anderson. Accolade Wines is Australia’s largest wine company by volume and the fifth largest globally. Its portfolio is led by Hardys and includes St Hallett, Petaluma, House of Arras, Houghton, Grant Burge Wines and Banrock Station (Australia), Waipara Hills and Mud House (New Zealand), Geyser Peak and Echo Falls (United States), Kumala & Flagstone (South Africa), and Viùa Anakena (Chile).
Welcome to the Branca family
THE FIRST VERMOUTH
FOR ENQUIRIES: Ian McAteer & Associates Ltd. Phone 09 476 1360 Mobile 027 542 0496 Email michellemcateer@xtra.co.nz
WINE NEWS
New from Norton
INVIVO HAS released the latest vintage in its popular collaboration with UK talk show host Graham Norton. The line-up includes the 2017 Graham Norton Sauvignon Blanc, Graham Norton Rosé and Graham Norton Shiraz. And for the very first time, a soon to be released Graham Norton’s Own Prosecco – a result of Invivo’s recent partnership with Italian growers based in Prosecco’s home of Veneto. The Kiwi wine brand’s partnership with Norton has grown rapidly since it began in 2014 when 14,000 bottles were produced – more than two million bottles are forecast for production in 2017. Graham Norton's Own Wines are also available in USA, Australia, the UK and Ireland, and launched recently in Norway, Denmark, Hong Kong and Japan. The 2016 Graham Norton Rosé and Shiraz were both awarded gold medals at the 2016 Sydney International Wine Competition and the Rosé has been a top 10 seller in New Zealand since its December release. Graham Norton’s Own 2017 Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé, and Shiraz are RRP $18.99.
Villa Branca Chiantis arrive in NZ TWO WINES from the country home of the family behind Italian liqueur Fernet Branca are now available in New Zealand. The Villa Branca Chiantis – Classico and Riserva – will be available through Ian McAteer & Associates, the agents and distributors for Fernet Branca in New Zealand. Villa Branca is is a wine and olive estate just outside the village of Mercatale Val di Pesa, in the hills surrounding Florence and is the country home and agricultural farm owned by the Branca family, in the heart of the region of Chianti Classico. They concentrate on just the two wines, Chianti Classico and Chianti Classico Riserva, which is made only in the best years. Villa Branca Chianti Classico RRP $29; and Villa Branca Chianti Riserva RRP $35. For more information or enquiries contact Michelle McAteer-Ross. MICHELLEMCATEER@XTRA.CO.NZ OR 027 542 0496
INVIVO WINES
Allan Scott adds Gewürz THE LATEST addition to the Generations range by Allan Scott Family Winemakers is a Gewürztraminer designed to be a refreshing alternative to the usual white wines. A delicate wine, it has flavours of candied fig and lightly dusted Turkish delight and is an excellent match with spicy Asian food, sweet Middle Eastern dishes, or on its own. “The lychee and tickly spice flavours are well balanced in the wine, allowing it to sit neatly on the palate,” says lead winemaker, Josh Scott. “While some Gewürz can be overly perfumed and difficult to enjoy on their own, ours by contrast is really delicate, without too much overpowering lychee or pungency. We take our time nurturing the vine to ensure we produce the very best fruit to be picked at the right time – in the dead of the night.” 46 DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017
The Generations series launched last year and sold out in record time. Produced in limited quantities, the varietals in the range are single-vineyard sourced and created from the best grapes produced on the Scott’s estate. The evocative branding of the Generations series has been popular, as it references the Scott’s family roots. The hand-illustrated labels portray common winery objects such as a corkscrew or shovel, and each illustration is then mirrored with another in a child’s render, referencing the handing down of skills between generations. Allan Scott Generations Gewürztraminer is available now. RRP$26. ALLAN SCOTT FAMILY WINEMAKERS
WINE NEWS
Protection for NZ wine regions APPLICATIONS HAVE been made to protect the identity of 18 New Zealand wine regions, under the New Zealand Geographical Indications (Wine and Spirits) Registration Act, which came into force in July. “The Geographical Indications (Wine and Spirits) Registration Act is a significant advance for the New Zealand wine industry,” said New Zealand Winegrowers Acting CEO, Jeffrey Clarke. “Our ‘Geographical Indications’ (GIs) – the names and places where our wines come from – are at the very heart of the New Zealand wine story and this new law provides an additional level of protection for them.” The Act formally recognises the collective intellectual property of a wine region by allowing for registration of the region’s
name as a GI. This ensures that the name is reserved only for wine from that region. Importantly, registration will also give the region’s winegrowers a greater ability to protect those GI names from misuse overseas. The 18 priority GI applications were filed just after midnight on July 27 – the day the GI Act came into force. “The registration of these GIs will provide a solid platform for New Zealand wine producers to promote our wines and regions in international markets and ensure investment in our regional identities are better protected,” says Clarke. The GIs for which applications have been filed are: • Northland • Auckland
• Matakana • Kumeu • Waiheke Island • Gisborne • Hawke’s Bay • Central Hawke’s Bay • Wairarapa • Gladstone • Martinborough • Nelson • Marlborough • Canterbury • North Canterbury • Waipara Valley • Waitaki Valley North Otago • Central Otago
The Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ) will review each GI application to see whether it meets the legal requirements, and decide whether or not the GI is accepted. That initial review may take up to three months. More details at: IPONZ.GOVT.NZ/ABOUT-IP/ GEOGRAPHICAL-INDICATIONS/ EXAMINATION-PROCESS/
New World Producer of the Year Sommelier Wine Awards UK 2017 and 2012 WWW.SAINTCLAIR.CO.NZ facebook.com/saintclairfamilyestate twitter.com/saintclairwine 100% FAMILY OWNED 100% NEW ZEALAND WINE 100% SUSTAINABLE
WINE NEWS
New winemaker at Toi Toi TOI TOI Wines has appointed Tim Adams as Head Winemaker and Viticulturist. Adams, who was most recently with Astrolabe, joined the team in June and takes over from Chris Young, who had been with Toi Toi since it was established in 2006 and has decided to retire from winemaking. “We are excited to have Tim on board, as his wealth of experience in making top quality Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and Central Otago Pinot Noir will be invaluable,” says Toi Toi Wines principal, Kevin Joyce, “particularly as we move into our next phase of rapid growth.” He also noted Chris Young’s contribution to the winery. “Chris has produced some stunning award-winning wines over the years and grown Toi Toi into one of New Zealand’s top 30 wineries by size. We wish him all the best in his retirement and may his golf handicap come down.” Toi Toi is a family-owned company, selling wine in New Zealand, Australia, Asia, the United States and most recently into Canada. It was the first winery to produce a Sparkling Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and has recently released a “pink” Sauvignon Blanc Rosé, a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. The Toi Toi wine brand was established by Kevin and Sara Joyce, and Andrew and Julie Bonner. The Joyces purchased the remaining
Tim Adams
shares in Marlborough Wine Ltd (which owns the Toi Toi brand) earlier this year, making them 100% owners. Marlborough Wine Ltd is an export-focused company with 83% of its sales from overseas. The Joyces plan to grow the export market with a focus on the USA and Europe.
AMERICAN
DA NK that’s
GONE SOUTH
BEER & CIDER CATEGORY REPORT
E S I A R A ASS L G s sic s a l c i n te r re w s w h o f r i c l i g h te r b a y s p u s to er d und A ro l d n i g h t s w a r m d o fo r c n g t o w a r i look
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BEER & CIDER CATEGORY REPORT
BUT SERIOUSLY…
DOWN THE DAIRY
GIN SLING
Wakachangi
Tuatara Moolah Chocolate Milk Stout
Duncan’s Juniper IPA
8.5% ABV, 500ml RRP $10.99
This is what happens when beer meets gin. Arriving in a big 500ml bottle with an almost psychedelic purple label, Duncan’s Juniper IPA pours a beautiful warm amber with a decent head. The taste is quite resin heavy and almost oily, while the addition of juniper gives it a gin hint of floral at the end. One to recommend for those looking for a refreshing beer – don’t worry about how unusual it might sound, the juniper is incorporated cleverly.
5% ABV, 330ml 12-pack RRP $19.99
Wakachangi is possibly the country’s first comedy-based beer, co-owned as it is by TV and radio personality Leigh Hart. Its aim of broad appeal is evident in the marketing line: “A South Otago beer with North Canterbury flavours, brewed by a West-Coaster with the ol’ misty waters of the Waikato”. The highly dubious provenance is said to stretch back to 1648 where it was brewed by nymphomaniac Portuguese monks. Back in the real world, Wakachangi is brewed by McCashin’s and is a crisp, pale gold lager with a mildly hoppy aroma and flavour. The packaging will appeal to fans of Hart’s trademark humour, while the beer will appeal to those after something easy drinking and sessionable. MCCASHIN’S BREWERY
ONE FOR WILHELM Kaiser Bros Pilsner 5% ABV, 500ml RRP $6.99
Drawing on German heritage, Kaiser Bros Pilsner is a take on the classic pilsner but with a bit of Kiwi oomph. Pouring a light to medium gold with a gentle effervescence, there are some beautiful aromatics from across the citrus family. A good malt base supports a very crisp and dry finish. Great for those looking for something to enjoy on a sunny afternoon, or to take to a barbecue (especially if it’s seafood). GIESEN GROUP 52 DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017
This is a big, boozy beer that sidles up to you and wraps you in its luscious flavours. The bottle may have the distinctive tuatara skin neck, but from there you’re in new territory. Dark in the glass, it has a viscous mouth-feel and strong flavours of chocolate and tobacco. At a hefty 8.5% you can really taste the alcohol, which is probably a good thing because you’d want to take it easy with this one. A fun sharing beer for something a little different at the end of the night or offer as a match with (or instead of!) dessert. TUATARA BREWING
PALE BALANCE Duncan’s Pale Ale 5.7% ABV, 500ml RRP $8.99
This brew from the Kapiti Coast (at the recently opened Duncan’s Brewing Company) is one to make craft beer enthusiasts sit up and take note. Pouring a golden amber in the glass, this is a very well-rounded beer with a nice malt base that really shows off a variety of hop flavours: from pine and grapefruit to the more South Pacific style of tropical hops. The flavours blend harmoniously, producing a fine drop that will no doubt gain many followers. STELLARE GROUP
7% ABV, 500ml RRP $10.99
STELLARE GROUP
A RAY OF SUNSHINE Duncan’s Pilsner 4.9% ABV, 500ml RRP $8.99
Duncan’s Pilsner was our pick of the bunch this beer report. Pouring a pale yellow it has a pleasant sunny taste with very well balanced citrus and spice, and a good hop hit. While the classic crispness and thirst-quenching aspects of a pilsner were still evident, it had a deeper flavour profile than many pilsner styles. Ideal served alongside crisp salty snacks like pretzels. Recommended. STELLARE GROUP
BOW WOW WOW Black Dog Brew Co. Dog Father American Pale Ale 6.4% ABV, 330ml 6-pack RRP $20
With more than a little Snoop Dogg feel to
CATEGORY REPORT B EER & CIDER
Speight’s has gone somewhat medieval with its Gold Rush Honey Lager, producing an interesting drop with more than a hint of mead-ish honey flavour.
the label, Black Dog’s Dogfather American Pale Ale has all the swagger of the rap star. The resin hit at the outset gives way to slightly sweet characteristics over the top, and tropical flavours, including banana. Packs the punch of a rap superstar as well, so proceed with caution. BLACK DOG BREWERY
STAKE YOUR CLAIM Speight’s Gold Rush Honey Lager 4.2% ABV, 330ml 12-pack RRP $24.99
Speight’s has gone somewhat medieval with this one, producing an interesting drop with more than a hint of mead-ish honey flavour. The pale gold liquid in the glass contains a bracing honey hit and the accompanying muskiness speaks of honeycomb. At a drinkable 4.2% this is a lager variant that many will try out of curiosity with a good section staying for more. Should be compulsory drinking for bikers at the end of a stage of the Central Otago Rail Trail. LION
beers. This is very drinkable with the hops coming across as thirst-quenching rather than overly bitter. The other bonus is that at 4% it’s eminently sessionable. LION
MID-WINTER CHRISTMAS Moa Black Edition Festive IPA
Speight’s Old Dark
Moa has had Festive IPAs for a while now, but this is a little different in that it’s a dark beer. Try as they might to convince you that the beer has typical IPA elements, when you look into the glass and see something the colour of Coca-Cola, it’s a fair bet the dark beer characteristics will be present. To be sure, there are notes of pine and citrus but they are well rounded out with the malty overtones of the dark brew. The perfect perfect drop for mid-winter Christmas parties.
4% ABV, 330ml 12 pack RRP $24.99
It’s a classic that comes into its own on winter nights. Old Dark is rich and malty and brings to mind chocolate, fudge and coffee flavours. Though it has been a staple of the Speight’s range since 1992, it was still garnering acclaim in 2009 at the Australian International Beer Awards and in 2010 from the Brewers Guild of New Zealand. Serve in something the drinker can wrap their hands around, as warmth will only enhance the complex flavours. Serve after dessert, perhaps with the cheeseboard. LION
THE EUREKA MOMENT
TRIPLE THE FUN Speight’s Triple Hopped Pilsner
Moa’s ‘hop swop’ series focuses on single hop varieties – in this case the Eureka hop from America. It’s a full-on drop with a cedar nose and a resiny, herbal almost spicy hop flavour throughout with concentrated bitterness from the hop focus. This is one of the most attractively packaged beers to hit the market in a while; the big 500ml bottle has a modern and glamorous blue, orange and silver
Speight’s has created a number of interesting takes on their lagers and this triple-hopped pilsner is no exception. The Southern brewery has created a refreshing, super-dry little number with a very clean finish. Please reassure customers that triple-hopped doesn’t mean it’s going to give you lock jaw, like some craft
MOA BREWING CO
OLD MAN NIGHT-TIME
Moa Hop Swop Eureka IPA
4% ABV, 330ml 12-pack RRP $24.99
label that will liven up any beer fridge. Recommended.
6.3% ABV, 500ml RRP $8.99
5.9% ABV, 500ml RRP $7.99
MOA BREWING CO
PORTLAND, HERE WE COME Moa North Pacific APA 5.4% ABV, 500ml RRP $7.99
This is a celebration of the hops of the American North-West. The citrus nose heralds the hops within – grapefruit and lemon predominate and there is a herbal note that was tricky to place but which the brewers identified as green tea from the generous use of Lemondrop hops. Finely balanced with bitterness and slight malt, this beer will stand out – and not just for its striking purple label. MOA BREWING CO
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BEER & CIDER CATEGORY REPORT
SHORT BACK AND SIDES Monteith’s The Barber Lager
Honesty Box has gone deeper into classic ciders with three iterations that concentrate on single apple varieties.
5% ABV, 330ml 6-pack RRP $13.99 and 12-pack RRP $23.99
The chill wind that blows down the Grey Valley on the West Coast is known locally as “the barber” – probably calling to mind straight razors and their ability to cut right through you. Monteith’s The Barber Lager is brewed to emulate that chilly blast of freshness. Pouring pale and tasting very light, the Barber has a very crisp finish and a light citrus hop. Would pair very well with seafood, so restaurants may want to take note and suggest as a pairing, especially leading into spring. DB BREWERIES
X-ACTLY Monteith’s XPA Extra Pale Ale 4.8% ABV, 330ml 6-pack RRP $14.99
Monteith’s XPA is an extra pale ale that will satisfy those out for a super pale and crisp drop. Very light, the XPA has slight malting to act as the base for the tropical and citrus notes delivered at the top end. At 4.8% it’s more drinkable than other craft XPAs, which can tend to the higher end of the scale. Ideal match for fish and chips or a freshly caught piece of blue cod. Will certainly come into its own as the temperature starts to climb again. DB BREWERIES
AMERICAN BEAUTY Monteith’s American Pale Ale 5.7% ABV, 330ml 6-pack RRP $14.99
The hops in this beer are light and refreshing, keeping a bouncy fresh taste on the palate throughout the 330ml bottle. The hint of malt in the end whets the appetite for more. While perhaps a little strong to be considered a session beer, this APA will act as a good entry point for many drinkers dabbling with hoppier beers. DB BREWERIES
REALLY REFINED Rochdale Apple and Pear Ciders 4.5% ABV, 330ml 6-pack RRP $12.99 and 12-pack RRP $21.99
Rochdale’s ciders are classy additions to the category. The Apple Cider comes across as apple crumble on the nose with notes of vanilla and a slight muskiness that calls to mind the oats and spice of the classic dessert. Sweet but not overly so, this is an apple cider of distinction. Rochdale’s Pear Cider also uses its sweetness to advantage with notes of honey coming through the fruit. Nicely balanced, Rochdale’s ciders are an elegant option for cider enthusiasts. MCCASHIN’S BREWERY
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HOW YOU LIKE THEM APPLES? Honesty Box Ciders - Braeburn, Granny Smith and NZ Rose 4.5% ABV, 500ml can RRP $5.99
Honesty Box has gone deeper into classic ciders with three iterations that concentrate on single apple varieties and range from semi-sweet to complex. The NZ Rose cider bursts with juicy sweet apples and you can really taste the blush of their pinky-red-skinned goodness. The Braeburn is full of freshness and crisp bite but melds with that same juicy sweetness too. The Granny Smith veers towards the tarter end of the scale and will attract those looking for a slightly more challenging cider. Checking them out as a trio makes for an interesting cider comparison party. INDEPENDENT LIQUOR
For distributor details see Distributor Index page 80
SINCE 2016, CANTERBURY, NZ
kaiserbrothersbrewery.co.nz • Pilsener | ESB | APA | Weizen Available in 50ltr keg and 500ml bottles. Contact your Giesen Group representative or phone (03) 344 6270
OPINION – BEER
Neil Miller Neil is a former New Zealand Beer Writer of the Year and an official supporter of the Beer: The Beautiful Truth campaign.
The unlamented decline of beer brand loyalty Variety is the spice of life, and that is truer than ever when it comes to beer, says Neil Miller
A QUESTION asked frequently at my beer tastings is “So, you are a professional beer commentator. How on earth did you get such an awesome job?” After flailing about for a while, the standard response became: “I was an enthusiastic amateur who turned pro.” This is largely true, but overlooks the impact of a single paragraph of text which was so profound and insightful that it made me want to write about beer for a living. “Beer drinkers have been duped by mass marketing into the belief that it makes sense to drink only one brand of beer. In truth, brand loyalty in beer makes no more sense than ‘vegetable loyalty’ in food. Can you imagine it? “No thanks, I’ll pass on the mashed potatoes, carrots, bread and roast beef. Me, I’m strictly a broccoli man.” These words were written by legendary beer writer Stephen Beaumont (my second favourite Canadian, but only because no-one can top the immortal William Shatner). I have been fortunate to meet one of my writing heroes and even more fortunate to earn a living writing about my favourite beverage. The “broccoli man” quote is, from a technical standpoint, beautifully written. The real strength though is that it speaks to a deeper truth. There was a time when brand loyalty was dominant – drinkers defined themselves by the beer they drank to the exclusion of all others. I was by no means immune. As proof, I am writing this in my home office, which is furnished with a Tui couch and Tui television. I, like many others, was ferociously brand loyal back then, but the beer environment has certainly changed. Although I did not realise it at the time, 56 DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017
the turning point came for me after witnessing an old cricket teammate Bok (not his real name) conduct a blind tasting of DB Draught (which he claimed to love) and Lion Brown (which he claimed to hate). He got them the wrong way round.
There was a time when brand loyalty was dominant – drinkers defined themselves by the beer they drank to the exclusion of all others.
Basically, he was following an image, not the beer. The bad news is that there is no one “right” beer for everybody in every context. However, the much better news is that there are vast arrays of beers that can be chosen to complement the situation. I adore the concept of “situational drinking”, which basically means tailoring your beer choices to the immediate occasion. Those beers may even all be from the same brewery, because most ranges have expanded dramatically to meet more demanding consumers. Mac’s Green Beret IPA is great for watching the cricket on the sofa or if you are stuck in the Koru Club because of massive storms, but I would have a Mac’s Black with that blue cheese that has been sitting at the back of my fridge until properly ripe. Tuatara Mot Eureka (formerly Tuatara Pilsner) is perfect at a winter barbecue, although if I really wanted to impress someone with more hops then my choice would be to have Tuatara Double Trouble in our glasses. My guilty beer pleasure is drinking Harrington’s Ngahere Gold Strong Lager while watching professional wrestling. To counter that, there are few more decadent pleasures than enjoying a bold bourbon-infused Harrington’s Big John Scotch Ale with chocolate brownie. Imagine then, the possibilities when you add in all the breweries of New Zealand and all the beer styles they are making (or even inventing). Do not be bound by “loyalty”. Instead, proudly drink beer that you like and that matches the situation. In fact, actively seek them out. Do not be that “broccoli person”.
Great Uncle Kenny had a dream, he wanted to create a beer for the people. A beer that had a good indoor/outdoor flow and could counter the effects of asparagus wees. He succeeded, creating New Zealand’s oldest and most trusted beer since 1648!
Wakachangi was voted ‘The beer with the best indoor/outdoor flow’ at the Wakachangi Beer and Furniture awards! Contact orders@mccashins.co.nz or ph. 03 547 5357
wakachangi.com
BEER & CIDER NEWS
Tiger Beer joins fight to save tigers
New brewer, bottles and beers at Monteith’s
TIGER BEER has kicked off a six-year partnership with WWF as part of a global initiative to double the number of wild tigers, which are endangered due to the illegal tiger trade. It follows a summit in 2010 at which 13 ‘tiger-range’ governments (countries in which tigers roam free) committed to TX2 – a global commitment to doubling the wild tiger population by 2022, the Chinese Year of the Tiger. Wild tiger numbers have dropped 96 per cent in the last century, from an estimated 100,000 to as few as 3,890 today. Tiger Beer launched its commitment to the partnership with a donation of US$1m and an initial eight-week digitally-led campaign, 3890Tigers, to raise awareness of the tigers’ plight. The campaign let users create a selfie artwork in virtual collaboration with one of six international artists. “3890Tigers brings people and artists together through technology and our goal is to inspire a global movement by empowering a generation of young people to make a stand against illegal tiger trade and make demand for products with tiger parts socially unacceptable,” said Mie-Leng Wong, Global Director at Tiger Beer, Heineken Asia Pacific. As part of the campaign, Tiger Beer also introduced a limited-edition design on select packaging without the iconic tiger for the first time in 84 years, symbolising the threat of wild tigers disappearing.
MONTEITH’S HAS appointed Rob Marshall as its new Head Brewer. He takes over from Tony Mercer who is retiring after 10 years in the role. Marshall has over 28 years in the brewing industry and has settled into the West Coast life, based at Monteith’s Greymouth brewery. The brewery has also unveiled updated packaging across the Monteith’s range with a brand refresh inspired by its West Coast location. It encompasses a new colour palette for all the variants as well as additional symbols for each brew. The new bottles are embossed, taller and slimmer and include a nod to the brewery’s history with the iconic Monteith’s miners spade device and brewery opening date of 1868. Two new beers have been released as well: Monteith’s Barber Lager and Monteith’s XPA. The ‘Barber’ is the local West Coast name for the katabatic wind phenomenon (an intense cold wind) that occurs in the region and only a handful of other places around world. At 5.0% ABV, this moderately bitter lager blends New Zealand, German and US hops for notes of citrus and tropical fruit. Monteith’s first XPA is a sessionable Extra Pale Ale at 4.8% ABV. It has a light malt base with a mix of fresh tropical and citrus hop aromas, using New Zealand and US Citra hops. DB BREWERIES
3890TIGERS.COM
Heineken bars offer taste of Formula 1 A CUSTOM-BUILT Heineken Slot Car Track is travelling the country’s top Heineken bars in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland as part of the brand’s More Than Just A Race campaign – celebrating its official sponsorship of the iconic race. The bespoke track replicates the Singapore Grand Prix race track and a series of events running until August 20 will see players with the fastest lap times receive a 58 DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017
limited edition Heineken branded Formula 1 jacket, while the person with the overall fastest time will receive a trip for two to the Singapore Grand Prix in September. “As an official sponsor of the world’s most prestigious motor racing sport, we have access to this world-class event and we are thrilled to share this with Heineken fans,” says Taylor Green, Heineken Marketing Manager. “To celebrate, we wanted to take
the action in to a number of New Zealand’s favourite Heineken bars to give them a taste of Formula 1.” MORETHANJUSTARACE.CO.NZ
BEER & CIDER NEWS
Mac’s chocolate collab MAC’S HAS teamed up with artisan chocolatiers Wellington Chocolate Factory for its new limited edition Mac’s Sweet Disposition chocolate stout (ABV 6.2%). It combines a smooth stout base with ethically sourced organic cocoa powder from the Dominican Republic and single-origin Peruvian Criollo bean chocolate, along with organic Peruvian cacao nibs and husks. The beer pours jet black with a creamy head of foam and has roasted and caramelised malt flavours along with a natural bitterness from the cacao. Wellington Chocolate Factory is known for its ‘bean to bar’ chocolate, made using organic, ethically sourced and traded ingredients. Mac’s Sweet Disposition is available in four packs (RRP $14.99) and on tap in Mac’s Brew Bars until early November. LION
WE’rE NOT THE FIrST TO DO A SIX PACK. BUT WE’rE THE FIrST TO PUT EMErSON’S IN IT.
DRINKSBIZ WITH WAKACHANGI
It’s quite nice beer Started in 1648, brewed by Great Uncle Kenny and voted beer with “the best indoor/ outdoor flow” – Leigh Hart’s beer brand Wakachangi is designed to put the fun back into drinks with friends.
IT WAS in 2013 that TV and radio personality Leigh Hart decided it would be a good idea to start a beer brand. “I’ve always liked beer and drunk beer and been fascinated with it,” he says. “Not so much the brewery side of it, but the brand side of it.” The gap he saw was for a brew with broad appeal that could encapsulate the fun of a few beers with friends in a positive way, branded with his trademark comedic slant. The result was Wakachangi (pronounced WHACK-ah-CHANG-ee) – a word Hart came up with many years ago when describing the Waikato River for a story on Sports Café. Eschewing lengthy flavour descriptions on its label, Wakachangi simply proclaims itself to be “quite nice beer”, and at 5% ABV, it is just that: an easy drinking sessionable lager with a mildly hoppy aroma and flavour. It has been well received too, already stocked in more than 500 supermarkets and bottle stores nationwide, and with the first shipment sent to Australia at the end of July. The Wakachangi brand echoes Hart’s style of humour, which has garnered 60 DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017
him a broad fan base thanks to his work on programmes like Sports Café, Moon TV and most recently the comedy fishing show Screaming Reels. It was the audience support around these and his ‘Bhuja’ radio show on Hauraki that got him thinking about creating something more tangible – a brand extension of sorts – that would exist in between shows. Several calls to breweries later and Hart had a deal with Harrington’s Brewery in Christchurch to contract brew a beer that was sold under the Wakachangi label, initially at Orientation in Dunedin, Christchurch and Hamilton.
“It really went off,” says Hart, “but that’s when you’ve got to be careful not to believe your own press and make sure you get everything right.” He parked the idea, then relaunched Wakachangi at the end of 2016, this time in a partnership with McCashin’s Brewery, which could handle the sales and distribution as well as brewing the beer. Hart is the first to point out that his beer isn’t trying to take on the craft market. “Craft beer is all about trying new flavours and new experiences which is great, but I get annoyed if a bottle store puts it [Wakachangi] in their craft beer fridge just because it’s new and just because the packaging looks different. It’s like just because it’s not by Lion, DB or Independent it has to be a craft beer. In this case it’s a sessionable beer that’s $20, by and large, for a dozen. That is pretty much as commercial as you can get.” The momentum behind Wakachangi is ramping up, and the brand will have a presence at the major beer festivals later this year and through in-store tastings. Leigh Hart readily admits he leaves the brewing to the experts at McCashin’s, but isn’t afraid to make suggestions for flavour tweaks along the way. “We are trying to be everything to everyone – we’re actually saying that anyone in the country can enjoy this beer if you like the taste.” WAKACHANGI.COM
CRUSHED
APPLES. GLACIAL
WATER.
SIMPLE AS THAT.
O R D E R S@MCC A S H I N S .CO. NZ | 03 547 5357
Distributed by Federal Merchants & Co - P: 0800 846 824 | E: info@federalmerchants.co.nz | W: federalmerchants.co.nz
VODKA CATEGORY REPORT
In the clear
Purity, clarity and simplicity are at the heart of great vodka. We take a look at what’s on the market.
DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017 63
VODKA CATEGORY REPORT
Żubrówka 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $49.99
The first thing eagle-eyed consumers will notice about this Polish vodka is the blade of grass in each bottle of Żubrówka. It is bison grass, hand-picked in the Bialowieza Forest, which is one of the last and largest parts of a primeval forest that once stretched across the European Plain and is now home to around 800 European bison. Żubrówka’s taste derives from extracts of this rare Bison grass harvested in the forest. It has light, grassy aromas with notes of vanilla and a kick of spice on the palate. BEAM SUNTORY
Russian Standard Original % ABV, 700ml RRP $41.99
This is Russia’s number one premium vodka, distilled and bottled in that country. Russian Standard Original uses water of glacial origin from Lake Ladoga, near the St Petersburg distillery and winter wheat grown on the Russian Steppes. This characterful vodka has a punchy and peppery taste that smooths and rounds out to finish. BEAM SUNTORY
Pinnacle Vodka 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $38.99
Hand crafted and distilled five times for a clean, pure taste. A clean, fresh aroma with a soft and slightly floral finish. Ideal for cocktails or mixed drinks. BEAM SUNTORY
64 DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017
Every ingredient in Absolut still comes from Åhus – from the well water, to the winter wheat and even the distinctive glass bottle itself
Ariki Spirit Ultra-Premium Vodka 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $87
There’s a Pacific flavour to this triple distilled vodka thanks to the use of vanilla from Rarotonga and coconut from the Kingdom of Tonga, which is used in the custom coconut-carbon filtration system. New Zealand influence includes Manuka flower and water from the Tongariro plateau. Ariki Vodka has a clean, smooth flavour with a mellow finish. BEVERAGE BROTHERS
Skyy Vodka 37.5% ABV, 1L RRP $39.99
Instantly recognisable in its distinctive blue bottle, SKYY was one of the first vodkas made from American grains and water and was created for use in a classic vodka martini. It uses quadruple column distillation followed by a triple filtration process using real California limestone, which brings out the citrusy aroma. Skyy is dry and crisp with a creamy mouth-feel and a peppery finish. EUROVINTAGE
Absolut Original 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $37.99 1L RRP $45.99
One of the best known vodkas on the market, Absolut as we know it today has been around since 1979, but traces its origins to the late 1800s. This Swedish vodka was first made in 1879 by Lars Olsson Smith (it is his picture on the bottle) in the southern Sweden village of Åhus. Every ingredient in Absolut still comes from Åhus – from the well water, to the winter wheat and even the distinctive glass bottle itself. There is a wide range of flavours available (with Absolut Lime launching in New Zealand this month – see page 72), but the first was Absolut Original, which has a clean, rich flavour – smooth and mellow with a distinct grain character and a hint of dried fruit. This is a classic pour for any establishment. PERNOD RICARD
Absolut Elyx 42.3% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99
Absolut Elyx is Absolut’s luxury offering. Made from a single estate harvest of Swedish winter wheat, it is hand-distilled in a vintage copper column still. On the nose it is clean, with notes of fresh bread, white chocolate and mellow spice. It has a silky mouth-feel with full-bodied flavours of macadamia, creamed cereal, white chocolate and freshly baked bread and a well-balanced warm, smooth finish. PERNOD RICARD
CATEGORY REPORT V ODKA
Sipsmith Barley Vodka
Roberto Cavalli Vodka
Dancing Sands Vodka
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99
40% ABV, 750ml RRP $99
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99
London craft distillers Sipsmith made their name reviving the classic London Dry Gin after opening the city’s first gin distillery in nearly two centuries. As with their gins, Sipsmith Vodka is distilled on copper for a crisp, pure vodka that is designed to be sipped. It has subtle aromas of vanilla and a soft, smooth, creamy mouthfeel with a delicately sweet finish. (Expect to see more of Sipsmith after Beam Suntory took a controlling interest earlier this year, saying it plans to accelerate global growth of the brand.)
Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli is synonymous with luxury and glamour and his eponymous vodka certainly stays on-brand. This ultra-premium vodka is made from a high quality wheat cultivated in Italy’s north west valleys. It is rich in A-type starch and converts sucrose into a very clean form, resulting in a very pure alcohol. Roberto Cavalli vodka is crisp and smooth with a hint of lemon zest and a creamy finish. Its ultra-premium positioning means this vodka is best served and sipped neat.
Given water is such a key component of quality vodka, Dancing Sands (from the Golden Bay distillery of the same name) is onto a good thing with its use of water from Te Waikoropupu Springs (which translates as ‘The Place of the Dancing Sands’), regarded as the world’s clearest spring water. Launched in 2016, this vodka is already making a name for itself, winning Silver at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition this year. It has a pure, clean flavour and is smooth and creamy on the palate. (Trivia note: the ‘63’ on the bottle is a reference to the underwater optical clarity of 63m that was measured at the springs.)
TICKETY-BOO
EUROVINTAGE
Ultimat Vodka 40% ABV, 750ml RRP $65
Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli is synonymous with luxury and glamour and his eponymous vodka certainly stays on-brand
Snow Queen Organic Vodka 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99
Created in Kazakhstan in 1994, Snow Queen is made with organic wheat and spring water. It has a hint of wheat on the nose, followed by a touch of spice and is creamy and smooth on the palate. The finish is long and sweet with notes of vanilla following through.
This Polish vodka describes itself as having “a carefully crafted balance” of potato (70%) and grain (30%). Wheat provides smoothness, rye adds complexity, and potato is used for richness. Impurities are removed through activated carbon candle filters (ceramic filters resembling candles), and the alcohol content is reduced to its final level of 40% ABV using water purified through reverse osmosis. EUROVINTAGE
FEDERAL MERCHANTS
Broken Shed Vodka 40% ABV, 750ml RRP $59.99
Having launched in 2010, Broken Shed Vodka is one of the earlier entrants into the New Zealand craft spirits scene. This year it won its second Silver at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition – the first was in 2011. Its name comes from the rundown shed on the shores of Lake Wanaka in which two friends first came up with the recipe (it is distilled from whey) and spent over a year refining the filtration process. Broken Shed is known for its pure, unadulterated flavour and clean finish. FEDERAL MERCHANTS
TICKETY-BOO
DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017 65
VODKA CATEGORY REPORT
Vodka – the basics • When you consider that vodka is essentially just alcohol (ethanol) with water – it really does come down to the quality and preparation of those key ingredients. The source of the water and the base of the alcohol are integral to creating a superior vodka • The word ‘vodka’ is derived from the Slavic ‘voda’ (‘little water’) • The alcohol used in vodka is made traditionally from grain (such as rye or wheat) or potatoes • The alcohol is distilled, usually more than once (e.g. in triple-distilled vodkas), to modify flavour and increase clarity • Repeated distillation also increases the ethanol level (sometimes up to 96%), meaning water is usually required to dilute the vodka back to its 40% ABV • Some vodka producers will also filter the distilled alcohol through activated carbon or similar, to remove any impurities or trace substances for a ‘cleaner’ taste.
66 DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017
Stolichnaya
Spiritual Vodka
40% ABV, 1L RRP $38.99
40% ABV, 750ml RRP $59.99
This well-known brand, known often as ‘Stoli’, is synonymous with vodka. Stolichnaya controls every aspect of making its vodka – from the selection of the wheat and rye grains, to planting, harvesting, distillation and bottling. It has a neutral aroma and is slightly sweet on the palate with a clean finish. A staple behind many bars and a good value pour.
The simplicity of the Spiritual bottle hints at the pure approach behind its creation. Launched in 2014, Spiritual has already won nine international awards, including Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2014) and Platinum at the World Spirits Competition in 2016. Spiritual uses a fine grain spirit that is distilled four times, blended with New Zealand artesian water and a touch of Manuka honey. With a hint of floral on the nose, the flavour is clean with subtle sweetness and a smooth, warming finish. This is a premium vodka at an excellent price.
INDEPENDENT LIQUOR
Tito’s Handmade Vodka 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $54.99
Tito’s Handmade Vodka is one of those success stories that makes getting into the distilling game look easy. This brand out of Austin, Texas is consistently among the top-selling spirit brands in the US. Creator Tito Beveridge was in the mortgage business in the mid-90s when he started making flavoured vodkas for friends. He built his own still and in 2001 Tito’s Handmade Vodka unanimously won the Double Gold Medal for Vodka at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. It is made from corn, rather than wheat grain, which produces a naturally glutenfree vodka. It is smooth and warming with a hint of sweetness on the finish. FEDERAL MERCHANTS
BEVERAGE BROTHERS
Karven Starka Vodka 38% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.95
Starka Vodka from New Zealand craft distiller Karven is a contemporary take on a barrel-aged vodka that originated in Eastern Europe. The grain vodka rests in virgin American oak barrels for six to eight weeks and is infused with Manuka honey and a selection of botanicals, from which it gets its amber hue. It has aromas of oak and is creamy on the palate with notes of vanilla and honey, and a blend of wood and spice on the finish. Ideal as a sipping vodka to be savoured. KARVEN
CATEGORY REPORT V ODKA
When punters ask (and they will) you can tell them the distinctive Crystal Skull bottle is a reference to a legend that says the native tribes of the Americas possess 13 crystal skulls, said to project positive energy and enlightenment
Crystal Head Vodka 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $89
This vodka from the island of St Johns, off the Canadian coast, is focused firmly on purity. Its grain spirit is quadruple distilled and then filtered seven times, three of those through layers of semi-precious crystals known as ‘Herkimer diamonds’, before it is reduced with glacial water from Newfoundland. When punters ask (and they will) you can tell them the distinctive Crystal Skull bottle is a reference to a legend that says the native tribes of the Americas possess 13 crystal skulls, said to project positive energy and enlightenment. Certainly no gimmick, this vodka has been a consistent award-winner since its launch in 2008; its latest accolade being Gold at the 2017 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Crystal Head has a neutral aroma, while in the mouth it is smooth and creamy with no ‘burn’, and just a hint of sweetness. It finishes clean and dry. Ideal as a sipping vodka or mixed in premium cocktails. HANCOCKS
Blue Duck Vodka
Outerspace Vodka
43% ABV, 750ml RRP $89.95
40% ABV, 700ml RRP$69.99
This vodka from New Zealand company Simply Pure is (as the name suggests) a pure, smooth drop and is inspired by the rare and endangered blue duck. An initial burst of pepper and spice on the tongue and a brief swell of warmth is followed by clean lemon flavours. It is distilled seven times for a smooth palate, and a polished finish. As with its sibling, Black Robin Rare Gin, a percentage of the profits from Blue Duck Rare Vodka are donated to the Royal Forest & Bird Protection Society of New Zealand.
Packaged in one of the most distinctive vodka bottles around, Outerspace vodka is made in Iowa from a spirit produced from corn (making it naturally gluten-free) and distilled five times. The alien link comes from the fact that the final filtration takes place through a four-billionyear-old meteorite, giving it a smooth, clean taste. A guaranteed conversation starter in any bar. FEDERAL MERCHANTS
NEGOCIANTS
‘the reid’ Single Malt Vodka 44% ABV, 750ml RRP $110
Cardrona Distillery prides itself on handcrafting its spirits from scratch using just malted barley, yeast and Cardrona alpine water. In the case of the vodka, the spirit is twice distilled before it is reduced with water. The malted barley spirit base creates a rich, full-bodied vodka with a distinctive aroma of biscuit and banana on the nose. (The team at Cardrona refer to the ‘banoffee pie’ character). This continues on the palate with a slight banana sweetness, a hint of caramel and a warming finish. A unique addition to Cardrona’s range, it is presented in a striking droplet-shaped bottle. Perfect for gifting, savouring or mixing with premium ingredients. CARDRONA DISTILLERY
A unique addition to Cardrona’s range, ‘the reid’ is presented in a striking dropletshaped bottle
Vodka USSR 37.5% ABV, 500ml RRP $19.99
This Russian vodka uses high quality grain alcohol and mild artesian softened water. It has a neutral aroma and soft taste. Available in a range of sizes. Q LIQUID
For distributor details see Distributor Index page 80
DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017 67
OPINION – SPIRITS
Dominic Roskrow Drinksbiz UK based world whisky expert d.roskrow@aol.co.uk www.worldwhisky.co.uk
Mind your manners
It might be a while since any of us had our mouths washed out with soap, but one English brewery is reviving the old-fashioned art of manners at its establishments, and Dominic Roskrow is all for it.
Sam Smith’s Brewery in Yorkshire, England
A COUPLE of months back, Sam Smith’s Brewery in Yorkshire, England, issued an instruction to its 200 or so pub managers to refuse service to customers who swore in their pubs. The move earned the brewery a considerable amount of media coverage, much of it ridiculing brewery owner Humphrey Smith for such a draconian and Victorianlike edict. But the staff weren’t laughing. Humphrey’s not the sort of guy you mess with. It’s said he visits pubs in disguise and is uncompromising if he does not find service exactly as he wants it. There are two branches to the Smith family: Humphrey’s lot, who inherited the Sam Smith’s Brewery, and the Riley-Smiths, who built the John Smith’s brewery, a far bigger and more commercially successful operation. Exactly how the Riley-Smiths did that is a subject of great bitterness and the two branches of the family have been estranged for generations, and continue to be. 68 DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017
The two brewery operations couldn’t be more different. On the Samuel Smith website under ‘Pubs’ the company quotes George Orwell’s view of a perfect pub from his essay The Moon under Water and states that : “Samuel Smith’s pubs accord with his ideal in several ways: • The architecture and fittings must be uncompromisingly Victorian • Games, such as darts, are only played in the public bar so that in other bars you can walk about without the worry of flying darts • The pub is quiet enough to talk, with the house possessing neither a radio nor a piano (we do not have music or TVs in our pubs) • The barmaids know the customers by name and take an interest in everyone • A creamy sort of draught stout • In winter there is generally a good fire burning in at least two of the bars”
In this context, then, a ban on swearing isn’t so ridiculous. In fact it’s completely in keeping with the sort of English pub that Humphrey Smith wants to operate. And what’s wrong with that? We recently attended the Weeting Steam Fair in Norfolk on England’s east coast. This is a quintessentially English rural event with scores of vintage tractors, cars, and motorbikes; craft stalls, exhibitions, and dog demonstrations; fish and chips, real ale and cider bars, and marquees serving as tea and coffee shops. As always it was a great day out and we decided to cap it off by having a pint at a nearby pub, and treating the children to a cola. What a mistake. Two men were having a discussion where every other word began with ‘f’. They took no notice when we arrived with our 11-year-old daughter and made no attempt to tone down their language in our presence. Have we forgotten basic standards? And isn’t respect and an adherence to a minimum standard of behaviour something we
Isn’t respect and an adherence to a minimum standard of behaviour something we should encourage and not mock? should encourage and not mock? Pubs are struggling in Britain, and yet there has never been a better time to enjoy a whole range of well-crafted drinks products. Gin has feminised the world of spirits, and the producers of stylish tonic Fever-Tree have played an immense role in encouraging drinkers to trade up. We’re drinking less, but better. If pubs want to be part of this brave new world then isn’t Humphrey Smith’s move to bring past values into our future to be applauded? I, for one, am converted.
QUALITY. SOPHISTICATION. STYLE.
C R A F T E D C A R E F U L LY. D R I N K R E S P O N S I B LY.
WOODFORD RESERVE STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY 45.2% ALC. BY VOL. THE WOODFORD RESERVE DISTILLERY VERSAILLES, KY
LEMONADE ROUND-UP
Lashings of lemonade
From sweet to tangy and everything in between, we look at the variety of lemonades on the market Lemmy Lemonade RRP $4.50, 330ml
From the team at All Good Organics, Lemmy Lemonade combines fairtrade organic sugar with organic lemons and a hit of grapefruit essence. It’s a clean, slightly sweet lemonade, balanced out with the tart lemon and grapefruit flavours. The cute cartoon Lemmy character will be a hit with smaller customers too. ALL GOOD ORGANICS
Fentiman’s Bitter Lemonade RRP $3.99, 275ml and RRP $5.99, 500ml
There’s a powerful ‘pucker factor’ to this lemonade, which addds quinine, ginger root and a touch of pear to its cloudy lemon base. There’s little discernible sweetness in this refreshing, tangy lemonade that’s ideal for mixing in cocktails; the label suggests with vodka or tequila. Or serve on its own as an alternative to the more traditional sweeter lemonades. HANCOCKS
Soda Press Co. Old Fashioned Lemonade RRP $14.95, 500ml syrup
This Old Fashioned Lemonade syrup makes a lemonade with a clean, fresh 70 DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017
lemon flavour and just a hint of sweetness. It is made with organic and natural ingredients and boasts 50 per cent less sugar than the leading syrup brand. It was voted ‘Best New Retail Product’ at Fine Food Australia in 2015. Each 500ml syrup bottle makes 18 standard drinks. FEDERAL MERCHANTS
Charlie’s Honest Fizz Lemonade From RRP $2.50, 350ml and RRP $3, 500ml
This has a tangy lemon aroma and flavour, with mild sweetness. It contains real lemon juice and at least 30% less sugar than leading full sugar soft drinks thanks to its use of natural sweetener stevia. A great option for family-friendly outlets when parents are keen to avoid a postlunch sugar-rush from their offspring. BETTER DRINKS
Charlie’s Lemonade Quencher From RRP $4.50, 500ml
A classic cloudy lemonade from Charlie’s. It has a lemony aroma and refreshingly sour flavour, with only a hint of sweetness. Ideal over ice on a hot summer day. BETTER DRINKS
Pete’s Lemonade From RRP $4.50, 330ml
Pete’s Natural has been going strong since first launching its lemonade eight years ago. Brewed in Nelson by husband and wife team Pete and Marleen, there are eight flavours in the range, which has an emphasis on New Zealand-grown fresh ingredients. Interestingly, Pete’s Natural Lemonade contains hops, for their properties as a relaxant and sleep aid. The lemonade has a clean, refreshing lemon aroma, subtle lemon flavour, and restrained sweetness. The quirky label design is eye-catching and will add a nice local feel to any drinks fridge. PETE’S NATURAL
Bootleggers Dry Lemonade RRP$ 5-6, 300ml bottle (on-premise)
This lemonade from Wellington craft drinks company Bootleggers has a slightly sweet aroma with subtle lemon notes. In the mouth it has a delicately dry lemon flavour with little sweetness. The finish is dry and refreshing. Serve this old fashioned style lemonade straight or in mixed drinks. BOOTLEGGERS
LEMONADE ROUND-UP
Six Barrel Soda Co. Lemonade RRP $4.50, 275ml soda and RRP $16.50 500ml syrup
With a lemony, slightly sweet aroma, this New Zealand-made lemonade from Wellington’s Six Barrel Soda Co. uses fairtrade organic cane sugar, lemon juice and zest to create a clean, tangy refreshing lemonade with just a subtle hint of sweetness. The finish is clean and dry. Available in individual 275 ml bottles or as a 500ml syrup that makes 15 drinks. SIX BARREL SODA CO.
ral cane sugar and natural spring water from rural Staffordshire. It has a sweet aroma and the flavour is sweeter than other craft lemonades but still restrained, while lemon is subtle. Available in a handy 200ml single serve bottle.
and in the mouth it is full-on lemon flavour with restrained sweetness. A great, versatile lemonade. BETTER DRINKS
Phoenix Organic Dry Lemonade RRP $7.99, 250ml 4-pack
EUROVINTAGE
Phoenix Organic Lemonade RRP $4.50, 330ml
This classic lemonade from Phoenix is made with organic lemons and natural cane sugar. It has a fresh lemony aroma with an underlying note of sweetness,
From Phoenix’s premium organic mixer range, this dry lemonade has a tangy lemon aroma and a rich lemon flavour, thanks to the use of Sicilian lemons. There is just mild sweetness, which lets the refreshing lemon taste shine through. BETTER DRINKS
Fever-Tree Premium Lemonade RRP $9.99, 200ml 4-pack
UK company Fever-Tree is synonymous with premium mixers. Its classic Premium Lemonade is made with lemon juice, natu-
For distributor details see Distributor Index page 80
Lemonade trivia Things to drop in at the next pub quiz… • In India, nimbu pani (‘lemon water’) is a traditional lemonade made from water, lemon juice and cane sugar. Often salt or spices (such as cumin or pepper) are added too
• In 1676, a company called Compagnie de Limonadiers was founded in Paris, and vendors roamed the streets serving the drink in cups from tanks on their backs
• The ancient Egyptians are believed to have enjoyed lemon juice with sugar, in a drink known as qatarmizat
• The title of Beyonce’s critically acclaimed 2016 album Lemonade was inspired by the saying “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”
DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017 71
SPIRITS NEWS
Genever seals the win in Martini comp A BASE of genever shaped the winning cocktail at a competition to find the best creative reinterpretation of the classic Martini, held in New Orleans. Out of 322 entries, it was ‘Embrasse de la Terre’ by Zachary Faden of Mirabelle in Washington DC that took first place at the Tales of the Cocktail® 2017 Official Cocktail Competition. “The Martini – the King of Cocktails – has had many recipes, interpretations, riffs, and iterations throughout the years,” says Faden. “I wanted my version to pay respectful homage to history while simultaneously embracing a modern sensibility. I started with genever – gin’s luscious, velvety, malty precursor. In particular, Rutte Old Simon Genever
preserves legacy and tradition while innovating with the addition of nuts and celery.” Faden’s winning drink was featured as the official cocktail of Tales of the Cocktail®, which took place in New Orleans in late July.
“Embrasse de la Terre” Ingredients: 2 oz Rutte Old Simon Genever 1 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth de Chambéry ¼ oz Yellow Chartreuse 3 dashes Bitter Truth Celery Bitters Directions: Combine the ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir to chill. Strain into a chilled coupe. Enjoy. Garnish: No need to garnish. The drink blooms while stirred and is pleasantly aromatic.
Lime joins Absolut range ABSOLUT LIME launched in New Zealand early August, makit the seventh flaavailable here. It joins CitMango, Apeach, Pears, Raspberry and Vanilla. It is fresh with a distinct note of freshly pressed lime and slightly sweet and fruity finish, with no added sugar. A versatile base for mixed drinks, from classic Vodka, Lime and Soda, to Vodka Mules. 700ml, RRP $39.99 PERNOD RICARD PERNOD-RICARD-NZ.COM
N O W AVA I L A B LE N ATI ONW I D E T H RO U G H
027 580 7325 orders@mineralwine.co.nz MINERALWINE.CO.NZ
ing vour ron,
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SPIRITS NEWS
Collingwood launches in NZ
Anniversary bottle for Jack Daniel’s
NEW TO the Hancocks spirits portfolio is Collingwood – an artisanal whisky made at Canada’s longest continuously owned and operated distillery in the town of Collingwood, Ontario, on the shores of Georgian Bay. The whisky is matured in the distillery’s own handmade white oak barrels and then finished in toasted maplewood. Collingwood is full-flavoured and complex, with a long, clean finish. It has aromas of vanilla, caramel and butterscotch, with underlying rose and fruit characters. In the mouth it is creamy and vibrant with a hint of maple syrup, and a long, sweet finish with a hint of malt. Ideal for sipping neat or on the rocks, or using in lighter classic cocktails. 750ml bottle, RRP$ 54.99 HANCOCKS – HANCOCKS.CO.NZ
JACK DANIEL’S is releasing a limited edition commemorative bottle to mark 125 years since Jack Daniel opened his bar, The Red Dog Saloon, in Lynchburg, Tennessee. After opening in 1892, The Saloon was forced to close in 1909 due to Prohibition; it later burnt down and no trace of it remains today although Lynchburg is still home to the Jack Daniel’s distillery. Jack Daniels Red Dog Saloon is a limited release in New Zealand. Pre-order can be made through Hancocks during August. 700ml, 43% ABV. HANCOCKS – HANCOCKS.CO.NZ
S P I R I T O F T H E PAC I F I C ARIKISPIRIT
ARIKISPIRIT
ARIKISPIRIT.COM
INFO@ARIKISPIRIT.COM
MADE IN NEW ZEALAND
www.fireballwhisky.com Available through your preferred wholesale distributor or contact 09 377 7597 or email sales@tickety-boo.co.nz for further information.
PLEASE DRINK FIREBALL RESPONSIBLY WHISKY WITH NATURAL CINNAMON FLAVOUR, 33% ALC/VOL (66 PROOF), IMPORTED FROM CANADA BY SAZERAC CO., FRANKFORT, KY
SPIRITS NEWS
A toast to literature
Kiwi distillers shine at IWSC
The Library Bar in Wellington has created a literature-inspired cocktail list as part of Visa Wellington On a Plate, which runs until August 27.
IT WAS a haul of silver medals for Kiwi distillers at this year’s International Wine & Spirit Competition. Broken Heart Spirits won a Silver each for its Broken Heart Spirits Gin, and Navy Strength Gin, while Rogue Society won Silver for Scapegrace Classic and Silver Outstanding for Scapegrace Gold. Thomson Whisky won Silvers for its Manuka Smoke Progress Report and South Island Peat Progress Report, alongside two Silver Outstandings for Thomson Whisky Two Tone Release and its brand new addition Victor Gin, which has just released to market. JiuJiu Vodka from Golden Bay Distillery received a Silver also, while Lighthouse Gin won Bronze.
MIXOLOGIST PETER Lowry has created his own take on the ‘Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster’ from Douglas Adams’ classic Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, as well as an American Psycho-inspired cocktail that plays on a yuppie sensibility and the desire for odd flavour combinations that was common in high-end New York cuisine in the ’80s. For ‘The Pride and Prejudice’ (pictured), which is based on the 2009 parody novel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith, Peter Lowry developed a 19th century-style floral tea party punch with Sauterne wine.
FOR MORE RESULTS VISIT IWSC.NET
VISIT THELIBRARY.CO.NZ
Hail the Victor LAUNCHING THIS month from Thomson Whisky Distillery comes a brand new hand-crafted spirit: Victor Gin. This is the first gin for the distillery, which has already made a name for itself with award-winning small batch single malt whiskies. And while it has only just released to market (nationwide from August), Victor Gin has already secured a Silver Outstanding medal at the 2017 International Wine And Spirits Competition (IWSC), which was announced in late July. Head Distiller Mat Thomson says they’re delighted with the win, as making a gin was a marked change for him. “It’s so clean and fresh and it’s a differ-
ent process so I’ve really enjoyed it.” He says he took a whisky maker’s point of view when it came to creating the Victor. “Whisky has very few ingredients but you’re getting a lot of complex flavours… you’re looking at what kind of malt it was, what kind of casks, where it was aged; you’re getting multiple flavour notes. For the gin I thought ‘Let’s keep it simple and build up the flavours, a bit like cooking’.” Victor Gin continues the Thomson philosophy of small batch production, using real ingredients and authentic distilling methods. The result is a stripped back gin featuring juniper, lemon, lemongrass, cardamom and
coriander. Thomson and partner Rachael say they drew some inspiration from early rock ‘n’ roll. “We thought, a few rudimentary instruments working together sound great – let’s work with the basics, get some robust tones going, then turn up the volume.” Mat Thomson says they spent a lot of time working out how to get the best out of each botanical. “I wanted to be able to taste every botanical separately, like a kind of deconstructed gin.” Victor Gin is available through Mineral nationwide. 42% ABV, 700ml RRP $69. MINERALWINE.CO.NZ
DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017 75
SPIRITS NEWS
That Bloody Gin A STRIKINGLY different addition to the spirits shelf (in appearance and taste) is now available from Tickety-Boo. Bloody Shiraz Gin Vintage 2017, from Yarra Valley craft distillers Four Pillars, blends local Shiraz with the distillery’s Rare Dry Gin. First released in 2015, the Bloody Shiraz is made from Yarra Valley Shiraz grapes steeped in gin for eight weeks, then pressed and blended with more gin. From just 250kg of grapes for the 2015 release, the Four Pillars crew used 10 tonnes this year. It is unfiltered, and bottled with a deep purple colour that turns iridescent pink when mixed with tonic or soda. Bloody Shiraz Gin has aromas of fresh pine needles, citrus, spice and raspberry. The palate is sweet with lingering juniper and spice on the finish. 37.8% ABV, 700ml RRP$82.99 The Four Pillars founders
TICKETY-BOO.CO.NZ
New addition to the club
Canadian Club 8 Year Old has launched in New Zealand, expanding the brand’s selection of age statement products available here and offering the first look at a full range packaging refresh that Beam Suntory says will roll out across the rest of the year. CANADIAN CLUB 8 Year Old joins Canadian Club Original 1858, Spiced, 12 Year Old and 20 Year Old. It is the first of Canadian Club’s full bottled spirits to see a packaging refresh, with the rest of the range releasing in the coming months. “We are investing in packaging and innovation for all Canadian Club full bottled spirits to help consumers better navigate our range and provide a more premium offering as Kiwis look to trade up their drink,” says Ben Andrews, Marketing Manager, Beam Suntory. “Through the introduction of 8 Year Old we are able to increase our range of age statement products within our portfolio, enabling more
76 DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017
experienced drinkers to step up from the 1858 and explore a more developed whisky.” C.C. 8 Year Old has been released in time for Father’s Day (September 3), as a premium offering for the liquor cabinet. Ben Andrews says the latest release is tapping into a growing price segment and building on the love Kiwis already have for Canadian Club. “We’ve seen a move away from traditional dark spirits, with consumers seeking a lighter more versatile offering, which is what Cana-
dian Club provides – a smooth and easy drinking liquid.” Canadian Club 8 Year Old has a higher rye and barley content than the Original 1858 and is matured in char-treated American white oak barrels. With notes of English toffee and soft oak, Canadian Club 8 Year Old (40% ABV, 700ml, RRP $49.99) has a warm and lingering dry finish with an enduring presence of caramel and vanilla. Its extra ageing, combined with a slightly higher rye content creates a richer, smoother flavour that has the versatility to be drunk neat or with mixers. BEAM SUNTORY
“We are investing in packaging and innovation for all Canadian Club full bottled spirits to help consumers better navigate our range and provide a more premium offering as Kiwis look to trade up their drink.”
Distributed by Federal Merchants & Co. Ph: 0800 846 824 | E: info@federalmerchants.co.nz | W: federalmerchants.co.nz
FREE PHONE: 0800 699 463 FREE FAX: 0800 329 946 www.hancocks.co.nz
HOT MIXES
Pacific vibes
Lady Lula Finlandia Vodka Cointreau shrub mix* egg white
Chill a coupe glass with ice and water. Place all ingredients in a Boston Shaker. Shake without ice to help the egg white create a foam. Add ice to the Boston and shake again.
Double strain your Lady Lula into your coupe glass. Garnish with 2 edible flowers. *Shrub
frozen blueberries Granny Smith apples limes vanilla bean paste white sugar
Layer these ingredients over three layers in a sealable 1 litre jar.
The Lula Inn is one of the newest additions to Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour, offering a South Pacific feel and harbour views. Its drinks list showcases gins from New Zealand and around the world, with housemade shrub cocktails a specialty. Here, the Lula Inn team shares a couple of favourites. lulas.co.nz
Home-grown Paradise Plymouth Gin shrub mix* lemon and orange peel whole pink peppercorns
Add the gin and shrub mix to a Boston shaker. Fill with ice and shake. Fill a rocks glass with crushed ice. Strain over crushed ice. Garnish with lemon and orange peel, and a light sprinkling of pink peppercorns. *Shrub
frozen strawberries lemons pink peppercorns (crushed) white sugar
Layer these ingredients over three layers in a sealable 1 litre jar.
DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017 79
DISTRIBUTOR INDEX
Distributors Accolade Wines
EuroVintage
McCashin’s Brewery
Six Barrel Soda Co.
03 520 6011 accolade-wines.com
0800 388 766 eurovintage.co.nz
03 547 5357 mccashins.co.nz
022 077 9553 sixbarrelsoda.co.nz
All Good Organics
Federal Merchants & Co
Mineral Ltd
Stellare Group
09 360 9691 allgoodorganics.co.nz
0800 846 824 federalmerchants.co.nz
027 580 7325 mineralwine.co.nz
09 972 0235 stellarenz.com
Beam Suntory
Foxes Island Wines
Mission Estate
Supper Club Wines
09 915 8440 beamsuntory.com
021 704 763 foxes-island.co.nz
06 845 9350 missionestate.co.nz
supperclubwines.com
Better Drinks
Giesen
Moa Brewing
Sur Ltd
09 837 6740 betterdrinks.co.nz
03 344 6270 giesen.co.nz
09 367 9492 moabeer.com
021 44 9596 sur.co.nz
Beverage Brothers
Greystone Wines
Mudbrick Vineyard
Taylor Brown
03 390 1377 beveragebrothers.co.nz
03 314 6100 greystonewines.co.nz
09 372 9050 mudbrick.co.nz
09 447 3801 taylorbrown.co.nz
Black Dog Brewery Co.
Hancocks
Negociants
Thomson Whisky
04 801 8491 blackdogbrewery.co.nz
0800 699 463 hancocks.co.nz
0800 634 624 negociantsnz.com
09 828 7271 thomsonwhisky.com
Bootleggers
Hunter’s Wines
Pernod Ricard
Tickety-Boo Liquor
021 507 230 bootleggers.nz
0800 486 837 hunters.co.nz
0800 655 550 pernod-ricard-nz.com
09 377 7597 tickety-boo.co.nz
Cardrona Distillery
Ian McAteer & Associates
Pete’s Natural
Tuatara Brewing
03 443 1393 cardronadistillery.com
027 542 0946
021 0785 758 peteslemonade.co.nz
0508 TUATARA tuatarabrewing.co.nz
Constellation Brands
Independent Liquor
Q Liquid
Villa Maria
0800 662 456 constellationnz.com
0800 420 001 independentliquor.co.nz
09 636 7730 qll.co.nz
0800 505 656 villamaria.co.nz
DB Breweries
Karven
Red + White Cellar
Vintners NZ
0800 746 432 db.co.nz
021 723 090 karven.co.nz
0800 946 3792 redwhitecellar.co.nz
0800 687 9463 vintners.co.nz
Lion
Yealands Wine Group
0800 107 272 lionco.com
09 920 2880 yealandsestate.co.nz
80 DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017
Available now. Contact your Independent Liquor Area Sales Manager or call 0800 420 001 for further information.
LAST REQUESTS
Rolling out the welcome mat
New CEO of Tourism New Zealand, Stephen England-Hall, shares his thoughts on the tourism industry currently, and the future vision How well is the industry placed to maintain tourism as New Zealand’s biggest export earner? I reckon our tourism economy is well poised to continue to make New Zealand a better place for New Zealanders. It generates employment, hospitality and entertainment options and results in cheaper airfares and overseas holidays for Kiwis. Tourist spend also boosts government services through GST. As a major export earner that’s built on what makes our country special, the industry will continue to grow, be more productive and spearhead New Zealand’s drive for sustainable social, economic and environmental outcomes. So long as we do that we will be of extraordinary value to New Zealand and I reckon that matters more than our ranking.
significant and promising growth from other target markets like Brazil, India and Indonesia. We have placed a significant focus on these markets and this, alongside increasing air connectivity is having good results.
From which markets do you expect to see most visitor growth? We are seeing continued growth from well established markets like Australia, the US and the UK but we are also seeing 82 DRINKSBIZ AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2017
What sort of role do you see food and wine tourism playing in the wider industry? New Zealand offers a fantastic range of great food and wine and it plays an important role in New Zealand’s overall tourism offering. One of the main reasons people visit our country is the vast range of experiences you can have here. This wouldn’t be the case without amazing food and wine in the mix and the many activities and experiences related to it on offer across the country.
How does food and wine tourism feature in TNZ’s future strategy?
What do you see as some of the challenges and opportunities? As tourism is increasingly recognised as a key economic and employment driver by more and more countries, we are seeing dramatic increases in competition for visitors and destination investment that elevates visitor experiences. This means we are having to fight harder and smarter to stand out and we can’t assume visitors will “just keep coming”. It also means we have to make the best use we can of what makes New Zealand unique in the world – our breathtaking landscapes, the activities you can experience within those landscapes and the people you meet along the way. Together with our unique culture and manākitanga our visitors leave as whānau. Data and digital connectedness are increasingly important to connect the evolving needs of visitors with relevant products and experiences across New Zealand, while at the same time providing the industry with more sophisticated ways to tell the rich and unique story of “why New Zealand”.
world stage. It’s early days but it’s likely to be of interest to premium travellers and New Zealand has a world class luxury tourism offering.
“With expected tourism growth, the industry will need even more people passionate about the New Zealand experience” Where do you see the gaps in our current hospitality offering from a tourism perspective? Tourism directly employs over 188,000 people in New Zealand, that’s huge! With expected tourism growth the industry will need even more people passionate about the New Zealand experience – this represents a great opportunity for anyone considering their next steps.
What advice would you give to businesses wanting to engage more with what’s happening locally in tourism? Get in touch with their regional tourism organisation! Tourism growth represents a range of opportunities so businesses should absolutely link with their regional organisation and get involved.
What sort of opportunity will the next America’s Cup present? The win was an amazing achievement for New Zealand and really put us on the
New Zealand offers a huge range for wine and food lovers from wine tours, access to some of the best seafood in the world to unique hangi experiences. Some markets in particular are more interested than others in experiencing our food and wine offering. We undertake a range of consumer research to make sure we deliver the right content to the right market to encourage people to visit New Zealand. For instance, the China market in particular is interested in experiencing New Zealand food and wine so we make sure our campaigns in China showcase the vast range of this on offer and link them to food and wine content on newzealand.com.
How could local operators better promote themselves to an offshore audience when it comes to social media platforms? We find that user generated content works really well in destination marketing; our Instagram content showcases images and videos from real visitors. Authentic content really gives potential visitors confidence that they too can visit and experience and capture breathtaking images.
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0800 863 693
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