DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 DRINKSBIZ.CO.NZ
Premium Spirits, Liqueurs and Mixers proudly dis tributed by thirs ty camel from 1s t February 2021
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FROM THE EDITOR
Victoria Wells
Editor – Drinksbiz victoria@drinksbiz.co.nz
Thanks, 2020. That’ll be all. AS I drove home through our suburban neighbourhood the other day, I realised that it no longer looks strange to see a surgical mask dangling from the rear view mirror of passing cars. It's actually pretty normal. That is the world we're in now. 2020 was a year none of us expected. It was a year in which the words ‘lockdown’, ‘pivot’ and ‘unprecedented’ became part of our daily lexicon; a year in which we all became incredibly well-versed in the minutiae of our 4-tiered Alert Level system. Above all, it was a year in which the No.8 wire, ‘think outside the box’, pull together Kiwi mentality served us all so very well. And will continue to do so. Because, as we all know, we’re not out of the woods yet, although recent news of successes with various vaccines is a definite bright spot. As we head into the summer season, we find ourselves in a pretty good
position compared with others around the world who are instead finding themselves back in increasingly restrictive lockdowns. But, we all know how quickly it can change – and yet we also know what we have to do when it does.
It was a year in which the No.8 wire, ‘think outside the box’, pull together Kiwi mentality served us all so very well. In October, I was lucky enough to spend a couple of days in Hawke‘s Bay thanks to Hawke‘s Bay Wine, during which time I enjoyed several excellent tastings and attended the region's iconic Wine Awards. The Awards are always a big
celebration, but this year's felt particularly so, possibly because it was such a long time since we'd all been in a room with so many other people. The sheer joy of being able to catch up, meet new people, and simply enjoy the company of others was a great reminder of what this pandemic can take away from us so quickly. It's been a bloody difficult year for many people, across many industries. Here’s to all of you who have worked incredibly hard to keep your businesses, your staff, your products and services ticking over through all of this. And, as we turn towards 2021, let's raise our glasses and celebrate getting this far, and now moving on and making 2020 a distant memory. Best wishes from all of us here at Drinksbiz for a safe, healthy, happy and very successful festive season. Enjoy the issue. Victoria.
My picks No.1 Family Estate No.1 Cuvée Toast the end of 2020? Oh, yes. And why not choose an iconic New Zealand sparkling with impeccable pedigree. Cheers to that. Sawmill Vintage Ale 2020 The perfect festive drop to round out the year. This richly complex ale from Matakana’s Sawmill Brewery is the ideal after-dinner indulgence. Lunatic & Lover Silver A fresh addition to New Zealand's distilling landscape, this bright rum from local distillery Lunatic & Lover is full of fresh citrus and lush herbal character with an earthy sweetness at its core. Sip it neat while watching the sun set on 2020.
DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 5
CONTENTS
DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
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@hurstmedia.nz +64 21 146 6404 hurstmedia.nz
32
A DV E R T I S I N G
REGULARS
Roger Pierce advertising@drinksbiz.co.nz +64 9 361 2347 +64 274 335 354
BEER & CIDER
Out & About
10
Diary Dates
12
Cover story
14
Industry News
16
International News
27
Non-Alcoholic News
28
drinksbiz.co.nz
60
Feature: Onwards and upwards 32 Legal Notes
38
Beer & Cider Report
60
Opinion: Michael Donaldson 66 WINE
Beer & Cider News
68 Associate Member (NZ)
SPIRITS
Drinksbiz is published every second month by Trade Media Limited, 300 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand,
40
phone (09) 361 2347.
Wine Report: Bubbles
40
Top Picks: Rosé
48
Opinion: Joelle Thomson Wine News
52 54
The contents of Drinksbiz
72 Spirits Report: Rum
are copyright and may
72
Opinion: Dominic Roskrow 86 Spirits News
90
not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. Please address all editorial, subscription and advertising enquiries to Trade Media
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6 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
Distributors
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Year in Review
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FROM THE PUBLISHER
Connection and kindness Drinksbiz publisher Karen Boult looks back on a year unlike any other
IT IS December, 2020. The end of another year. Stop anyone on the street, read any newspaper headline or ask anyone in your immediate circle and I guarantee you’ll hear a unified consensus: 2020 was terrible. Think of the challenges that not only Aotearoa – but the wider international community – has faced this year. The Australian bush fires, the emotion around the Black Lives Matter movement, the tumultuous American election and the defining COVID-19 pandemic, which thus far has taken the lives of 1.34 million people worldwide, made tens of millions unemployed and ravaged the economy of countless countries. And that’s not even acknowledging the surreal events that have fallen by the wayside of collective consciousness: swarms of ‘murder hornets’, Kanye West entering the Presidential race … and that time Poland accidentally invaded the Czech Republic. Of course, these terrifying headlines don’t account for the individuals who make up the statistics: those who have lost family to COVID-19, those who have been separated by lockdown and those who have found themselves isolated, destitute and lonely this year. We have all felt the mental toll of 2020. Truthfully, you would be hard pressed to find the silver lining of this past year. But then again, we humans are very good at finding light… even in the darkest of times. This year, Kiwis have been kinder to each other than ever before. During lockdown, a vast majority of us obeyed lockdown rules and as a result, likely saved thousands of lives. On the first Friday of lockdown, Kiwis donated a record breaking $58,000 to the Salvation Army in a single day, providing food parcels for those who have been financially impacted by COVID-19. When we moved to 8 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
Level 3, New Zealanders became hyperaware of supporting local businesses: running local cafes off their feet with coffee orders and forcing many shopkeepers to put a hold on orders while they caught up with demand. This surge of online shopping – local style – likely saved hundreds of Kiwi businesses and thousands of jobs. I even found examples of this kindness and community in my own kitchen. Over the course of the first lockdown, my daughter and I worked on the community helpline in Queenstown, fielding calls from those most vulnerable to joblessness and homelessness in our community: international migrants. While we were able to help many of these people find a place to live, a job, or simply the means to stay in New Zealand, I found it surprising that many simply wanted someone to talk to. And I did too. Speaking to these
strangers – people I’ll likely never meet – became the highlight of my day. And Aotearoa’s actions – simple acts of connection and kindness – have had a tangible impact. The Chief Coroner reported that suicide rates during lockdown dropped significantly. And on an anecdotal level, since we moved to Level 1, I can honestly say I have never received more hugs, more friendly smiles, or more invites to parties, ever in my life. It seems that despite our separation from one another – our country, our community – has never been closer. I am reminded of a quote by Shannon L. Adler: “One of the most important things you can do on this earth is let people know they are not alone.” 2020 has presented many a challenge. But Kiwis have constantly and consistently risen to those challenges, and ensured that no one in our team of five million, was ever left to fight the battle alone. As we approach the end of 2020, things are looking up. The American election looks to be (reasonably) decided. Moderna have announced the trial success of a COVID19 vaccine. Kiwis are entering this Christmas season tentatively and cautiously… hopeful. However, as we move into 2021 and beyond, it is so important to remember what this year nearly took from us: community, people, human connection. After all, what is the most important thing? He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata – it is people, it is people, it is people. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season, spent in the company – physical, virtual or otherwise – of loved ones.
It seems that despite our separation from one another – our country, our community – has never been closer.
HANCOCKS
PREMIUM RUM PO RTFO LI O Hancocks extensive premium Rum portfolio boasts fine brands from around the world including, Barbados, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, NZ & UK.
PAIR WITH THE EAST IMPERIAL PREMIUM MIXER RANGE, PROUDLY MADE IN NEW ZEALAND.
SOCIAL SHOTS
Out & About
Hawke’s Bay A&P Wine Awards The who’s who of the Hawke’s Bay wine industry came together on a chilly October night to celebrate the region’s best wines and winemakers at the Hawke’s Bay A&P Wine Awards 2020. (Read more on page 56.)
MC Luke Bird
PHOTOGRAPHY BY SIMON CARTWRIGHT
Tim Turvey of Clearview
EIT catering students
LF Seltzer arrives
Alwyn Corban
Yvonne Lorkin and Victoria Wells
Simone Anderson and Briar Howard
Napier mayor Kirsten Wise
Buster Caldwell and Abi Phillips
Fun was the order of the night at the launch of LF Seltzer in Auckland, where guests enjoyed the LF Seltzer Scoop Shop, described as New Zealand’s first “adultsonly gelateria”. (Read more on page 54.)
Allan Sheppard, Cam Mansel, Mike Puru and Kim Blair
10 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
HANCOCKS
PREMIUM GIN PORTFOLIO Hancocks extensive premium Gin portfolio boasts fine brands from around the world including England, the Netherlands, Scotland, Australia and New Zealand.
PAIR WITH THE EAST IMPERIAL PREMIUM TONIC RANGE, PROUDLY MADE IN NEW ZEALAND.
WHAT’S ON
Diary Dates DECEMBER
Saturday 30 – Sunday 31 January
Saturday 13 March
Gindulgence – Wellington
Saturday 5 December
A showcase of New Zealand craft gins with tastings and gin masterclasses.
The Great Kiwi Beer Festival – Hamilton
South Island Wine and Food Festival – Christchurch Wineries from Marlborough, North Canterbury, and Central Otago will showcase their wines at Hagley Park. winefestival.co.nz JANUARY Saturday 23 January
Bridge Pa Wine Festival – Hawke’s Bay Six wineries in Hawke’s Bay’s Bridge Pa Triangle Wine District are coming together for the seventh year of the Bridge Pa Wine Festival. The wineries include Abbey Estate, Alpha Domus, Ash Ridge, Oak Estate, Paritua, and Red Metal and all will be connected by festival buses. Tickets at eventbrite.co.nz
gindulgence.co.nz FEBRUARY
More than 35 craft breweries from around New Zealand will showcase their wares alongside workshops and seminars. greatkiwibeerfestival.co.nz
Friday 12 – Sunday 14 February
Saturday 20 March
Gincredible – The Bay of Plenty Gin Festival
Marchfest – Nelson
Back for its second year, Gincredible brings craft distillers together for three days of tastings and masterclasses
Craft beers created especially for Marchfest will be on offer from some of the country’s leading breweries. marchfest.com
bopginfestival.co.nz Sunday 21 March Saturday 27 – Sunday 28 February
Ripe – Wanaka
Gindulgence – Christchurch
New festival Ripe debuts in Wanaka, celebrating Central Otago viticulture and the local culinary scene. The event will be held at Corbridge Estate just outside of Wanaka and will star chef Nadia Lim and Master Sommelier Cameron Douglas.
A showcase of New Zealand craft gins with tastings and gin masterclasses. gindulgence.co.nz MARCH
ripewanaka.nz Saturday 30 January
Sunday 7 March
The Great Kiwi Beer Festival – Chch
North Canterbury Wine & Food Festival – Waipara
More than 40 craft breweries from around New Zealand will showcase their wares alongside workshops, seminars and cooking demonstrations.
HANNAH BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY
greatkiwibeerfestival.co.nz
12 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
Boutique wine and food festival showcasing the wine and produce of North Canterbury. ncwineandfood.co.nz
Note: Events may change due to various COVID-19 restrictions. While details were correct at time of print, we recommend checking individual event websites for the latest updates.
COVER STORY – BACARDÍ SPICED
Bacardí Spiced launches for summer Bacardí Spiced opens up a new world of flavour as rum makes a big comeback RUM IS experiencing a global surge in popularity just as the world’s most awarded rum, Bacardí, adds a new rum to its range in New Zealand, releasing Bacardí Spiced through distributor Lion. The practice of mixing rum with fruit and spices is almost as old as Caribbean rum itself, and Bacardí Spiced combines gold rum mellowed in charred American oak for a hint of smokiness with natural flavours and spices to create a bold, yet smooth taste. Bacardí Brand Manager for New Zealand, Jenn McKenzie, says Bacardí Spiced (which will replace Bacardí Oakheart) is a versatile pour for bars and an exciting new addition for consumers’ drinks cabinets at home. “Bacardí Spiced can be served with a classic mixer like cola or ginger ale, or on the rocks to allow its distinct flavours to shine through,” she says. “The smoke and spice character in Bacardí Spiced is also ideal for adding depth to more complex mixed drinks.”
Major UK retailer The Whisky Exchange reported that in the 2019 UK summer period, rum sales overtook gin sales for the first time in five years and it believes this acceleration will continue1. In New Zealand, the Rum category is growing at +18.04% and Bacardí is the #3 brand in the market, growing well ahead of segment at +28.7% in value. Bacardí’s current spiced portfolio (Oakheart and Spiced) is growing at 46.4% in value2. Rum’s craftsmanship, approachability and versatility are part of the growing consumer interest in the spirit, which offers a range of price points and flavour profiles.
Global trends show that rum is the next big bet in the spirits world, taking over from the gin boom. For Bacardí, the key SKUs in its New Zealand portfolio offer a solution for every occasion, from mixing to sipping, with Bacardí Carta Blanca (white rum), Bacardí Carta Oro (golden rum) Bacardí Reserva Ócho (aged 8 years) and now
A rum renaissance Bacardí Spiced joins the Bacardí portfolio in New Zealand as global trends show that rum is the next big bet in the spirits world, taking over from the more recent gin boom.
Bacardí Spiced, to add a more exotic and flavourful quality. Bacardí – part of spirits history As one of the oldest and most respected rum brands in the world, Bacardí has more than 157 years of history and heritage. It was founded in 1862 in the city of Santiago de Cuba by Don Facundo Bacardí Massó, who created a light-bodied rum with a particularly smooth taste. It was his wife, Doña Amalia, who noticed a colony of fruit bats hanging in the rafters of the distillery and recognised their importance to the Spanish and Cuban Taíno Indians as symbols of good health, family unity, and good fortune. It was her suggestion to adopt the bat as the symbol of Bacardí rum, which remains today. Some of the world’s most famous cocktail recipes were invented using Bacardí rum: the Bacardí Mojito, the Bacardí Daiquirí, the Bacardí Cuba Libre, the Bacardí Piña Colada and the Bacardí Presidente. Bacardí Spiced is now becoming part of that history. As with every other Bacardí rum, it has been crafted by the Maestros de Ron, who shape and craft all the products in the Bacardí portfolio, and who are carefully chosen and trained under the stewardship of seven generations of rummaking expertise at Bacardí. Lion bacardi.com SOURCES: 1 “The Whisky Exchange sees rum grow faster than gin for first summer in five years” – Drinks Retailing News 25/09/2019 2 AC Nielsen Scan Data MAT to w/e 18/10/20
Bacardí Essentials Bacardí Spiced 1L $46.99
A spiced rum with a hint of smoke from charred American oak and a bold, yet smooth taste. Perfect for mixing. Classic cocktail: Bacardí Spiced and Cola.
Bacardí Reserva Ocho 700ml $54.99 Bacardí Carta Blanca 1L $46.99
Bacardí Carta Oro 1L $46.99
A classic white rum that is smooth and subtle with notes of almond and vanilla. Classic cocktail: Bacardí Mojito.
A golden rum crafted in toasted oak barrels, where it develops rich flavours. Classic cocktail: Bacardí Cuba Libre.
14 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
A golden sipping rum that is one of the oldest private rum blends in the world. For seven generations, the Bacardí family enjoyed it as their personal reserve. Classic cocktail: Serve neat or try it in an Old Fashioned, instead of whisky.
Bacardí Spiced is a versatile pour for bars and an exciting new addition for consumers’ drinks cabinets at home.
DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 15
INDUSTRY NEWS
New Board Chair at Invivo
Villa Maria to sell surplus land; raise capital VILLA MARIA Estate is selling 31 hectares of surplus land surrounding its Mangere, Auckland headquarters and is exploring raising capital to accelerate its global growth strategy and ambitions. “We’ve been making changes to our business consistent with our vision to be one of the world’s great wine companies and carry on the legacy of our founder, Sir George Fistonich,” said Justin Liddell, Chief Executive Officer of Villa Maria Estate. “Sir George foresaw the enormous potential of the land when the current site was acquired in 2000. Today, the land value has increased to a point where it’s not possible to generate a reasonable
return on these vineyards. We’re exploring selling 31 hectares of vineyard and bare land… we will continue to operate our Auckland winery, bottling, warehousing, head office and hospitality functions on the remaining 10 hectares,” said Liddell. “We’re also exploring raising capital from interested parties who want to support our growth plans. It’s early days and we don’t want to speculate on who a new investor might be or the nature or extent of the investment. We will work through the options and go from there. We don’t expect any decisions to be made until the first quarter of next year and our day-to-day activities will go on as usual,” he added.
KIWI COMPANY Invivo & Co has announced that Mark Darrow has been appointed to its Board as the new Chair. An experienced businessman and professional Chair and director, Darrow’s previous beverage experience includes Charlie’s Group through their NZX listing and sale to Asahi. He has also held a number of governance roles across a diverse range of entities including NZTA, Inland Revenue, Counties-Manukau DHB, Primary ITO, Armstrong Motor Group, Balle Brothers Group, MTF, Leighs Construction, The Lines Company, MTA, VTNZ and Panuku. He is a member of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants, a Chartered Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Directors and a Justice of the Peace. “I am delighted to join the Board of this high growth, successful and innovative company at a really exciting time,” says Darrow. “It has challenged traditional business models in the wine industry and I am really looking forward to working with the company in developing that further. It is an honour to join the team.” Invivo & Co is New Zealand’s only equity crowdfunded wine and gin company, and highlights of its recent half year results to stakeholders included total sales increasing by 46% for the half year to 30 September 2020 vs. 2019; and exports now accounting for 87% of revenue.
Heineken expands in Australia HEINEKEN HAS acquired Strongbow Cider, Little Green and Bonamy’s cider, as well as the licence for Stella Artois and Beck’s in Australia, from Asahi. These brands will be distributed in Australia by Drinkworks, the Australian
sales and marketing arm of DB Breweries Limited, Heineken’s wholly-owned Australasian subsidiary. Drinkworks distributes a range of Heineken and DB beers and ciders in Australia, including Tiger, Sol, Monteith’s Beer and Cider, and Orchard
16 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
Thieves Cider. Peter Simons, Managing Director at DB said, “We are delighted to add the Strongbow brand, as well as Stella Artois, Becks, Little Green and Bonamy’s to Drinkworks’ existing premium beer and cider
portolio. The addition of these brands will enable Drinkworks to further scale up and grow our operations in Australia, which is a very important market for us and one in which we expect future growth, particularly in the premium segment.”
SHOWCASE
New moves for Thirsty Camel Distributor Thirsty Camel’s range of premium spirits, liqueurs and mixers is expanding from February 2021. Co-owner Titch Hay explains what makes Thirsty Camel different… What does Thirsty Camel offer?
Our complete complementary portfolio of premium brands at Thirsty Camel ranges from major international suppliers to craft producers. We’re dedicated to creating a new environment where premium spirit, liqueur and mixer brands can be given the focus and brand building support required to succeed. We want to ensure profitable and sustainable growth in collaboration with our people and our business partners. Our senior leadership team has extensive liquor industry experience
Fever-Tree If ¾ of your drink is the mixer, mix with the best. British craft producer Fever-Tree go to the ends of the earth to source the highest quality ingredients for their range of premium natural mixers.
The Kraken A black spiced rum produced in Trinidad and Tobago, it takes its name from a legendary sea monster of gigantic proportions.
and are experts within their respective individual areas of management. The company’s philosophy is simple: attract and responsibly build premium spirit, liqueur and mixer brands that have reason for being. The vision is to create a trusted platform consisting of experience, empowerment and continuous customer engagement.
New Zealand. Alessandro and I started discussing setting up a premium brand importing company in New Zealand to be ahead of the international trend. Thirsty Camel started in 2004 when we launched Ketel One Vodka into New Zealand. I own Thirsty Camel 50/50 with Francoli S.p.A and we value being a family-owned business.
Who’s behind Thirsty Camel?
What are Thirsty Camel’s plans from here?
Thirsty Camel was established in the early 2000s, when I was working in the UK and Italy for Alessandro Francoli, who invented Opal Nera and is President of the Francoli S.p.A company. I was watching the premiumisation of the spirits and liqueur sectors in the USA, UK and Europe and realised that there wasn’t really anyone following this trend in
Aperol The classic Italian aperitif with its unmistakable vibrant orange hue lights up your toasts and adds extra joy to the moment.
Patrón Made from 100% Weber blue agave, Patrón is a luxury brand of tequila, produced in Mexico and sold in handblown, individually numbered bottles.
Summer is here, so promoting Aperol Spritz, Fever-Tree Gin & Tonics and exciting cocktails for the discerning Kiwi drinker. We’re also looking forward to continuing the extraordinary growth trajectory we are seeing across our whole portfolio and over-delivering to our brands’ partners.
Campari The Campari recipe has remained unchanged since it originated in Novara in 1860. Infused with bitter herbs, aromatic plants and fruit it is the base for some of the most famous cocktails around the world.
Opal Nera The original black Italian liqueur, Opal Nera was created many years ago from a secret recipe by Francoli, a family company of distillers based in northern Italy.
Premium brands at Thirsty Camel Available from Feb 1, 2021 Absinthe: Green Fairy Bourbon: Russell’s Reserve, Templeton Rye, Tin Cup, Yellow Rose Cachaça: Sagatiba Grappa: Luigi Francoli Gin: Juno, Silent Pool, Martin Millers, Boodles, Bulldog, Portobello Road, Manly Spirits, Gin Mare, Ginarte, June Gin, G’Vine
Liqueur: Aperol, Averna, Campari, Chartreuse, Cynar, Disaronno, Fiorente, Francoli Fernet, Frangelico, Grand Marnier, Licor 43, Opal Nera, Ouzo 12, Santa Marta Liqueurs, Teichenné Liqueurs, Tia Maria, Villa Massa, Zucca Mixers: Fever-Tree Premixes: Kraken Premix, Manly Spirits, VnC Cocktails Prosecco: Cinzano Prosecco
Rum: Kraken Rum, Matusalem, Pusser’s Rum, Pyrat, Wray & Nephew Tequila: Espolòn, Patrón Vermouth: Cinzano, La Quintinye Vodka: Manly Spirits, Roberto Cavalli Vodka, Skyy Vodka Whisk(e)y: Glen Moray, Glen Grant, The Irishman, Writers’ Tears. Contact Thirsty Camel info@thirstycamel.co.nz thirstycamel.co.nz
DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 17
INDUSTRY NEWS
Lion launches free online training platform LION HAS partnered with digital training platform Myagi to create a new educational platform designed specifically for Lion’s customers across on-premise, traditional channels and grocery. Curated by the Lion Ambassadors team, the platform has launched with over 150 pieces of content
tailored for the New Zealand industry. Online lessons range from cocktail making and food matching, to tutorials that delve deeper into the history of adult beverages and practical service and selling tips. Lion says access to the content is free for all Lion customers and the
platform enables the Ambassador team to collaborate directly with customers and suppliers. Kirsty Brown, General Manager of Winnies Queenstown says it’s great to see training brought into the 21st century using the app platform. “Myagi lets staff learn from the comfort of their own home so it’s a lot easier to encourage them to engage, rather than traditional training sessions that not all staff can attend,” says Brown. Lion says while its Ambassadors will continue to deliver face-to-face workshops to customers around the country, the Myagi platform now enables them to reach more customers than ever before. The next series of lessons are already in development and the content will be continually updated over time to ensure learners keep engaged and challenged.
New Chair for NZ Winegrowers
Part Time Rangers Founders Oliver Deane (L), William Deane (R), and Sgt. Mutinda Ndivo Big Life
Brown-Forman buys Part Time Rangers NEW ZEALAND drinks company Part Time Rangers has reached an agreement to be purchased by global spirits company Brown-Forman Corporation. The brand’s founders, brothers William and Oliver Deane, will remain with the company, and its mission and commitment to charitable support of wildlife conservation and environmental preservation projects will continue. The details of the transaction are confidential, and the transaction is subject to approvals. Part Time Rangers was founded by the Deane brothers in their family kitchen in 2018. Since then, it has grown to offer a range of six pre-mixed low-sugar and low-calorie alcoholic drinks. Part Time Rangers’ mission is to support organisations that make a real difference to wildlife and the environment. A portion of profits are donated to animal conservation initiatives across the globe. Brown-Forman’s portfolio of spirit brands includes Jack Daniel’s, Finlandia, Woodford Reserve, and el Jimador. Part Time Rangers founders William and Oliver Deane say that the agreement to be purchased by Brown-Forman is a validation of the brand’s mission and the support of the Part Time Ranger community since they started. “Our growth since then has exceeded our wildest dreams, and the sale of the business to Brown-Forman will now allow our mission to grow.” 18 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
MARLBOROUGH WINEMAKER Clive Jones has been elected Chair of the New Zealand Winegrowers Board with four new members also appointed. Jones has over 28 years’ experience in the wine industry and has been based in Marlborough for the last 22 years at Nautilus Estate, where he is currently Winemaker/ General Manager. He previously served for six years with the Marlborough Winegrowers Board (three years as Chair) and five years with the New Zealand Winegrowers Board, being elected as Deputy Chair of New Zealand Winegrowers in 2018. He takes over from John Clarke, who has been on the New Zealand Winegrowers Board since 2006, and Chair since 2018. Jones says he has big shoes to fill. “John has become an integral part of the New Zealand wine industry over the past 40 years, and is a positive and respected leader. During his time on the Board the New Zealand wine industry has made grand strides, and has secured a strong international reputation for premium and sustainable wines.” Clive Jones also welcomed four highly respected members of the wine industry as new representatives to the New Zealand Winegrowers Board. The new Board includes: Misha Wilkinson – Owner and director of Misha’s Vineyard, a celebrated boutique winery in Central Otago, which now exports to 15 countries. Tim Rose – Director at Rose Ag, a 5th generation family farming business that was one of the first to plant vines in Marlborough during the early 1980s. Emma Taylor – Consultant viticulturist with experience across all facets of viticulture, and winner of 2007 NZ Young Viticulturist of the Year and Young Horticulturist of the Year. Michael Henley – Chief Executive at Aotearoa NZ Fine Wine Estates, with leadership experience across several premium New Zealand wineries.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Vineyard hemp trial leads to skincare A GOVERNMENT-FUNDED hemp research project into the restoration of soil in vineyards has led to a new skincare line for the export market. Cosmetic brand Hark & Zander was founded after a successful trial into the use of industrial hemp as a way of improving soil quality and vineyard biodiversity, which was co-funded by Callaghan Innovation, the government’s R&D agency. Company co-founder and Marlborough vineyard manager Kirsty Harkness applied for a licence to grow hemp from the Ministry of Health three years ago and planted the mid-row cover crop in the vineyards. “I had trialled blue borage, red
clover, phacelia and buckwheat as cover crops… but it wasn’t until I looked at hemp as not only a way of breathing life back into the soil but also as a potential secondary revenue source that I really got excited. “Once we were confident the hemp wouldn’t take nutrients or moisture from the vines, we began looking at the potential benefits of hemp for the body as well,” she says. The new venture was then formed with business partner Gabrielle Zander,
a specialist in blending essential oils for skincare. Harkness says the hemp seed goes through a special filtration process to produce a clarified oil with a golden colour. “Our first product, a 100% natural Hemp-Tonic Face Oil contains nine vitamin-rich plant oils. The future range is 15 products strong, and we aim to release a new one each month through retail stores and online channels,” she says. harkandzander.com
SHOWCASE
Update on Harvest Staffing for Wine Industry The Government has moved to address the issue of staffing the 2021 Harvest by giving 11,000 working holiday visa holders an SSE (Supplementary Seasonal Employment) visa until 30 June 2021, which allows them to work in Viticulture and Horticulture. At this point in time, the visa only covers work in the vineyard, not allowing them to work vintage in a winery, which could pose a problem for wineries. Website winejobsonline.com remains positive from a recruitment perspective – New Zealand traffic remains solid overall with over 9,000 unique visitors to the website over the past month, 70% of those being New Zealand-based.
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Applications are averaging over 1,000 per month across listings. Nicola Crennan of NZ Winegrowers advises members to plan advertising and any immigration applications well ahead of time. Meeting the seasonal labour challenges will require innovation and collaboration to ensure it is completed safely and to protect the premium quality expected of New Zealand wine. She says educational institutions have rallied to increase training positions, industry has developed training modules for seasonal tasks, and some governmentsubsidised training courses for New Zealanders have been introduced to help upskill New Zealanders. As a whole, the industry has rallied together to lobby government to allow experienced harvest workers from 2020 to stay and work the upcoming vintage. Crennan says the New Zealand wine industry relies on international vineyard workers, experienced cellar hands and winemakers to supplement our permanent workforce for Vintage. With our borders still closed, sourcing trained seasonal labour is a major focus. Vance Kerslake of Wine Marlborough says they have been working closely with the Marlborough RSE employers and the Regional Labour Governance
Group to scope what the remainder of the summer workforce will potentially look like. Feedback from growers and wine companies is that they are not overly concerned. About two-thirds of Marlborough’s vintage workforce came from overseas in 2020. A big effort is being made to hire those experienced people so they can help wineries attract, recruit and train local staff for vintage. Wine Marlborough has been providing monthly updates to the industry and tracking progress on recruiting staff for vintage. Wineries had recruited less than half of the vintage cellar hands they need by the end of October. Some wineries are increasing the number of permanent staff compared with Vintage 2020 to compensate. Wine Marlborough has coordinated a number of workshops and seminars on working smarter and leaner, resilience and personal wellbeing. Work is underway on short taster courses and open days to give locals an introduction to the industry and the opportunity to work vintage. To list your job with New Zealand’s only mobile optimised dedicated wine industry recruitment website, please visit winejobsonline.com
INDUSTRY NEWS
Saint Clair stars at the Marlborough Wine Show SAINT CLAIR Family Estate shone at the 2020 Marlborough Wine Show, winning a slew of trophies for its wines and the Lifetime Achievement Award for founders Neal and Judy Ibbotson. More than 600 wines from the Marlborough region were judged by an independent panel of 17 judges. 49 Gold Medals were awarded, with 12 of those going to Pinot Noirs from 2019 and nine to Sauvignon Blancs from the 2020 vintage. Saint Clair won trophies for Champion Pinot Gris, Champion Other White Varietal, Wine of Provenance (best single vineyard current release wine from any class) and the Legacy Award for wines with pedigree for three wines produced over the last 10 years (full results below). Saint Clair’s Neal and Judy Ibbotson were also awarded the Wine Marlborough Lifetime Achievement award for their services to the Marlborough wine industry. Champion Wine of the Show went to Leefield Station Pinot Noir 2019, a wine that Chief Judge Ben Glover described as a wine that “dances on the palate.” Glover said it was an undisputed winner. “It was the most preferred wine from the first round of Pinot Noir judging through to trophy and Champion Wine of the Show. It is an exceptional wine full of bright fruits, really vibrant palate, and lovely length.”
Hill Labs supports US wine industry
Dr. Jonno Hill
22 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
The Saint Clair family
Trophy Winning Wines
Champion Wine of the Show Leefield Station Pinot Noir 2019 Wine of Provenance Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2020 Legacy Award Saint Clair Omaka Reserve Chardonnay 2007, Saint Clair Omaka Reserve Chardonnay 2013, Saint Clair Omaka Reserve Chardonnay 2016 Champion Sparkling Wine Mumm Marlborough Brut Prestige Champion Gewürztraminer Johanneshof Cellars Marlborough Gewüztraminer 2019 Champion Riesling Villa Maria Private Bin Marlborough Riesling 2020 Champion Other White Varietal Saint Clair Pioneer Block 5 Bull Block Grüner Veltliner 2020 Champion Pinot Gris Saint Clair Godfrey’s Creek Reserve Pinot Gris 2018 Champion Sauvignon Blanc Dashwood Sauvignon Blanc 2020
NEW ZEALAND’S Hill Laboratories is providing urgent support to the wine industry in the United States, testing samples from grape growers and wineries potentially impacted by the West Coast wildfires. As one of New Zealand’s largest privately-owned, independent analytical laboratories, Hill has been subcontracted by ETS Laboratories (the largest independent wine lab in the U.S.) to test samples from American growers. This year’s wildfire season
Champion Sauvignon Banc 2019 & Older Stoneleigh Rapaura Series Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2019 Champion Rosé Mount Riley ‘The Bonnie’ Pinot Rosé 2020 Champion Pinot Noir 2019 Leefield Station Pinot Noir 2019 Champion Pinot Noir 2018 & older The Wrekin Needle’s Eye Pinot Noir 2015 Champion Other Red Varietal Mount Riley Marlborough Syrah 2019 Champion Sweet Wine Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Noble Riesling Botrytis Selection 2018 Champion Chardonnay 2019 Stoneleigh Latitude Chardonnay 2019 Champion Chardonnay 2018 & Older Villa Maria Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Chardonnay Marlborough 2018 For full results visit marlboroughwineshow.com/awards
burned millions of acres across California, Oregon, and Washington – the main grape growing regions in the country – placing overwhelming pressure on local firefighters, businesses, and residents. The fires covered a very wide area, but only a tiny fraction of that area is planted with wine grapes. Hill Laboratories says that every location is different, and smoke exposure may be transitory and as little as none at all. Any fire impacts will certainly not be to the entire vintage in any of the affected
winegrowing regions. It says it is too early to speculate as to the extent of impact in areas where smoke was persistent, but in an abundance of caution, many growers and wineries are requesting smoke impact testing in grapes and wine from local laboratories, placing pressure on those labs. Hill Labs has a longstanding collaborative relationship with ETS Laboratories, and has received significant numbers of subcontracted samples from them over recent weeks.
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Future leaders named in top comps The 2020 winners in the Young Viticulturist and Young Winemaker competitions have been named
Corteva Young Viticulturist of the Year 2020 AS COVID alert levels changed at the beginning of October, the Young Viticulturist community breathed a sigh of relief as they were able to go ahead with the competition’s National Final and 15 Years Celebration. Both these events were held in Wairarapa and there was a real buzz around town as the 2020 national finalists, along with previous winners and contestants from the last 15 years, descended on Martinborough from all corners of New Zealand. The Young Vit 2020 Finalists were: Tahryn Mason, Sam Bain, George Bunnett, Rhys Hall, Lacey Agate and Annabel Angland. The national final took place at Ata Rangi and all six finalists excelled themselves, however, it was Rhys Hall
Rhys Hall
from Indevin in Marlborough who came out on top. He was announced as the 15th winner of the competition and the 2020 Corteva Young Viticulturist of the Year. The competition’s 15 Year Celebration consisted of a conference entitled “Investing in the Future” followed by a dinner at the Town Hall. It was a great chance for the viticultural community to discuss the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for the industry, as well as look back over the last decade and a half of the competition. The conference also tackled some hot topics around future vineyards, future consumers, organic, biodynamic and conventional farming, sustainability and overseas investment.
Since 2006, the NZ Young Viticulturist of the Year initiative has helped support and encourage ambitious young people to become confident, strong leaders in the New Zealand wine industry. Investing in the future has paid off and there are many inspirational success stories of previous contestants and winners becoming some of the great innovators, pioneers and decision makers of the industry today. The winners since 2006 are: Marcus Wickham, Emma Taylor, Simon Bishell, Caine Thompson, Stuart Dudley, Nick Paulin, Braden Crosby, Matt Fox, Paul Robinson, Caleb Dennis, Cameron Price, Tim Adams, Annabel Bulk, Simon Gourley and Rhys Hall.
Winners from 15 years of the Young Viticulturist competition
Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker 2020 FOLLOWING THREE regional finals, the Young Winemaker National Final took place on 6 November at EIT in Hawke’s Bay, followed by the Awards Dinner at The Old Church in Napier. The national finalists were: Ben McNab, Ben Tombs, and Peter Russell. The competition is tough and really stretches the finalists. One of their tasks was to prepare a presentation about what the future wine consumer looks like and how New Zealand can maintain its competitive edge around the world. It was a substantial topic but all three came up with some inspiring suggestions. As well as wine judging, laboratory work, an interview, CAPEX and essay papers, the trio ended the day by each giving a speech at the Awards Dinner 24 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
on why their wine-growing region is the best to visit this summer. The audience were practically booking their flights to Marlborough, Central Otago and Wairarapa before the end of the evening! Ben Tombs was then announced as the overall winner, becoming the Tonnellerie de Mercurey NZ Young Winemaker of the Year 2020. “After a very challenging year, we felt incredibly lucky to be able to run our competitions, even though later than originally planned,“ says Nicky Grandorge, Leadership & Communities Manager at NZ Winegrowers. “It was something really positive for everyone involved to focus on and it seemed extra special to be able to gather, support and celebrate.”
Ben Tombs
SHOWCASE
Wanted – the Bandit Craft Line WITH ITS new range ‘WANTED, THE BANDIT CRAFT LINE’, French specialist glass company 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. This collection of 13 bottles is infused with a spirit of independence, strength and character, offering 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 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 catering to a clientele on the hunt for their own treasures and which attract Millennials seeking unique and authentic experiences and creative, original and refined cocktails served in a unique atmosphere that distil the essence of the moment. Contact Saverglass saverglass.com 09 522 2990
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
World’s 50 Best Bars for 2020 THE LIST of The World’s 50 Best Bars 2020 was announced in an online awards ceremony in November, featuring bars from 23 countries. London’s Connaught Bar clinched the No.1 spot, winning The World’s Best Bar and The Best Bar in Europe awards. Organisers said that under “the masterful leadership” of Agostino Perrone, the venue’s Director of Mixology, Connaught Bar stays true to its principles of presenting artful drinks with graceful service in an elegant setting. Designed by the late David Collins, the Cubist-inspired bar celebrated its 10th year in 2018 and is known for its unique Martini trolley, where bartenders give a personalised drinks experience to guests. Mark Sansom, Content Editor for The World’s 50 Best Bars, says they are heartened by the industry’s resilience and positivity as countries continue to operate in varying degrees of recovery. “We at 50 Best hope that the announcement of The World’s 50 Best Bars 2020 will act as a show of strength for the global bar community. It displays to the world that even in the face of the ever-shifting challenges and restrictions being thrown at them, bars are still doing everything that they can to continue to provide great
hospitality experiences. As we move into the next stages of international recovery, it is vital to get the message out that bars are open for business and ready to receive guests safely and securely.” Other special awards included Maybe Sammy (Sydney), winner of Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award; Galaxy Bar (Dubai), winner of Campari One To Watch Award; and Renato ‘Tato’ Giovannoni of Florería Atlántico (Buenos Aires), winner of Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award.
1 Connaught Bar – London, UK 2 Dante – New York, USA 3 The Clumsies – Athens, Greece 4 Atlas – Singapore 5 Tayēr + Elementary – London, UK 6 Kwānt – London, UK 7 Florería Atlántico – Buenos Aires, Argentina 8 Coa – Hong Kong, China 9 Jigger & Pony – Singapore 10 The SG Club – Tokyo, Japan
Full results at world50bestbars.com
Recall after Guinness 0.0% launch JUST WEEKS after launching its much anticipated new non-alcoholic version of Guinness, Diageo issued a recall of the Guinness Draught 0.0% 440ml cans in Great Britain in November. In a release, Diageo Great Britain said it was recalling the cans as a precautionary step because a microbiological contamination may make some cans unsafe to consume. The new Guinness 0.0% is brewed at St. James’s Gate in Dublin, and launched in Great Britain and Ireland in late October.
Top 10 of The World’s 50 Best Bars 2020
Guinness says its brewers use a cold filtration method, which allows the alcohol to be filtered out without presenting thermal stress to the beer, protecting the integrity of its taste and character. The brewers then blend and balance the flavours to ensure the distinctive flavour profile and taste characteristics of Guinness. Guinness said it planned to roll the new Guinness 0.0% out to more markets throughout the world later in 2021.
Mix it up for Christmas with Bacardí
Diageo to buy UK’s Chase Distillery DIAGEO HAS reached agreement to acquire Chase Distillery, the owner of Chase GB Gin and the award-winning Chase Original Potato Vodka. Founded in 2008 by entrepreneur William Chase, the Chase Distillery portfolio includes seven gins, four vodkas and an elderflower liqueur. Chase Distillery spirits are distilled from scratch using British-grown potatoes, apples and all-natural botanicals on the Chase Farm in Herefordshire. The steam energy used to run the distillery is produced on site from a biomass boiler powered by prunings from the apple orchard, with potato waste used as fertiliser to feed the farm’s cattle. William Chase said it was inspiring to have Diageo invest in Chase Distillery’s future. “They believe in the potential of our field to bottle spirits and will build on our mission to develop our sustainable distillery in Herefordshire.” The acquisition is expected to close in early 2021 subject to regulatory clearances.
BACARDÍ HAS come up with the ultimate way to bring holiday vibes to any at-home celebration with a limited edition ‘Mixing Console’ made from Caribbean rum barrels from the Bacardí distillery in Puerto Rico. The unique console includes a Fluance RT80 Vinyl Turntable, custom 50-watt Bluetooth speakers, bespoke walnut drinks tray and a bottle of premium Bacardí Gran Reserva Diez. The Bacardí Mixing Console is available online from Minimauk.com for £1,700 (NZ$3255). DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 27
NON-ALCOHOLIC NEWS
Add a little Alchemy & Tonic NEW TO the world of premium mixers comes New Zealand-made brand Alchemy & Tonic. The range is available in 250ml cans and includes Indian Tonic Water, Grapefruit & Thyme Tonic, Spiced Ginger Ale and Hibiscus Pink Lemonade. RRP $7.99 4-pack. The Premium Liquor Company
Share a Coke back for summer COCA-COLA IS bringing ‘Share a Coke’ back for summer with an ‘open casting’ for a new ad campaign to feature Kiwis from across New Zealand. For a chance to be on a Coke ad on TV, Kiwis simply need to grab a bottle of Coke featuring a pre-printed name, record a shout out to their friends or family using the name on the bottle as part of the message and upload it to shoutout.coke.co.nz Coca-Cola will select 170 and turn them into 15 second ads to be shown on TV this summer. Pip Mearns, Senior Brand Manager at Coca-Cola Oceania, said she is excited to see Kiwis take part in the Coca-Cola open casting call. “2020 has been a challenging year to say the least, so this summer we want to help connect Kiwis across New Zealand and share a little love,” she said. Share a Coke bottles and cans are available with more than 200 names, nicknames and Kiwi colloquialisms or can be customised at coke.co.nz
SHOWCASE
Voyage – a force of nature PREMIUM NEW Zealand spring water Voyage is set to take the local gastronomic scene by storm and already impressing internationally with a major award in its first year. Voyage is sourced directly from The Blue Spring, Te Waihou, in the Waikato. Shaped by its geographical journey, Voyage is 99.99 % pure and this crystalclear spring water is characterised by its passage through deep strata and bedrock.
It is available in both Still and Sparkling and has a relatively neutral pH of 6.5 to complement any dining occasion. The Still is soft and textural with stony, silica-like minerality, while the Sparkling offers freshness to the palate and is lightly carbonated, creating an elegant mouthfeel. Voyage Sparkling received a coveted Gold Medal and the title ‘Best Sparkling Water 2020’ at the 30th annual Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting – a
world-renowned tasting event that attracts waters from all over the globe. In addition to being entirely local, Voyage water is actively engaged with a sustainability consultancy to gain Cradle to Cradle™ accreditation. Cradle to Cradle™ forensically audits the environmental impact of the materials used and considers their reutilisation, renewable energy sources and carbon management. Water stewardship and social responsibility are also considered, allowing Voyage water to meet the world’s highest standard for sustainability. “Its name ‘Voyage’ reflects perfectly its creation: an elemental journey through the unique geology and natural environment of the rugged and breath-taking New Zealand landscape,” says Gemma Versteeg, Voyage Brand Manager. “The brand was created with sustainability at its core, ensuring that we minimise any environmental impact, choosing to work with global sustainability consultants ThinkStep, to guide us through the Cradle to Cradle™ process.” Voyage
• Pure Still and Sparkling spring water • Available in 500ml and 1L bottles Coca-Cola Amatil
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Advertorial
BOSS AF LISA KING — FEEDING KIDS, MAKING DELICIOUS AF DRINKS
Lisa King is most well known as founder of kiwi social enterprise Eat My Lunch. She was 2019’s MYOB Woman Entrepreneur of the Year and a 2019 New Zealander of the Year finalist after starting Eat My Lunch from her home kitchen in 2015. Now in 2020, she has created AF Drinks, underpinned by a new social mission of its own. PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVID STRAIGHT — INTERVIEW BY JAMES HURMAN
The alcohol-free G&T
Business with heart lunches every day, and what we’re giving them is fresh and healthy,” she explains. That gives a feeling of security – where the next meal is coming from is a big worry for these kids, so being able to rely on lunch is huge.
A happy non-drinker, Lisa still really missed her gin-and-tonics, so AF Drinks’ first product range would start there. A key element is an extract called Afterglow that mimics the warmth you get from a spirit.
“When we started, some of the kids didn’t actually eat the food at lunchtime. They took it home because they were really worried about when they were next going to get fed.” The variety of tasty “We’re serving about 2,000 kids a day,” says Lisa and healthy food is good for growing bodies but “That’s eight per cent, so while those numbers also sets them up for the future. “They’re being sound big, in my mind we’ve got a long way to go.” It’s estimated that around 25,000 kids are going to exposed to all these different kinds of foods that school every day without lunch – so Eat My Lunch’s they’ve never had before. Really basic things even, like cherry tomatoes or pretzels.” impressive stats aren’t even touching the sides.
“Over a period, I can feel my face going red, even though they have no alcohol,” laughs Lisa. “It’s a really great, adult, complex drink.”
Eat My Lunch is perhaps New Zealand’s best known for-profit social enterprise. The premise is simple – order a delicious lunch into your office and you’ll be sending one to a hungry Kiwi kid. With a 27% child poverty rate in New Zealand, hungry kids were top of mind for lots of Kiwis – and the business model struck a chord. The company hit its three-year target in the first 12 weeks.
Getting kids learning
Enter AF Drinks
For those kids in the scheme, the benefits have gone far beyond a full belly. 60% of schools have reported improved attendance and 89% reported an improvement in student health and well-being.
With Eat My Lunch now humming along, Lisa’s new start-up is helping people explore a new relationship with alcohol.
“There were parents and families not sending the kids to school because they were really embarrassed about their kids going without lunch,” says Lisa. And when the kids show up, being wellfed makes all the difference. “Teachers tell us they can tell when a kid’s had food. They’re just different people when they come into the classroom.” Unraveled food insecurity Consistency, says Lisa, is key to making sure the scheme has a positive, long-term impact. “We make sure that we’re providing to the same schools all the time so the kids are getting these
It all started when Lisa connected her bouts of vertigo to her beloved gin-and-tonics and decided to give up the drink for a while. She quickly realised there were very few good alternatives to alcoholic drinks. “Either they didn’t taste that great or they were really expensive.” There was a clear gap in the market – not just for a nice, grown-up AF drink, but for a brand that could lead an attitude shift. Lisa could see her new alcohol-free life being permanent but she got a lot of push-back. “It’s like, ‘What’s wrong with you? Are you pregnant?’ I was thinking I’m making a really good choice here, but I was made to feel really socially awkward. That’s where the idea for AF came from – not just a product, but a world where it’s ok to make your own decisions and to do that with confidence.”
That thread of a social mission that started with Eat My Lunch has found its way into AF drinks – a socially acceptable alcohol-free alternative, all underpinned by a mission to normalise not drinking. “It’s a really great thing for people to consider having a different relationship with alcohol,” says Lisa. “It’s a huge source of a lot of social problems and mental wellness issues.” Soberish for life While Lisa mostly doesn’t drink, she wouldn’t call herself a teetotaler. “When there’s a special occasion or someone’s bought a very special bottle of wine – I’ll have a little glass here and there. It’s about really being mindful of those occasions and thinking, ‘Actually it’s worth it tonight for me to have that glass of wine.’ It makes those moments more special, right?”
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FEATURE – MOOD OF THE INDUSTRY
Onwards and upwards
AS 2020 draws to a close and the world continues to grapple with COVID-19, New Zealand is in a better position than most, but the prospect of at least another year without international tourists, and the uncertainty of potential further outbreaks and lockdowns means there is still a long way to go. We’ve asked New Zealand’s leaders in the drinks industry and hospitality sectors for their views on where we’re at and how they see 2021 shaping up.
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FEATURE – MOOD OF THE INDUSTRY
INDUSTRY GROUPS FOR THOSE representing specific sectors, COVID-19 has taken a heavy toll on many of their members who are slowly building their businesses back up. Workforce shortages, reduced sales channels and the ongoing impact of closed borders are all challenges.
Julie White Chief Executive, Hospitality NZ THERE’S STILL a sense of apprehension because of the uncertainty. Whereas this time last year our members would have been planning for the coming year, it now seems to be day-to-day, or week-to week. Our message is: ‘Make sure you are prepared’. Have you got all your contingency planning? Be ready for shutting down, or going up and down. Use the previous experience to your advantage.
for. In lockdown, we had to throw away stock that we hadn’t paid for and had no income coming in. A lot of our members have accrued debt above and beyond other sectors and need a helping hand. The proposed WCG could be 5%, linked to the prior year’s turnover. Ninety per cent of our industry are SMEs, so [turnover] would be $100,000-$200,000, meaning a $5000 or $10,000 capital grant. We’re not talking big money – we’re talking very targeted. It’s the ability to pay your suppliers and at the same time get some income to generate some revenue. It gives them time to breathe.
“A lot of our members have accrued debt above and beyond other sectors, and need a helping hand.” – Julie White
Planning for staffing
Regional tools
The big obstacle is the workforce. What are you doing with your staff and the staff shortages? How are you looking at productivity now? How are you crosstraining? That’s a priority now because we can no longer rely on the migrant workforce that we traditionally relied on. We’re also about to announce that in partnership with the Ministry of Social Development we are creating a hospitality springboard programme. This is the very first time that MSD have supported an initiative to upskill the workforce for people in employment. We need to portray the value of the sector, to show that not only do you have a horizontal career, but you actually have a vertical career: you can start out as a barista but you could end up as the general manager.
We're also talking to Treasury, government and local council about an ‘Eat, Drink, Stay, Play’ event programme in Wellington over Easter 2021 that the government could target with a voucher system. Incoming domestic tourists could get a voucher to use for food and beverage, or at commercial accommodation or an event, like a production. Councils could use this to stimulate the economy in their specific region. We have WellingtonNZ on board and now we need the council to support it, in as much as we need a blanket special licence. This is our other call to government: make sure the regulation settings are fit for purpose for us to recover. We need to think outside the square to get everything moving again.
Assistance required
I’m really hopeful, I really think hospitality is leading the way from a survival point of view. I think COVID has taught us to be open, to give things a go. This sector is ever so resilient and optimistic and their willingness to survive just astounds me.
We need sector-specific help and we’ve been talking to Treasury and government. We need a Working Capital Grant that’s targeted and can be wrapped around some protocols as to what it’s to be used
Looking ahead
Philip Gregan CEO, Wine NZ 2020 WOULD have been devastating for the New Zealand wine industry if we had not been classed as an essential business, and as an industry we were acutely aware that we were in an incredibly privileged position to be allowed to pick the grapes. It was an outstanding quality harvest in most parts of the country, and while COVID-19 restrictions did have an impact on the way the harvest was run, they have not affected the quality of the wine. Positive forecasts
Encouragingly, the reputation of our wine remains strong in our key international markets, and our wines continue to resonate with consumers and trade. There has been huge demand for New Zealand wine, particularly Sauvignon Blanc, in our core markets such as the USA, UK and Australia - with total export volume increasing substantially on last year. We’re optimistic that demand will continue to grow in the year ahead. Consumers are continuing to explore the diverse range of wine varieties we produce, with Rosé and Pinot Gris increasingly popular.
“The lack of certainty around available labour to complete harvest is a critical issue for many in our industry.” – Philip Gregan Issues to address
On the other hand, those that sell predominantly through on-premise and wine tourism have suffered. Domestically, Tourism New Zealand campaigns such as ‘Do something New, New Zealand’ are encouraging Kiwis to get out into their own backyards, and our own New Zealand wine tourism campaign ‘Visit the Vines’ aims to inspire DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 33
FEATURE – MOOD OF THE INDUSTRY people to support their local cellar doors and restaurants. The majority of discussions we have with growers or wineries inevitably lead to the issue of labour supply. The projected labour shortage is a real worry for some regions, especially Marlborough and Central Otago, as we creep slowly closer to Vintage 2021. The lack of certainty around available labour to complete harvest is a critical issue for many in our industry. The industry needs to play its part by employing Kiwis, but we are hopeful that the government will enable us to source the off-shore labour we need to get the harvest in.
tourism and tap room experiences remain a significant opportunity for our members. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the NZ Ale Trail (nzaletrail.com) which provides a great resource for Kiwis to find beer experiences.
We’re hoping the current “spending at home” boom continues but there is definitely trepidation if people face another year of reduced incomes and diminished reserves.
Challenges ahead
Advice to distillers
One ongoing challenge is the amount of proposed significant regulatory changes (container refund scheme and labelling) that are continuing during a time when most businesses are already stretched thin just trying to adapt to a new business environment. There are already limited opportunities for input and then with strict timeframes it can seem that there is consultation in name only. There is an opportunity for government to demonstrate its commitment to small businesses by making the consultations easier to participate in and more reasonable in terms of timelines.
Now is the time to understand your point of difference, focus on higher value or strategic products in your portfolio and engage with your customers. Watching cashflow is critical. The cashflow burden flows all the way through the supply chain, so work closely with suppliers to ensure your critical raw materials are available, and work with any supporting industries who rely on your business but may not be able to pay bills immediately. Be prepared with contingency plans in case the COVID situation changes.
Looking forward
Sabrina Kunz Executive Director – Brewers Guild OUR MEMBERS are positive but, like most Kiwis, a bit tired as we get to the back end of 2020. It has been a year of adaptation and innovation with the ongoing uncertainty meaning businesses have needed to pivot quickly, which can be exhausting for small and large businesses alike. Summer is peak production season and festival season, so there is no reprieve coming from the busy-ness. At the same time, breweries continue to be buoyed by local support which means they are positive about the summer. Equally, being able to interact with consumers at festivals represents a feeling of a return to some normalcy, which is a great way to round out 2020.
“Domestic tourism and tap room experiences remain a significant opportunity for our members.” – Sabrina Kunz Leaning into local
The support of consumers who want to ‘Drink Local’ has been the key to survival for many breweries and that remains a key opportunity. With Kiwis likely exploring more of New Zealand this year, domestic 34 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
We always knew our industry was innovative, but it has been fantastic to see the way in which businesses adapted quickly. A greater awareness by consumers of supporting local has been overwhelmingly positive and takes us back to the roots of craft breweries and pubs as a meeting point for community. As we prepare for 2021, our advice to our members would be: don’t forget the basics. Great quality beer and providing exceptional experiences for customers remains at the heart of a successful beer industry. And don’t forget to take the time to look after yourselves.
Sue James Chair, Distilled Spirits Aotearoa Confidence is growing. New Zealand’s small distillers have been extraordinarily busy due to postponed expos, food shows and festivals being relaunched to cram into the last few months of the year. The domestic and export markets are bouncing back as the summer peak starts.
Finding support
Word of mouth and discussion groups have helped the members of our community find the best options within the government COVID relief systems. It’s especially difficult to meet the needs of businesses which are only just starting out, with low cash reserves, no sales history or a reasonable sales forecast. Customs and Excise have provided excellent advice for licensed manufacturers, with deferred payment options and payment plans, and links to government assistance.
“Now is the time to understand your point of difference, focus on higher value or strategic products in your portfolio and engage with your customers.” – Sue James Unfortunately, as we move back into normal life the local and central government bureaucracy engines are rolling on regardless of the cashflow status of businesses. The approach taken by Customs could be used as an example here, to encourage the various local government compliance groups to coordinate their timing and payment options. Future moves
In a bigger picture view, the New Zealand distilled spirits industry needs support. A 2017 MBIE report identified New Zealand distilled spirits as one
FEATURE – MOOD OF THE INDUSTRY of three top value-add sectors with potential to demonstrate strong growth internationally. Our industry is in the infant phase with at least half of DSA members less than three years old. Most of our peer countries have recognised the value of their own distilled spirits industries and offer significant tax
relief to stimulate growth. It’s highly unlikely that our new government will look at any sort of tax relief when this income is needed for debt repayment. We’d welcome discussions with the government to develop a cohesive stimulation package for the industry, to help us compete globally.
INDUSTRY PLAYERS WHILE STAFFING issues and lack of tourism are having an impact, key drinks businesses and distributors are forging ahead with new product development and taking heart from Kiwis’ enthusiastic return to on-premise and supporting local.
Premium and craft beer are both growing segments that we’ve seen steadily expand over the past few years. I predict we’ll see the everyday craft brews sell well, we’ve already seen that happening this year as the market settles into larger format packs of craft beer and the category finds its longer-term place in the industry following those initial early years of experimentation and huge variety. Premium will remain the bedrock of beer; it continues to grow and with a product like Heineken in our portfolio, this category is one we’ll always be watching. Hopes for 2021
to be taking bold action in building a sustainable future. We’ve got a few projects ready to go next year, including rolling out a biomass solution at our Timaru brewery to reduce our carbon footprint by 30%, and some exciting brand-related sustainability innovation as well – watch this space.
Peter Simons Managing Director, DB LIKE THE rest of New Zealand, I think the mood in the drinks industry is overarching uncertainty; however there is room for some optimism as we look to summer and a boost in the domestic market as people who would normally head overseas stay home instead. I have cautious optimism as we go into summer seeing some of the innovation that has come through this year despite the difficulties many businesses have faced. Helping hand for hospo
The drinks industry needs to support our hospitality industry as it slowly gets back to its feet next year. It’s been a year of peaks and troughs for our friends in hospitality, and with no international visitors for the foreseeable future, the opportunity is to really harness the domestic market and get Kiwis out enjoying their locals. Climate change and COVID
Heading into 2021, we have to acknowledge there will still be significant challenges in the market, so we need to focus on the right areas for growth and invest in them. Not just from a category point of view, but also in the way we operate. If people thought that COVID was a crisis, the impact of climate change is another level entirely. Businesses need
“I have cautious optimism as we go into summer seeing some of the innovation that has come through this year despite the difficulties many businesses have faced.” – Peter Simons Category growth and trends to watch
The global trend of wellness continues to grow, with discerning consumers seeking lighter, fresher flavours, less bitterness, and lower sugar and carbohydrates. Lowand-no alcohol continues to grow too, without showing signs of slowing. Seltzers is the big one; we’ve recently launched two new brands, Pure Piraña and Club Setter, into this category and anticipate they’ll be huge over summer and into 2021. The seltzer category is an area we predict enormous growth within over the next three years. The category could be worth $62m by the end of 2023, in line with predictions based on the US market where the seltzers segment is worth 5.5% of the beer category. As a low sugar, low carbohydrate option, seltzers are well aligned to the preferences of the conscious consumer and we’ll keep a close eye on how the category grows.
COVID will still be with us well into 2021, so my main hope is that we continue to rally together as a country and keep New Zealand safe. I’m a hospitality man at heart, so, within that context, my other fervent wish is that the hospitality industry can get back on its feet after an incredibly difficult year. I also hope the new Government delivers on its promises around sustainability and a lower carbon economy; as we navigate COVID, we cannot forget about the bigger picture and changing the future of our country for the better. Specifically for the drinks industry, my hope is that Kiwis remain thirsty for new products, and that the national spirit of innovation is matched by beverage producers. I’d like to see some of the amazing innovation that we’ve seen in 2020, despite the difficulties and uncertainty of this year, continue as we head into 2021.
Rory Glass Managing Director, Lion COVID has impacted our industry considerably, although we have seen some positive signs coming out of each lockdown, with Kiwis back socialising in on-premise venues faster than anticipated. DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 35
FEATURE – MOOD OF THE INDUSTRY
As we move back to somewhat normal operations, there are concerns about staffing, as the normal intake of travellers who make up much of the hospitality workforce has been severed. Many employees are on temporary work visas which will end after 12 months after being granted and there will be a serious issue should the visas not be extended. Adjusting the approach for 2021
As the largest supplier in the industry, Lion has felt the impact of COVID, particularly in the on-premise market and liquor retail stores. We have needed to review our cost base and do some simplification and reshaping of the business. We have looked for improvements and innovations throughout the business that we can take forwards into 2021 and beyond.
“The biggest category growth we’re expecting to continue into 2021 (and we expect to see through 2022 and even beyond) is wellbeing.” – Rory Glass Other operational changes [in our hospitality venues] were the simplification of menus and offerings to reduce production costs to deal with fewer ingredients and suppliers, whilst cutting down on waste and running things as tightly as possible. For traditionally tourism-based businesses, such as Wither Hills, we had to change our focus to the local and domestic market, and with the borders closed, we can expect summer resort towns to have good trading as Kiwis holiday at the beach. Digital opportunities
When it came to the on-premise market, the use and development of digital platforms was key to ensuring businesses could still operate under the COVID restrictions, and customers could connect with their favourite pubs and eateries remotely. We’re seeing venues adopting tech platforms, such as ‘pay at the table’ on mobile to help manage costs during low trading times. Consumers are now more accepting about using technology in their hospitality experiences, when it speeds up convenience. Digital 36 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
in-venue ordering apps will become more commonplace in 2021 and beyond, as businesses look at ways to manage costs, whilst continuing to provide experiences. Off-premise businesses will need to continue to diversify their ‘deliver to home’ services through customised digital platforms, as consumers continue to entertain from home. We have also taken the opportunity to invest in areas of the business that provide value to our customers and consumers, such as digital, where we launched our educational training platform in partnership with Myagi (see page 18).
out are welcomed. We also hope to see a long term view from the Government to acknowledge what is required to support the industry, in terms of visa extensions and targeted support for the industry.
Category growth and trends to watch
The biggest category growth we’re expecting to continue into 2021 (and we expect to see through 2022 and even beyond) is wellbeing, with people seeking drinks across all categories that are better for them. In the beer category, the biggest growth is coming from lighter options, such as low carb, which is experiencing phenomenal growth. With RTDs, the growth is coming from the lighter styles, including seltzers with sparkling water and zero sugar RTDs, which are all seen to be a better choice. Seltzer is on track to be the fastest growing alcohol segment globally, where Seltzer sales are predicted to be worth US$14.5b by 2027. Lion plans to continue to significantly invest in this category, and in October we launched our own seltzer, Berg, following the successful release of Smirnoff seltzer earlier this year. Zeffer is also extending into seltzer with new products now out in the marketplace. Lion has further releases planned for the coming years. We’re also starting to see the emergence of seltzer adjacencies, such as alcoholic teas and spritz, which we anticipate will begin to emerge within the New Zealand market over the next 2-3 years. Hopes for 2021
On-premise has been wounded, and while we are optimistic coming in to our peak period, we need to move out of the “survival” mentality and start to back ourselves again. Events are a critical part of driving hospitality and the beverage market. Confidence for promoters and event organisers to give people reasons to go
Kevin Mapson Managing Director, Pernod Ricard NZ I THINK there is still a lot of uncertainty across the industry resulting from COVID-19. In 2020, we’ve had good and challenging periods in equal measure. Alongside travel retail, the on-premise was the most acutely impacted – during lockdowns it was as challenging as could be, and then outside of that, there has been a sense of euphoria, with venues opening up again and people able to get out to experience conviviality and escape their homes. From a retail point of view, the unprecedented demand, supply constraints and difficulties in forecasting has also required a lot of patience.
“Existing trends are being heightened through the pandemic, such as health and wellbeing, category blurring and the shift towards premium products.” – Kevin Mapson A positive perspective
We’re ending 2020 with a greater sense of community. There were some great examples of collaboration through lockdown, with people across the drinks industry leaning in to support each other through some very tough times. I’m optimistic as I feel like we’re well placed in our current situation and in one of the most fortunate countries in the world when it comes to COVID-19, and we
FEATURE – MOOD OF THE INDUSTRY are prepared to respond should a similar situation occur again. Opportunities and trends
E-Commerce is one opportunity that everyone is talking about and we’re moving at pace with. While it’s a relatively small part of the market right now, it’s also dynamic and growing fast. I can also see a trend around ‘local’, and I think that there could be more shared around the importance of shopping local. Our retail customers have been providing feedback around how they are picking up duty-free business and we’re also hearing about people having very positive experiences shopping in their local stores and shopping for different products to those they would normally purchase. I think there’s something in this trend that will stick around, providing that retailers are attuned to it and continue to deliver what shoppers are looking for and the variety on offer. Existing trends are being heightened through the pandemic, such as health and wellbeing, category blurring and the shift towards premium products. I think people will start seeking value, as at some stage things will catch-up with us over the next twelve months and this is something we’re prepared for from a portfolio point of view. We can also look forward to more events and activations such as the America’s Cup, which will be the first large-scale sports event globally since the start of the pandemic. There’s also a big opportunity for innovation, which we’ve seen in our business with the launch of Mumm Marlborough and hopefully we’ll see the return of international travel and resurgence of travel retail. New approach for 2021
I think we’re far more acutely attuned to shorter time horizons, so although we have a long-term plan, because the shortterm is more certain we’re focused on the current and next quarter. I think this is an approach that will continue over the next couple of years. Heading into 2021, we’re also more agile and flexible. When things change, we’re able to redeploy our focus into areas of the business experiencing increased demand. People remain a big focus for us… it’s important that we continue to look out for one another. Hopes for 2021
going for our people and customers. A plan for the future reduces uncertainty and so it’s absolutely critical. We have a new government in New Zealand and I’m looking forward to hearing their future plan. There’s a view that if brands are strong, they’re strong in the on-trade and they will be strong everywhere. So, it’s vitally important for the industry that impacts of the pandemic are minimised for the on-trade as much as possible. The operators add the colour and life to our industry and it’s important that they can flourish.
projections for our July to June 2021 and 2022 years. We have also targeted expense reduction across all parts of the business. Provided the November and December months deliver as well as July to October have, we remain reasonably confident of achieving or exceeding our 2020/21 targets and have increased our stockholdings accordingly. Clearly, we’ll be watching depletion rates closely when, rather than if the market slows down. Of concern is the outlook for 2021/22, when additional, more draconian measures might be forced on us through the fall-out from the global pandemic.
“Keep an eye on the international opportunity for premium New Zealand Rosés.” – Clive Weston Category growth and trends to watch
Clive Weston Managing Director, Negociants NZ THE WORLD as we knew it, seemed to grind to a COVID-influenced halt from March this year and exports of New Zealand wine – certainly our own Nautilus Estate of Marlborough – slowed abruptly. However, the pick-up in international sales from July has been strong as importers around the world adjust to their new trading conditions and restock. For the Negociants New Zealand domestic distribution business, with its wine dominant portfolio, we have enjoyed a stronger than expected 2020 performance, despite COVID lockdowns and impacts on all sales channels. The mood today feels positive and we expect that to be the case, right through to the end of the year, assuming we remain COVID-free. Looking ahead to 2021
The local wine industry seems set to continue its forward momentum internationally, spearheaded by Sauvignon Blanc but with all our leading white varieties and small batch specialist reds garnering favour overseas. Keep an eye on the international opportunity for premium New Zealand Rosés too. We have taken a very conservative position, as regards the forward sales
We’ll see how well hard and soft seltzers, flavoured beverages and wine-in-can categories perform over summer, but from the noise being made, growth in the short- to mid-term seems likely, perhaps at the expense of cider and traditional RTDs. The Rosé juggernaut continues to roll on, both in New Zealand and internationally. Globally, Rosé has been identified as the table wine category garnering most confidence within the trade for growth over the next five years, ahead of the white and red table wine categories. With little or no international travel, we have experienced a surge in demand for high-end European wines in the New Zealand marketplace and we expect that to continue for as long as Kiwis are tied to home base. Hopes for 2021
In general terms, a year unlike 2020! Having said that, there have been some positive take-outs from 2020, not least the micro-scrutiny applied to every aspect of the business and, if I can use that COVIDdriven word, “Pivoting”, as required. These learnings will hold us in good stead as we move forward into 2021 and beyond. Our hope is for as “Normal” and stable a COVID-free trading environment as possible in the local market and continued success for our Nautilus winery business and the industry as a whole, as our world-class wines continue to impress key international trade and media influencers.
I hope that we will be able to provide a level of certainty around where we’re DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 37
LEGAL NOTES
Pervinder Kaur
Associate at Harkness Henry specialising in alcohol licensing and resource management law pervinder.kaur@harkness.co.nz harknesshenry.co.nz
Licensing for special events Planning a special event? Alcohol Licensing lawyer Pervinder Kaur of Harkness Henry explains what you’ll need to ensure you’re within the law. WITH SUMMER approaching, planning for festivals, functions and other special events is underway. Some work-based events will escape alcohol licensing requirements because the event is private, small-scale and because alcohol is being supplied at no charge. However, if you are selling alcohol at an event, or providing alcohol at no charge but charging guests an entry fee, you will require a special licence. Examples of events that generally require special licences are sporting events, concerts, farmers’ markets and fairs, and any private gatherings where alcohol is being sold or supplied for a fee or donation. Special licences If you need a licence, get your application in quickly. For events between 20 December 2020 and 16 January 2021, most councils required applications to be filed no later than 21 November 2020. If your application falls outside of that timeframe, you will need to explain why to the relevant District Licensing Committee (DLC). Unforeseen events will often mean that your late application can still be accepted, but delays without any good reason will result in your application being declined with no refund given. The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 (Act) has introduced two different types of special licence: the on-site special licence and the off-site special licence. The type of licence your event requires will depend on when (and where) guests are consuming alcohol. If guests are consuming alcohol at the event itself, an on-site special licence is required. However, if guests are being supplied alcohol that they will consume elsewhere, you need an off-site special licence. 38 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
Once you have worked out which type of special licence your event requires, you need to apply to the DLC, which is located at your district council. Is it an ‘event’ or an extension of ‘business as usual’? If you already have an alcohol licence and are looking to host an event on your own licensed premises, the DLC will consider whether it is a bona fide separate event, or an extension of business as usual but with potentially friendlier conditions around hours or licensed areas. This is a tricky area of law, and we always recommend an applicant in this situation obtains specialised advice. The law now specifically prohibits a special licence being issued in circumstances where it would be more appropriate for an on-, off- or club licence to be issued instead, or where it would be more appropriate for a licensee to formally vary an existing licence (s 41). In a nutshell, this means that a special licence cannot be used as a substitute (but on more generous terms) for either an existing licence or the requirement to obtain a new licence. “Event” is defined in the Act to include “…an occasion and a gathering, and any series of events” (s 5). Case law has evolved to a point where the expectation is that an applicant for a special licence can articulate the nature and date of any event or series of events as part of the application process (Re New Zealand Police LLA 454/94). This is required so the relevant DLC can establish whether the application merely expands upon business as usual or is instead a bona fide separate event.
Will you pass muster? Every application for a special licence is forwarded by the DLC to representatives of the Police and Medical Officer of Health (s 141), and each agency then has 15 working days to report on the application if they have matters in opposition to it. Any opposition must be founded on the Act’s criteria for the issue of special licences (ss 142 and 143), including: • The object of the Act; • The applicant’s suitability, and whether it has appropriate systems, staff and training; • Any relevant local alcohol policy (LAP); and • The design and layout of the premises. These criteria are similar to those found in the Act but which relate to applications for new licences (s 105). Applications need to be carefully framed to ensure that enough information is provided to the DLC to enable it to grant the application and to address any concerns reporting agencies might have. Again, this is where a professional advisor can help, particularly if your application falls within a ‘grey area’ of the law. ‘Grey areas’ can include situations where: applicants have past criminal convictions; licensees with existing premises want to obtain a special licence to extend trading hours for a particular reason; and organisers propose a series of only loosely related events. In these circumstances, getting the special licence often involves up-front work with the agencies and alcohol licensing inspector to identify and resolve concerns, thereby avoiding the time and cost of a hearing.
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WINE REPORT – BUBBLES
Kiwis will be keen to toast the end of 2020, so make sure you’re ready with an array of sparkling wines and champagnes to cover every price point, as selected by wine writer Joelle Thomson 40 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
WINE REPORT – BUBBLES
Under RRP $20 Lindauer Vintage Series Brut Cuvée 2017 RRP $14.99 Lion
Lindauer lives up to its artistic name in this full-bodied, dry sparkling wine. It’s made with grapes grown in Gisborne, where Chardonnay rules the vinous roost and makes up most of this wine, along with Pinot Noir to add some savoury flavour notes. Great value for money at under RRP $15 and easy to see why it won Gold and the Champion Bubbles Trophy at this year’s New World Wine Awards. 17.5/20 Murviedro Arts de Luna Cava Brut Nature RRP $17.99 Mucho Gusto
Spanish cava is made the same way as champagne, but typically aged for less time in the bottle on yeast lees, which means it can be labelled and sold more swiftly. Because of this, cava tends to be great value sparkling wine and this is a lovely dry example. It’s a stunner for the money, with fresh bakery aromas, a medium body and finish. 17.5/20
2020 Saint Clair Vicar’s Choice Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc
RRP $20 to RRP $29.99
RRP $18.90 Negociants
Grandin Brut
Winemakers Stewart Maclennan and Hamish Clark give this Sauvignon Blanc minimal skin contact and maximum cool fermentation to accentuate freshness and varietal fruit purity, adding carbonation at the finish to give it a refreshing sparkle. It is just off dry with 9.7 grams per litre of residual sugar and a crisp note giving the wine a lively, fresh and lingering finish. 16.5/20 Riunite Extra Dry Prosecco RRP $18.99 Federal Merchants
Prosecco is the world’s most popular sparkling wine by volume and sales. There’s a wide range of styles made, such as this extra dry version, which contains between 12 to 17 grams per litre of residual sugar. Balance is key and Riunite Extra Dry Prosecco has plenty of that with its aromatic freshness nicely balanced by a touch of zingy acidity. 15.5/20
RRP $24.99 Federal Merchants
It’s no mean feat to make such a tasty sparkling wine as this for such a modest price. Its complex notes come from the traditional method (the method by which champagne is produced, with the second ferment in the bottle followed by lees ageing, in this case nine months). Grandin Brut is made in the Loire Valley, home to the Chenin Blanc grape, which is a key ingredient in this wine along with Folle Blanche, Ugni Blanc and Chardonnay. It’s a lovely blend and great value for money. 16.5/20 2013 Deutz Blanc de Blancs RRP $26.99 Pernod Ricard
Hand-picked grapes were whole bunch pressed and fermented in a combination of 300 litre French oak (30% of the wine) and stainless steel to make this refreshing, full-bodied sparkling wine with smooth texture and rich complex flavours. It tastes dry and contains 8 grams per litre of residual sugar. 18.5/20
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WINE REPORT – BUBBLES
Quartz Reef Brut NV RRP $29-$34 Vintners NZ
Humble in price and anything but in taste; this is one of New Zealand’s best bubbles and one of its oldest. Quartz Reef Brut began life when winemaker Rudi Bauer teamed up with a visiting French winemaker, Clotilde Chauvet (daughter of champagne maker Marc Chauvet). Together, they pioneered Central Otago’s best known bubbly, using mostly Pinot Noir (now 72% of the blend) with the balance being Chardonnay. The wine is typically aged for two years on lees in bottle following its second fermentation. This is longer than most champagnes and the result is a wine that over-delivers massively on price and flavour. 19/20
Prosecco • Italian sparkling wine from Veneto and Friuli • High volume, low cost, tank fermented bubbly • Made from the Glera grape, which used to be known as ‘Prosecco’ • Light, fresh style. Méthode Marlborough • Group of like-minded Marlborough sparkling winemakers who make wine the same way as champagne • Sparkling wines made this way have their second fermentation in the bottle and are aged on yeast lees for at least 18 months • Current members of Méthode Marlborough: Allan Scott Family Winemakers, Daniel Le Brun, Deutz, Hunter’s, Johanneshof Cellars, LV, Nautilus, No.1 Family Estate, Saint Clair Family Estate, Spy Valley, Tohu and Whitehaven. Champagne • The world’s most famous sparkling wine is named after the region of the same name in northern France • A cool climate region • Sparkling wine given a second fermentation in the bottle where carbon dioxide dissolves into the wine creating bubbles.
42 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
RRP $30 to $39.99 Tohu Rewa Blanc de Blancs RRP $30.55 Kono
‘Blanc de blancs’ is French for ‘white of whites’ and refers to a wine made 100% from the world’s most popular white grape, Chardonnay. This top-shelf example comes from Tohu Wines and has creamy flavours, a full body, dry style and over-delivers for its relatively modest price. 18.5/20 Allan Scott Cecilia NV RRP $32.99 Hancocks
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes are gently pressed into production to make this dry, medium-bodied bubbly from Marlborough, which was fermented with wild yeasts and aged for 18 months in bottle on lees. It contains 8.8 grams of residual sugar per litre and alcohol of 12.5% ABV, giving it lovely balanced flavours. 16.5/20
Cloudy Bay Pelorus NV RRP $34.99 Moët Hennessey
Cloudy Bay Wines first made its name with Sauvignon Blanc and has since forged a reputation for top quality wines made in a range of styles, with the Pelorus bubbly punching significantly above its weight. It’s made using the same winemaking methods as champagne, which provide this wine with its creamy, rich, flavoursome style, full body and dry finish. Stunning value at this price. 18.5/20 Hunter’s MiruMiru Rosé NV RRP $35 EuroVintage
Winemaker Jane Hunter is a fan of pink bubbly, and her winemaking team produce this one mostly from Pinot Noir, which makes up 55% of the wine with Chardonnay at 42% and Pinot Meunier the remaining 3%. This trio is the classic combination used in the Champagne region. The Hunter’s winemakers gave this lively, dry pink bubbles 18 months of bottle age on yeast lees. It contains 6.4 grams of residual sugar per litre and is a deliciously full-bodied, dry expression of sparkling Pinot with beautiful balance, thanks to the Chardonnay. 19/20
The famous Le Brun family of No.1 Family Estate in Marlborough celebrates 40 years of sparkling winemaking in 2020.
WINE REPORT – BUBBLES
No.1 Family Estate No.1 Cuvée
2017 Deutz Prestige Cuvée
RRP $36 No.1 Family Estate
RRP $39 Pernod Ricard
This top-shelf sparkling wine is the flagship sparkling from the famous Le Brun family in Marlborough, who celebrate 40 years of sparkling winemaking in 2020. It is 100% Chardonnay aged on lees for two years, which provides the wine with full yeasty richness and depth of body and flavour. Chardonnay’s crisp acidity adds drive and zesty flavours to this beautiful bubbly. 18.5/20
Deutz was inspired and initially produced by the champagne house of the same name. Today, the New Zealand bubbly brand is owned by Pernod Ricard and this wine is made mostly from Chardonnay (64% of the blend) with Pinot Noir to add body and toasty notes. All the grapes are grown in Marlborough and this is a medium-bodied, crisp and fresh style with a tiny smidgeon of the little known Pinot Meunier grape blended in for good measure. 17.5/20
Spy Valley Echelon 2012 RRP $37 Red+White Cellars
Winemakers Paul Bourgeois and KathyLee Sowman blend 51% Chardonnay with 49% Pinot Noir in this medium-bodied, refreshingly crisp sparkling wine, which is made in the traditional method (the same winemaking method as champagne). All the grapes were hand-picked and free-run juice was fermented and aged in old oak for 12 months before ageing on lees in bottle for three and a half years. The result is a refreshing yeasty wine with aromas of apple pie and a lingering citrusy finish. 17.5/20
Nautilus Cuvée Marlborough Brut NV RRP $39 Negociants
This wine takes its inspiration from the best of champagnes (Bollinger Special Cuvée) and is made using the same winemaking methods. It’s a blend of hand-picked grapes, dominated by Pinot Noir, which provides the wine’s fresh, yeasty flavours and lingering finish. It contains between 5% to 15% of older reserve wines in the blend, adding oomph and power. It then goes through full malolactic fermentation and is aged on lees for three years in bottle. 18.5/20
2013 Daniel Le Brun Blanc de Blancs RRP $39.99 Lion
Daniel Le Brun Blanc de Blancs spends a whopping five years ageing in bottle on its yeast lees, which provides rich, creamy flavours and fresh crisp acidity (because lees keep wine fresh). It’s made from 100% Chardonnay grapes grown on three vineyards on Marlborough’s Wairau Plains. These grapes were hand-picked, whole bunch pressed and fermented in a combo of stainless steel and aged 300 litre French oak barrels. The wine is flavoursome, full-bodied and tastes dry with 8 grams residual sugar per litre. 18.5/20 2016 Tohu Rewa Rosé RRP $39.99 Kono
Here’s a delicious expression of Pinot Noir treated to secondary fermentation in bottle, lees ageing and disgorgement. Tohu Rewa Rosé was first made to celebrate 20 years of winemaking for the Māori-owned Tohu Wines. The pretty pink colour comes from light skin contact with the 100% Pinot Noir grapes used to make this wine, which was aged on lees for two years, giving it richly flavoursome fresh bakery aromas and a long finish. 18.5/20
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WINE REPORT – BUBBLES
Released just in time for the 2020 festive season, the new Whitehaven Cuvée Samantha is named after the daughter of the founders of Whitehaven Wines.
RRP $40 to $49.99 Whitehaven Cuvée Samantha 2018 RRP $40 Whitehaven Wines
Marlborough’s cool climate, high sunshine hours and 40-year history of high quality sparkling winemaking all go into producing this excellent new addition to the New Zealand bubbly shelves. Released just in time for the 2020 festive season, the new wine is named after the daughter of Whitehaven founders, Sue and Greg White. Whitehaven Cuvée Samantha 2018 is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with all grapes in the wine handpicked at low sugar levels (brix of 18-19°) to retain delicate flavours with high acidity. The wine was aged on lees for 22 months prior to disgorgement, developing secondary savoury notes. It is a lively, refreshing, citrusy wine with complex notes of creamy toasty depth and richness. Every sip lingers in this lovely new bubbly. 17.5/20
Johanneshof Blanc de Blancs NV
No.1 Family Estate No.1 Rosé
RRP $41 CoPilot
RRP $47 No.1 Family Estate
Johanneshof Cellars was founded in 1991 by winemakers Edel Everling and Warwick Foley, who built an underground cellar in which to age their wines in the hills of their vineyard between Blenheim and Picton. The Blanc de Blancs NV is one of four sparkling wines they produce and is made 100% from Chardonnay grapes grown on the lower Wairau Plains. These are all hand-picked, whole bunch pressed and fermented in French oak with a champagne yeast before going through malolactic fermentation. This wine has nine years on lees in the bottle following its second fermentation and this lengthy ageing provides richness and depth. 17.5/20
Daniel and Adele Le Brun are the pioneers and earliest producers of high quality New Zealand sparkling wine and 2020 marks 40 years of bubbly production in this country for them. Their first vintage was in Marlborough in 1980 and they have family ties in Champagne going back to 1684. It’s the tradition and the freedom that gives them the edge that comes through in their wines, such as this Rosé, made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes. It’s rich, toasty and full-bodied while retaining elegance and freshness. A stunning pink bubbly. 19/20
G.H Mumm sets sail Maison Mumm is celebrating its partnership with the 36th America’s Cup with the release of a limited edition bottle designed to capture the colour of the ocean for its iconic Mumm Grand Cordon cuvée. The Maison has also created an exclusive reusable dry bag to accompany the bottle. Maison Mumm will feature the limited edition Grand Cordon cuvée bottle at the Mumm Yacht Club in the America’s Cup Village in Auckland, which opens to the public from mid-December. G.H Mumm Grand Cordon Cuvée RRP $79.99 Pernod Ricard
44 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
WINE REPORT – BUBBLES
Saint Clair Dawn 2015 RRP $49 Negociants
This stunning sparkling wine was created in honour of Dawn Ibbotson, Saint Clair matriarch and mother of Saint Clair founder Neal Ibbotson. The wine was first released in 2016 (when Dawn was 102) and continues to be a high quality winemaking project for the winemaking team at Saint Clair, including for Neal and Judy Ibbotson, who first planted grapes in Marlborough in 1978. Dawn passed away in early 2020, aged 105. This wine is made from a blend of the three classic champagne grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The Pinot Noir was lightly pressed and fermented in seasoned French oak to add body and softness to the wine. The final blend was then fermented in bottle and aged for 39 months. It is dry with 6 grams per litre of residual sugar. Steely, fresh, dry, fullbodied and beautifully balanced. 18.5/20 Champagne Lallier R.016 RRP $49.99 Regional Wines / Hamilton Beer & Wine Co
If you’re looking for great champagne at an incredible price, this is it. Lallier R.016 is a blend of 56% Pinot Noir and 44% Chardonnay, with 86% of the grapes from the 2016 vintage, which inspired the name “R.016” because the R stands for ‘récolte’, the French word for harvest. This is an impressive champagne with body and flavour to burn; fresh but complex, thanks to great reserve wines (about 14% of the blend) adding depth, complexity and layers of flavour to every sip. 18.5/20
RRP $50 and above LV Méthode Traditionelle NV RRP $55 LV Wine
The name Vavasour is famous in Marlborough wine circles and this new bubbly comes from this well-known winemaking family: the letters ‘LV’ stand for Louis Vavasour. The wine is made from 60% Pinot Noir with the balance being Chardonnay. All grapes were hand-picked and the base wines went through 100% malolactic fermentation to soften acidity and add weight, body and creamy flavours prior to blending and fermenting the wine in bottle for two and a half years. This long ageing process provides depth and richness of flavour to the wine, which is dry with 5.5 grams of residual sugar. 17.5/20 Moët & Chandon Impérial Brut RRP $56.99 Moët Hennessey
Moët is the most powerful champagne brand in the world, producing more champagne than any other company as part of the Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessey group, which also owns Veuve Clicquot, Mercier, Ruinart and Krug. The Moët brand alone sells more than twice as much as its competitors, so it is to the credit of this vast company that the quality remains so very good. The instantly recognisable Moët & Chandon Imperial Brut has notes of complexity in its citrusy purity, which is nicely balanced by creamy flavours and a zesty, refreshingly long finish. 17.5/20
Piper-Heidsieck Champagne RRP $59.99 Hancocks
Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier lead the style of this off-dry champagne, which contains 15%-20% Chardonnay and up to 20% reserve wines (older bottlings added to retain consistency in the nonvintage wines each year). This is a crisp, medium-bodied style with fruity notes of red apples, pears and ripe citrusy flavours. 16.5/20 2015 Quartz Reef Blanc de Blancs RRP $75 Vintners NZ
This outstanding sparkling wine is the second vintage of Rudi Bauer’s biodynamically certified Blanc de Blancs (100% Chardonnay) which is made with hand-picked grapes grown on 15 hectares of sun-drenched, north-facing vineyards in Central Otago’s Bendigo. The vineyard was biodynamically certified in 2011 and the wine was made using the traditional method of sparkling winemaking (the same as champagne) and aged on lees for five years then disgorged by hand on site at Quartz Reef in Cromwell. This is a great example of world-class méthode traditionnelle. 18.5/20
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WINE REPORT – BUBBLES
Pommery Brut
Bollinger Special Cuvée
Champagne Bollinger PN VZ15
RRP $79.99 Federal Merchants
RRP $109.99 Negociants
RRP $168.99 Negociants
Champagne Pommery’s winemakers use grapes from at least 40 different villages in the Côtes des Blanc, Montagne de Reims and other areas in France’s Champagne region to make rich, dry and flavoursome sparkling wines such as this. The Pommery house was founded in the mid-1800s and sold most of its early wines to the English who were well-known for preferring drier styles of champagne. The house has retained that reputation and its bubbles today remain dry in taste and in style, over-delivering on quality. This is a top drop worth digging deep to enjoy drinking. 18.5/20
Great raw material, a high proportion of Pinot Noir and huge volumes of reserve wines are all key to quality, style and consistency in Bollinger Special Cuvée, the flagship champagne from this famous producer, which owns more than 167 hectares of vineyards. This is an increase from 165 hectares in 2014 and is enough for about 60% of Bollinger’s production, which stands in stark contrast to most champagne producers, who tend to own about 10% of their own vineyards. Bollinger is also defined by Pinot Noir, which makes up at least 60% of its bubbles, and stores most of its reserve wine in magnums rather than stainless steel vats or large oak casks. These incremental measures all go a long way towards the deliciously savoury, toasty but refined flavours in Bollinger’s flagship Special Cuvée. 19/20
This is the first new style of champagne produced by Bollinger in 12 years and is made from 100% Pinot Noir, which forms the heart and soul of this stunning new wine. This outstanding wine launched mid-2020 after many years of research and development by the winemakers at Champagne Bollinger. Nearly 50% of all base wines that went into this bubbly were vinified in wooden barrels. It also contains a significant proportion of reserve wines, some from reserve magnums aged under natural corks. It has all the hallmarks of richness with elegance, weight, power and refinement that make Bollinger one of the great champagnes. 19/20
No.1 Family Estate Cuvée Virginie 2016 RRP $98 No.1 Family Estate
This beautifully made bubbly from No.1 Family Estate was made for Virginie Le Brun, daughter of Daniel and Adele Le Brun, who celebrate 40 years of making sparkling wine in Marlborough this year. It’s a blend of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir, fermented to 12% ABV with 3.14 grams per litre of residual sugar, putting it firmly in the dry camp. It was aged on lees for three years and nine months, giving it richness, depth of flavour and length that is usually only found in vintage champagnes. This time on lees is even longer than for vintage champagne, which must legally spend at least three years on ‘tirage’, as the French describe this exacting and lengthy flavoursome process. Deliciously fresh and exciting in taste. 18.5/20
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Find contact details in the Distributor Index on page 100.
Champagne Bollinger PN VZ15 is the first new style of champagne produced by famed house Bollinger in 12 years.
REWA ROSÉ
A MARK OF C E L E B R AT I O N
@tohuwines
#tohuwines
tohuwines.co.nz
NEW RELEASES - ROSÉ
Pick of the pinks New Zealand’s 2020 vintage will go down in history for many reasons, says Joelle Thomson, including its high quality, which shows in these fresh new Rosés
2020 Rapaura Springs Reserve Pinot Rosé
2020 Quartz Reef Bendigo Estate Pinot Rosé
RRP $14.99-$17.99 Vintners NZ
RRP $32 Vintners NZ
This lively new release from Rapaura Springs in Marlborough is light in colour and body but packed with fresh, fruity flavours supported by zingy acidity, which adds tension and length to this juicy young wine. 16.5/20
The hand-harvested grapes in this wine were grown in Central Otago’s Bendigo on a biodynamically certified vineyard planted on a north-facing slope at an elevation of 217-264 metres above sea level. The wine is crisp, dry and refreshing with 1.7 grams per litre of residual sugar adding balance to the wine, which is medium-bodied and super tasty. This is a great dry southern Rosé. 18.5/20
2020 Kōparepare Pinot Noir Rosé
2020 Brightwater Gravels Rosé Nelson
Cloudy Bay Pelorus Méthode Rosé NV
RRP $23.99 Winelord
RRP $38.99 Moët Hennessey
Brightwater is part of the Nelson wine and cider company Winelord, which is owned by the Grey family who have been growing grapes and producing wine in the region since the late 1990s. It got a new lease of life in 2019 when its production moved into the former Kaimira winery in Brightwater, at the back of the Waimea Plains. This Rosé is made in an off-dry style with refreshing flavours of raspberries, melon and strawberries. It is also vegan-friendly. 17.5/20
This sparkling Rosé from renowned producer Cloudy Bay is made mostly from Pinot Noir grapes grown in the central Wairau Valley, which were given a short time on skins to provide the wine’s pale pink colour. They were fermented in stainless steel to preserve the grapes’ signature red fruit flavours and the finished wine then went through its second fermentation in bottle, using the méthode traditionelle technique. It was aged on lees for two years in bottle before disgorgement (to remove the cloudiness left by the lees). It’s a beautifully toasty bubbly with red fruit flavours and a long finish. Outstanding value for money with depth and breadth of flavour in each impressive sip. 18.5/20
RRP $18.99 Whitehaven Wines
This fresh release is made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes grown in Marlborough and fermented at cool temperatures to preserve fruit purity, which this wine has in spades. It was fermented to dryness with the retention of four grams of residual sugar per litre adding lift to the aromatic flavours of red berries and cherries. The Kōparepare wines are made by Whitehaven in collaboration with LegaSea; $1 from every bottle sold is donated to help fund the work of LegaSea in protecting and restoring New Zealand’s marine environment. Awarded Gold at the 2020 Marlborough Wine Show. 17.5/20
48 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
2020 The Ned Marlborough Rosé RRP $16.99-$17.99 Marisco
Red fruit flavours, crisp acidity, and light, fruity appeal are the order of the day in this refreshing new release from Marisco, the brainchild of winemaker Brent Marris. This is a dry, light-bodied and refreshing Rosé with red berry flavours and a crisp finish. 17.5/20
NEW RELEASES - ROSÉ
A question of colour The colour of pink wine is unrelated to its flavour. It simply shows how long the red grapes spent on their skins during fermentation, which helps to extract colour. Although there is a global trend towards dry, pale pink wines, the shade of pink is not an indication of dryness.
2020 Astrolabe Rosé
2020 Whitehaven Pinot Noir Rosé
2020 OTU Hawke’s Bay Rosé
RRP $21.99-$24.99 Astrolabe Wines
RRP $25 Whitehaven Wines
RRP $19.99 Otu Wine
Astrolabe Wines was founded by winemaker Simon Waghorn and his wife Jane-Forrest Waghorn in 1996 and their children now work in the business too, making it a family affair from winemaking to branding and design. The labels are the brainchild of Arabella Waghorn and highlight the flavours and style of each wine. The Rosé is full of floral aromas and flavours but has a dry finish; it’s a blend of 85% Pinot Noir with 15% Pinot Gris. 17.5/20
This outstanding pink wine is made from 100% Marlborough-grown Pinot Noir grapes. Winemaker Peter Jackson gave the wine a light pressing and short skin contact time to encourage pale colour uptake in the wine from the grape skins. It’s dry, fruity, fresh and light-bodied with succulence and delicious depth. 18.5/20
Winemaker Jan Kux presses Merlot grapes gently to make this dry Rosé, which was fermented to dryness with the retention of 3.8 grams per litre of residual sugar to add aromatic lift and enhance the fruity appeal. It’s medium-bodied, refreshing and tastes dry from the first juicy sip to its lingering finish. 17.5/20
2020 Matawhero Single Vineyard Pinot Rosé
2020 te Pā Pinot Noir Rosé
2020 Greystone Organic Rosé North Canterbury
RRP $23 Hancocks
Matawhero is one of Gisborne’s oldest, most revered wineries and is now owned by Kirstin and Richard Searle, who bought the property from the Irwins, the winery’s founding family. This fresh and tasty Rosé has a light pink colour with off-dry fruity flavours and moderate alcohol of 12.5% ABV, which gives it appeal as a lighter style of wine. 16.5/20
RRP $18-$20 Beverage Brothers
te Pā’s new 2020 Rosé has just become the only New Zealand Rosé to win a Gold medal in the International Wine and Spirits Competition, which is one of the biggest wine shows in the world. Over 250 New Zealand wines were awarded Silver and Bronze medals and this Gold medal win has made te Pā owner Haysley MacDonald’s year. This super flavoursome pale pink wine is dry and crisp with fresh red fruity flavours. 18.5/20
RRP $25 Procure
The new labels on Greystone’s North Canterbury wines are clean and refreshing, just like the wines, all of which are now 100% organically certified. This pale fresh Rosé has a dry finish and mid-palate flavours of red berries and red apples. It’s made from clone 667 Pinot Noir, which was tank fermented to encourage its fruit flavours to shine. Three months on lees provides texture and length to this tasty wine. 17.5/20
DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 49
NEW RELEASES - ROSÉ
Dry, fruity and fresh, the 2020 Wairau River Rosé comes from the Rose Family in Marlborough, one of the earliest wine producers in New Zealand’s largest wine region.
2020 Jules Taylor OTQ Pinot Noir Rosé
2020 Montford Estate Rosé Marlborough
2019 Mountaineer Pinot Noir Rosé Central Otago
RRP $34.99 Hancocks
RRP $18.99 te Pa Wines
RRP $27.99 Beverage Brothers
The 2020 vintage provided extremely good quality grapes in Marlborough, with those in this wine from the Branken Hill Vineyard in the Southern Valleys and grown specifically for Rosé rather than to produce Pinot Noir. Winemaker Jules Taylor fermented this medium pink Rosé to full dryness with 2.4 grams per litre of residual sugar. It’s tank fermented at cool temperatures to retain fruit purity. 17.5/20
This fresh new Marlborough Rosé was a hit at this year’s Wellington Food Show where it quickly sold out and it’s easy to see (I mean, taste) why. Great weather in the lead-up to the 2020 vintage created ideal conditions for high quality wines. This made for ripe red summer berry flavours in this lovely medium-bodied Rosé. 17.5/20
Central Otago is Pinot Central, with over 80% of its producing vineyard land devoted solely to Pinot Noir. And it makes a wide range of styles, including pale pink, dry and tasty Rosé, such as this one. Fresh red fruit flavours, a light body and a long finish are all nicely balanced by bright acidity, which adds a zingy taste to this lively wine. 17.5/20
2020 Wairau River Rosé
2020 Middle-Earth Pinot Meunier Rosé Nelson
2019 Tiki Rosé
RRP $20 Federal Merchants
Dry, fruity and fresh, this wine comes from the Rose Family in Marlborough, one of the earliest wine producers in New Zealand’s largest wine region. This wine contains 5.2 grams of residual sugar per litre of wine, which is a nice fresh balance with 12% alcohol and bright notes of raspberries and red apple. 17/20
RRP $20.99-$24.99 Winelord
Pinot Meunier is perhaps best known as one of the three key ingredients in champagne, but is used here by winemaker Trudy Sheild to make a light salmon-pink wine in an off-dry style that retains a little residual grape sugar to lift the aromatic intensity. 17.5/20
2020 Giesen Blush Riesling
2020 Yealands Reserve Rosé
RRP $15 Giesen
RRP $22-$23 Yealands
An innovative and delicious blend of Riesling from North Canterbury with Syrah from Marlborough; both of which combine beautifully to make a flavoursome, aromatic, medium-dry style in a pale blush colour. On trend, super tasty and great value. 17.5/20
Pinot Noir is the main ingredient in most of the Rosés made in New Zealand, but here it’s supported by Pinot Gris in the blend. This pale pink wine was fermented to 13.5% ABV and tastes dry, fruity and refreshing. It is also vegan-certified. 18.5/20
50 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
RRP $17.99 Federal Merchants
Waipara Valley is one of New Zealand’s great wine regions and home to the grapes that make this refreshing wine. It’s made from 100% Pinot Noir, which was given light skin contact time to create a pale Rosé. This wine was fermented to an off-dry style and has lively red fruit flavours that over-deliver, big time, for this price. 17.5/20
Find contact details in the Distributor Index on page 100.
OPINION – WINE
Joelle Thomson
Journalist, wine writer and author joellethomson.com
Port in a storm Climate change is having a profound impact on the port industry, as Joelle Thomson explains
THERE IS nothing as revealing as the luxury of tasting and re-tasting a wine over several days to lead to a confident definitive statement about its quality, style and value for money. Most wines develop and evolve overnight – and great wines do so over many days – changing positively, if they’re worth the effort. In the case of the Fladgate Partnership, the family group that owns the famous port wine houses Taylor’s, Fonseca, Croft and Krohn, it’s been incredibly easy to come up with definitive statements about its two new vintage ports. The 2018 Taylor’s Vintage Port is a keeper. I gave it a score of 19 out of 20; a gold medal. It was great when first opened, but even more impressive after 24 hours. The 2018 Fonseca Vintage Port I scored 18 out of 20; a high silver, because I think it deserves more than a straightforward silver. I received both ports shortly after the last issue of Drinksbiz went to print and was also invited to attend an online meeting hosted by David Guimaraens, the technical director and winemaker of the Fladgate Partnership. Guimaraens represents the sixth generation of his family to be involved in the port business. After completing his schooling in Portugal and England, he spent time gaining hands on wine making experience in Australia, California and Oregon before undertaking formal education in oenology at Roseworthy Agricultural College in South Australia. After graduating he remained in Australia to gain additional experience 52 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
before returning to Portugal in 1990 to join the Taylor Fladgate and Fonseca winemaking teams. Our online discussion focused a little on the new vintage ports and a lot on the change in climate and culture in Portuguese winemaking. Higher humidity and lower temperatures over the past year have led to the strongest attack of powdery mildew in many years; quite a challenge in the vineyards. (The pandemic arrived in the middle of all this, so an early budburst coinciding with the outbreak of COVID both added a huge level of complexity to the 2020 harvest in Portugal.) This shift in climate is one of many significant changes in the Douro Valley (home to port grapes) since the 1960s, when foot treading and traditional hand
work were part and parcel of the port wine industry. The Douro Valley has gone through a huge transformation in the last 30 years, says Guimaraens. Earlier harvests are becoming a regular occurrence due to warmer growing seasons and this year is even more marked in that regard due to the early bud burst, a very hot July, which compromised the ripening of the grapes, and then rain at the end of August. A low yield and some shrivelling on the vines (Touriga Francesa variety) led to what Guimaraens describes as “a very early harvest, starting with white grapes on 21 August and a lot of shrivelled grapes with high sugar levels of 17-18 Baumé; it’s been absolutely insane and very long fermentations are the result.” One of the biggest challenges with red port is colour extraction, but Guimaraens says that was no problem this year as the grapes had the highest colour level in his 30 years of experience in making port. But can things go too far to the point of over-ripeness and jammy characters for the 2020 ports? David Guimaraens hopes not. He also addresses another of my questions when it comes to great vintage ports: How can such a sweet red wine sometimes finish on a dry note? “Dry tannins change the perception of sweetness in these wines,” he says, by way of explanation. If the new 2018 Taylor’s Vintage Port is anything to go by, he’s hit the nail on the head. Taylor’s and Fonseca ports are distributed in New Zealand by Hancocks.
@piper_heidsieck www.piper-heidsieck.com
WINE NEWS
Uncharted territory for Giesen GIESEN GROUP has released a new range of wines called ‘Uncharted’, created in tribute to the Marlborough region in which the family company has been growing and making wine for over three decades. Uncharted includes a Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir, and Giesen says that each wine reflects its own unique sub-region. The Uncharted Sauvignon Blanc fruit comes from two blocks in the Awatere Valley; the Pinot Noir is from Marlborough’s Southern Valleys; and the Chardonnay uses selected parcels of hand-picked fruit from the Wairau and Southern Valleys. The parcels of fruit used for each Uncharted wine are carefully selected for their heavier soils, which is key for showcasing a more defined and intense subregional flavour profile; and are often handpicked to ensure the fruit is of the highest quality. “Each Uncharted wine is a stunning representation of the pocket in which the grapes are grown,” says Duncan Shouler,
Giesen Group’s newly appointed Chief Winemaker. “Marlborough is renowned worldwide for its quality, delicious wines, and it’s important that we continue to uphold and extend this reputation. We think the Uncharted range does just that.” The Uncharted range also features newly refreshed branding that evokes Marlborough and includes an updated Giesen crest. “With our range of wines growing and changing, we think the time is right to take the heritage and quality signified by our existing crest and give it an update,” says Alex Giesen, Giesen brother and
Giesen Group co-owner. “We’ve updated our style, while staying true to our legacy – sharing in more than three decades of passion and craft. “We recently conducted research that found that wine drinkers look for region of origin as a key consideration when choosing their wine, and strongly value a story of provenance and sense of place. The Uncharted label visually represents Marlborough, which we hope signifies the subsequent quality of the wine that people associate with this region.” Giesen Uncharted RRP $19.99-$29.99 Giesen
New wine seltzer from Villa Maria VILLA MARIA Estate has launched a wine-based seltzer using its Leftfield wines, to create LF Seltzer. Villa Maria’s Sarah Szegota says the development of LF Seltzer is led by consumer demand for natural, low-sugar and low-calorie drinks that still have a 4% to 6% ABV. LF Seltzer has 68 calories and less than 1 gram of sugar per 250ml serve and is 4.8% ABV. It comes in three variants: Yuzu, Mint & Cucumber with Sauvignon Blanc; Pear & Ginger with Pinot Gris; and Strawberry & Hibiscus with Rosé. LF Seltzer launched nationally in late October and Villa Maria plans to roll it out internationally from early 2021. Szegota says Villa Maria’s focus will continue to be its popular wine brands, however innovation is key to stay competitive. “There are very few wine-based seltzers overseas but, notwithstanding that, we’re confident LF Seltzer will compete with the traditional spirit-based options because of its unique proposition and genuinely exceptional taste,” says Szegota. LF Seltzer 250ml can 4-pack RRP $15.99 Villa Maria 54 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
The River Runs Gold The highly awarded Wairau River range of wines continues to impress the judges. The 2019 vintages of the Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé and Gewürztraminer have picked up nine golds and two trophies between them, proving once again that Marlborough’s Wairau River produces the ideal conditions to strike gold. Proudly New Zealand owned by Family wairauriverwines.com
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WINE NEWS
Hello to Helio Rosé FOLLOWING A sell-out of its debut wine Helio Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2019 earlier this year and orders piling in for its 2020 en primeur range, new Hawke’s Bay wine brand Helio has now released Helio Rosé. The wine, presented in 500ml bottles to be enjoyed as an aperitif, combines Tempranillo, Montepulciano and Cabernet Franc and is described as “bone dry with white stone fruit, watermelon and pomegranate”. Helio launched in March 2020 and was created by winemakers Matt Kirby (Clearview Estate) and Sarah Little (ex-Adelina Wines, Clare Valley) with David Nash (founder of Atelier Nash and creator of the film A Seat At the Table). The Helio Rosé is available for purchase now, while en primeur orders are being taken for Helio Chardonnay 2020 (closing December), Helio Martinborough Pinot Noir 2020, and Helio Hawke’s Bay Syrah. Helio Wine
Rare Taylor’s release for The King’s Man DISTRIBUTOR HANCOCKS has secured an allocation of a rare Port wine that celebrates the release of 20th Century Studios’ upcoming film “The King’s Man”: the Taylor’s Very Old Tawny Port - Kingsman Edition. The film releases worldwide on February 12th, 2021. Taylor’s Very Old Tawny Port - Kingsman Edition is a very rare Tawny Port matured for almost nine decades in hand-made seasoned oak casks. It is presented in a bespoke crystal decanter with gold detailing and a luxurious presentation box. Sam Baker of Hancocks says there is an extremely limited allocation in New Zealand, but they will look to extend this based on consumer interest. Just 1000 bottles have been produced and it will retail for NZ$5799.99. The idea for a rare Port wine Kingsman edition came about with Taylor’s Port and Kingsman director Matthew Vaughn recognising the shared values between Taylor’s and Kingsman: a sense of heritage and tradition, legacy, an obsession with detail and extraordinary product quality. To create this exclusive limited edition, Taylor’s agreed to release some rare and valuable wines from is extensive reserves of very old cask aged Port lying in its cellars in Oporto. Taylor’s says that with an average age of 90 years, this wine has achieved a magical complexity during its long ageing in cask. Hancocks 56 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
Chardonnay triumphs at Hawke’s Bay A&P Wine Awards CHARDONNAY WAS the star at the 20th Hawke’s Bay A&P Bayleys Wine Awards, with Villa Maria and Clearview wineries receiving coveted trophies for their wines – including Champion Wine of Show for the Villa Maria Reserve Hawke’s Bay Villa Maria team celebrates Chardonnay 2019. In a rare sight for 2020, the Exhibition Hall at the Hastings Showgrounds was packed out for the black-tie event. More than 360 wines were assessed by a team of 10 judges, headed by winemaker Ant Mckenzie, with Chardonnay being the largest category in this year’s competition. Wine industry stalwart Alwyn Corban was announced as the newest member of the Hawke’s Bay Wine Growers Hall of Fame. Corban is the fourth generation of his family to make wine in New Zealand and has been recognised as a leader of the New Zealand wine industry and a key driving force behind promoting Hawke’s Bay wines.
Supreme Awards 2020 Champion Wine of Show Villa Maria Reserve Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2019 Hawke’s Bay Wine Growers Hall of Fame Alwyn Corban Champion Commercial Red Wine Church Road McDonald Series Syrah 2019 Champion Commercial White Wine Clearview Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2019 Outstanding Wine of Provenance Award Clearview Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2009, 2013, 2019 Champion Export Wine Villa Maria Private Bin Hawkes Bay Rosé 2020 Cellar Door of the Year Elephant Hill EIT Best Student Wine Jordan Tilton-Mist Hawkes Bay A&P Society & Craggy Range Young Vintners Scholarship Jordyn Harper
Trophies Sparkling Wine Church Road Blanc De Blancs 2016 Sauvignon/Semillon Church Road Sauvignon Blanc 2019 Pinot Gris Esk Valley Hawkes Bay Pinot Gris 2020 Rosé Villa Maria Private Bin Hawkes Bay Rosé 2020 Premium White Varietals Quarter Acre Viognier 2018 Chardonnay Villa Maria Reserve Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2019 Red Blends, Merlot Dominant Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 Red Blends Cabernet Sauvignon Dominant Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels The Gimblett 2018 Syrah Craggy Range Gimblett Gravels Vineyard Hawkes Bay Syrah 2019 Other Premium Red Varietals and Blends Beach House Cabernet Franc 2019 Sweet Wine Sileni Exceptional Vintage Pourriture Noble 2019 For full results visit showgrounds.hb.co.nz
New Zealand Producer of the Year - AWC Vienna 2018, 2016, 2015 WWW.SAINTCLAIR.CO.NZ facebook.com/saintclairfamilyestate twitter.com/saintclairwine 100% FAMILY OWNED 100% NEW ZEALAND WINE 100% SUSTAINABLE
If you met my family you would understand 100% Family Owned
At the Saint Clair Family Estate we are a little different. We are serious about making the best wines but we don’t take ourselves too seriously - in the wine industry that is certainly different! Taste the difference.
Neal Ibbotson, Founder and Owner
WINE NEWS
Clearview shines at NZIWS 2020 CLEARVIEW CHARDONNAY was the big winner at the 2020 New Zealand International Wine Show, the country’s largest wine judging competition, receiving Champion Wine of the Show for its Clearview 2019 Beachhead Chardonnay. Overall, the judges awarded 24 Trophies, 74 Double Gold medals and 230 Gold medals. James and Annie Millton from Gisborne’s Millton Estate were awarded ‘Legends of NZ Wine’, receiving the Sir George Fistonich Medal at the awards ceremony in Auckland. For full results visit nziws.co.nz
Major Awards Champion Wine of the Show Clearview 2019 Beachhead Chardonnay Legend of NZ Wine James and Annie Millton (Sir George Fistonich Medal) Champion Winemaker of the Show Nick Picone, Chief Winemaker Villa Maria Group Champion Wine Company of the Year EuroVintage Varietal Trophy Winners Champion Champagne Pommery Brut Royale Champagne NV Champion Chardonnay Clearview Beachhead Chardonnay 2019 Champion NZ Sparkling Tohu Rewa Rosé Méthode Traditionelle 2016 Champion Sauvignon Blanc Matua Lands & Legends Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2020 Champion Pinot Gris Mount Michael Pinot Gris 2020 Champion Gewürztraminer Johanneshof Cellars Gewürztraminer 2019 Champion Riesling Two Rivers Juliet Riesling 2020 Champion Viognier Askerne Viognier 2019 Champion Other White Wine Blackenbrook Nelson Pinot Blanc 2020 Champion White Wine Te Awa Single Estate Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2019
Clearview winemaker Matt Kirby (centre) with owners Tim Turvey and Helma van den Berg
NEW ZEALAND’S MÉTHODE TRADITIONELLE SPECIALIST
Handcrafted by owner & winemaker, Daniel Le Brun, in the time-honoured traditions of his family in Champagne.
No1FamilyEstate.co.nz @no1familyestate
HEARTS IN MARLBOROUGH since 1980 ROOTS IN CHAMPAGNE since 1684
Champion Sweet Wine Riverby Estate Noble Riesling 2019 Champion Rosé Mount Brown Estates Rosé 2020 Champion Pinot Noir Mount Riley 17 Valley Pinot Noir 2019 Champion Syrah Church Road McDonald Series Syrah 2019 Champion Shiraz Dandelion Lioness of McLaren Vale Shiraz 2019 Champion Merlot Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2019 Champion Cabernet Sauvignon Serafino Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 Champion NZ Bordeaux Red Wine Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2019 Champion International Red Varieties Fanitini Edizione 19 Champion Commercial Red Wine Three Dark Horses Shiraz 2019 Champion Fortified Wine Lustau Pedro Ximenez San Emillo
Whether you’re new to enjoying wine or a seasoned connoisseur. Whether you
TIMELESS.
wine sweet, dry, light or full
SMOOTH.
GENEROUS.
LIVELY.
PL AYFUL.
prefer white or red or like your bodied - there’s always been a Giesen wine for you. Now with a refreshed look, the Giesen crest remains a tried and true mark of quality. Wherever you see it, you’re sharing in 40 years of passion and craft. So, the next time you choose wine, look for the mark of quality.
W E N H K S E OO R L F
BEER & CIDER REPORT
READY SET CHILL We’re heading into the festive season so make sure you’re ready for the crowds with fridges full of the latest releases
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BEER & CIDER REPORT
Note: Beers and ciders are listed by % ABV
BEERS Mac's Stunt Double 0.5% ABV, 330ml 6-pack RRP $14.99 Lion
Mac‘s is adding a new (nearly) alcohol-free beer to its line-up for summer with Stunt Double at 0.5%. It has a smooth flavour and full body with aromatic hops added late in the brew for a delicate citrusy character. Refreshing and easy drinking. Deep Creek Bahama Mama Mango Coconut Sour 4.5% ABV, 440ml RRP $POA Hancocks
When you can’t have an actual tropical island holiday (all of us), have the next best thing with the latest release from Deep Creek’s Tiki Range of fruit cocktailinspired sour beers. Bahama Mama blends mango and coconut over the natural sour flavours of zesty fresh lime juice.
Mack Arctic IPA Lite
Monteith’s Sounds Hazy Pale Ale
4.5% ABV, 500ml RRP $3.50, 4-pack RRP $13.99 Q Liquid
4.5% ABV, 330ml 12-pack RRP $25.99 DB
Norwegian brewers Mack have produced a light, fresh and fruity Indian Pale Ale that is also low in gluten and carbohydrates. The taste doesn’t suffer however, as the familiar pine and resin of a hoppy pale ale is there and it’s still a respectable 4.5% ABV, so not quite everything has been reduced.
While many hazy pales go for fruit and juiciness, this interesting release from Monteith’s has a smokiness to its haze that is at once original and intriguing. It uses Pacifica, Kohatu and Galaxy hops for notes of fruit throughout, but the malts combine with the haze to impart a complex shift in expectations. Crisp and refreshing.
Isbjørn Lite Vienna Mack 4.5% ABV, 500ml RRP $3.50, 6-pack RRP $20.99 Q Liquid
Billing yourself as the northernmost brewery in the world gives you a certain licence – mainly to put a picture of a massive polar bear on your can! Glutenfree and with 70% less carbs than your usual beer, this is a very dry, crisp lager that will please lovers of the German style. And did we mention the super cool can?
Mac’s is adding a new (nearly) alcohol-free beer to its line-up for summer with the launch of Stunt Double at 0.5% ABV.
Sawmill Raspberry Sour 4.5% ABV, 440ml RRP $8.99 – out December Sawmill Brewing
A tart wheat beer brewed with hibiscus flowers and raspberries. The perfect addition to fridges for summer, this is fruity, sour and refreshing. Baltika 7 Smooth 4.7% ABV, 440ml RRP $2.99 Q Liquid
Baltika is the second largest brewer in Europe and the biggest in its Russian homeland. Their No.7 Smooth is a golden lager arriving in a big, clear 440ml bottle. Multi-level filtration and soft hopping has produced a light floral-hop aroma and a soft aftertaste without pronounced bitterness.
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BEER & CIDER REPORT
Kaiser Brothers Hazy IPA 5.5% ABV 330ml 6-pack RRP $26.99 Giesen
Hazy IPAs are the beer of the summer and Kaiser’s entry into the category is an excellent one. The golden hazy drop has notes of Juicy Fruit gum, pineapple and mint. The crisp, dry finish is paired with a lush and lingering bitterness that keeps you coming back for more. Would pair well with spicy cold cuts like sopressa or pepperoni. Garage Project Hazy Days 5.8% ABV, 440ml RRP $10 – also in keg Garage Project
Parrotdog Yellowhammer Hazy Pale Ale 4.8% ABV, 330ml 6-pack RRP $20.99 Parrotdog
Parrotdog have got a ‘beer of the summer’ drop here, which is also the latest addition to the brewery’s core range. Arriving in the understated Parrotdog can, this is a golden sunset of a beer: juicy, fruity, drinkable, mellow and fun, with Strata hops adding the tropical notes. Recommended. Kaiser Brothers Pilsner 5% ABV 330ml 6-pack RRP $26.99 Giesen
Christchurch brewers Kaiser Brothers have produced an excellent pilsner that is just crying out for the first nor-wester of summer. Pouring very pale in the glass, there are subtle notes of grapefruit, tangerine and lemon in the hops. Very crisp and palate cleansing. Kaiser Brothers Pale Ale 5.2% ABV 330ml 6-pack RRP $26.99 Giesen
The Kaiser Brothers Pale Ale is known in its bottle form as the Blonde Pale Ale and even though the funky green can drops the blonde moniker, it still pours pale and golden. It has a touch more backbone, with malt and hops reinforced with cedar and citrus notes.
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Kaiser Brothers American IPA 5.3% ABV 330ml 6-pack RRP $26.99 Giesen
A very drinkable craft creation with big hits of tropical fruit. The green can speaks of the citrusy American Citra and Kohatu hops inside. Aromas of orange, mango and pineapple with subtle toffee malts in the backbone. Kaiser Brothers APA
New hop Talus from Yakima Chief Hops is the star of this hazy from Wellington's Garage Project. Expect a floral/citrus/herb explosion with notes of pink grapefruit, citrus rind, dried roses, pine resin, tropical fruit and sage. Huge hop flavour and aroma with balanced bitterness. Sawmill Hazy Pacific IPA 6% ABV, 440ml RRP $8.99 – out December Sawmill Brewing
A single hopped hazy IPA with plenty of juicy pineapple flavour, thanks to the experimental Australian hops used in the brew. Sawmill Aotearoa IPA Series #15
5.5% ABV 330ml 6-pack RRP $26.99 Giesen
6% ABV, 440ml RRP $8.99 Sawmill Brewing
Where the IPA is a golden drop, Kaiser Brothers APA is a deeper brown – a more ‘forested’ take redolent with citrus, pine and resin. The hops (in this case Columbus, Centennial, Amarillo and Summit) impart a strong bitterness on the back of the hoppy profile.
This is the 15th release in the Sawmill IPA Series, which the Matakana brewery created to showcase exclusively New Zealand malts and hops. It’s also the first time one of the IPA Series has been released in cans as well as keg. The new Hazy uses Nelson-grown Sauvin and Motueka hops, filling it to the brim with refreshing grapefruit character. Juicy and vibrant.
BEER & CIDER REPORT
Sawmill Hazy US IPA 6% ABV, 440ml RRP $8.99 Sawmill Brewing
Sawmill continues their excellent work with this hazy IPA. The ale pours a cloudy, tawny colour in the glass and in the mouth the haze mellows the piney hoppiness of the IPA and marries it beautifully with notes of grapefruit and lychee. The tall grey can has an understated elegance and the dry, clean finish keeps you coming back to the glass for more. Sprig & Fern Hitchcock’s Hazy 6% ABV, 888ml RRP $12.99 – out Jan 2021 Sprig & Fern
First brewed for the Annual West Coast IPA Challenge, Sprig & Fern is releasing Hitchcock’s Hazy in early 2021. The Hazy IPA packs an aromatic fruit punch with an all-American hop addition of Amarillo, El Dorado, Sultana and Comet. Emerson’s Colloidal Haze #3 Hazy IPA 6.1% ABV, 330ml RRP $5.99
This is the third release in Emerson's experimental Colloidal Haze series. Colloidal haze is when proteins in beer join the polyphenols to form molecules big enough to cause turbidity (aka ‘haze’). But maybe just forget the science and appreciate the hoppy, pineapple flavours and fruity finish.
Deep Creek’s Señorita Chilli Hazy IPA uses the brewery’s own chilli tincture to add a fiery edge to the beer’s tropical flavours.
Emerson’s Hopalong S.M.A.S.H IPA
Deep Creek Sensei Hazy IPA
6.1% ABV, 330ml RRP $5.99
6.5% ABV, 440ml RRP $POA Hancocks
This single malt and single hop IPA was inspired by Xena the kākāpō, who was found with her leg caught in a tree, and rushed to The Wildlife Hospital in Dunedin. They were able to save her leg, and life, at the expense of a few toes. She then spent a few months in rehab at Orokonui Ecosanctuary, before heading home to Anchor Island, where she happily hops along. A hoppy brew (unsurprisingly), with a hint of bitterness.
The limited release from Deep Creek’s Haiku range returns with its soft, lush papaya and pineapple aroma and flavours from all New Zealand hops, on top of a juicy malt base.
Emerson’s Piranha’s Club 6.1% ABV, 330ml RRP $5.99
This IPA is made with New Zealand, Australian and US hops. It’s dry and fruity, with notes of citrus, candy, and peach. A great drop for summer. Deep Creek Señorita Chilli Hazy IPA
Sawmill Vintage Ale 2020 8% ABV, 500ml RRP $10.99 Sawmill Brewing
Here’s the first festive-style beer we’ve tasted this season. This dry and fruity saison style doesn’t have too much of the customary saison muskiness, but the spice, fruit and yeast inside combine for a delicious Christmas pudding vibe. It must be a Christmas in Scotland as the big bottle is clad in plaid. Also Scottish is the high alcohol content: at 8% ABV we could see this as the perfect Christmas night drop.
6.5% ABV, 440ml RRP $POA Hancocks
Heat things up with this new Hazy IPA that combines Deep Creek’s own chilli tincture with US and New Zealand hops. Beautifully smooth, with flavours of mango, passionfruit and citrus, and a fiery edge for good measure.
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BEER & CIDER REPORT
Peckham’s Orange-a-tang
Peckham’s Stoke Red 2019
5.5% ABV, 330ml RRP $5.99 Peckham’s
7.4% ABV, 330ml RRP $5.99 and 750ml RRP $16.99 Peckham’s
Mack’s Peach and Raspberry Cider balances sweetness with a slight tart character. Pouring a cute pale pink, the Mack Peach and Raspberry Cider tastes of candied berries. Lovers of sweeter style ciders will enjoy this one.
Peckham’s have started monkeying around with their ciders and this Orangea-tang is a fine start. The Chisel Jersey cider apples are wild fermented and aged in oak but the addition of hand-peeled mandarin and tangelo zest has produced a deliciously tart drop with notes of orange blossom, sherbet and marmalade.
Pear Cider Mack
Paynter’s The Pict Pear
The Upper Moutere cider makers have produced an interesting brew here by taking a single variety of Stoke Red cider apples and wild fermenting them in apple brandy barrels. The effect is to have a classic, bright cider at the front of the flavour profile, backed up by a rather boozy hit of apple brandy at the back. It’s a very pleasant ‘one-two’ but at 7.4%, watch out for the left hook.
CIDER Peach & Raspberry Cider Mack 4.5% ABV, 500ml RRP $4.50 Q Liquid
6.2% ABV, 330ml RRP $4.49 Hop & Vine
4.5% ABV, 500ml RRP $4.50 Q Liquid
The Picts were an ancient people from the north and east of Scotland known for their tattoos (among other things) and feature on the bottle of this distinctive new release from Paynter’s. The Pict Pear blends pears with cider apples to create a light and very drinkable cider that’s not too sweet and has lovely pear and tropical fruit notes throughout. A good tannin hit structures a fine cider with a cleansing bitterness at the close.
For a seemingly serious bunch, the Norwegians sure have produced one of the most fun-loving ciders we’ve tasted in a while. With a hint of pear entwined in the apples, they have created an almost entirely clear, fruit-driven cider that appeals to the child in all of us. The cider is super sweet and tastes of bubblegum, perfume and candy.
Peckham’s Kingston Sour 2019 8% ABV, 330ml RRP $5.99 and 750ml RRP $16.99 Peckham’s
Sour beers are growing in popularity and Peckham’s have taken that rationale into the world of ciders. Their Kingston Black cider apples are fermented in oak for a deep brown, low-fizz, sour cider. Sourlovers will be in heaven with this one.
Hand-peeled mandarin and tangelo zest has produced a deliciously tart drop in Peckham’s new Orange-a-tang cider.
Find contact details in the Distributor Index on page 100. 64 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
*Contains not more than 0.5% alcohol by volume.
OPINION – BEER
Michael Donaldson
Beer Writer of the Year, journalist and author beernation.co.nz
A change of format Slimline 250ml can? Or a crate of 750ml bottles to share? Michael Donaldson explores the changing world of beer packaging… THE PACKAGING of beer has evolved in recent times – going from ‘one-size-fitsall’ to a variety of options: everything from formats you can throw onto the back of your ute, to others you can pop into a handbag. Think about this for a minute. A century ago, the minimum order of beer in New Zealand, by law, was a dozen big bottles, equivalent to today’s 750ml crates. Why? It was some obscure ruling from the National Efficiency Board, the same people who gave us Six O’clock Closing during World War One (and we know how that one worked out). Flagons (a half-gallon, or just under 2L) were also a popular delivery mechanism in the mid- to late-20th century. This size is making a return at some filleries, but in cool-looking double-walled stainless steel rather than glass “goons” carried in a small suitcase. Whether you got your beer in crates, flagons or jugs, the bottom line was that it used to come in volume because that’s how we drank it (sadly). Craft beer came to us in a different format: 500ml bottles. There was an initial economic logic to this, as described by brewing pioneer Richard Emerson: filling and selling 330ml bottles was simply uneconomical for a small brewery and he wanted a point of difference to the ubiquitous 750ml tallies. The 500ml bottle of craft beer not only became the norm – with occasional 650ml US-style bombers from the likes of Garage Project and Stoke – but it became a signifier of craft. Sitting halfway between the two mainstream sizes of 330ml and 750ml, it was a way of telling customers 66 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
“Try me, I’m different”. Many smaller breweries still rely heavily on 500ml bottles, but the renaissance of the can – transformed from a vessel reserved for mainstream beer and ‘arted up’ into eye-candy for beer lovers – has changed the way craft beer is sold. The can is about portability; even in multi-packs of 6 x 330ml or 4 x 440ml, the small box packaging is about grab-and-go. Taking the portability aspect one step further are Urbanaut Brewing in Auckland. The Kingsland-based brewery have
Many smaller breweries still rely heavily on 500ml bottles, but the renaissance of the can has changed the way craft beer is sold. become leading innovators in their threeyear history, bringing us New Zealand’s first Brut IPA, Copacabana, and finding huge success with the Beer Blender series: 2 x 250ml cans that you can drink individually or mix together to create a third flavour experience. And now, Urbanaut are making the petite 250ml can popular. Their Miami Brut lager comes in this dainty size (or in a box of eight) and has proved very popular under the hashtag #cuteAF. They’ve taken the concept one step further too, with their “Big Beer Small
Can” experimental series: a 10% ABV Belgian-style quadruple with plums, a 12% ABV bourbon barrel-aged strong ale, and New Zealand’s biggest ABV hazy IPA; clocking in at 14.9% ABV. These 250ml beers retail at $5.99 each, which begs the question as to whether they are good value. Given the cost of packaging and excise duty, a quick back of the envelope exercise suggests they are worth the experience. It’s a great way to enjoy a big beer without committing to too much brain fog. What Urbanaut are offering is choice. Not everyone will want to drink a large amount of a 14.9 % ABV hazy IPA (although it is extremely drinkable: rich, creamy and redolent with juicy, fruity hop flavours without the booze being hot or overpowering) but it’s a great way of having a big flavour experience at a relatively small cost. At the other end of the volume scale, Sprig & Fern are finding great success with their 888ml bottles. This is almost the perfect size for the person who loves a couple of drinks. Good George are playing all sides of the packaging format with their 330ml core range cans now coming in a 10-pack format, while the bigger beers and seasonals remain in their distinctive 946ml squealer. The 10-packs are genius in some ways, as the maths on working out the price per can is easy-peasy. So whether it’s a 250ml to savour, a 946ml to share, or something in between, what’s for certain is that there’s no shortage of format choice for Kiwi consumers.
Our unique Kiwi craft beer is brewed from the finest local ingredients. We add a splash of magic, and a dash of rock n’ roll – then lock it all in, delivering our beers ‘Brewery Fresh’ for you to enjoy!
kaiserbros.beer
BEER & CIDER NEWS
Steinlager goes carbon zero LION ANNOUNCED in November that Steinlager has become New Zealand’s first major carbon zero brand, achieving Toitū carbonzero certification. Steinlager represents almost 10% of the total New Zealand beer market. Lion says that to reach this significant milestone, every step in Steinlager’s product life cycle has seen emissions reduced or offset: from growing the hops and barley, making the beer at the brewery, to bottles, caps, packaging and transport, right down to the length of time the beer will spend in the consumer’s fridge. Steinlager partnered with Toitū to undertake an intensive certification audit that allowed it to accurately measure its greenhouse gas emissions and put in place strategies to manage and reduce the footprint each year. This builds on work already undertaken at Lion’s The Pride brewery to improve production efficiency such as recycling glycol, CO2 and growing yeast. Any step in the product’s life cycle that cannot be reduced is mitigated through the two offsetting initiatives Lion has invested in: a forest protection regeneration project in the South Island and a renewable energy farm in India. However, carbon offsetting is the last lever to be pulled after working with suppliers and customers to drive down carbon emissions as much as possible. It follows the certification of Lion’s sustainable beer brand The Fermentist, which has since gone on to certify its entire portfolio carbon zero earlier this year. On top of Steinlager’s announcement, Lion New Zealand as an organisation says it intends to be certified carbon zero from January 2021. This organisational certification will see all of Lion’s manufacturing and operational sites across the country become carbon zero certified.
Mixed Tape from Kaiser Brothers
CHRISTCHURCH BREWERS Kaiser Brothers have released three of their new beers in ‘Mixed Tape’ boxes of six 330ml cans. RRP $26.99. The beers are: American IPA – ABV 5.3% Hazy IPA – ABV 5.5% Pale Ale – ABV 5.2% Giesen
NZ Cider Awards 2020 THE INDEPENDENT awards that recognise New Zealand’s best ciders and fruit wines were held in Nelson in November. The judges assessed 107 entries, awarding 60 bronze medals, 18 silver medals and five gold medals. Champion Awards NZ Champion Cider O ld Mill Ice Cider, Old Mill Cider NZ Champion Fruit Wine Windermere Raspberry Wine, Wildfern NZ Trophy Winners Modern Cider T okyo Rose, Capital Cider Co. Traditional Cider T he Pilgrim 2019, Paynter’s Cider Cider with Fruit T amarillo Amarillo, Bohemian Cider Cider with Hops G ood George Drop Hop Cider, Good George Brewing Ice Cider Old Mill Ice Cider, Old Mill Cider Fruit Wine Sparkling Wine Trophy Winner Sparkling Feijoa, The Cider Factorie Still Red Fruit Wine Trophy Winner Windermere Raspberry Wine, Wildfern NZ Liqueurs Graeme Oldfield Memorial Trophy (Top Feijoa Wine) & Best Fortified Wine Trophy L othlorien Liqueur Feijoa & Honey 500ml, Lothlorien Winery For full medal results visit cidernz.com
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BEER & CIDER NEWS
Entries open for New World Beer & Cider Awards
NWBCA Chair of Judges Michael Donaldson
NEW WORLD’S annual search for the best beers and ciders is underway with entries now open for the 2021 competition – which will include supermarket compliant seltzer and alcoholic kombucha-makers for the first time too. Entries opened on 1 December and are open until 5 February 2021. Entering businesses do not need to be existing Foodstuffs suppliers and can enter product from New Zealand or overseas. However, all entries must be supermarket compliant and be able to meet minimum stock requirements. An independent panel of brewing and fermenting professionals led by Chair of Judges Michael Donaldson will then assess the entries through a rigorous blind tasting to award the top-ranking brews. The Top 30 winners will earn nationwide distribution through New World stores and concentrated promotional support, while the next 70 Highly Commended entries will complete the Top 100 showcased on the New World website.
Michael Donaldson says the competition, now in its seventh year, offers brew brands of all sizes an unmatched opportunity to boost their awareness and following. “The New World Beer & Cider Awards put the best beers and ciders in the spotlight with shoppers in New World stores across the country, giving those shoppers the information and confidence to try something new. “Every year we watch well-known brands, as well as up-and-coming producers, build a growing fan base off their wins, and in 2021, standing out in the supermarket will no doubt continue to be a big contributor to success in the industry.” With everchanging and expanding consumer demands in mind, the competition continues to evolve, adding new classes for hazy IPAs and pale ales, seltzers and kombucha, and creating more opportunities for budding beer and cider experts to be involved. Find full details at newworld.co.nz/nwbca
EVErYTHING EVERYTHING YOU WANT IN A PALE ALE CALLED PALE ALE.
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DRINKSBIZ WITH LUNATIC & LOVER
Lunatic & Lover – the new rum to know THE BRIGHT aroma of dried orange peel and luscious sweetness of rich molasses fill the air at Lunatic & Lovers’ distillery on Auckland’s North Shore. A copper still stands sentry in the corner, large wooden barrels are piled to the ceiling, and shelves are stacked neatly with the distillery’s newly released rums. It's the words “Botanical Rum” on each bottle that give the first clue that Lunatic & Lover, created by Matt Bridge and partner Angie Bradley, does things a little differently. “It’s a new way of looking at rum,” says Bridge, who is Head Distiller. “I like to describe it as ‘a thinking person’s spiced rum’.” That notion is captured perfectly in the beautifully detailed artwork by Creative Director Nick O’Laz that is laser etched onto the distinctive bottles, hinting at the complex rum inside. For instead of simply mixing spices into the rum for flavour, Bridge has taken a leaf from gin’s book, using vapour distillation (and a little maceration) to capture the heart of each of the 11 spices,
Lunatic & Lover Silver 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $125
Lunatic & Lover Barrel Rested 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $155
botanist@lunaticandlover.com lunaticandlover lunaticandlover.com
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Angie Bradley and Matt Bridge
fruits and native herbs in his recipe. The result is a crystal clear rum with lifted citrus and herbal characters and earthy spice overlying a backbone of deep, rich molasses. There is no added sugar, essences, flavourings or colourings. The ingredients are sourced locally where possible: molasses from the nearby Chelsea Sugar Factory; native mairehau that Bridge forages from a nearby beach suburb; and oranges, bay leaf, dandelion and burdock root, orris root and horopito from New Zealand growers. Add in some green cardamom, nutmeg, allspice, cacao nib and coffee beans and you have a many-layered rum that demands to be savoured. “We do have to let people know what it is and why it’s different,” says Bridge, “and we always recommend that their first experience with it is to have it neat.” As well as an excellent sipping rum, the couple says Lunatic & Lover is also perfect for sophisticated cocktails. Angie Bradley says educating people around what rum can be is an important part of the Lunatic & Lover experience. “You know it’s a rum because as soon as it’s in your mouth you can taste the molasses… but then your imagination just goes wild.” From the Caribbean to NZ The couple met in the Caribbean where Bridge (a professional sailor and sailmaker) had been living. It was over a few rums with his brother-in-law that the idea of
making his own version came about. After researching rum distilling, and taking some courses, he headed to Scotland to gain a qualification in distilling. Back in New Zealand, and armed with a 1L still, he set about testing around 50 botanicals to narrow the final ingredients. The pair established their distillery in mid-2019, taking inspiration for the name from a line in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream: “The lunatic, the lover, and the poet are of imagination all compact”. It's this idea of imagination and all its possibilities that drives the creativity at Lunatic & Lover. Rums on the rise The first rum, Lunatic & Lover Silver, launched in July and quickly made a big impression, winning a Silver Medal and Highly Commended for the Innovation Award at the NZ Spirits Awards 2020. It has secured a range of retail stockists and work is underway on developing more on-premise presence. Newly released is Lunatic & Lover Barrel Rested, for which Bridge aged the Silver rum in ex-bourbon barrels for six months – long enough for the base flavours to develop further, but without sacrificing the rum’s bright citrus and herbal qualities. The couple says consumer and trade response has been fantastic and they're already looking ahead. “I’ve got a few things I want to have a play with,” says Bridge. “It could be quite interesting!”
Acquire a taste for our groundbreaking new rum. LUNATIC AND LOVER.COM
RUM REPORT
Rum on the rise Rum is experiencing something of a renaissance globally and there’s now more choice than ever before
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RUM REPORT
Matusalem Platino
Black Magic
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $40 EuroVintage
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $44.99 Hancocks
Aged for three years, this rum has an intense nose of banana and smoked oak, with flavours of smoke, vanilla and chocolate.
A triple-distilled double-filtered white rum with a clean taste and subtle flavour. Notes of vanilla and brown sugar on the nose, smooth and creamy on the palate with fruity flavours, a hint of vanilla and a dry finish.
A blend of light and dark rums made in the Caribbean. Aromas of caramel, spice, cinnamon and vanilla lead to flavours of rich fruitcake and a long finish of vanilla and brown sugar.
Havana Club Especial
Stolen Gold
37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $44.99 Hancocks
UP TO RRP $50 Havana Club Añejo 3 Años 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $36.99 Pernod Ricard
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $36.99 Pernod Ricard
A golden rum that is rich, round and creamy with notes of vanilla, caramel and a hint of wood thanks to a second finish (double ageing) in young white oak barrels before the final blend. Stolen Dark 37.5% ABV, 1L RRP $39.99 Beam Suntory
A lighter, smoother version of the traditionally heavy, naval-style dark rums. Stolen Dark is aged for a minimum of two years in ex-whiskey charred oak barrels. Demerara caramel provides its deep colour, along with lightly toasted sweet caramel aromas on the nose and honeyed texture.
37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $40.99 Beam Suntory
A smooth, full-bodied and versatile gold rum. Aged for a minimum of two years in ex-whiskey charred oak barrels. Aromas of butterscotch and cinnamon spice; smooth and buttery on the palate with notes of toffee apple. Stolen White 37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $40.99 Beam Suntory
Barrel aged for a minimum of two years and then carbon filtered to remove any trace of colour or impurities. Aromas of cocoa and fruit, which continue on the palate, and a sweet delicate mouth feel. Brugal Añejo 38% ABV, 700ml RRP $44.90 Hancocks
Brugal Añejo offers a clean, dry rum that’s ideal for traditional rum serves, without an overly sweet finish. Light aromas of wood with hints of chocolate. Buttery in the mouth with a hint of caramel and wood tannin. The finish is long and dry.
Flor de Caña 4YO (Extra Seco) A sugar-free premium rum that is sustainably produced (Carbon Neutral & Fair Trade certified) at a 5th generation family estate in Nicaragua. A light-bodied rum with aromas of sweet almonds and vanilla leading to a palate of white chocolate and orange essence with a long, dry finish. Coruba Gold 37.2% ABV, 1L RRP $46.99 Lion
This 100% Jamaican blend is a versatile entry-level rum, whose golden colour derives from ageing in small oak barrels. Smooth on the palate with hints of brown sugar, nutmeg and vanilla. Coruba Original 37.2% ABV, 1L RRP $46.99 Lion
A mellow, full flavoured rum. Aromas and flavours of molasses, cocoa and caramel, and a hint of spice.
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RUM REPORT
Stolen Smoked
Bacardi Spiced
37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $45.99 Beam Suntory
40% ABV, 1L RRP $46.99 Lion
Stolen Smoked uses freshly roasted Colombian coffee beans, Madagascan vanilla, Moroccan fenugreek and a smoking process using American hardwood to infuse the aged Caribbean rum with layers of flavour. It has aromas of tobacco, vanilla, toffee, cacao and roasted coffee. On the palate there is deep freshly brewed coffee, vanilla, warm caramel and dark chocolate with a long smoky finish. Ideal served neat, or in any rum, rye, or bourbon cocktail.
A new release from Bacardi, with the rum aged in charred American oak barrels then charcoal filtered and blended with spices. It has a hint of barrel smoke, subtle dried fruit and intense creamy butterscotch on the palate with a slightly peppery finish.
Bacardi Carta Blanca 37.5% ABV, 1L RRP $46.99 Lion
This classic Cuban white rum is a mainstay behind bars the world over. Aromas of tropical fruit with distinctive vanilla and almond notes alongside banana and apricot. Ideal for a classic mojito. Bacardi Carta Oro 40% ABV, 1L RRP $46.99 Lion
This golden rum was used in the original Cuba Libre, made to celebrate the end of the Cuban War of Independence. Ageing in toasted oak barrels gives its golden hue and mellow flavours of vanilla, buttery caramel, toasted almond and sweet banana, balanced by orange zest and a light oaky finish.
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Appleton Estate Signature Blend 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $47.99 and 1L RRP $55.99 Lion
Fifteen select aged rums (aged for an average of four years) are combined to create the Signature Blend from Jamaican rum producer Appleton Estate. This rum has aromas of rich fruit and sweet caramel, with flavours of subtle orange peel, dried apricot, fresh peach, and a hint of molasses and woody notes. Plantation Original Dark Rum 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $49.99 Proof & Company
A richly exotic dark rum with black peppercorn, clove, cinnamon, baked cherry, and molasses on the nose. Fruity on the palate with white raisins and dried pineapple and a spicy, minerally character moving to a dry, spicy finish. Plantation Three Stars White Rum 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $49.99 Proof & Company
This rum has delicate scents of brown sugar, honey and coffee bean, developing into baking spices. Light-bodied on the palate with flavours of dark chocolate and egg cream.
RRP $50 - $80 El Dorado Cask Aged 3 Years 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $52.99 Tickety-Boo
This three-year-old full-flavoured caskaged rum has aromas of citrus and vanilla, enhanced by notes of chocolate and raisins. A smooth, rounded palate with coconut; fruity with a dry, rounded finish. Skipper Dark Rum 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $52.99 Tickety-Boo
Aromas of treacle, butterscotch and honey, with hints of black pepper, espresso bean and charred oak. It is buttery smooth in the mouth with flavours of crème caramel, gooey toffee and custard with pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. Notes of cinnamon and ginger on the lengthy finish. Angostura 3YO Reserva 37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $54.99 Federal Merchants
Aged in barrel for three years, this white rum is charcoal filtered to remove any colour from the ageing process. The rum is dry, with a rich vanilla flavour and smooth finish.
RUM REPORT
Bayou Spiced Rum is inspired by the Creole baking traditions for which its hometown of Louisiana is famous. Bacardi Reserva Ocho 8 Años
Cruzan Black Strap Rum
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $54.99 Lion
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $54.99 Beam Suntory
A selection of barrel-aged reserve rums aged for a minimum of eight years are blended to make this more premium offering from Bacardi. It has aromas of vanilla, toffee, honey and caramel with toasted oak. The flavour is smooth and rich with notes of prune, apricot, nutmeg and vanilla, and a soft wood finish.
Robust liquorice and molasses flavours makes this rum ideal for mixing into tropical cocktails: it pairs well with lemon, lime, ginger and pineapple. Its deep black hue is also great for adding colour to drinks.
Bayou Reserve Rum 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $54.99 Tickety-Boo
This rum from Louisiana is matured in bourbon barrels for up to three years using the Solera ageing method. It has aromas of creamy vanilla with hints of apple and cinnamon. The palate opens with a dry oak-like character, followed by pronounced cinnamon and maple. A dry rum with lingering notes of dark fruit and wood. Bayou Spiced Rum 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $54.99 Tickety-Boo
A spiced rum inspired by the Creole baking traditions for which its hometown of Louisiana is famous. Bayou Rum is rested for up to 30 days with a special blend of Creole baking spices, creating aromas of cinnamon and sweet banana and a palate full of maple, banana, allspice, clove, vanilla and pepper. Lingering finish.
El Dorado Cask Aged 5 Years 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $54.99 Tickety-Boo
A deep golden-hued rum with aromas of dried tropical fruit, caramel, butterscotch and molasses. Flavours of vibrant spice, fruit, caramel and toasted coconut, fading to vanilla. Flor de Caña 7 YO (Gran Reserva) 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $54.99 Hancocks
A full-bodied rum with aromas of toasted coconut vanilla and figs. On the palate there is honey and dark chocolate, leading to a long, smooth finish. Havana Club Añejo 7 Años 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $54.99 Pernod Ricard
A combination of barrels that have been aged and blended, with the minimum age of any barrel being seven years. A rich rum with aromas of cocoa, vanilla, cedar, sweet tobacco and lush tropical fruits. Flavours of sugarcane, chestnut and caramelised tropical fruit sit above a backbone of oak and rich brown spice. Winner of ‘Best Overall Rum’ at the NZ Spirits Awards 2020.
The Kraken Black Spiced Rum 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $54.99 EuroVintage
This inky black rum produced in Trinidad and Tobago is infused with herbs and spices. Aromas of nutmeg, vanilla and cinnamon lead to flavours of vanilla, dark chocolate, clove, rich fruit cake and toffee. Rich and spicy. Diplomático Mantuano 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $58 Whisky Galore
A blended rum from Venezuela that is aged for up to eight years in white oak casks, previously used for ageing bourbons and malt-whisky. A dark golden colour, this rum has aromas of dried fruits (plums), oak and a delicate spiciness. Notes of dried fruit, wood and vanilla on the palate with a slightly dry finish. Appleton Estate Reserve 8YO 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $59.99 Lion
Appleton’s Master Blender, Joy Spence, manages the rare ‘reserve stock’ at Appleton, two of which add complexity and depth to this blend of 20 select aged rums. The Reserve Blend is full-bodied and smooth with notes of spice and nuts, oaky honey, subtle vanilla and dried orange peel. Bayou Single Barrel 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $59.99 Tickety-Boo
A limited edition rum matured in rye barrels for two and a half years, creating aromas of smoked oak with bursts of pepper and tropical fruit. Complex flavours of spice, oak, honey, pineapple and creamy banana.
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RUM REPORT
Black Collar Gold Rum
Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
El Dorado Cask Aged 8 Years
38.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $59.99 Beverage Brothers
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $59.99 Federal Merchants
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $64.99 Tickety-Boo
A small batch rum made in Black Collar’s copper still in its Bay of Islands distillery. The aroma is almost creamy with subtle butterscotch and vanilla. It’s light and smooth on the palate with more butterscotch and slight vanilla sweetness balanced by oak. The lingering, creamy finish is of vanilla and oak.
Sailor Jerry rum is distilled in the Virgin Islands and has a Caribbean influence with flavours of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and rich vanilla. It has a long, dry finish with a hint of toasted toffee. Goes especially well with ginger.
Aromas of subtle tobacco mix with caramel toffee alongside dried stone fruit and flambéed banana. The mouth-feel is smooth, soft and faintly sweet, with traces of oak and butterscotch.
Diplomático Planas
37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $64.99 Federal Merchants
Black Tears Spiced Rum 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $59.99 Tickety-Boo
This dry spiced rum from Cuba uses coffee, cacoa and aji dulce – a sweet chilli pepper synonymous with Cuba’s cuisine. The complex palate is of gentle cocoa with a punch of coffee on the finish, along with the lingering, peppery spice. Elegant and well-balanced. Gosling’s Black Seal 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $59.99 Federal Merchants
A blend of aged rums made in small batches, Bermuda-made Gosling’s has a distinctive dark colour. Rich, smooth and full-bodied with subtle butterscotch, vanilla and caramel.
47% ABV, 700ml RRP $60 Whisky Galore
An intense white rum made from a blend of pot still, column and batch kettle rums aged for up to six years. Fresh tropical aromas of coconut and ground coffee with a palate that is slightly fruity with creamy flavours. Serve neat, or in more delicate cocktails. Angostura 5YO 37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $64.99 Federal Merchants
Five years in oak barrels gives this rum a rich golden colour, with flavours of chocolate, spice, vanilla and toasted oak leading to a warm and mellow finish. Serve as a sipping rum or use in spicedriven mixed drinks.
Plantation Barbados 5YO is aged in bourbon barrels, then sent to Cognac Ferrand in France for finishing in cognac casks.
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Murderer’s Bay White Rum New Zealand’s Dancing Sands Distillery makes this white rum from 100 per cent molasses that is fermented on site and double distilled in a small batch copper still. It has aromas of molasses and sweet banana, with a hint of orange zest and almonds. Soft and smooth on the palate with earthy undertones and a lingering sweetness. Plantation Barbados 5YO 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $64.99 Proof & Company
This five-year-old Barbados rum is aged in bourbon barrels for three to four years, then sent to Cognac Ferrand in France for finishing in cognac casks, which draws out notes of wood and nutmeg. It has aromas of leather and caramel with hints of cinnamon, dried coconut and vanilla. Initially sweet on the palate, with molasses and hints of leather, alongside orange rind, salted butter and allspice. The finish is sweet with fiery spice at the very end.
RUM REPORT
Helmsman Spiced Rum won the title of ‘Best New Zealand Rum’ at the NZ Spirits Awards 2020.
Helmsman Spiced Rum 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99 Hancocks
This New Zealand-brand rum is made from a blend of Caribbean golden rum and spices. Initial aromas of fruitcake are followed by banana, vanilla and a hint of warm spice. A full-bodied rum with flavours of rich fruit, cinnamon and toffee. Winner of ‘Best New Zealand Rum’ at the NZ Spirits Awards 2020.
LWF Distilling Feijoa Rum
Black Collar Distillery Spiced Rum
40% ABV, 500ml RRP $65 LWF Distilling
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.95 Beverage Brothers
This seasonal release from Taranaki distillery LWF uses distinctive feijoa to create a green-hued rum with a fruity aroma, intense feijoa sweetness and a tart tang.
This deeply golden New Zealand rum is made with 100% natural spices and designed to be served neat. It has aromas of cinnamon, cloves and a hint of almost raisiny sweetness. It’s smooth and rounded in the mouth with a subtle spicy kick of clove and charred oak and sweet vanilla to balance.
Helmsman White Rum
Angostura 7YO
Matusalem Gran Reserva 15
LWF Distilling Rhubarb Rum 40% ABV, 500ml RRP $65 LWF Distilling
Infused with up to six different varieties of rhubarb, this rum has a pretty pink hue and a fruity nose. The finish is of delicate, tart rhubarb. LWF Distilling White Rum 40% ABV, 500ml RRP $65 LWF Distilling
This was the first release from LWF Distillery in Taranaki, after it launched in 2019. The white rum uses molasses from Bundaberg in Queensland with a specialty yeast and five-times filtered New Zealand rainwater. It has a fruity nose, smooth mouthfeel, and ends with a sweet caramel ‘rum funk’.
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99 Hancocks
The white rum from Kiwi producer Helmsman is usually aged for over a year in stainless steel tanks and plain oak casks, which creates its light blonde colour and sweet flavour.
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99 Federal Merchants
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $70 EuroVintage
A blend of select rums aged for a minimum of seven years at House of Angostura’s Trinidad distillery. Aromas of vanilla, molasses, coffee, spice and oak lead to flavours of chocolate, honey, toffee, caramel, coffee and roasted nuts.
A Solera rum with an intense, rich nose of wood, toasted nuts and butterscotch. It has a smooth texture with flavours of cocoa, pronounced oak and a cognac-like finish.
Appleton Estate Rare Blend 12YO 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99 Lion
A blend of rare golden rums that have all been aged for a minimum of 12 years. This deep bronze rum has flavours of oak, fruit, cocoa, molasses, orange peel, rich vanilla and subtle coffee with a bittersweet finish. DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 77
RUM REPORT
Broken Heart Spiced Rum 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99 Broken Heart Spirits
A spiced rum from New Zealand spirits brand Broken Heart. Smooth and well balanced, it is aged three years in barrel and uses natural spices of galangal, vanilla, orange peel, cloves and cinnamon, with distinct caramel, candied walnuts and cinnamon on the palate. Mount Gay Black Barrel 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99 Hancocks
Double ageing in deeply charred bourbon oak barrels creates an undertone of classic bourbon spices balanced with oaky vanilla and sweet caramel. Plantation Stiggins’ Fancy Pineapple Rum 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99 Proof & Company
This rum was named for Reverend Stiggins, the character in Charles Dickens’ The Pickwick Papers, whose favourite drink was “pineapple rum.” The rinds of Queen Victoria pineapples are infused in Plantation 3 Stars White Rum and distilled, and then the pineapple fruit is infused in Plantation Original Dark rum. The distillate and fruit infusion are then blended and cask aged. The rum has aromas of honeydew melon and a hint of Jamaican ginger cake with pineapple notes. Flavours of spiced molasses, and shortbread accompany a juicy, slightly earthy element from the pineapple with notes of vanilla, lemon, mango and spearmint on the finish.
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Jamaica’s Wray & Nephew Overproof Rum is aromatic and intense at 63% ABV, with citrus, pineapple and pear. Pusser’s Rum
Grenada Bay White Rum
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $75 EuroVintage
47% ABV, 700ml RRP $78.99 Grenada Bay
The blend of this Royal Navy-style rum is the same as it was on British warships up until the Royal Navy discontinued its daily ration in 1970. Pusser’s Rum uses five West Indian rums (three from Guyana, two from Trinidad) aged for at least three years. It has aromas of demerara sugar, molasses, dried fruits and spices, with flavours of deep vanilla and honey.
This delicate white rum from Wellington craft distillery Grenada Bay is triple distilled with cardamom and pear, adding an earthy sweetness to the palate.
Wray & Nephew Overproof Rum 63% ABV, 700ml RRP $76.99 EuroVintage
An aromatic and intense rum from Jamaica at 63% ABV with top notes of citrus, pear and pineapple, married with bottom notes of honey and molasses. Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $77 Whisky Galore
A sipping rum that is aged in small oak casks for up to 12 years. It has aromas of maple syrup, orange peel, brown sugar and liquorice, with flavours of sweet toffee fudge. Serve neat, on the rocks, or use in a premium Manhattan or Old Fashioned.
Ableforth’s Rumbullion 42.6% ABV, 700ml RRP $79 Proof & Co
Spiced and full-bodied, Rumbullion is a blend of Caribbean rum with Madagascan vanilla, zesty orange peel, clove, cassia and cardamom. It has intense aromas of sweet vanilla and flamed orange zest with a hint of old-fashioned cola, along with cloves and cinnamon. On the palate, it is a combination of bitter orange marmalade and spices with hints of honey, cinnamon, molasses, toffee apples, crème brûlée and cloves. The finish is long with spice, cinnamon, orange and sweet vanilla. Bumbu Rum Original 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99 Brandhouse
This rum from Barbados is aged up to 15 years in American bourbon barrels. It has rich and complex aromas of Madagascan vanilla, soft caramel, and oak. Notes of cinnamon, roasted nuts, banana and allspice on the palate and a light, smooth finish.
RUM REPORT
Pacto Navio Cuban Rum 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99 Pernod Ricard
Pacto Navio by Havana Club is described as “Cuban rum meeting French wine” and is said to be the only Cuban rum finished in Sauternes wine barrels. It’s a modern take on rums of the early 19th century: after French wine arrived in Havana, the barrels were refilled with Cuban rum and shipped back; the rum absorbing the wine’s character on its journey. Pacto Navio is a blend of aged Cuban rum bases, distilled and aged in the San José de Las Lajas distillery near Havana and finished in Sauternes wine barrels from the Bordeaux region. It has aromas of orange zest, a honey sweetness, subtle banana and a hint of vanilla, while on the palate there are flavours of fruitcake, orange marmalade and an underlying raisin sweetness. A long finish of dried fruit, spice and sweetness. Plantation Xaymaca Special Dry 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99 Proof & Company
This 100% pot still Jamaican rum was created to revive the quintessential rums of the 19th century and the tradition known as “rum funk”, with intense aromas and flavours of black banana and flambéed pineapple. Xaymaca Special Dry has a complex, slightly smoky and meaty aroma, with fruity, herbal and sour notes building, followed by vanilla cooked banana, bitter orange peel and ripe pineapple. It’s dry on the palate, with a floral and fruity profile of rose water, pear, white grape and apricot, with coconut milk, allspices, bread and nuts emerging. Serve with a large ice cube and even a splash of pure water to reveal the smoky aromas.
The Black Tot gets its name from the ration of rum issued daily to sailors of the British Royal Navy until 1970.
RRP $80 and above Black Tot Caribbean Rum 46.2% ABV, 700ml RRP $81 Whisky Galore
Crafted from a marriage of fruity Barbadian, full-bodied Guyanese and vibrant Jamaican rums, the Black Tot gets its name from the ration of rum issued daily to sailors of the Royal Navy until 1970. A rich and complex rum with flavours of golden syrup, tropical fruits and a leathery hint. A note of coffee and chocolatey mocha on the palate, with butter toffee and oaky spice. A roasted banana character on the finish, ending this rich, fruity and slightly funky rum. El Dorado 12YO 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99 Tickety-Boo
The youngest expression in El Dorado’s Luxury Cask Aged Range, which are rums designed to be savoured. The 12YO has aromas of lush tropical fruit and spice with hints of honey and dark sugar. The palate is round, mellow and full-bodied with rich flavours of fruit and spice and a dry finish.
Russell Rum 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $85 Blush Distillers
The team at New Zealand’s Blush Distillers use oak-aged Caribbean rum in their spiced rum, which includes nutmeg, clove, and local citrus. Bumbu Rum XO 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99 Brandhouse
The XO expression from Bumbu is aged up to 18 years in American bourbon barrels and then finished for at least six months in Spanish sherry casks. It has aromas of toffee, toasted oak, and vanilla, leading to a palate of orange zest, peppery spice, and a hint of coffee. Don Papa 7YO 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99 Glengarry Spirits
This small batch rum has a light fruit aroma and is smooth and delicate on the palate with a long, rich finish. Flavours of vanilla, honey and candied fruits. Flor de Caña 12 YO 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99 Hancocks
An ultra-premium rum from Nicaraguan distillery Flor de Caña. Aromas of red fruits, honey and toasted nuts leading to a palate of wood, vanilla and baked apples, with a smooth and well-balanced finish.
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RUM REPORT
Plantation OFTD Overproof Rum
Mount Gay XO Reserve Cask Rum
69% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99 Proof & Company
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $94.99 Hancocks
An intensely flavourful rum, ideal for cocktail making. Notes of coffee, orange, plum and truffles on the nose. In the mouth there are bursts of caramel, chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, oak, nutmeg, and smoke. Lingering finish with dark chocolate and clove.
A blend of selected Mount Gay Cask Reserve rums aged from seven to 15 years. This robust expression has aromas of ripe banana and toast, followed by vanilla and warm spice and is rich and oaky on the palate.
Grenada Bay Golden Rum
Pyrat XO Reserve Rum is made from eight premium Caribbean rums, aged up to 15 years, which are selected and blended.
44% ABV, 700ml RRP $93.99 Grenada Bay
This rum from Wellington distillery Grenada Bay is aged in oak barrels and is smooth on the palate with hints of smoky sweetness. The distinctive bottle is sealed with organic beeswax. Angostura 1919 40% ABV, 70ml RRP $94.99 Federal Merchants
A specially blended multi-award-winning rum named for an important date in the development of the rum industry in Trinidad & Tobago. After a fire in 1932, which destroyed the Government Rum Bond, the master blender of Fernandes Distillers bought the charred casks, only to discover they had been filled in the year 1919. The prized rum was blended and called “1919 Aged Rum.” A soft rum with complex toasty flavours from extended ageing in charred barrels.
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Pyrat XO Reserve Rum 40% ABV, 750ml RRP $94.99 Eurovintage
Made from eight premium Caribbean rums, aged up to 15 years, which are selected and blended for varying lengths of time. This rum has flavours of citrus, cinnamon, caramel and vanilla, a slightly warm bite and a smooth finish.
Bayou Mardis Gras XO Single Batch 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $109.99 Tickety-Boo
This Louisiana rum is matured in bourbon barrels for up to six years using the Solera ageing method and then partially finished in sherry barrels. Aromas of dried dark fruit and cedar wood lead to a complex palate of orange marmalade and dark stone fruit with blackcurrant and honey. A long, dry finish with black pepper, sherry and hints of smoke. El Dorado Special Reserve 15YO 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $109.99 Tickety-Boo
A cognac-like rum with a complex nose of dark coffee, candied orange, almonds, dark chocolate, pepper and rich vanilla. It’s silky and rounded on the palate, with flavours of grilled tropical fruit and smooth, oaky spice. Plantation XO 20th Anniversary Barbados 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $110 Proof & Company
The 20th Anniversary bottling of XO rum from Barbados is aged in bourbon barrels before being shipped to France for a secondary maturation in Ferrand Cognac casks. It has hints of spicy oak on the nose, with guava, coconut and dried banana. On the palate it is spiced and creamy, with sweet vanilla notes and caramel. Finishes with notes of caramel and toasted oak.
RUM REPORT
Murderer’s Bay 14-Year-Old Aged Gold Rum 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $114.99 Federal Merchants
This rum is fermented, distilled, aged and bottled in New Zealand by award-winning Dancing Sands Distillery in Golden Bay. It won a Masters Medal at the London Rum Masters Competition in 2016. Aged 14 years in French oak casks, it has aromas of oak with creamy vanilla bean and spice. On the palate it is a blend of caramel, cream and baking spices. Dry, yet sweet. Gosling’s 151 Overproof 75.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $119 Federal Merchants
This overproof version of Gosling’s original Black Seal rum is described as “muscular, but refined.” Clocking in at 75.5% ABV (The ‘151’ refers to the US proof strength), it’s designed to enhance mixed drinks as opposed to serving neat; or its makers also suggest using it for flambéing desserts. Don Papa 10YO 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $119.99 Glengarry Spirits
This is a dark, intense rum thanks to the Filipino rum making tradition of not refilling casks after evaporation. It has rich aromas and a palate of dried fruit, cacao and a hint of oak.
All rums from Nicaraguan distillery Flor de Caña are sugar-free and sustainably produced (carbon neutral and Fair Trade certified).
Rum Brands Ableforth’s
This British spirits brand is based in Kent, England. Founded in 2011 it also produces Bathtub Gin, Cold Distilled Absinthe and Cherry Brandy. Angostura
House of Angostura has been producing rums for 130 years and is the major producer in Trinidad today. It is best known for its production of Angostura Bitters, which were invented by the company’s founder in 1824. Appleton Estate
Flor de Caña 18 YO 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $120 Hancocks
As with all rums from Nicaraguan distillery Flor de Caña, this sugar-free ultra-premium rum is sustainably produced (carbon neutral and Fair Trade certified) and naturally aged without artificial ingredients, distilled with 100% renewable energy and Kosher certified. It has aromas of nuts and caramel with intense vanilla and spices on the palate and a long, smooth finish. Matusalem Gran Reserva 23 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $120 EuroVintage
This premium offering from Matusalem has subtle aromas of dried fruit, fresh honey and a floral hint over a sweet toffee base with notes of mango and exotic wood. The palate is creamy with liquorice, roasted almond, hazelnut and dried fruit. A sherry-like finish.
Appleton Estate is in Jamaica’s Nassau Valley, where all its rums are produced. It is the oldest sugar estate and distillery in Jamaica in continuous production, with the first known documentation of rum made on the Estate dating back to 1749. Appleton Estate’s Master Blender is Joy Spence, who became the world’s first female Master Blender when she was appointed in 1997, after 16 years with the company. Bacardi
One of the world’s best known rum brands, Bacardi traces its origins to the 1830s when Spanish wine merchant Facundo Bacardi Masso moved to Cuba and began experimenting with refining rum by using a proprietary strain of yeast. This, combined with charcoal filtering and ageing in white oak barrels gave Bacardi its distinctive flavour and created the world’s first clear rum. The bat logo was inspired by the bats that lived in the rafters of the first distillery that Masso established with his brother. Bacardi is owned by Bacardi Limited, the largest privately held, family-owned spirits company in the world, with a portfolio of more than 200 brands and labels. Bayou Rum
Bayou Rum was established in 2013 in Louisiana and uses fresh locally grown sugarcane at its craft distillery. Its signature recipe uses 100% single estate molasses produced by the oldest familyowned and operated sugar mill in the United States. Every batch is distilled by hand using copper pot stills and aged in 200L bourbon and sherry casks. Black Collar
New Zealand distillery Black Collar was established in Northland in 2017. Its first launch, Black Collar Vodka, won a Silver Medal at the 2018 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Black Collar also makes gin. Black Magic
A spiced blend of light and dark rums produced by New Orleans company Sazerac.
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RUM REPORT Black Tears
Don Papa
LWF Distilling
This Cuban rum launched in 2019 and is owned by The Island Rum Company. Black Tears takes its name from the Cuban song, ‘Lagrimas Negras’ that tells the story of a young woman who sobbed into a vat of rum, filling it with her sorrow. It was the first Cuban spiced rum brand.
A rum brand owned by Philippines company Bleeding Heart Rum Co. It is made on Negros Occidental in the Philippines and is named in tribute to Papa Isio, an historic figure from Negros who helped drive the Spanish from the island in the 1890s. The rum uses locally grown and milled sugar cane.
Black Tot
El Dorado
A Taranaki distillery in Oakura, south of New Plymouth. ‘LWF’ stands for ‘Life Worth Funding’, inspired by a life in the corporate world and a desire to return to grassroots and give back to the community. Distiller Janet Charteris uses rainwater from her farmbased distillery and makes her base spirit from Queensland molasses.
A UK rum brand that launched in 2010 with Black Tot Last Consignment: a blend of rum made up of the very last remaining stocks of British Royal Navy rum discovered in naval warehouses in Dartmouth and Deptford. Black Tot takes its name from ‘Black Tot Day’ (31 July, 1970) when the last rum ration was issued aboard ships of the British Royal Navy, ending a 300-year-old tradition. More rums followed in 2019, with Black Tot blending rums from Barbados, Guyana and Jamaica.
El Dorado rums are distilled in South America’s Guyana by Demerara Distillers, which operates the last remaining distillery in the country on the banks of the Demerara River. Many sugar estates and distilleries merged during the early 20th century culminating in the amalgamation of all the various stills and equipment in 1998 by Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL). El Dorado launched in 1992 and DDL became the first rum producer in the world to market a premium quality aged rum: El Dorado 15 Year Old Special Reserve.
Matusalem
Flor de Caña
Mount Gay
A sustainably produced premium rum brand from a family estate in Nicaragua that dates back to 1890. Flor de Caña is carbon neutral and Fair Trade certified, distilled with 100% renewable energy and naturally aged without sugar.
Mount Gay Rum has been made in Barbados for 300 years and is the world’s oldest commercial rum distillery. It was named for Sir John Gay Alleyne, the first manager of the company.
Gosling’s
The rum brand from New Zealand craft distillery Dancing Sands in Nelson’s Golden Bay. The distillery also produces gin and vodka and its spirits are made using water from an aquifer that feeds the famed Te Waikoropupu Springs, which is regarded as the clearest spring in the world.
Broken Heart
This New Zealand brand launched several years ago with a gin by Master Distiller Joerg Henkenhaf, following the death of the close friend and fellow Master Distiller with whom he had first created it. Both from Germany, the pair wanted to create a gin that reflected their new homeland. Henkenhaf has since expanded the range to include new gin expressions, as well as a vodka and the spiced rum. Brugal
Don Andres Brugal Montaner founded Brugal in the Dominican Republic in 1888. Five generations later, the rum is still crafted by the Brugal Family, with only family members able to hold the title of a ‘Maestro Ronero’ (Master of Rum). Bumbu Rum Co.
A Barbados rum brand based in an historic distillery that was founded in 1893 and has operated continuously for more than 120 years. Bumbu rums are based on 16th century native recipes and are blended by hand from island rums and native spices from across the West Indies. Coruba
Coruba rums are all natural and distilled in Kingston, Jamaica. The Coruba brand is owned by Campari Group. Cruzan
Cruzan Rum is located in Saint Croix, in the US Virgin Islands. The distillery was founded by the Nelthropp Family and has been in operation for more than 200 years. Cruzan takes its name from the word ‘Crucians’, which refers to the people of St Croix. Diplomatico
The distillery that produces all of Diplomático’s rum was established in Venezuela in 1959. Today, it is 100% Venezuelan and privately owned under the name Destilerías Unidas S. A. (DUSA). The company is one of the largest rum producers in Venezuela. Diplomático is distributed in over 70 countries and holds the “Ron de Venezuela” DOC (Protected Denomination of Origin).
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Gosling’s is synonymous with its home of Bermuda, where it is regarded as the national drink. It takes its name from wine and spirits merchant James Gosling, who first opened a shop in the town of St George’s in 1806. Grenada Bay
This Wellington craft distillery was the first in the capital and was founded by two friends from Titahi Bay, who combined their distillery location in Wellington’s northern suburb of Grenada with their Titahi Bay origins to come up with the Grenada Bay name. Grenada Bay offers three bottled rums as well as private casks. Havana Club
Havana Club was first created in Cuba in 1934. In 1993, Pernod Ricard S.A. and Corporación Cuba Ron S.A. launched a joint venture to produce and market Havana Club globally. It is one of the best-selling rum brands in the world. Helmsman
A New Zealand brand rum that launched with its spiced rum (using Caribbean golden rum) and has since added a white rum to its range. The Kraken
A black spiced rum produced in Trinidad and Tobago. It takes its name from the gigantic legendary sea monster, known as a Kraken. Lunatic & Lover
This Auckland craft distillery was founded by Matt Bridge and wife Angie Bradley and launched its first rum in mid-2020 (Lunatic & Lover Silver), adding a Barrel Rested expression in late November. Bridge uses vapour distillation in his process, describing Lunatic & Lover as “botanical rum”.
The Matusalem brand was founded in 1872 in Santiago de Cuba by brothers Benjamin and Eduardo Camp and their partner Evaristo Alvarez. They believed ageing was the key to making rum with the finest flavour and the name ‘Matusalem’ derives from the old Spanish proverb, “This is older than Matusalem” referring to the patriarch of the Old Testament who was said to have lived for 969 years. The Barn Swallow logo was adopted after flocks of swallows nested in the barrel ageing warehouses.
Murderer’s Bay
Pacto Navio
A brand created under Havana Club. Pacto Navio is described as “Cuban rum meeting French wine” and is said to be the only Cuban rum finished in Sauternes wine barrels. It’s a modern take on rums of the early 19th century, when the signing of the historic European peace treaty ‘El Pacto’ following years of war re-opened trade routes, including those between Cuba and France. After French wine arrived in Havana, the barrels were refilled with Cuban rum and shipped back; the rum absorbing the wine’s character on its journey. Pacto Navio blends aged Cuban rum bases, distilled and aged near Havana and finishes them in Sauternes wine barrels from Bordeaux. Plantation
Founded by entrepreneur Alexandre Gabriel in the mid-90s, Plantation represents an artisanal range of rums from a variety of terroirs in the Caribbean. Pyrat
Pyrat Rum was launched in 1996 and is part of the Patrón Spirits portfolio. It is blended and bottled in the Caribbean. This rum takes its name from the Old English word for ‘pirate’. Pusser’s
This Royal Navy-style rum made in Guyana is produced in exact accordance with the Admiralty’s specifications for rum (last used when the Royal Navy discontinued its daily ration in 1970). The blend is the same as it was on British warships.
RUM REPORT
The debut rum from Auckland’s Lunatic & Lover distillery is described as ‘botanical rum’ thanks to its clever use of vapour distillation. Russell Rum
This rum brand is part of Blush Gin Ltd, an Auckland craft distillery founded in late 2017. Blush also makes a range of gins. Sailor Jerry
The distinctive hula girl on this rum’s label is the creation of Norman ‘Sailor Jerry’ Collins, the man dubbed “the father of the old-school tattoo”. A former US Navy sailor, Collins set up shop in Honolulu in the 1940s, where his intricate Asianinfluenced American tattoos became highly sought after. The rum came about after his protégé, Ed Hardy, co-founded Sailor Jerry Ltd in 1999, to keep Collins’ legacy and artwork alive. Sailor Jerry rum is distilled in the Virgin Islands. Skipper
Skipper Dark Rum has been produced and aged in Guyana since 1930, and still boasts the original label on its bottle. Stolen Rum
The Stolen Rum brand was founded by two New Zealanders in 2010 and now has teams in Auckland, Sydney, New York, Los Angeles and Miami. Stolen sources and bottles its rum around the world, including in the Caribbean. Waiheke Imperial
Based on Waiheke Island in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf, Waiheke Imperial produces premium bottled water from an aquifer deep below the island. It also uses this water in combination with organic ingredients to create its rum, gin and bee tonic. Wray & Nephew
This historic rum brand is the best-selling high proof rum in the world. Its origins trace back to 1825, when John Wray opened a bar in the Jamaican seaport of Kingston and began producing his own rum. His nephew, Charles James Ward, joined the business 35 years later and J. Wray & Nephew Ltd was born.
Lunatic & Lover Silver
Angostura 1824
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $125 Lunatic & Lover
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $149.99 Federal Merchants
This debut rum from Auckland distillery Lunatic & Lover uses molasses from the nearby Chelsea Factory as well as locally grown fruit and herbs, alongside more exotic spices. It’s described as a ‘botanical rum’ thanks to the clever use of vapour distillation. Aromas of bright citrus and clean herbal top notes from bay leaf and mairehau lead to a complex palate of baking spice, subtle heat and green pepper (courtesy of the horopito) that mellows into a warm earthiness and rich molasses finish where the quality of the base rum shines through.
A blend of rums aged in charred American oak bourbon barrels for a minimum of 12 years then hand-picked by House of Angostura’s Master Blender from selected casks. These rums are then hand-blended and re-casked before being hand-drawn, filtered and bottled. The 1824 has rich aromas of vanilla, honey and warming spice followed by a long complex finish. Serve as a sipping rum.
Brugal 1888 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $130 Hancocks
A double-aged rum that rests first in ex-bourbon American oak casks, followed by a second maturation in ex-sherry Spanish oak casks. On the nose there are red and dried fruits, a spicy woodiness and hints of cinnamon. It’s well-rounded and smooth on the palate with toffee, vanilla, peach, cocoa and cloves. Longlasting finish with a hint of honey.
Don Papa Sherry Cask 45% ABV, 700ml RRP $149.99 Glengarry Spirits
Four different sherry casks are used to age this rum, which spends its first four years in American oak ex-bourbon casks and is then transferred to Fino, Pedro Ximenez, Cream, and Palo Cortado casks for another 18 months. The resulting rum is fruity on the nose, with hints of ripe raisins. It’s full-bodied with notes of plum, dark chocolate, and ripe figs. The finish is long and velvety. Grenada Bay Cherry Rum 44% ABV, 700ml RRP $154.99 Grenada Bay
The team at Wellington’s Grenada Bay distillery blend their premium rum with Central Otago cherries and mature it in ex-Pinot Noir French oak barrels. During ageing, they roll and rest the barrels to replicate the movement of a sea voyage, creating a velvety, luscious rum bursting with ripe cherry flavour.
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RUM REPORT
Lunatic & Lover Barrel Rested
El Dorado Special Reserve 21YO
Appleton Estate Rare Blend 21YO
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $155 Lunatic & Lover
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $169.99 Tickety-Boo
43% ABV, 700ml RRP $204.99 Lion
The Lunatic & Lover Silver rum is aged six months in oak for this newly released Barrel Rested expression. The oak melds a sweet and woody vanilla aroma with the rum’s orange top notes. The herbal element of the Silver remains, but is more subdued and integrated with the spice notes from the heavy barrel char. Deep, rich coffee and chocolate work with the tannins from the wood to dominate the finish.
Described as being for “true rum connoisseurs”, this 21-year-old rum has a nose of lush tropical fruit and spice with hints of honey and dark sugar. A round, mellow, full-bodied palate with rich flavours of fruit and spice.
A blend of select aged rums, all matured for at least 21 years. Flavours of citrus and spice with woody notes, alongside orange peel, deep vanilla, rich nutmeg, warm coffee, and cocoa notes. The finish is long and dry, with a gentle brown sugar sweetness.
Waiheke Imperial Rum 2019 38% ABV, 1L RRP $155 Waiheke Imperial
This limited edition rum (just 500 litres was produced in 2019) is smooth and spiced with vanilla, cinnamon and ginger. Floral aromas develop into long notes of cinnamon, ginger biscuit, walnut and manuka honey. Angostura 1787 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $164.99 Federal Merchants
A super-premium rum made from a blend of rums aged for a minimum of 15 years. It has aromas of banana, dried fruit and oak with top notes of apples. The medium-bodied palate has hints of dried prunes, sweet rounded oak and subtle toffee, leading to a long, crisp finish.
The rare and sought after Black Tot Caribbean Rum 40YO is one of the oldest examples of Demerara Rum in the world today. Mount Gay Rum 1703 Old Cask Master Select 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $199 Hancocks
The 1703 Master Select is a blend of copper column and copper pot rums from Mount Gay’s oldest reserves – ranging from 10 to 30-year-old rums – created and hand-picked by Master Blender Allen Smith. Due to the scarcity of Mount Gay’s most mature casks, the company releases just one batch annually. This rum has aromas of oak and caramel, balanced, rounded flavours of caramel, spice and toast, with a delicate finish.
Find contact details in the Distributor Index on page 100. 84 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
Flor de Caña 25 YO 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $220 Hancocks
A full-bodied rum with aromas of vanilla, wood and dark cocoa. There are fruity notes of almond and nuts on the palate, with a full and long finish that lingers. Black Tot Caribbean Rum 40YO 44.2% ABV, 700ml RRP $2990 Whisky Galore
This rare and sought after rum is one of the oldest examples of Demerara Rum in the world today. It was distilled in 1975 in the historic Port Mourant Double Wooden Vat Still while it was housed at the now demolished Uitvlugt distillery in Guyana and is presented at its natural cask strength. It has dense liquorice, star anise and fruity black olives on the nose, accompanied by heady cigar smoke, pine, orange and lemon peel. The palate is full of thick, dark treacle and olive brine mixed with cherry concentrate, cigar smoke and charred wood. More smoke comes through on the palate, mixing with the flavours of plump sultanas, bittersweet raisins and juicy blackcurrants. A balanced and lingering finish of sweet and savoury.
Distributed by Federal Merchants & Co | federalmerchants.co.nz | 09 578 1823
OPINION – SPIRITS
Dominic Roskrow
UK-based world spirits expert Editor - Whisky Quarterly
Navigating the highs and lows
A FEW years ago there was a TV show called Play Your Cards Right. Guests had to guess whether the next giant playing card to be turned over would be higher or lower than the last one. Encouraged by the late presenter Bruce Forsyth, the audience would shout “Higher!” or “Lower!” at the contestants. The show finished its decades-long run in the early 2000s, but I’m reminded of it as we survey the way the world of spirits is adapting to the chaos of the pandemic, and attempting to forge a path out of the morass of battered businesses and badly damaged economies. Like a giant game of Risk, drinks producers are surveying a map of the world and planning where to move their resources within and between different territories that are in perpetual flux. And as they plan their latest releases, the question they’re facing is: higher or lower? For at one end of the spectrum there seems to be a plethora of cask strength spirits releases, some with ABVs drifting above 60%. Gin and rum, in particular, are being marketed as Navy Strength products with an ABV of at least 57.1%, which is the strength at which gunpowder soaked in spirit will still burn. Single cask, cask strength whiskies are thriving, too, as drinkers are drawn to the fact that each cask can only produce a limited quantity of whisky, and when it’s gone it’s gone. Buyer beware, though. There is a high level of inconsistency between casks from the same distillery, and at the back end of 2020 there seemed to be a large number of independent 86 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
As drinks companies plan their latest releases, the question they’re facing is: higher or lower?
bottlers putting out, at best, ordinary, and at worst, poor quality spirits from theoretically attractive distilleries. At the other end of the scale we have seen the growth of ‘better for you’, low calorie, spirit-based drinks. The most established is Hard Seltzer – effectively alcohol combined with carbonated water and flavoured with fruit. With an alcoholic strength of 4%-8% ABV, the drinks are designed to appeal to a health conscious drinker, and are refreshing, perhaps to be consumed after exercise. But there have been some horror shows, too. One Scotch whisky company put out a malt spirit drink at 20% ABV, and it tasted exactly as you might expect: a whisky with far too much water in it. Some gin makers have attempted to concentrate the flavour of their spirits so that they can be consumed with more tonic and less strength but taste just as good – with mixed results.
%ABV
From lower in alcohol options, to spirits heading beyond the 60% ABV mark, Dominic Roskrow finds the drinks industry is trying to work out which end is the sweet spot.
One company has created a spirit using various botanicals and herbs, and bottled it at 16%. It comes in a fancy spirits-style bottle, and the label recommends you drink it one part spirit to three parts water. The resulting drink has an ABV of 4% and tasted like tainted water. An experiment among my son’s 20-something-year-old friends concluded that the proportions should be reversed – making for a very expensive low alcohol drink. I’m a ‘higher’ man myself, on the grounds that you can take the strength of a drink down, but you can’t easily take it up. And, because there are some superb flavoured, low calorie, water-based soft drinks on the market. Why try and pretend an alcoholic drink hasn’t got alcohol in it? So. Higher or lower? We’ll see. And when a producer turns up an ace, I’ll let you know.
BARRELS INVENTED FOR WINE, REINVENTED FOR W H I S K Y.
AWA R D E D W H E N TA S T E D N E AT; E N J OY E D A N Y WAY YO U L I K E.
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SAN FRANCISCO WORLD SPIRITS COMP 2020
GLOBAL SPIRITS MASTERS 2020
TWO-FOLD & NOVA
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BEST BLENDED AUSTRALIAN WHISKY WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2020 & 2019
TWO-FOLD
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Distributed in New Zealand by Tickety-Boo Liquor Ltd. Phone 09 377 7597 or email sales@tickety-boo.co.nz for further information. www.tickety-boo.co.nz
SHOWCASE
New look and new blend for Appleton Estate A fresh look and a new addition to the range of premium Appleton Estate rums have arrived in New Zealand as rum rides a new wave of popularity. APPLETON ESTATE Jamaica Rum, a global leader in premium rums, is introducing newly designed packaging and the release of a new premium blend to the New Zealand market as part of a global relaunch. Appleton Estate says the relaunch is a celebration of the brand’s pursuit of excellence and commitment to the highest standards of rum production. New look packaging
A sleek, contemporary version of the iconic bottle shape is accompanied by a sophisticated new cork closure. Beneath the closure, the neck label illustrates Appleton Estate located in Jamaica’s Nassau Valley, followed by an embossed “1749” stamp in the glass, marking the date of the Estate’s establishment. The new label tells the story of each rum blend, as well as details on the unique production process. The centrepiece of this new label is the Appleton Estate Jamaica Insignia, where five iconic Jamaican design emblems unite to tell the story drawn from one inspiring source: Jamaica itself.
Master Blender Joy Spence’s signature indicates a badge of credibility. “We’re unveiling a fresh look for both our permanent collection of rums and our limited-edition versions, while maintaining our commitment to exceptional liquid,” says Spence. “With this relaunch, Appleton Estate proudly celebrates our Jamaican heritage in a thoroughly modern way. We hope that our new look and feel elevates the high end cocktail and the sophisticated sipping experience, while continuing to spread the joy of rum, globally.” New blends
The new 8 Year Old Reserve is the most versatile expression of aged rum, revealing aromas of spicy fruit and oak, followed by hints of honey, vanilla and the signature orange peel note. Appleton Estate will also introduce an 8 year old minimum age statement to this rum. Craft Rum boom
Globally, rum is the next big bet in spirits, overtaking gin growth in the UK.
Premium “crafted” luxury serves are at the forefront, drawing attention to the complex production techniques. The New Zealand market has started to follow these global trends, as Premium, Superior and Luxury Rum segments grew +24.65% vs retail sales in the last year*. New consumer connections
“The consumer palate has become much more sophisticated,” says Julka Villa, Managing Director of the Campari Group. “Appleton Estate’s range boasts some complex and elegant expressions, which inspire us to both educate and dazzle. This relaunch gives us the opportunity to illustrate Jamaica’s rich history and geography, as we reinvent ourselves and speak to a new consumer.” As consumers seek distinctive experiences and more meaningful connections to brands, Appleton Estate is one of the few rums in the world to claim a terroir, and the only rum with one as unique as the Nassau Valley. Appleton Estate rums are produced from ‘cane to cup’ with each step of the production process carefully managed – from harvest and creation of our molasses to distillation, blending and bottling. Every barrel used in our blends is hand selected by Master Blender Joy Spence and her team. * Nielsen Scan Data MAT w/e 15/11/2020
Distributed by Lion appletonestate.com appletonestateja facebook.com/appletonestatenz
“With this relaunch, Appleton Estate proudly celebrates our Jamaican heritage in a thoroughly modern way.” – Joy Spence, Master Blender at Appleton Estate
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SPIRITS NEWS
Starward appoints Tickety-Boo AWARD-WINNING AUSTRALIAN distillery Starward has appointed Tickety-Boo to distribute its portfolio of whiskies in New Zealand. Starward says it looks forward to re-introducing and fortifying its relationship with New Zealand retailers and consumers and that Tickety-Boo, as a spirits-led distributor, will be a fitting partner to take Starward forward and help more people get to know the brand and its famed Australian whiskies. Starward was founded in 2007 and is known for its distinct whiskies, which are all matured in local wine barrels. Starward has been consistently recognised for its bold spirit and flavour, leading to it becoming what is now one of the fastest growing Australian whisky brands “We’re excited to appoint Tickety-Boo to be our New Zealand partner and further grow the footprint of our Melbourne made, Australian whisky,” says Starward Commercial Sales Director, Scott English. “Our whiskies offer a point of difference, they are the purest example of new world innovation, something that we feel needs to be shared. As the global whisky experts in wine barrel maturation, we look forward to sharing the reverie with New Zealand trade and consumers alike.” The Starward core range of whiskies
will be available in New Zealand with each whisky bearing the Starward stamp from its wine barrel maturation. Kevin Rowe, Tickety-Boo Liquor General Manager, says: “We couldn’t be more excited to bring this forward thinking and already successful new brand of Australian whisky to New Zealand. This is another great example of new world innovation adding a new and exciting element to the traditional whisky market.” Starward’s whiskies and premix cocktails have won several prestigious awards, including a double gold and two gold medals at the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition as well as gold for all five Starward whisky entries at The World Whisky Masters 2020. Over the last year Starward has expanded globally, launching an international presence in the New Zealand, US, UK, France, and Japan.
Starward Two-Fold Whisky 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99
An awarded, approachable double grain whisky, fully matured in red wine barrels from famed Australian wine regions. Starward Nova Single Malt Whisky 41% ABV, 700ml RRP $99.99
Starward’s signature single malt whisky, which has received several global awards. Fully matured in red wine barrels, Nova is a deliciously balanced and bold whisky for sharing and mixing. Starward Fortis Single Malt Whisky 50% ABV, 700ml RRP $129.99
A single malt Australian whisky and the first higher ABV release for Starward. Matured in 100% American Oak red wine barrels to give it a fuller and richer mouthfeel. Tickety-Boo
SHOWCASE
The luxury of Woodford Reserve Baccarat
The result is the best of both spirits – a balance of crisp American and French oak notes, complex fruit character, subtle spiciness and a creamy confectionery finish. It is presented in a handmade crystal decanter that took five days to create in Baccarat, France.
WOODFORD RESERVE has launched the ultimate expression of American Whiskey: The Woodford Reserve Baccarat Edition, available now through New Zealand distributor Hancocks. History and heritage meet innovation and sophistication in the new Woodford Reserve Baccarat Edition, which is crafted by finishing the most complex and balanced Kentucky Bourbon in select XO Cognac barrels. Sourced by Woodford Reserve’s Master Distiller Chris Morris, each barrel has seen three seasons of cognac before being filled with Woodford Reserve.
Woodford Reserve Baccarat Edition
90 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $2,999.
Appearance: Deep brown. Nose: Rich toasted oak dusted with chocolate and cocoa notes, creamy vanilla bean, and hints of clove and cinnamon spice cover a deep layer of dried fruit and citrus peel. Taste: Elegant vanilla, dark chocolate, dried fruit and creamy caramel top layers of rich malt and oak. Finish: Velvety with a long delicately spiced caramel mocha note. Hancocks
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SPIRITS NEWS
Pals crosses the Tasman
NEW ZEALAND RTD Pals has entered the Australian market just in time for summer – a major coup for the brand that launched just over a year ago. The Endeavour Group launched Pals’ number one flavour profile – Vodka, Watermelon, Mint and Lime – into BWS and Dan Murphy’s nationwide in midNovember, with plans to extend the offering in 2021. Pals was founded by Nick Marshall, Mat Croad, and Jay and Anna Reeve, who set out to create a great-tasting lower sugar alcoholic option that filled a gap in the market catering to the healthconscious consumer. Pals launched in New Zealand in October 2019, with stock exhausted nationwide by early January 2020. It is now lauded as one of the fastest growing alcohol brands in New Zealand history. Pals is low in natural sugar, low-calorie, gluten-free and vegan-friendly and comes in five flavours. Federal Merchants
Four Pillars again named World’s Best Gin Producer YARRA VALLEY-BASED distillery Four Pillars was announced as the International Gin Producer of the Year for the second consecutive year at the 51st International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC) in London in November. The International Gin Producer of the Year award is given by the IWSC to the distillery that has not only performed best in the competition with its individual products but has also led the category in innovation and excellence across the year. Four Pillars’ Bloody Shiraz Gin and Rare Dry Gin also won Gold Medals at the competition. Four Pillars Gin was established in 2013 in the Yarra Valley on the outskirts of Melbourne and has become one of the 92 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
world’s benchmark distilleries, Australia’s number one craft spirit and a leading light in the Australian and global gin revolution. Four Pillars makes a range of gins headlined by its original Rare Dry Gin, the recently released Olive Leaf Gin, unique Spiced Negroni Gin, the cult favourite Bloody Shiraz Gin and the world’s most-awarded Navy Strength Gin. It also produces a range of barrel-aged gins, including the sought-after Australian
Christmas Gin and limited release collaborative gins. Four Pillars took on a partnership with Lion as a 50% shareholder in April 2019 and the three founders remain at the helm of the business. Four Pillars produces around 600,000 bottles of gin per year, making it Australia’s leading gin distillery, and is distributed in more than 30 markets across the world. Tickety-Boo
TASTE YOU’VE BEEN
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SPIRITS NEWS
SHOWCASE
Perfect packs from Proof & Company
Gin meets wine at Dancing Sands GOLDEN BAY distillery Dancing Sands has combined distilled New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with contemporary gin to create what it says is a worldfirst Sauvignon Blanc Gin. The award-winning distillery says the new gin has unmistakable aromas of Marlborough Sauvignon, which continue on the palate in passionfruit, green apple and lime flavours, with undertones of juniper berries and manuka leaves from Dancing Sands’ Dry Gin. The husband and wife team behind Dancing Sands, Ben and Sarah Bonoma, started trialling a Sauvignon Blanc Gin over 12 months ago, distilling wine in their R&D still. They partnered with a company that had imported a multi-million dollar piece of equipment that uses vacuum pressure and a centrifuge to lower the temperature to distill the wine; protecting and preserving its original flavours. “We know there are a lot of non-gin drinkers out there who love Sauvignon Blanc so we wanted to craft a style of gin that would appeal to them and traditional gin drinkers alike,” says Sarah Bonoma. “It’s been a long road from the early experiments we tried, but thanks to the COVID lockdown, we finally had time to make it happen!” Dancing Sands Sauvignon Blanc Gin is RRP $79.99
Plantation Rum Experience Pack The Plantation Rum Experience Pack is composed of six elegant rums that perfectly showcase the diverse terroir and unique style of each country: from fruity Barbados to funky Jamaica to the decadent South Americas. Each rum is aged in ex-bourbon barrels in their country of origin and then skillfully blended by Master Blender, Alexandre Gabriel, and aged further in small French oak casks, previously used for Ferrand Cognac. The Experience pack contains: Plantation 3 Star, Original Dark, Grande Reserve, Gran Añejo, XO 20th Anniversary, and Peru Vintage. RRP $109.99
Federal Merchants
Cardrona releases Growing Wings 5YO CRAFT DISTILLERY Cardrona marked its 5th birthday in November, announcing the release of its first five-year-old single cask expression. The ‘Growing Wings’ release is a cask strength whisky (61.2% ABV) that has been aged in a single 500L Gonzalez Byass Oloroso Sherry butt for five years and one day. The whisky is described as “Decadently rich, with fat sticky raisins coated in Cardrona’s signature borage flower honey and cream.” Growing Wings is the highly anticipated release of Cardrona’s second progress report, following the 3YO “Just Hatched” and looks ahead to its future signature 10-year-old. Growing Wings - 375ml bottles, RRP $250. Cardrona Distillery 94 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
Drinks by the Dram – 12 Days of Whisky Giftpack Drinks by the Dram have unveiled the perfect gift for whisky enthusiasts – a journey of discovery that entails a specially-curated dozen featuring fine whiskies from single malts to single grains, blended malts and more. The 12 Days of Whisky Giftpack includes award-winning names like Starward, Buffalo Trace and Glenfiddich, to name just a few. Drinks by the Dram started with the question: “Wouldn’t it be great if you could try a new whisky without having to fork out on a full-sized bottle?” With this in mind, the team took bottles of the best spirits and divided them up into smaller samples, all of which are wax-dipped and handsomely labelled. RRP $99.99 Order from Proof & Company auckland@proofandcompany.com
CRAFTED CAREFULLY. DRINK RESPONSIBLY. You must be 18 years or over. Hancocks Wine, Spirit & Beer Merchants, 318 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand.
SPIRITS NEWS
New Waitoki Washhouse gin ONE OF New Zealand’s newest boutique gin distilleries, Waitoki Washhouse, is busy keeping up with demand for its limited-run gin after launching in June and winning a silver medal in the NZ Spirit Awards 2020 in August. Distiller and Waitoki Washhouse co-founder Steve Freeman produces the gin at his property in Waitoki, northwest of Auckland, in a small-batch, hand-made alembic copper still. “I wanted the tasting notes of this gin to be reflective of where we live and the crisp clear mornings we get in Waitoki. The gin itself is an homage to the great botanicals of New Zealand. I’ve been working on the recipe for a few years so it’s pretty humbling to see a passion project come to life and then to sell out so quickly. Plus get an award on top of that. “The next few months will be just as busy as we’ll be releasing 200ml bottles of the gin and another recipe, plus we’ll be kicking off a refill program for locals shortly,” says Freeman. Waitoki Washhouse Gin combines traditional botanicals of juniper, coriander and angelica root with fresh orange and grapefruit, kawakawa, horopito and a mystery ingredient from a 200-year-old tree on the distillery property. Waitoki Washhouse Gin, 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $79
Waitoki Distiller Steve Freeman
Washhouse Distillery
SHOWCASE
Latest Master’s Collection release from Woodford Reserve WOODFORD RESERVE has released its annual limited-edition high-proof expression – Woodford Reserve Batch Proof – bottled at 61.8% ABV and just in time for Christmas. This expression is part of the annual Master’s Collection series, which celebrates Master Distiller Chris Morris’ vision and Woodford Reserve’s commitment to innovation and craftsmanship within the bourbon and whiskey category. It is a celebration of Woodford Reserve’s proprietary batching process: blending barrels into a batch and bottling the whiskey at its actual proof, straight from the barrel. Batch Proof is crafted using the same grain bill and process as Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon. Batch Proof, however, takes Woodford Reserve’s trademark flavour range of sweet vanilla and toasted
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oak to a whole new level, offering consumers the privilege of tasting Woodford Reserve in its purest form and not the standard 80 proof (40% ABV) for which Woodford is known. “Most people do not get to experience Woodford Reserve at such a high proof presentation, so we are honoured to share this special bourbon with the public,” said Master Distiller Chris Morris. “The intensity and depth of flavour found in Woodford Reserve Batch Proof is truly remarkable.” Woodford Reserve Masters Collection Batch Proof 61.8% ABV, 700ml RRP $179.99
Appearance: Rich chestnut. Aroma: Dried cranberry and raisin fruit spiced with sandalwood, clove, aged leather and a hint of spearmint. A dusting of cocoa and dark chocolate adds to its deep character. Flavour: Rich raisin and brown sugar sweetness balanced with a spicy leather character atop a rich layer of oak, almond and cedar wood notes. Finish: A long finish of raisin fruit and malty sweetness. Hancocks
SPIRITS NEWS
SHOWCASE
Drambuie – the drink that satisfies DRAMBUIE IS the world’s oldest whisky liqueur. It is a blend of aged Scotch whisky, spices, herbs and heather honey and its origins can be traced to a secret recipe created for Bonnie Prince Charlie by his Royal Apothecary in the 18th Century. The name Drambuie is derived from Scots Gaelic “An Dram Buidheach” and means “The Drink that Satisfies”. Drambuie is a unique blend of:
Aged Scotch Whisky: Drambuie is a 40% ABV whisky liqueur made with spirit distilled, aged for a minimum of three years, and bottled entirely in Scotland. Heather honey: Heather honey is ‘thixotropic’, meaning it stays in the form of jelly until stirred, when it becomes fluid, making it
more difficult to extract from hives. Therefore it is often sold in the comb. It has a strong, woody and mildly sweet flavour that persists for a long time. Herbs & spices: The recipe for the secret elixir was first shared in 1745 and is still today a closely guarded secret; only three people know the exact recipe for Drambuie. Tasting Note
Nose: Notes of aromatic citrus spice, fragrant grass and butterscotch. Palate: Mouthfeel is velvety soft with a tang of lemongrass and warming malty notes, berries and heather. Finish: Shortbread, fresh herbs and the unmistakable long afterglow of the Drambuie elixir. Drambuie is distributed by Federal Merchants
Signature Cocktail:
The Rusty Nail • The Rusty Nail first made an appearance at the “B.I.F” (British Industries Fair) in 1937: 3 parts whisky, 1 part Drambuie and bitters. • Though we can’t know which Scotch was first used in the Rusty Nail, it was certainly a blended whisky. • It gained popularity in the 1960s in the 21 Club in Manhattan (2 parts whisky, 1 part Drambuie) with the then chairwoman of The Drambuie Liqueur Company giving it her approval in The New York Times in 1963. • The Rusty Nail was associated with the legendary Rat Pack and was rumoured to be Frank Sinatra’s favourite drink.
SPIRITS NEWS
Batchwell launches new alcoholic kombucha NEW ZEALAND brand Batchwell Kombucha has created Blume – a new premium alcoholic kombucha cooler. Blume’s three flavours are: Gin, Cucumber & Lemon; Vodka, Pineapple & Ginger; and Vodka, Apple & Mint. The new drinks are all blended using Batchwell’s organic kombucha, sparkling water, natural fruit that is cold pressed wherever possible, botanicals and quadruple distilled spirits. Blume is low in sugar (1.3g per 100mls), low in calories (86 - 99 calories per can), free from any artificial flavours, flavour additives or sweeteners, and is 4% ABV.
“When we first launched Batchwell, it really took off because people wanted a kombucha without the BS – one that was hand-crafted, batch-brewed, made only using the finest, all-natural ingredients and that tasted delicious, of course,” says Richard, Blume’s Head Brewer and Co-Founder. “After the success of Batchwell we started to go a little
deeper, looking into what Kiwis really want and how we could respond to their changing drinking habits. Delving into the alcoholic ready-to-drink category, but also putting our own unique, health-focused kombucha spin on it seemed like a natural next step.” Blume 330ml 4-packs RRP $19.99. Blume
Aotearoa’s goddess of gin.
Each drop divine. Pure New Zealand mountain water. Botanicals—fresh, local, hand-selected. Crafted in Taranaki with passion and artistry by NZ’s most sought-after distillers.
junogin.co.nz
DISTRIBUTORS DIRECTORY
Distributors Asahi Beverages NZ
Garage Project
Marisco
Regional Wines
09 298 3000 asahibeverages.co.nz
027 535 0917 garageproject.co.nz
09 522 9684 marisco.co.nz
04 384 9735 regionalwines.co.nz
Astrolabe Wines
Giesen
Mineral
Sawmill Brewery
03 577 6794 astrolabewines.co.nz
03 344 6270 giesen.co.nz
021 183 2356 mineralwine.co.nz
09 422 6555 sawmillbrewery.co.nz
Beam Suntory
Glengarry
Moana Park Estate
Sprig & Fern
0800 69 23 37 beamsuntory.com
0800 733 505 glengarry.co.nz
06 844 8269 moanapark.co.nz
03 544 8675 sprigandfern.co.nz
Beverage Brothers
Good George Brewing
Moët Hennessey
The Premium Liquor Co
03 390 1377 beveragebrothers.co.nz
07 846 9364 goodgeorge.co.nz
0800 226 650 moethennessey.com
09 975 7432 premiumliquor.co.nz
Blush Gin
Grenada Bay
Mucho Gusto
Thirsty Camel
blushgin.co.nz
027 892 5723 grenadabay.nz
info@muchogustowine.co.nz muchogusto.co.nz
info@thirstycamel.co.nz thirstycamel.co.nz
Hãhã Wine
Negociants
Tickety-Boo Liquor
06 833 7814 hahawine.co.nz
0800 634 624 negociantsnz.com
09 377 7597 tickety-boo.co.nz
Hamilton Beer & Wine Co
No.1 Family Estate
Villa Maria
07 839 1190 beerandwine.co.nz
03 572 9876 no1familyestate.co.nz
0800 505 656 villamaria.co.nz
Blume hello@blumecooler.com blumecooler.com
Brandhouse 0508 468 688 brandhouse.co.nz
Broken Heart Spirits 03 442 0819 brokenheartspirits.com
Cardrona Distillery 03 443 1393 cardronadistillery.com
Co-Pilot 09 412 9137 copilotdistributors.co.nz
Coca-Cola Amatil 0800 262 226 ccamatil.co.nz
DB Breweries 0800 746 432 db.co.nz
Emerson’s 03 477 1812 emersons.co.nz
EuroVintage
Hancocks
Otu Wine
Vintners NZ
0800 699 463 hancocks.co.nz
09 215 6650 otuwine.com
0800 687 9463 vintners.co.nz
Helio
Parrotdog
Waiheke Imperial
hello@helio.wine helio.wine
04 384 8077 parrotdog.co.nz
09 372 3192 waihekeimperial.com
Hop and Vine
Peckham’s Cider
Washhouse Distillery
03 348 8278 hopandvine.co.nz
03 543 2959 peckhams.co.nz
info@washhousedistillery.co.nz washhousedistillery.co.nz
Kono
Pernod Ricard
Whisky Galore
04 546 8648 kono.co.nz
0800 655 550 pernod-ricard-nz.com
0508 WHISKY trade.whiskygalore.co.nz
Lion
Procure
Whitehaven
0800 107 272 lionco.com
09 376 9385 procureliquor.co.nz
021 738 315 whitehaven.co.nz
Lunatic & Lover
Proof & Company
Winelord
09 281 0572 lunaticandlover.com
auckland@proofandcompany.com proofandcompany.com
03 542 4145 middleearthwine.com
0800 388 766 eurovintage.co.nz
Federal Merchants 0800 846 824 federalmerchants.co.nz
100 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
LV Wine
Q Liquid
Yealands
03 544 6385 lvwine.conz
09 636 7730 qll.co.nz
03 575 7618 yealands.co.nz
LWF Distilling
Red + White
lwfdistilling.com
0800 946 379 redwhitecellar.co.nz
FREE PHONE: 0800 699 463 FREE FAX: 080029 946 www.hancocks.co.nz
YEAR IN REVIEW
The bright spots It may have been a year that many of us would rather forget, but there were some good bits in 2020 (honest)…
Best Fruit Liqueur in the world Hawke’s Bay company The Damson Collection celebrated winning the title of Best Fruit Liqueur at the World Liqueur Awards 2020 for its Damson Plum Liqueur.
Best Milk Stout in the world Christchurch brewery Cassels won the title of World’s Best Milk Stout at the World Beer Awards 2020. It followed its 2019 win for the same brew for World’s Best Stout & Porter.
Best Heineken bartender in the world Bartender Sarah Ewing from Gore beat nine other global contenders to be named the best Heineken bartender in the world in Amsterdam in January.
Going for gold Three New Zealand distilleries won sought after Gold medals in the hotly contested gin category at the IWSC 2020. With more than 800 entries from around the world, Hastings Distillers, Lighthouse and Scapegrace were among just 54 Golds awarded.
The shows went on…. As industry events and award shows around the world were cancelled, New Zealand’s drinks industry managed to hold many of its main annual fixtures thanks to some perseverance, clever planning and a bit of innovative thinking. Hats off to all those who worked on The NZ Spirits Awards, The Hawke’s Bay A&P Wine Awards, The NZ International Wine Show, The New World Wine Awards, The Marlborough Wine Awards and the NZ Cider Awards, among others.
The COVID harvest Getting in the harvest requires hard work and precise coordination at the best of times, so adding a Level 4 COVID-19 lockdown into the mix really put the pressure on vineyards and workers across the country who truly rose to the occasion (and reported an excellent haul of quality fruit).
Doing things differently When ‘normal’ wasn’t an option, Kiwis found new ways to connect with customers and suppliers and keep things turning over: making hand sanitiser, contactless beer delivery, online wine blending, online tastings, (online everything), cocktail kits for home…
102 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021
DISTRIBUTED BY FEDERAL MERCHANTS & CO.