Drinksbiz December 2017 January 2018 by Hurst Design Co.

DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 DRINKSBIZ.CO.NZ

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FROM THE EDITOR

again put to some of the drinks industry’s leading I’LL CONFESS to being a late starter when it figures in our ‘Future Forecast’ feature on page comes to Rosé. Without ever actually having 28. As with last year, some common themes drunk much of it, I harboured deep-seated emerged and the need to make more meaningful suspicions that it was overtly sweet and fruity, connections with consumers was one of them. and there were also vague childhood memories We’ve seen some really interesting examples of family gatherings and more Mateus Rosé than this year of brands creating experiences around was entirely necessary. In short, I wasn’t given their products. In this issue alone we have news to ordering one at a bar, let alone ever buying a of a collaborative brew between Tuatara and bottle. How things change. When we were planKiwi band Six60, a sneaker collection to mark 30 ning the content for this issue it was impossible years of Asahi Super Dry, and to ignore the veritable tidal a secretive dining event held wave of Rosés that have swept across our wine landscape. When we were planning around the world by tequila brand Patron. Innovating Having sampled my fair share the content for this around product and consumer of the new releases in recent issue it was impossible experience will continue to be months I can say I have been to ignore the veritable won over by the sophisticated, tidal wave of Rosés that key in 2018. Health and wellness remains another developcomplex, drier styles that are have swept across our ing area, and has interesting around. And I’m clearly not wine landscape. implications for the kinds of alone; New Zealanders are products we will see released, going for Rosé in a big way, as is and behavioural shifts around moderation and the rest of the world. We look at the rise of Rosé premiumisation. in our feature on page 44. There are certainly exciting times ahead and Twelve months ago I was reflecting on the politwe look forward to bringing you more news from ical upheavals caused by Trump and Brexit, and the industry in 2018. Wishing you a safe, happy then this year we went and had one of our own. (and prosperous!) festive season, from all of us A change in government always brings a period here at Drinksbiz. of uncertainty, and this time that happens to coincide with our industry’s biggest time of the Victoria Wells year. As the Labour coalition works out where Editor – Drinksbiz the printer toner is kept in their new offices, that victoria@drinksbiz.co.nz question of ‘Where to from here?’ is one we have

DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017/JANUARY 2018

The reach of Rosé

EDITOR’S PICKS Rabbit Ranch Rosé 2017 A pale blush pink, this wine strikes the ideal balance of fresh red fruit character with a delicately dry finish.

Monteith’s Goldsmith Cider This cider had me right from the start. It’s dry and refreshing – a really welcome change from sweeter cider styles. It will convert cider sceptics.

Fever-Tree Aromatic Tonic Water I like this because it’s a clean, dry tonic with a citrus finish, but I like it mainly because I’m a sucker for anything pink and love that this will make the most beautiful G&Ts this summer.

DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 7

CONTENTS

REGULARS

BEER & CIDER

Out & About

Beer & Cider Report

Diary Dates

Opinion: Beers of summer 66

Industry News

Beer & Cider News

Feature: Future Forecast 28

SPIRITS & COCKTAILS WINE

Spirits Report: Rum 72

Wine Report: Champagne and sparkling wines 34

Mixers 81

IWSC Report

Opinion: White rum on the rise 87

Spirits News

Feature: Rise of Rosé 44 High 5: Best new wines 48

LAST ORDERS

Opinion: The return of the big, buttery Chardonnay 50

Distributor Index

Tribute – Terry McCashin

Wine News

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 Advertising Roger Pierce advertising@drinksbiz.co.nz +64 9 361 2347 +64 274 335 354

drinksbiz.co.nz

Associate Member (NZ)

Feature: Rise of Rosé PAGE 44

Drinksbiz is published every second month by Trade Media Limited, 300 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand, phone (09) 361 2347. The contents of Drinksbiz are copyright and may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. Please address all editorial, subscription and advertising

The rum diaries

Tribute – Terry McCashin

enquiries to Trade Media

RUM CATEGORY REPORT – PAGE 72

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8 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Karen Boult Publisher - Drinksbiz

The path ahead I TRAVELLED to Sydney in November to stay with my daughter. She had just finished her second year of University and accordingly, decided we should have a glass to celebrate. After I declined her offer of cask wine we headed out into the neighbouring suburb of Newtown to find a bar instead. Thanks to my daughter’s stamina, we visited many different bars that night. Throughout the evening, I was continuously impressed by the sheer diversity of these establishments. The staff, management and customers alike consistently embodied a broad range of sexualities, genders and races. This diversity was even reflected in the product itself, as we wined and dined on food inspired by India,

Thailand, New Orleans, Jamaica and the Middle East, just to name a few. On one hand, this diversity is to be expected. After all, both New Zealand and Australia have historically been defined by their commitment to the progressive. New Zealand, in particular, embodies this, as evidenced by our suffragettes, our legalisation of gay marriage and our multi-cultural population.

Our own drinks industry, and hospitality as a whole, increasingly reflect the talent, passion and ingenuity of people from a wide variety of backgrounds.

Indeed, our own drinks industry, and hospitality as a whole, increasingly reflect the talent, passion and ingenuity of people from a wide variety of backgrounds. This vision of diversity was further cemented by my own experiences. As a result of my husband’s mayoralty, I have been fortunate enough to attend a number of culturally inspired events this year, including Queenstown’s Diwali Festival. After trying a number of ‘sharbats’, everyone was served a broad array of champagne, wine and beer. Earlier in the year, I proudly watched my son march in Auckland Pride Parade. Following this, we packed into an Auckland bar and shared a celebratory drink with New Zealand’s rainbow community. Just yesterday, a group of friends and I went out for dinner. Each of us ordered a beer. Notably, this entire group were females. From the point of view of our own alcohol industry, we have come a long way since Friday drinks meant just the blokes and a few beers down at the neighbourhood pub. Rather, the industry has evolved to offer a range of products with wide appeal that suit so many occasions in the lives of so many different Kiwis. While I acknowledge that we still have a way to go in many areas of equality – as a 9.4% gender pay gap remains – it is undeniable that 2017 has been a step in the right direction. This Christmas, I look forward to sitting down with my family and drinking a bottle of New Zealand wine, and toasting a more inclusive and diverse future. Thank you for your continuing support of Drinksbiz throughout 2017 and have a very happy festive season. Karen Boult Publisher - Drinksbiz

DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 9

SOCIAL SCENE

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Out & About Nigel Barker, Jay Manuel

and Nigel Barker's wife

Crissy Chin

Invivo launches in New York Invivo’s Tim Lighbourne and Rob Cameron headed to New York in late September to celebrate the wine brand’s launch with their US “glambassador” Nigel Barker.

Tim Lightbourne, Hugh Jack man’s wife Deborra-lee Furness and Rob Cameron

Cordis comes to Auckland

Simon Manning, Cherie Fina

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Michael Shah

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Louise Richardson and Vict

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10 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

A new name and a new look at Cordis, Auckland (formerly The Langham, Auckland) which opened officially on November 1 with a High Tea for media, followed by official opening proceedings and a glamorous gala event.

l and Michael Hooper

Andre Jacque

s and Edward

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SOCIAL SCENE

Susie Hickey and

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Mike Sander

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Sail Away with Cloudy Bay

Gemma Sanders

Cloudy Bay Sail Away returned to Auckland in October, this year at Prego where a special menu was matched with Cloudy Bay wines for the month-long pop-up dining event.

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New Auckland wine retail experience The Wine Cave opened in Newmarket in October. (Read more on page 16.) Joe Wang

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DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 11

DIARY DATES

pinotcelebration.co.nz

DIARY DATES

JANUARY Saturday 20 January BRIDGE PA WINE FESTIVAL – HAWKE’S BAY Eight Hawke’s Bay wineries will each host events, music, and food and wine matches connected by hop on/hop off bus services. Includes Abbey Estate, Alpha Domus, Ash Ridge, Ngatarawa, Oak Estate, Paritua, Redmetal Vineyards and Sileni Estates. Wednesday 24 January THE NZ WINE FAIR SINGAPORE 2018 An opportunity in conjunction with NZ Wine for wineries to showcase their wines in Asia. The New Zealand Wine Fair Singapore 2018 has been scheduled to enable coordinated travel with the Flavours of New Zealand events in London, Dublin and Stockholm. nzwine.com/en/events

Thursday 25 – Saturday 27 January CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT NOIR CELEBRATION A three day event in which more than 30 of Central Otago’s wineries participate in master classes, tastings and food and wine events. Registration essential. pinotcelebration.co.nz

FEBRUARY Saturday 10 February MARLBOROUGH WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL New’s Zealand’s original and longest run-

12 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

Josh Emett with Sam Neill, Central Otago Pinot Noir Celebration

ning wine festival returns to Marlborough’s Brancott Vineyard with more than 40 local wineries taking part. wine-marlborough-festival.co.nz

Saturday 17 February GREATER WELLINGTON BREW DAY A family-friendly festival to showcase breweries, wineries, distilleries, cideries and food from the Greater Wellington Region, with Master Brewers and Distillers.

MARCH Friday 9 – Sunday 11 March SERESIN ESTATE TURNS 25 A three day celebration with New Zealander Chantelle Nicholson, Chef Patron of Tredwells, London creating a degustation menu of lunches and dinners at Seresin Estate’s Waterfall Bay restaurant. seresin.co.nz

cmnzl.co.nz/brewday

Sunday 18 February NELSON WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL A family-friendly festival with Nelson’s wine, beer and food, to be held at Middle Earth Winery in Brightwater. richmondrotary.org.nz/bwff

Friday 16 – Sunday 25 March MELBOURNE FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL Melbourne’s iconic festival returns for 2018 with a schedule of classes and events that brings together local and international names on the food and wine scene. melbournefoodandwine.com.au

pinotcelebration.co.nz

Tickets through eventfinda.

Available from Federal Merchants & Co | P: 0800 846 824

INDUSTRY NEWS

Isabel Estate triumphs at Air NZ Wine Awards

Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2017 – Trophy Winners Air New Zealand Champion Wine of the Show Isabel Chardonnay Marlborough 2016 O-I New Zealand Reserve Wine of the Show Dashwood Pinot Noir Marlborough 2016 JF Hillebrand New Zealand Champion Pinot Noir Dashwood Pinot Noir Marlborough 2016 Label and Litho Limited Champion Sauvignon Blanc Goldwater Sauvignon Blanc Wairau Valley Marlborough 2017 Rabobank Champion Chardonnay Isabel Chardonnay Marlborough 2016 Dish Magazine Champion Open Red Wine Dashwood Pinot Noir Marlborough 2016 Bayleys Real Estate Champion Merlot, Cabernet and Blends Villa Maria Cellar Selection Organic Merlot Hawke’s Bay 2016 Fruitfed Supplies Champion Syrah Coopers Creek Reserve Syrah Hawke’s Bay 2016

Middle left, Bruce Parton, COO at Air New Zealand with Jeremy McKenzie, Chief Winemaker at Isabel Estate Vineyard.

A MARLBOROUGH Chardonnay described as “a very classy example” won the top prize at the 2017 Air New Zealand Wine Awards. The Isabel Chardonnay Marlborough 2016 won the prestigious Air New Zealand Champion Wine of the Show trophy, as well as the Rabobank Champion Chardonnay trophy, at the awards dinner in Hawke’s Bay in late November. “It has a beautiful balance of components with a rich long finish,” said Chair of Judges Warren Gibson. “It’s packed with flavour but still maintains a remarkable lightness on its feet.” The wine’s producer, Isabel Estate Vineyard, is a pioneering winery in Marlborough. They planted their first vineyards in 1980 and have some of the oldest Chardonnay vines in the region. Chief Winemaker Jeremy McKenzie says Isabel Estate Vineyard’s philosophy on working the land is simple: “Respect the soil where the grapes grow and allow the unique characters of each vineyard and variety to be expressed in the final wine.” The second highest accolade of the evening, the O-I New Zealand Reserve Wine of the Show trophy, went to the Dashwood Pinot Noir Marlborough 2016. This impressive Pinot Noir, made by Chief Winemaker Stu Marfell of Foley Family Wines, also won the JF Hillebrand New Zealand Champion Pinot Noir trophy. “As with many of the best wines in this class there is perfume and length with elegant tannins and a lingering and powerful finish,” said Gibson. This year’s competition saw over 1,300 wines entered with 17 trophies announced at the dinner. 14 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

Guala Closures New Zealand Champion Pinot Gris Saddleback Pinot Gris Central Otago 2017 New World Champion Open White Wine Goldwater Sauvignon Blanc Wairau Valley Marlborough 2017 New Zealand Winegrowers Champion Sweet Wine Forrest Botrytised Riesling Marlborough 2016 Plant & Food Research Champion Riesling Mount Riley Riesling Marlborough 2017 Quay Connect Champion Other White Styles Nautilus Albariño Marlborough 2017 Riedel New Zealand Champion Gewürztraminer Lawson’s Dry Hills Gewürztraminer Marlborough 2016 WineWorks Champion Sparkling Wine Aotea by the Seifried Family Méthode Traditionnelle Nelson NV New Zealand Winegrowers Champion Exhibition White or Sparkling Wine Isabel Wild Barrique Chardonnay Marlborough 2016 New Holland Agriculture Champion Exhibition Red Wine Falcon Ridge Estate Syrah Nelson 2016 FOR MEDAL WINNERS VISIT AIRNZWINEAWARDS.CO.NZ

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V e n e t o

INDUSTRY NEWS

New edition of hospo guide

Wine Cave to revolutionise retail experience A NEW retail experience for wine lovers opened in Auckland’s Newmarket in October, offering tastings and dinners and an exclusive members’ programme alongside its store. The Wine Cave is a 554 square metre space on Carlton Gore Road that includes a reception area, store and tasting area, and an exclusive wine and spirits vault, accessible only by a swipe card and available to VIP members to use to host guests and enjoy the private butler service. There is also a multi-purpose warehouse space with commercial kitchen and function area for hire.

The Wine Cave offers 435 wines, 60 spirits and a small selection of craft beers, with the ranging to change regularly. Co-founder and managing director of The Wine Cave, Joe Wang, says the business is at the cutting edge of wine and beverage retail, both in-store and online. “We’re bringing some smart new ideas to the sector, including advanced mobile shopping technology, a membership club and integrated tasting and personalised services,” he says. The Wine Cave’s Sommelier Team will offer monthly tastings of 16 new wines, using a EuroCave wine dispenser. FIND OUT MORE AT WINECAVE.NZ

HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY stalwart and founder of the New Zealand School of Food & Wine, Celia Hay, has released the third edition of her popular book How to Grow Your Hospitality Business: a guide for owners and managers. It is a guide for those looking to make a financial commitment in the industry and covers practical day to day aspects of running a successful hospitality business, through to the financial, legal and compliance aspects required of a manager or owner. This latest edition takes into account recent developments in dining style and innovative concepts, business compliance and marketing advice, including the huge impact of the growth in digital marketing and social media. ORDER ONLINE AT FOODANDWINE.CO.NZ

How to kick-start a service career A COMPREHENSIVE guide introducing young Kiwis to the many career opportunities in New Zealand’s booming service industry is now available online, after it was first published by ServiceIQ, the Industry Training Organisation (ITO) for tourism and travel, retail and retail supply chain, hospitality, aviation, and museums service sectors. Service Career Kick-Starter was distributed nationwide with the Sunday Star Times at the end of October. It includes helpful information, case studies, sector profiles, statistics, job and career paths, and real success stories from just a few of the thousands of talented young New Zealanders gaining an education and industry qualifications on the job. It’s estimated that around 35 percent of all new job opportunities between 2017 and 2021 will be in the sectors ServiceIQ serves. ServiceIQ Chief Executive Dean Minchington says it’s an essential guide to discovering what’s possible and getting a career underway. SERVICE CAREER KICK-STARTER CAN BE DOWNLOADED FROM SERVICEIQ.ORG.NZ/KICK-START

16 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

INDUSTRY NEWS

Raymond Chan honoured at NZ International Wine Show THE NEW Zealand International Wine Show unveiled its top wines and recognised industry veterans at its recent awards ceremony in Auckland. The NZIWS is New Zealand’s largest annual wine competition and this year received more than 2000 entries from New Zealand and 11 other countries, resulting in 243 Gold Medals being awarded. The panel of judges was chaired by Bob Campbell MW, with assistant chief judges Larry McKenna and Peter Cowley. Wine writer Raymond Chan received a standing ovation as he received the Sir George Fistonich Medal, which recognises a person who has made an outstanding contribution to New Zealand wine. The NZIWS commented that: “Raymond Chan has devoted the past 30 years to the promotion of fine wine, in particular fine New Zealand wine. Wine judge, wine critic, wine writer and wine salesman. From his Wellington base Raymond is known throughout the

country for his brilliant wine reviews and his passion for the industry. A genuine legend of New Zealand wine.” Winemaker of the Year was Chris Scott of Church Road, while Champion Wine Company of the Year was EuroVintage. The Nissan Champion Wine of the Show was

Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Chardonnay 2016 – the ninth time since 2005 that a Chardonnay has been crowned. It was selected as the top wine from the 19 Gold Medal Chardonnays and after voting by all the senior judges deemed it the supreme winner. This year’s competition provided the industry with its first major assessment of the 2017 vintage for key variety Sauvignon Blanc, with the judges awarding 18 Golds from 152 entries from wines produced in the 2017 vintage. New Zealand’s other major export variety, Pinot Noir, received 29 Gold Medals, with 13 wines of those from Central Otago, eight from Martinborough and seven from Marlborough. Invivo Central Otago ‘Michelle’s’ Pinot Noir 2016 received the Trophy for Pinot Noir, continuing their success for Pinot Noirs produced in the southern region. Other significant results included 19 Gold Medals for Pinot Gris and 13 Gold Medals for Rosé from 130 entries, illustrating this wine’s meteoric rise in recent times. The most Golds were awarded to Shiraz/ Syrah, with the judges selecting 40 wines to receive Gold Medals – the most ever awarded to a single class in the history of the competition.

New Zealand International Wine Show Trophy Medal Winners Trophy for Champion Pinot Gris Dashwood Marlborough Pinot Gris 2017 Trophy for Champion Sauvignon Blanc Whitehaven Awatere ‘Greg’ Single Vineyard Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2017 Trophy for Champion Riesling Beach House Stoney Beach Gravels Hawkes Bay Riesling 2017 Trophy for Champion Gewürztraminer The Family Company Gisborne Gewürztraminer 2016 Trophy for Champion Viognier Linden Estate Hawke’s Bay Viognier 2014 Trophy for Champion Chardonnay Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Chardonnay 2016 Trophy for Champion Other White Wine Varieties Tyrrells Vat 1 Hunters Semillon 2006 Trophy for Champion Champagne & Methode Traditionelle Louis Roederer Brut Vintage Champagne 2009

Trophy for Champion New Zealand Sparkling Wine Verde Brut NV Trophy for Champion Sweet Wine Riverby Estate Noble Riesling 2015 Trophy for Champion Commercial White Wine Summerhouse Marlborough Chardonnay 2016 Trophy for Champion Rosé Gibbston Highgate ‘Lovemaker’ Central Otago Rosé 2017 Trophy for Champion Pinot Noir Invivo Michelle’s Central Otago Pinot Noir 2016 Trophy for Champion Cabernet Sauvignon & Predominant Blends Three Dark Horses ‘The Bandy’ McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 Trophy for Champion Merlot Predominant & Blends Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2015

Trophy for Champion New Zealand Bordeaux Red Wine Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Malbec 2013 Trophy for Champion Shiraz/Syrah & Predominant Blends Tenafeate Creek One Tree Hill Judgement Shiraz 2014 Trophy for Champion New Zealand Syrah Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2015 Trophy for Champion International Red Wine Varieties Vigne Vecchie Leggenda Primitivo di Manduria 2015 Trophy for Champion Commercial Red Wine Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2015 Trophy for Champion Fortified Wine Lustau San Emilio Pedro Ximenez FOR A FULL LIST OF MEDAL WINNERS VISIT NZIWS.CO.NZ

18 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

www.ServiceIQ.org.nz

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Contact ServiceIQ to find out how your hospitality or retail business can go to the next level with one small step. With ServiceIQ, your staff could even upskill for free.

The difference comes down to three words and one simple concept: on-job training.

It’s the difference between just doing the job and doing it brilliantly. So brilliantly in fact, that your customers come back more often, spend more, bring their friends and recommend you to others.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Best of Hawke’s Bay at A&P Wine Awards THE BEST of Hawke’s Bay winemaking was recognised at the recent Hawke’s Bay A&P Bayleys Wine Awards, which is now in its 17th year. The oldest regional wine awards competition in New Zealand, the Awards accept entries from wineries with wine made from 85 per cent Hawke’s Bay grapes. Major results from the Awards night in October are below. Champion Wine of Show Te Awa Single Estate Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 Reserve Champion Wine of Show Church Road McDonald Series Syrah 2015 Champion Commercial Red Wine Clearview Estate Cape Kidnappers Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2016 Champion Commercial White Wine Church Road Pinot Gris 2017 Champion Export Wine of Show Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawke’s Bay

Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 Outstanding Wine of Provenance Sacred Hill Riflemans Chardonnay 2005, 2010, 2015 Best Student Wine Kaoru Mizuguchi, Hyota Sato, Chris Borain, Yuji Masuo 4 Little Pigs Merlot 2016 Hawke’s Bay A&P Society Young Vintners Scholarship Sanne Witteveen House of Travel Hastings & Havelock North Hawke’s Bay Cellar Door of the Year Church Road Winery

Trophy Winners and Best in Class Merlot Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Merlot 2015 Red Blends Cabernet Sauvignon Dominant Beach House Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc Malbec 2015 Red Blends Merlot Dominant Te Awa Single Estate Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Merlot Gold Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 Syrah Church Road Mcdonald Series Syrah 2015

Pinot Noir Osawa Prestige Collection Pinot Noir 2014 (Silver, Best In Class) Other Premium Red Varietals and Blends Church Road Mcdonald Series Tempranillo 2015 Chardonnay Clearview Estate Endeavour Chardonnay 2015 Sauvignon Blanc and/or Semillon Te Awanga Estate, Quarter Acre Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Pinot Gris Church Road Pinot Gris 2017 Viognier Decibel Hawkes Bay Viognier 2016 Premium White Varietals Askerne Gewürztraminer 2016 Sweet Wines Te Awanga Estate, One Off ‘One Oh One’ Noble Gewürztraminer 2016 Rosé Left Field Hawkes Bay Rosé 2017 Sparkling Wine Alpha Domus Ad Cumulus Methode Traditionelle 2015 (Silver, Best In Class) FOR A FULL LIST OF MEDAL WINNERS VISIT SHOWGROUNDSHB.CO.NZ

‘Hospo’ the new answer for industry A NEW local online platform called ‘Hospo’ has launched with the aim of making life easier for those running hospitality businesses, and those looking for work in the industry. The idea for hospo.co.nz came from industry veteran Pieter Van De Klundert, who is also Director of The Learning Place, an NZQA training provider that developed the online Licence Controller Qualification (LCQ). Hospo offers a solutions-based package that covers the elements of running a hospitality business, such as rostering, recruitment and staff training, while ensuring legal compliance. Membership for jobseekers is free (with an upgrade package available for premium listings) while an annual fee of $250 allows managers and owners to access the platform’s full services. These include rostering tools to simplify manag-

20 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

ing large staff numbers; filtering jobseeker profiles by experience, location, and availability, then shortlisting and contacting potentials quickly and easily; and downloading templates for health and safety plans, job contracts and more. The heavily regulated hospitality industry requires staff to undertake training to maintain compliance, so Hospo makes this easy too, with unlimited access to its interactive online platform ensuring compliance with Fire Evacuation, Food Safety, Service of Alcohol guidelines, and Workplace Health & Safety. All modules are available in English, Korean, Hindi & Mandarin. The website even offers Live Chat with a Duty Manager so you can ask questions or double-check any issues in real time.

Pieter Van De Klundert says his experience working in and owning hospitality businesses highlighted the challenges facing the industry. “Being a part of it all has provided the realisation of the huge amount of hard work it takes to make these businesses financially viable, alongside the massive demands to make sure everything we do is legally compliant. We have talked extensively with people in the industry to develop a solutions-based package that provides the core essentials to operating your business successfully.” FIND OUT MORE AT HOSPO.CO.NZ

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Peckham’s tops NZ Cider Awards again UPPER MOUTERE cidery Peckham’s was the one to beat at the NZ Cider Awards 2017, winning five of the seven Trophies on offer and taking home the Champion Trophy for the third year running. It was Peckham’s ‘Wild All The Way’ that won the top prize at the award ceremony in Nelson in November. The cider is described as “a rich Kiwi cider with deep English cider country roots.” It is made from a blend of three wild ferments that have been maturing for over a year: a rich caramel Kingston Black single variety, a gentle yet tannic bittersweet blend, and a complex oak fermented and matured Perry.

Peckham’s cidery and orchard are run by husband and wife team Alex and Caroline Peckham, who make vintage ciders from tree ripened heritage cider apples grown in the Moutere. The couple produced their first cider in 2010 and use farmpressed juice from cider apples to make their small batch blends. The New Zealand Cider Awards are the only national Awards dedicated to cider, and entries are judged against international criteria by a panel of expert cider judges. Organisers say this year’s awards attracted more entries and at a higher standard than ever before.

Caroline Peckham

Trophy Winners Champion Cider Peckham’s – Wild All The Way Contemporary NZ Cider Paynter’s – Paynter’s Cider 2015 Traditional Cider Peckham’s – Wild All The Way Perry/Pear Cider Peckham’s – Moutere Perry

Cider with Fruit McCashin’s Brewery – Rochdale Three Berry Cider with Hops, Spices, Botanicals or Honey Peckham’s – Kingston & Alford Specialty Cider Peckham’s - Ice Cider

The summer of Social Drinkware CATERING FOR event crowds or even a large gathering at home will be easier than ever this summer with the new premium stemless wine tumblers made from recyclable PET plastic by Kiwi company Social Drinkware. The high quality 470ml tumblers come in retail 4-packs (RRP$9.99) and 48-pack hospitality boxes. They are available through Southern Hospitality. Social Drinkware co-owner Nick Borland says they have a superior look and feel compared with other similar products on the market and are more cost-effective. The new tumblers are

22 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

ideal for small or large-scale events where glass isn’t practical, or a recyclable option is preferred. Borland says the glasses are a modern premium wine glass shape, with crystal clear clarity. “Although it is plastic, when there’s wine in it it’s so light and so thin you’d almost think you were drinking out of a glass.” The tumblers are designed to be single use and are recyclable, but can also be washed and re-used. The product’s sustainability extends to its recyclable packaging of PET plastic trays inside a cardboard box.

Borland says the larger boxes are designed to be “hospo ready”, to make event set-up easy. “Everything is in a tray so it’s easy to open and pull out. You’re handling it by the base of the glass so there are no fingers at the top.” He says the glasses are ideal for bars and restaurants wanting to supplement glass with plastic for an indoor/outdoor event. Champagne flutes and craft beer tumblers are in the pipeline too and Social Drinkware can also create products to customers’ requirements around size, pour lines and branding. FIND OUT MORE AT SOCIALDRINKWARE.COM

Live life a glass half full Premium plastic wine tumblers, beautifully crafted to give the appearance of glass, whilst being durable, affordable and recyclable. Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re interested in selling our retail 4 pack in your store or simply requiring our tumblers for an event or function, we have pricing structures to cater for any social occasion. Talk to us to find out more, or to place your first order.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Liquor delivery from My Beer Case AUCKLAND COMPANY My Beer Case is aiming to meet the growing desire for on-demand liquor sales with its liquor home delivery service. My Beer Case CEO, Harmeet Sehgal, says their website is designed to engage customers in the same way as a bricks and mortar liquor store. “We’d expect the attendant at a bottle shop to know about his product and communicate effectively ensuring customers get what they’re looking for. At My Beer Case we’ve created the same experience but in the online space,” he says. My Beer Case delivers liquor in Auckland within an hour of ordering for a $5 delivery fee. It lists over 350 products on its website,

across beer, wine and spirits. “Over 95% of our wines are from New Zealand,” says Sehgal. “We buy from local suppliers and support the national liquor trade to ensure consistent supply.” Harmeet Sehgal says a primary focus of the business is to ensure that the Sale of Liquor Act is upheld whilst also ensuring safety and security of the delivery crew. “Although remote sellers are considered low risk, we don’t want to contribute towards a ‘fast food style’ liquor delivery service,” he says. “The company hasn’t encountered any liquor related issues where they have had to refuse delivery but state that all delivery drivers are trained in the Sale of Liquor Act and there is always a Manager on Duty.” My Beer Case is now extending its digital offerings and logistics in preparation for the holiday period. FIND OUT MORE AT MYBEERCASE.CO.NZ

Unique tutorial opportunity with Family of Twelve NEW ZEALAND’S Family of Twelve group of wineries is inviting applications from 12 wine professionals to join a unique two-day wine tutorial in July 2018. The event, to be held every two years, will include eight workshops and three dinners featuring guest speakers, a selection of Family wines including old vintages, unreleased wines and barrel samples that will be presented alongside benchmark examples of wine from many of the world’s great wine regions. Family Chair, Judy Finn of Neudorf, says the purpose of the tutorial is to pass on first-hand knowledge to the New Zealand wine industry’s next generation of leaders, representatives and communicators. “This will be a world class event,” she says. “Our collective background presents an unmatched opportunity to lead our industry and foster the next generation of the New Zealand wine industry.” The inaugural Family of Twelve Wine Tutorial will be held 15-18 July 2018 at Craggy Range in Hawke’s Bay, one of the Family wineries. Of the 12 places available each year, nine will be open to the New Zealand wine industry, plus three prioritised for applicants from Family wineries. All candidates will be selected through an essay submission which will address the question: ‘What will you do for the New Zealand wine industry?’ At the conclusion of the Tutorial, one of the 12 candidates will be named Dux and will enjoy a hosted wine experience for two in a major Australian wine region. They will also receive a collection of the Family’s hero wines for their cellar. The Family of Twelve is: Kumeu River, Villa Maria, Millton Vineyard, Craggy Range, Ata Rangi, Palliser Estate, Neudorf Vineyards, Nautilus Estate, Fromm Winery, Lawson’s Dry Hills, Pegasus Bay and Felton Road. APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN AND CLOSE 2ND FEBRUARY 2018. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND TO APPLY VISIT: FAMILYOFTWELVE.CO.NZ/THE-FAMILY-OF-TWELVE- WINE-TUTORIALAPPLICATION-INFORMATION OR CONTACT KATE PRITCHARD ON INFO@FAMILYOFTWELVE.CO.NZ 24 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

Kiwi nominated for top global wine role NEW ZEALAND Winegrowers has welcomed the Government’s nomination of Dr John Barker as a candidate for the role of Director General of the International Organisation of Vine & Wine (OIV). The OIV is the inter-governmental scientific and technical reference body for wine. Based in Paris, with 46 members accounting for more than 85 per cent of global wine production and nearly 80 per cent of world consumption, it is sometimes referred to as the ‘UN of wine’. The current Director General, M. Jean-Marie Aurand of France, will step down from his role in December 2018, after serving a five-year term. The election will be held in July 2018. If elected, Dr Barker would be the first person from outside Europe to hold the role. Dr Barker is a lawyer and consultant specialising in the wine sector. He has represented New Zealand as an expert delegate at the OIV for 12 years, and was President of the OIV’s Law and Economy Commission from 2009 to 2012. He is the primary external counsel to New Zealand Winegrowers and advises clients throughout the wine world. CEO of New Zealand Winegrowers, Philip Gregan, says Dr Barker is an ideal candidate. “He has deep understanding and expertise in the global vine and wine sector built on 20 years of experience. Dr Barker has been at the forefront of major technical, policy and trade developments that have supported the success of the New Zealand wine industry. He has a unique global perspective from his experience across many grape and wine producing countries and his leadership roles in the OIV and other international wine sector organisations.”

INDUSTRY NEWS

Chill this summer GET YOUR business ready to offer delicious frozen slushies and cocktails this summer with help from Kiwi company Zexx, which offers cost-effective, efficient frozen drink-making solutions for retail hospitality, party and event catering. Zexx’s two core ranges will have you covered. Triple 3 is a full-fruit, no preservative, 7% ABV slushy mix, while Fruzo Supreme is 99% fruit juice with no added sugar. Both are supplied in concentrate form as an all-inclusive liquid to reduce onsite preparation time. Zexx also supplies the Italian dispensing machinery required. The Triple 3 machine is ideal for tapping into the summer Frosé trend, easily creating slushies and other frozen drinks with Rosé wine. Zexx Managing Director, Derek Sampson, says the options are endless. “Our machines can slush any sort of alcohol, which opens up a world of possibilities for bar staff to get creative with value added products.” The Zexx granita (slushy) machines pour product to a standard consistency every time, and Zexx even takes care of the maintenance. Zexx NZ provides its locally made beverage products and machinery to more than 250 sites around New Zealand, as well

as overseas. It is a trusted partner for major restaurant chains Cobb & Co and Mexicali Fresh. Its Fruzo range was used to refresh Cobb & Co’s kids’ drinks menu, while Mexicali Fresh teamed up with Zexx nine years ago to create its popular signature Margarita. FIND OUT HOW TO ADD ZEXX’S QUALITY FROZEN DRINKS RANGE TO YOUR LINE-UP. CONTACT ZEXX ON 0800 556 022 OR VISIT ZEXXNZ.CO.NZ

FULL FRUIT - NO PRESERVATIVE - ALCOHOL SLUSHIES

0800 556 022 www.zexxnz.co.nz

INDUSTRY NEWS

Garage Project triumphs at Brewers Guild Awards

WELLINGTON BREWERY Garage Project is riding high after being named New Zealand’s Champion Brewer at the 2017 Brewers Guild of New Zealand Awards. The Te Aro brewery beat 111 other breweries, including nine overseas entries, to win New Zealand’s most prestigious brewing industry honour. The Award was presented

at the Brewers Guild Gala Dinner held in Christchurch in October. Garage Project’s win was secured through its medal-haul of four Golds, nine Silvers, and 13 Bronze, which were all determined through blind judging by an expert panel. Garage Project also won the Trophy for Best Flavoured and Aged Beer, for its Cabbages and Kings Imperial Oyster Stout. Brewers Guild Chairman, Jonathan Alve, says Garage Project’s win shows the ever-increasing level of innovation in New Zealand brewing. “Ever since it started, Garage Project has built a reputation for boundary-bending beers created with unusual ingredients and techniques. The fact it won 26 medals shows that this innovative approach also produces a wide range of beers that are technically excellent in their delivery.” Garage Project was established in 2011 by Jos Ruffell and brothers Pete and Ian Gillespie. It famously released 24 different beers in its first 24 weeks, in tiny 50-litre batches. Today, it operates in a former petrol station on Wellington’s Aro Street, and has a second site for wild-fermented and experimental brews.

INDUSTRY NEWS

The brewery has collected a string of brewing and business accolades, including a silver medal at the 2014 World Beer Cup; topping the Deloitte’s Fast 50 in 2015; and the Society of Beer Advocates Best Brewery award in 2014, 2015 and 2016. Garage Project has also created collaborations with other businesses as diverse as Singapore Airlines, The Royal New Zealand Ballet, Wellington Zoo and Weta Workshop. The 2017 Brewers Guild Awards had a record 964 entries, up nearly 200 from two years before. Other major awards on the night included: • The Morton Coutts Award for Innovation to Hamish Jones of The Nuts Brewing Co. • The 2017 Industry Achievement Award to Gabi and Doug Michael of Gladfield Malt. • The Beer Writer of the Year Award to Alice Galletly, author of How to Have a Beer. • Jenny Cameron, Ralph Bungard and Craig Bowen, who were honoured for their Guild service.

Winners at the 2017 Brewers Guild Awards Gladfield Malt New Zealand Champion Brewery Garage Project

BeerNZ European Ale Tuatara Brewing - Tripel Barrel

Enpac Champion Manufacturer Steam Brewery

Beertown.NZ US Ale Brave Brewing - Clifford

NZ Hops Champion International Brewery Boston Beer Co. O-I New Zealand International Lager McLeod’s Brewery - Longboarder Cryermalt New Zealand Lager Eagle Brewing - Dry Hopped Pilsner ICIB Insurance Brokers British Ale Lion BSW NZ - Speight’s 5 Malt Old Dark

Weyermann Pale Ale Tuatara Brewing - Aotearoa Pale Ale Ecolab Strong Pale Ale Bootleg Brewery - Ape Hanger IPA Kegstar Stout & Porter Sawmill Brewery - Sawmill Baltic Porter The Shout Wheat & Other Grain Sawmill Brewery - Sawmill/ Good George Weizenbock Excel Digital Flavoured & Aged Garage Project -

Cabbages and Kings Plant & Food Research Specialty, Experimental, Aged, Barrel & Wood-Aged Liberty Brewing - Prohibition Convention Management NZ Cider or Perry Lion BSW NZ - Isaac’s Cider Original Label & Litho Fruit or Flavoured Cider or Perry Zeffer Cider - Apple Crumble Cider Viniquip International Packaging Emerson’s Brewery - Emerson’s Range FOR A FULL LIST OF MEDAL WINNERS VISIT BREWERSGUILD.ORG.NZ

New Zealand’s premier wine industry jobsite Delivering outstanding results for employers and jobseekers

FUTURE FORECAST - 2018

Looking ahead We asked senior members of the drinks industry for their thoughts on what lies ahead for 2018 Clive Weston Managing Director, Negociants NZ With the NZ general election behind us, how do you think business is feeling about the next 12 months? “Wary” would be my adjective here. Business and consumer confidence had been tracking well and it remains to be seen whether the new coalition can maintain those levels of positivity, among a healthy majority of businesses and voters. For now, the new government will be enjoying its honeymoon period, retailers should look forward optimistically to another buoyant Christmas trading season and at Negociants New Zealand, we’d like to think that whatever Kiwis reflect on, over the course of their well-earned summer holiday, they do so, with a decent glass of wine in their hand. That’s what keeps us in business after all! What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the industry in the year ahead? This depends very much on where you sit on the chain that links the grape to the glass. Growers will be looking for extra returns on their grapes, wineries will seek to convert stock to cash profitably, distributors will battle to preserve and enhance margin, while retailers hunt down the best deals they can get for their consumers. Whilst easier said than done, creating an environment where the consumer believes in trading up – think the craft beer movement for example – will ultimately deliver privately owned industry players like Negociants, the results they crave. How has today’s consumer changed from 5-10 years ago, and how are you evolving to address this? If it’s not too obvious a statement, the consumer of 5-10 years ago is 5-10 years older! The key here is to ensure that new wine consumers are

28 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

introduced to the category, as those in their twilight years ease back on consumption or stop their alcohol intake completely. Every label on the market is competing for share of mind and the brand owners, who recognise this and evolve brands and strategies to seize that opportunity, will benefit. Our view is that a mix of reinvigorating established brands, evolving new ones and presenting them all in a relevant way to the incoming wine consuming generation is key. Recognising that millennials, if my children are anything to go by, make the bulk of their shopping decisions and purchases from a smart device and making that point of purchase as easy for them as possible, is vital. What are the trends you expect to see surface and/or continue in 2018? Rosé and Brosé – I can’t see the pink juggernaut slowing down anytime soon. This booming category, which is now about as large as Cabernet Sauvignon, means that multiple wineries and importers are jumping on the bandwagon. Like all successful wine categories, we will doubtless discover examples of Rosés that swing between the opportunistic and shockingly undrinkable, to great examples that are simply irresistible. The low alcohol or lighter wines category is moving ahead and I don’t foresee that diminishing in 2018/19. How do you see the continuing trends of wellness and moderation affecting the industry? It’s a global, certainly a Western phenomenon that’s set to continue well into the future and many factors are contributing to this – drink driving, lower alcohol for health reasons, the call for sugar-free beverages and food, the drive to eliminate obesity, general

fitness awareness…the list goes on. The rise and rise of low alcohol and lower alcohol but dry wines, is set to continue. The promotion of wine with food, rather than on its own is worthy of further marketing investment. What are your hopes for the industry in 2018? I appreciate the editor’s openended brief and note that these are “hopes” for 2018, rather than beliefs! So how about: • A moratorium on the annual 1 July excise increase – give the industry a break, please. • A law that ensures that excise increases applied by government statute annually on 1st July, must flow right through the chain to the end consumer. • A bountiful 2018 New Zealand wine harvest of outstanding quality, that delivers excitement to our consumers and opinion formers, whether at home or abroad. • That the passion, drive and enthusiasm of New Zealand’s “A” team wineries and winemakers, provides the financial returns, so critical to their survival and reinvestment in their businesses. This is top of the pyramid stuff but everyone wins if the reputation of brand New Zealand wine is second to none • A 10% increase in consumption per capita of wine; i.e. about two litres extra, per head, annually.

FUTURE FORECAST – 2018

James Collins Country Manager NZ, Asahi Beverages With the NZ general election behind us, how do you think business is feeling about the next 12 months? The advent of a new coalition government will bring new and different ideas about the way forward for New Zealand. As with any change within the New Zealand market there will be a period of adjustment and acquainting ourselves with a new relationship between government and business. We are confident that our new government is considered and works in the best interest of New Zealand, capturing the resourcefulness of the New Zealand people for sustainable growth. From a drinks perspective, we expect continued support of not only the growers, manufacturers and distributors of drinks, but also continued support to the many small business operators that make their living through the sales and distribution of great New Zealand drinks products. What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the industry in the year ahead? Independent Liquor is focused on producing great brands to meet our consumers’ needs. We do this with great people focused on building our brands and delivering solutions that help our customers provide products to consumers. As we plan for the year ahead we continue to face impediments to our business in the form of rising input costs, access to people resources and potential uncertainty around the regulations surrounding the supply and sale of products in the New Zealand market. How has today’s consumer changed from 5-10 years ago, and how are you evolving to address this? Independent Liquor developed as a business willing to try new things, this willingness to continue to innovate is part of our DNA. The consumer is central to this innovative philosophy. Consumers are increasingly becoming more conscious of what they consume. Tastes are evolving, a focus on the ingredients, the source of product and the overall impact on health are increasingly important. A good example of this is the craft beer segment which highlights the changes occurring in the market. Craft beer has witnessed strong growth based on unique

flavours, quality ingredients and seasonal varietals. New market entrants have established themselves and are able to differentiate themselves with the unique proposition they can offer. Independent Liquor has welcomed these changes to the market. We continue to invest in our innovation pipeline and consumers are at the centre of our thinking. We look for drink solutions that can create connections for our consumers as they evolve their needs out of consumer products.

How do you see the continuing trends of wellness and moderation affecting the industry? Overall, the industry sees the trend of moderation and wellness positively. We aim for a sustainable industry that encourages moderation and reduction of harm. As a member of Spirits Council NZ, Independent Liquor is committed to the voluntary RTD code where we self-regulate for the sale and supply of pre-mixed spirit based drinks, only supplying RTD

What are the trends you expect to see surface and/or continue in 2018? Over a number of years Independent Liquor has witnessed a change to New Zealand consumers’ product choices, toward premium products with meaningful attributes, either the quality of the ingredients or the additional product attributes. Independent Liquor is well placed in this space with a portfolio positioned for the changing consumer preference. Brands like “Long White”, launched in the last two years, provide quality ingredients and has helped to drive growth. Similarly, Honesty Box cider uses exclusively New Zealand apples to produce a great cider product. However, even with single sourced ingredients, or positive product attributes and marketing, the quality of the liquid remains essential. If the product does not taste great then consumers will choose another product.

drinks with an alcohol content at or below 7%, committing to single serve drinks and restricting how RTDs are marketed. On a more proactive approach, Independent Liquor continues to look at ways we can create brands that meet consumers’ trend toward wellness. We continue to review not only what we put into product but also what we can take out of products and still maintain great tasting products that offer better options to our consumers. Boundary Road Thomas Edison is a great example of this, where our brewers have produced a lower ABV with the full taste of a regular strength beer. What are your hopes for the industry in 2018? Independent Liquor is committed to its people and its brands. As we move into 2018 I remain focused on engaging our workforce within an industry that produces high quality, responsible products that keep the wellbeing of our consumer at the centre of all we do. DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 29

FUTURE FORECAST – 2018

Rory Glass Managing Director, Lion With the NZ general election behind us, how do you think business is feeling about the next 12 months? At Lion, we’re positive about the outlook for the next 12 months. Business does well when New Zealand does well, and making New Zealand a more vibrant place to live and work is in everyone’s interests. We look forward to working with the new Government as we champion a positive drinking culture, through our products, customers and through our industry initiatives, like Cheers! We’re very supportive of the new focus on gender pay equity, and the new Government goal of closing the public service gender pay gap. At Lion, diversity and inclusion has been a big focus for us over the last 18 months. We recently won the Gold Award at the YWCA Equal Pay Awards for our work to close the gender pay gap at Lion, so it’s great to see the Government throwing their weight behind this important issue.

30 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the industry in the year ahead? Digital disruption continues to challenge our traditional way of doing business, but it also presents huge opportunities if we’re innovative and agile enough to harness it. We’ve worked hard on embedding “test and learn” culture at Lion to ensure we remain open to experimenting, trying new things, “failing fast”, and trying again if we don’t get it right. Congestion in the market is another key challenge, and creates problems for our customer and consumer experience. It’s incumbent upon all of us to manage our ranging appropriately, and ensure that we’re prepared to make hard decisions about under-performing products. The uncertainty around the implementation of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act, and particularly liquor licensing rules, continues to create challenge with inconsistency around how licensing laws are applied affecting our customers. We’ll continue to work in this area to try to bring some clarity to the rules, particularly around trading hours.

How has today’s consumer changed from 5-10 years ago, and how are you evolving to address this? Our consumers’ taste and preferences continue to evolve – it’s no longer just about beer. That said, Steinlager Tokyo Dry launched just over a year ago, our biggest launch in over a decade and continues to perform strongly, including with marginal beer drinkers. So there’s still a strong market for beer if you get it right. Our product portfolio continues to diversify – we’ve just launched Seven Sundays, a fruit-infused wine, and our non-alcoholic portfolio continues to grow. In October, we invested in a Taurangabased kombucha company called Good Buzz, and we’re excited to support them as they continue to grow. We’d love to see Good Buzz kombucha on tap on-premise before too long. We’re also continuing to investigate the opportunities offered by the evolution in digital technology. This year we ran Lion Unleashed, an accelerator programme which enabled us to partner with startups and scale-ups. Some great ideas have come out of that process, and we’ve built strong networks within the start-up community.

FUTURE FORECAST – 2018

What are the trends you expect to see surface and/or continue in 2018? Moderation and premiumisation will continue to be strong trends in 2018. They’re complementary trends – as people learn more about what they are consuming, they’re often willing to pay a bit more for a better product, but consume a bit less. We think this is a win for everyone – the consumer, industry and society. Sustainability and transparency continue to gain momentum, and are both key priorities for Lion in 2018. We have a few projects planned in this space, including supporting the development of a micro-brewery underpinned by sustainability principles. Watch this space! How do you see the continuing trends of wellness and moderation affecting the industry? Wellness and moderation are huge trends, and we think they’ll only continue to grow in importance to consumers and the industry. We’re continuing to invest in our non-alcoholic portfolio, which includes established performers like Höpt and Mac’s Soda, and new additions like Lindauer Sparkling Grape Juice and Good Buzz kombucha. This year we launched our coffee offering, The Good Patron, which is an allin-one coffee solution. It includes not only the coffee, but the machine, the training and the servicing, allowing on-premise operators to include a quality coffee product in their offering. (You don’t have to be a Lion customers to sign up either – get in touch if you’re interested!) In the beer space, we recently launched Speight’s Summit Ultra Low Carb which is performing strongly. What are your hopes for the industry in 2018? As an industry, I hope we continue to embrace change, whether it’s in our product portfolio or in how we do business. Innovation and diversity in all aspects of business bring great benefits, so I’m hopeful that our industry will continue to look for ways to harness these opportunities. We all have a role to play in helping Kiwis consume our products safely and sociably, so I’m confident that industry will continue to champion a positive drinking culture in New Zealand.

Sarah Knight GM NZ, Beam Suntory With the NZ general election behind us, how do you think business is feeling about the next 12 months? With any change in government there will be a degree of nervousness, but from our perspective it will be business as usual for the next 12 months. What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the industry in the year ahead? The biggest challenge facing the industry is keeping up with the pace of our consumers’ ever-changing needs. Portfolio is important, as having the right offering at the right time is expected today more than ever. With more consumers focusing on health and well-being, and searching for premium products, the industry must change and adapt product offerings to meet consumer expectations. How has today’s consumer changed from 5-10 years ago, and how are you evolving to address this? Today’s consumer is markedly different from the consumer of five years ago. They are more health conscious, and are seeking out premium products. The rate at which consumers are adopting new trends is certainly increasing, which puts pressure on manufacturers to ensure the products and brands we represent reflect the consumer appetite. At Beam Suntory, we are always evolving the way in which we communicate our offering to customers and consumers alike. What are the trends you expect to see surface and/or continue in 2018? Certainly, premiumisation trends will continue with craft and artisanal products growing in popularity across the industry. As consumers become more and more focused on health and wellbeing, and the industry drives better understanding around responsible drinking behaviours, we would also expect to see continued positive change in this direction. How do you see the continuing trends of wellness and moderation affecting the industry? A focus on wellness and moderation is a positive step forward – one that has been driven by industry, trade and consumers alike. This trend will continue through 2018 and into the 2020s, meaning that the industry must adapt to stay relevant. A shift towards beverage offerings that cater to wellness – such as low ABV, zero sugar alternatives, and lighter mixer options – has already begun, and consumers can expect to see more of these offerings in the next 12 months. What are your hopes for the industry in 2018? Continued investment and support of responsible drinking behaviours, meaning our customers and consumers can enjoy our products in a safe and reasonable way.

DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 31

FUTURE FORECAST – 2018

Peter Simons Managing Director, DB Breweries

With the NZ general election behind us, how do you think business is feeling about the next 12 months? I think many businesses will be taking a ‘watch and wait’ approach following the election. The coalition government has announced a number of new policies, but there is still uncertainty as to how these will be implemented and what effect they might have. In the meantime, we will be preparing for the year ahead by ensuring that we remain consumer-focused and by continuing to build brands that people can connect with. An important part of this approach will be to seek new opportunities to reduce our environmental footprint and to expand our work in promoting the responsible consumption of alcohol. What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the industry in the year ahead? It’s no secret that mainstream beer consumption has been declining for a number of years now, yet we’ve seen significant increases in both the number of breweries and beers in the New Zealand market over the past few years. While this is great news for the consumer and for the beer category, it will most likely continue to place pressure on the industry as a number of players compete for market share. The key to meeting this challenge, and for creating value, will be to focus on quality over quantity, and to continually innovate to remain relevant. The wider hospitality industry is also 32 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

likely to face ongoing challenges related to managing local regulatory changes, and the government’s plans to tighten immigration and increase the minimum wage. How has today’s consumer changed from 5-10 years ago, and how are you evolving to address this? We know that people are placing greater value on their physical and emotional wellbeing as they become more informed about what’s good for them and their bodies. DB has always been a strong advocate for responsible consumption and helping consumers make informed decisions. We’ve shown this through successful product innovation in low and no alcohol and low carb, with the launch of brands such as DB Export 33, DB Export Citrus and Heineken Light. We’ve also observed a growing desire by consumers to make more socially and environmentally conscious choices, without compromising on their comfort of living and experiences. Consumers are also looking to get greater satisfaction from the interactions they have with products, services and brands. In our constantly changing world, creating rich, connected experiences is important for the industry. Our recent DB Export Brewtroleum and Beer Bottle Sand campaigns are addressing the increasing demand for the responsible use of natural resources, while providing consumers with a stronger connection to the brand.

What are the trends you expect to see surface and/or continue in 2018? We expect all of the above trends of health and wellbeing, conscious choices and rich, connected experiences to continue. Linking into this is the growing trend of premiumisation and variety. Consumers are seeking high quality products and services, and greater choice. The growth of craft beer is a great example of this, and at DB, we have been developing our portfolio to meet the needs of consumers at different stages of the craft journey. Monteith’s provides a great entry point to craft, while Tuatara and Black Dog offer more experimental brews. Additionally, consumer choices are heavily influenced by lack of time and the need for convenience and simplicity. People will continuously be looking for products and services that easily and quickly help them enjoy and keep up in life. How do you see the continuing trends of wellness and moderation affecting the industry? I believe that moderation, wellness and the demand for quality will continue to be important features for the industry going forward. These trends represent great opportunities for brewers, and are priorities for the team at DB. As part of our work in this area, we have committed to putting nutritional information panels on our beers to help consumers make informed choices about what they are drinking. We also regularly promote the responsible consumption of alcohol through our brands, such as the recent Heineken campaign featuring Sir Jackie Stewart, who advocates that when you drive you never drink. What are your hopes for the industry in 2018? The trends that have emerged over the past few years have resulted in some great developments within the beer category. We’ve seen a proliferation of beer varieties as a result of the growing enthusiasm for craft, with consumers seeking quality and variety over quantity. And the health and wellbeing movement has resulted in more options for consumers seeking low and no alcohol options to complement a healthier lifestyle. I think there are a lot of interesting spaces for the industry to play in moving forward and consumers should reap the benefits.

BROWN IS THE NEW BLACK Prosecco is the fastest growing Sparkling Wine category in New Zealand by far and Brown Brothers is one of the brands leading the charge*.

*Aztec Scan, New Zealand Grocery MAT 05/11/2017

brownbrothers.com.au

Raise a glass Sparkling wine has never been more on trend, thanks to the unprecedented success of Prosecco, the rise of pink champagne and the global spread of high quality bubbly production, writes Joelle Thomson

Best wishes for the fe We very much appreciate your

CATEGORY REPORT C HAMPAGNE & SPARKLING

Guide to sparkling styles Cava Cava is the Spanish word for ‘cellar’ and also for Spain’s sparkling wines that are made in the same way as those in France’s Champagne region. It’s called the ‘traditional method’, where the secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle, but for cava this is for a shorter time – nine months is standard as opposed to the legal minimum of 18 in Champagne. As a result, cava’s flavours tend to be lighter in style and often with a slightly earthy taste, which comes from the Spanish Xarello grape. This is one of the key ingredients in cava and is blended with local grapes, Macabeo and Parellada. Chardonnay is also now used for cava and provides familiar flavours.

Champagne

UNDER RRP $25 Villa Maria Lightly Sparkling RRP $15.99 Sauvignon Blanc 2017 Sauvignon Blanc is bigger than Texas in New Zealand so it’s refreshing to taste this cleansing lighter alcohol wine, which is made in a ‘frizzante’ style – meaning the bubbles are less intense than in fuller bodied wines, but well balanced. Sauvignon Blanc’s fresh herbaceous and tropical fruit character are present in each tasty sip. 16.5/20 VILLA MARIA

2017 Villa Maria Lightly Sparkling RRP $15.99 Rosé 2017 Rosé is the biggest-selling wine style in the country right now and the pretty pink colour has strong allure. This wine is all about light, red fruit flavours and is also a frizzante style. A zesty acidity adds a nervy freshness to the wine’s fruity core. 16.5/20

The world’s most famous sparkling wine takes its name from its region of origin, Champagne, in northeast France. The makers in this cool climate region won the exclusive international legal naming rights to the word ‘champagne’ in 1958. (The wine takes a lowercase ‘c’ while the region’s name is capitalised.) Most champagne is a blend of wines made from two to three different years and gains its bubbles from a second fermentation in bottle. This defines the flavour because the wines must spend at least 18 months ageing in bottle, after the second fermentation.

Prosecco Glera is the grape and Prosecco is the wine made in north-west Italy’s Veneto and Friuli regions. It is illegal to produce and label a wine as Prosecco in the EU, unless it comes from there. Some countries outside the EU have used the Prosecco name, most notably Australia, where winemakers in Victoria have a longstanding Italian connection and an agreement with the Prosecco Consorzio in Italy. Prosecco’s popularity has soared in recent years, with the UK tipped as its biggest growth market. Recent industry figures show total consumption of prosecco in the UK is forecast to grow nearly 11 per cent by 2020. The Italian sparkling is also enjoying significant growth in the USA and Australia.

VILLA MARIA

estive season from the team at Negociants New Zealand. ongoing support and hope that your 2018 gets off to a great start.

CHAMPAGNE & SPARKLING CATEGORY REPORT

Hāhā Brut Cuvée NV

RRP $16.99

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir combine in this fresh, light-bodied bubbly with refreshing citrusy notes. It is made in an upfront, approachable style with the intention of being ready to drink upon release. Serve by the glass or bottle as a great value aperitif or lunchtime wine. 16.5/20 HĀHĀ WINES

Brown Brothers Prosecco R RP $17.90, 750ml and $18.99, 200ml 4-pack Brown Brothers has a reputation for trying new things, so it’s no surprise to see its Prosecco as one of the leading lights of Australia’s accessibly priced sparkling wine industry, and it’s true to type too. Its vineyard in the cool climate hills of the King Valley in northern Victoria is well suited to the Glera grape, from which Prosecco is made. The flavours are of fresh lemon, red apples and rock melon; the body is light and the fizz is what the Italians refer to as ‘frizzante’, which means lightly sparkling. Easy to drink and match with a wide range of summery foods. TAYLOR BROWN

Stoneleigh Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and bubbles are a perfect pairing and combine happily in this fresh, fruity, dry bubbly, which is nicely balanced by Sauvignon’s high acidity. It has a medium body and long finish. This is a lovely and lively refreshing summer white; ideally suited to daytime celebrations. 17.5/20 PERNOD RICARD

Jacob’s Creek Reserve Sparkling RRP $17.29 Prosecco This lightly sparkling Prosecco is a refreshing new addition to a wellestablished big brand from Australia. Our neighbour across the Tasman is the only country to have reached agreement with the Italians to produce Prosecco and use the name, based on a strong track record of immigration, relationships and experimentation in Australia’s wine industry. This light-bodied bubbly is a very good example of the style, which is balanced by fresh acidity and light citrus flavours. 16.5/20 PERNOD RICARD

Brancott Estate Sparkling RRP $17.29 Brut Cuvée This bubbly is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir; the second and third most planted grapes in the country, which combine in this appealing sparkling wine with its creamy flavours, lemon aromas and medium body. 16/20 PERNOD RICARD

36 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

La Gioiosa Prosecco RRP $17.29

RRP $17-$22

An awesome Prosecco, thanks to its superb freshness, crisp acidity (which cuts through a cheese platter beautifully) and citrusy flavours. La Gioiosa (pronounced ‘joy-oh-sah’) means ‘The Joyful One’ and more than lives up to its name. It’s easy to taste why it was awarded a Gold Medal at the 2017 New Zealand International Wine Show. And it also comes in cute little three packs for single serves. Very handy. 18.5/20 VINTNERS NZ

Dibon Cava

RRP $17-$22

Cava is the name for Spanish bubbly made using the same winemaking techniques as in Champagne. The key difference between champagne and cava is that cava generally ages for significantly less time in bottle than champagne. This makes it more affordable, lighter in style and easier to produce in high volumes. Dibon Cava is made from the three classic Spanish cava grapes: 45% Macabeo, 25% Xarel-lo and 30% Parellada. Dibon is produced by the Bodegas Pinord, which was founded in 1949 and is now run by third generation family members. 16.5/20 VINTNERS NZ

CATEGORY REPORT C HAMPAGNE & SPARKLING

Jane Hunter

The story of MiruMiru

2017 Pā Road Sparkling Rosé

Giesen Classic Cuvée 2015

RRP $19.99

This light, sparkling pink wine was launched to coincide with the country’s first Sip NZ Bubbles Day on 20 October 2017. It’s a limited edition bubbly made with grapes grown in Marlborough where the hot summer days and cool nights collide to ripen grapes with high acidity, adding freshness to the red fruit flavours of this wine, which include strawberries, raspberries and cranberries. 16.5/20

RRP $24.99

The Giesen winemaking brothers make this sparkling Chardonnay from grapes grown in Hawke’s Bay, where the moderate climate provides ripe tasting fruit with flavours of fresh peach, which translate to this sparkling wine. It has creamy flavours, a full body, fresh citrusy acidity and is dry with a long finish. A good wine from a big name winemaking family. 16.5/20 GIESEN

TE PĀ WINES

Vilarnau Cava Brut NV

RRP $24.95

Spanish avant garde design isn’t confined to the modern cellars where this full-bodied cava is made; these sparkling wines blaze their own trail too, with intense yeasty aromas, a full body and long finish. They are consistent medal winners and it’s easy to taste why – they are classic traditional method bubblies; made with the same techniques as champagne and rocking a lively, fresh vibe in every sip. Couple the flavours with the value for money and this is a winning formula. 17.5/20 NEGOCIANTS NZ

FROM RRP $25-$50 Deutz Marlborough Cuvée RRP $26.59 Deutz Marlborough Cuvée is one of New Zealand’s most successful sparkling wines – and the progeny of a happy marriage between French winemaking nouse and New Zealand ingenuity. It was first created in collaboration with the French champagne house of Deutz, which inspired the name (that is used with permission). It is made mostly from Chardonnay grapes, which highlight the balance between toasty and yeasty flavours from the inclusion of Pinot Noir, and the crisp fresh acidity and full body of Chardonnay. It is outstanding value for money and consistently shows New Zealand’s ability to woo sparkling wine lovers. 17.5/20

Its name is Māori for ‘bubbles’ and this year MiruMiru celebrated two sparkling milestones. The bubbly was awarded Best New Zealand Sparkling Wine for the third year running at this year’s Sparkling Wine World Championships and its makers celebrated 20 years of production at Hunter’s Wines. It’s still early days for Hunter’s MiruMiru, however, says winery director and owner, Jane Hunter, who announced mid-year she was growing the volume of MiruMiru made each year, due to its success and a growing demand. She is also keen to strengthen the sparkling string in Marlborough’s white wine bow, which is so heavily reliant on Sauvignon Blanc. “Bubbly adds another lovely strength to what we’re doing in Marlborough,” says Hunter. MiruMiru was first made in 1997. It was produced with the expertise of winemaking consultant Dr Tony Jordan, who remains strongly involved with the wine and is a fervent believer in the potential for high quality sparkling wine made in New Zealand. That said, high-end bubbly necessitates a huge amount of capital for its production, due to the tank and barrel space required and the money tied up while wines age. For this reason, MiruMiru will grow but won’t become “too big in terms of overall production,” says Hunter. (See wine next page.)

PERNOD RICARD DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 37

CHAMPAGNE & SPARKLING CATEGORY REPORT

Hunter’s MiruMiru NV

RRP $29.99

Winemakers James McDonald and Inus Van Der Westhuizen model MiruMiru on Bollinger, which they admire for its complex yeasty aromas and bakery flavours. This is also one of very few sparkling wines in New Zealand to contain Pinot Meunier – a rare grape in this country, but one of the key ingredients in the Champagne region’s sparkling production. This blend of MiruMiru is made from grapes grown in several years (hence the ‘NV’ label) and contains 57% Chardonnay, 32% Pinot Noir and 11% Pinot Meunier, which are fermented in a combo of stainless steel and old French oak barrels. The wine spends 18 months ageing in bottle prior to release and is super fresh with yeasty aromas, a full body and long finish. 18.5/20 HUNTER’S WINES

2015 Vynfields Sparkling Bliss RRP $32

Martinborough is home to many of New Zealand’s most outstanding Rieslings, such as the one used to make this fun, fizzy version, which is certified organic with BioGro NZ. The nose is fresh and aromatic with light white floral aromas of honeysuckle and citrus flavours of lime, lemon and crunchy green apple. It’s like a sorbet in the glass and is made from 24-year-old vines. It has lower than usual alcohol at 11.6% ABV, making it light in style. The alcohol is naturally low because the winemaker stopped fermentation to retain a little residual sugar (RS) from the grapes to balance Riesling’s naturally high acidity. It’s technically off-dry (but only just) with 13 grams of RS per litre of wine (technical speak for ‘almost bone dry’). 17.5/20 WINE2TRADE

Spade Oak Blanc de Blancs RRP $30 Chardonnay rules the roost in Gisborne, and the city’s winemakers take great pride in calling their city ‘The Chardonnay Capital of New Zealand’. So, it’s only fitting that this tasty sparkling wine from Spade Oak is made from 100% Chardonnay grapes, making it a Blanc de Blancs (white of whites). It has refreshing citrusy flavours of ripe lemons and grapefruit, balanced by a full body and long finish. Top drinking for $30. 18.5/20 WINE2TRADE

38 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

2014 Amisfield Brut Méthode RRP $37 Traditionelle Central Otago has more than one string to its Pinot Noir bow, as this sparkling wine shows with its fresh, crisp style balanced by the toasty richness that high quality Pinot Noir can bring to top shelf sparkling wines. This wine was made with the consultant expertise of Dr Tony Jordan, an international sparkling wine expert who has long believed in the great potential of Central Otago as a sparkling wine region. And his belief has paid off, with this wine winning a string of med-

als in global wine competitions, most recently the 2017 Sydney International Wine Competition and the New York World Wine & Spirits Competition 2016. 17.5/20 HANCOCKS

Nautilus Cuvée Marlborough RRP $39.95 Brut NV Nautilus is one of Marlborough’s top sparkling wines, thanks to winemaker Clive Jones, who fashions it after Bollinger. It is big on body and flavoursome, with all the bells and winemaking whistles that come from a proportion of oak fermentation (prior to secondary ferment in bottle), extended ageing in bottle and a relatively high percentage of Pinot Noir in the blend. The result is an outstanding sparkling wine. This wine consistently offers exceptional value for money. 17.5/20 NEGOCIANTS NZ

Champagne Charles de Cazanove Tete de Cuvée NV RRP $39.95 to $49.95 This champagne offers outstanding value for money for bars looking for a by the glass pour, and for retailers to sell at less than $50. It’s a full-bodied, toasty number imported by Master of Wine Stephen Bennett. This non vintage wine has the complexity and intensity of many vintage champagnes and offers rich, dry, yeasty flavours, thanks to being made mostly from Pinot Noir. 18.5/20 BENNETT & DELLER

CATEGORY REPORT C HAMPAGNE & SPARKLING

Champagne Lallier

RRP $50 and above Champagne Lallier Blanc RRP $53.80 de Blancs Ay This champagne is 100% Chardonnay and made from grapes grown on vineyards that are classified as Grand Cru – the highest tier of quality. Sixty per cent of the fruit comes from Ay and 40% from the Cote des Blancs; two areas in the Champagne region. The wine is aged on lees in bottle for 36 months, following its secondary fermentation. This lengthy ageing provides the wine with its intense flavours of warm, buttery croissants and lemon zest. It’s full-bodied with a long, delicious finish. This is top value for its style and quality. 18.5/20 THE PLATEAU GROUP

Piper-Heidsieck Brut Cuvée NV RRP $59.99 Piper-Heidsieck is a big name champagne without a big price tag, but with a long history dating back to 1777 when German-born Florens-Louis Heidsieck arrived in the Champagne region with an ambition to make a great wine. Two and a half centuries later, his ambition remains realised in this fresh, citrusy wine, which is balanced by yeasty richness, high but balanced acidity and a full body. 17.5/20 HANCOCKS

Mumm Rosé

RRP $103.99

The pretty pink of Mumm Rosé is proof that a little Pinot goes a long way. This champagne contains 14% still red Pinot Noir, which was blended into the base champagne prior to its second fermentation and lees ageing in bottle. The red fruit flavours are the hero in this wine, which is full-bodied, fresh and light in flavour with high acidity adding its zesty freshness. 16.5/20 PERNOD RICARD

Bollinger Special Cuvée NV RRP $116 Bollinger is one of the stars in the champagne galaxy for good reason. A high proportion of company-owned vineyards make for better quality control for the raw material; there is a significant focus on oak ageing prior to secondary fermentation; and there is plenty of Pinot Noir in this toasty, full-bodied, savoury champagne. The Bollinger vineyards are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and are on the road to sustainable production too. Consistently fabulous. 19/20 NEGOCIANTS NZ

Joelle Thomson is a wine writer, author and graduate of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust’s highest qualification, the Level 4 WSET Diploma. She tastes wines from all over the world in her work.

For distributor details see Distributor Index page 88

• Relatively new in New Zealand, Champagne Lallier is imported by The Plateau Group, which owns three wine, beer and spirits retail stores in the North Island: The Hamilton Beer & Wine Company, The Merchant of Taupo and Regional Wines & Spirits in Wellington. • Lallier is based in the village of Ay, one of the 17 Grand Cru villages in the Champagne region. It was founded in 1906 by Rene Lallier and sold in 2004 to Francis Tribaut who is the current owner and also the winemaker. • The bubbles are made in two locations, in Maison D’Ay and at the new Cellier D’Oger, 10 kms outside Ay on the Cotes des Blanc, in a modern facility built in 2012. • Lallier champagnes contain only Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, making this producer relatively unusual, because Pinot Meunier is often used as an insurance policy in the cool climate Champagne region, thanks to its ability to ripen earlier. • The Lallier champagnes all go through malolactic fermentation, which softens the acidity in the wines. This is a technique used by many, but not all, champagne producers.

DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 39

IWSC REPORT

On top of the world at IWSC

NZ Chair of the IWSC, Jo Burzynska, profiles New Zealand’s Trophywinning wineries at this year’s prestigious competition in London.

Takapoto Estate winemaker Andy Anderson (centre) receives the Trophy for NZ Wine Producer of the Year at IWSC 2017

TAKAPOTO ESTATE PINOT NOIR TROPHY 2017 AND NEW ZEALAND WINE PRODUCER OF THE YEAR TROPHY

40 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

IWSC Pinot Noir Trophy Takapoto Estate Single Vineyard Bannockburn Pinot Noir 2012 “Garnet in colour with a pronounced earthy nose. Dense body and mouthfeel with lots of silky yet firm tannins. Fresh and vibrant, tasting of red plum jam with truffles, cloves and wood smoke. Long finish. Outstanding.” – Judges’ tasting note It was six years ago that a friendship struck up over the counter of the Cambridge Fine Wines store between then proprietor-winemaker, Andy Anderson and customer, Mitch Plaw, planted the seeds for what would become Takapoto Estate. In October this year, the inaugural vintage of the label’s Bannockburn Pinot Noir beat examples from around the world at the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) to win the

prestigious UK-based show’s coveted Pinot Noir Trophy, and Takapoto Estate went on to be named IWSC New Zealand Producer of the Year. Anderson was stunned as news emerged of the string of wins at the first competition the estate had ever entered: a Gold Medal for Takapoto Estate Single Vineyard Bannockburn Pinot Noir 2014, a Silver for its Single Vineyard Gibbston Pinot Noir 2012, and the IWSC Pinot Noir Trophy awarded to its Single Vineyard Bannockburn Pinot Noir 2012. “I was also completely shocked to win the NZ Wine Producer Trophy; then to be in the running for International Winemaker of the year was extraordinary,” Anderson muses, on his return from the UK where he accepted his trophies at the IWSC’s Awards Banquet in midNovember. “It wasn’t until I sat down and listened to the judges’ comments and saw the calibre of people and companies that

IWSC REPORT

“It wasn’t until I sat down and listened to the judges’ comments and saw the calibre of people and companies that are represented, that I realised what I had achieved; it is incredibly humbling.” – Andy Anderson, winemaker at Takapoto Estate. are represented that I realised what I had achieved; it is incredibly humbling.” It’s one of those fairy tale situations in which a winery comes, seemingly out of nowhere, to find acclaim on the world’s wine stage – something made possible by a blind tasting process that judges a producer solely on the quality of its products rather than established reputation. However, the real story behind the label goes back some years, woven from a network of friends united by their love of wine. Back in 1998, Anderson was one of the first graduates of Lincoln University’s Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology. After this, he made wine in the Barossa, including time as winemaker at the esteemed Hentley Farm, as well as in Spain. On returning to New Zealand in late 2008, he went on to buy Cambridge Fine Wines and rekindle his friendship with old university mate, Rob Cameron (now of Invivo Wines) who invited Anderson to make with him what was to be Anderson’s first in a series of Central Otago Pinot Noirs. The scene was set for meeting Plaw and his wife Kate, great lovers of Central Pinot and now Takapoto Estate owners.

“I’m just looking forward to the next vintage, to see once again what Mother Nature will deliver and to watch the 2015 Pinot Noir develop, as I think they are better again.” – Andy Anderson, winemaker at Takapoto Estate.

“In 2012 I took a visit to Central Otago and caught up with another university friend, Timbo Deaker, who, with his business partner Jason, owns [viticultural brokerage] Viticultura,” says Anderson. “Timbo showed me a fantastic vineyard called Legends Terrace in Bannockburn, planted on historic goldmines situated above Felton Road winery.” Anderson selected the rows that he considered the best expression of the vineyard, which became the Takapoto

Estate Bannockburn Pinot. He did the same at the once-abandoned Monterosa Vineyard in the Gibbston Valley, rescued by Viticultura three years before. In the best years, as in 2012, these are made as Single Vineyard wines, and blended together in more challenging vintages, such as 2013. Anderson’s vision was “to make the best wine possible, with as little intervention from me as possible to allow the character of these amazing vineyards shine”. This saw each clone vinified separately using native yeasts from the vineyard with no additives or filtration, and the final blend spending 12 months in oak. With Cambridge Wines now sold, Anderson’s focus is on his winemaking, getting the tiny volumes of the Takapoto Estate wines into restaurants and fine wine outlets and, as a consultant winemaker, building a boutique winery specialising in small volume, high end New Zealand reds. “For me, these IWSC awards are confirmation that I am on the right track,” Anderson concludes. “There have been times when people have said ‘Why do you do that? That’s different’, but I carried on, was a little brave and it paid off. I’m just looking forward to the next vintage to see once again what Mother Nature will deliver, and to watch the 2015 Pinot Noir develop, as I think they are better again.”

VILLA MARIA SAUVIGNON BLANC TROPHY 2017 IWSC Sauvignon Blanc Trophy Tesco finest* North Row Vineyard Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016 “Blackcurrant, passionfruit, with herby spicy notes. There is refreshing lemon acidity, an elegant and crisp dry palate that gives a long lingering finish.” – Judges’ Tasting Note Villa Maria is no stranger to triumphing at wine shows, in fact it claims to be New Zealand’s most awarded winery. It’s usually the Villa Maria label itself that’s in the limelight; however, this year, the Tesco finest* North Row Vineyard Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016, a wine Villa Maria made as a private label for a UK supermarket, beat all global contenders to scoop the top Sauvignon Blanc Trophy at the IWSC 2017. “It’s always a great honour to win awards for Villa Maria,” says Helen MorDRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 41

IWSC REPORT

“We put a huge amount of effort into providing high quality wines that are right for our customers, so it is fantastic that one of these wines has won such a prestigious trophy.” – Fiona Mottershaw, Villa Maria Brand Manager UK

rison, Senior Marlborough Winemaker at Villa Maria. “Receiving an award outside our label – for a buyer’s own brand – is incredibly rewarding as well as reaffirming our commitment to quality and consistency.” “Own brand labels are a tiny percentage of what we do, but they are important in terms of enabling us to provide a more complete service to our key customers,” adds Fiona Mottershaw, Villa Maria’s Brand Manager at its UK agent, Hatch Mansfield UK. “We put a huge amount of effort into providing high quality wines that are right for our customers, so it is fantastic that one of these wines has won such a prestigious trophy.” While Villa Maria has won medals before for its own/private label wines, this is the first UK Trophy, Mottershaw believes. The wine is part of the premium private label of the UK’s largest grocery chain, Tesco, where Mottershaw reports the buying team is “absolutely thrilled with this result”.

“Receiving an award outside our label – for a buyer’s own brand – is incredibly rewarding as well as reaffirming our commitment to quality and consistency.” – Helen Morrison, Senior Marlborough Winemaker at Villa Maria 42 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

When it comes to making private label wines, Morrison explains that ultimately the grape growing and winemaking does not differ from that of Villa Maria’s brands, just that the buyers select from a number of wine options. She describes the Tesco finest* Northrow as “a refined expression of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, made from vineyard blocks expressing concentrated Sauvignon Blanc flavours and crisp natural acidity that were carefully selected for this wine”. It wasn’t, however, from the easiest vintage. “The 2016 growing season will be remembered for one that tested our patience – a cooler than average spring led to an elongated season, with the majority of the grapes harvested in April,” Morrison recalls. “But rewards such as this indicate that our patience paid off, and the best decisions were made for this wine.” The Northrow is a blend from both main Marlborough valleys, with the warmer Wairau providing riper tropical flavours, and the cooler Awatere Valley producing fresh herbal and grapefruit notes, says Morrison. The grapes were harvested in cool night temperatures to protect and enhance aromatics, cool fermented in steel tanks using selected aromatic yeast strains and matured on yeast lees to build palate weight and texture. Those keen to try it here in New Zealand are unfortunately out of luck, as the wine is only available in the UK. However, Helen Morrison suggests opting for the Villa Maria Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2016, similarly a blend from both valleys, which “would have similar flavour profile,” and has won a trophy at another show in its own right. The key difference is the blend size, she notes, with the Trophy-winning blend made exclusively for the Tesco Finest range, in contrast with the Cellar Selection, which is distributed worldwide.

Tesco Product Developer for Wine, Alexandra Runciman with IWSC 2017 President, Chris Blandy

When it comes to verifying the claim of Villa Maria’s pole awards position, Villa Maria Export and PR Manager, Ian Clark has been collecting and filing the evidence for over 30 years. “Villa Maria has received more awards at each of the shows than any other New Zealand wine producer,” he can confirm. So what’s the secret to excelling in so many competitions? “Quality across the board,” says Morrison. “Exceptional vineyard sites across New Zealand and amazing talent throughout, particularly our viticulture and winemaking teams who collaborate closely throughout the entire process to produce outstanding wines,” she states. “I believe it also stems from still being family-owned and having George Fistonich still involved, which allows us to stick to our core principle of quality first and foremost.” SEE THE FULL LIST OF TROPHY WINNERS AND MEDAL RESULTS AT IWSC.NET

La Gioiosa La Joy-o-sa “The Joyful One”

La Gioiosa Prosecco DOC Treviso Awarded Gold Medal at New Zealand International Wine Show 2017

Also available in a 200ml 3 pack! www.vintners.co.nz

0800 687 9463

FEATURE – THE RISE OF ROSÉ

Rosé on the rise

Seeing things through rose tinted glasses recently? You’re not alone, says Victoria Wells…

THERE IS a wave of pink sweeping the wine world and it shows no signs of slowing. Rosé is currently the fastest growing wine category in New Zealand, following trends in the US, UK and Australia. What is it about this wine that has consumers clamouring and wineries getting bottles onto shelves as fast as they can? Data from Nielsen NZ1 shows sales of Rosé and blush wines (although just two per cent of total wine sales across supermarkets and liquor stores here) are up 54 per cent on the same period last year in a consistent trend over recent years. In the US, Nielsen describes Rose’s growth as being “at a rate unheard of in other categories” , growing at 53 per cent in the 52 weeks ending April 22, 2017, and 70 per cent alone in the four weeks ending April 22, 2017. The Rosé (table) wine category is worth more than US$207 million annually2. Growth has also been high in the UK, with Waitrose reporting in September 2016 that sales were up more than 100 per cent on the previous year, while in April this year, Sainsbury’s had 58 per cent growth in sales of French Rosé in just a month and boosted its range of wines by 15 per cent3. Yvonne Lorkin, wine writer and cofounder of wine home delivery service WineFriend, says she is sampling at least double, if not triple the number of Rosés that would have been around three or four years ago. Consumer demand has also been evident from those using WineFriend. “When people first sign up we ask them which wines they usually prefer, you can choose as many as you like, and massive numbers of people choose Rosé.” While not all Rosés are created equal, (“You have to kiss a lot of frogs,” notes Lorkin) for the wineries that have 44 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

done it well, there is huge success to be had. The Ned Pinot Rosé launched in October 2015 and nearly doubled its forecast sales figures in the first year. It is a consistent top seller and the 2017 vintage won the Trophy for Best Rosé at the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirit Competition in November. Rabbit Ranch released its first Rosé in 2016, and sold out in just four months. The 2017 vintage is now out and this time has a new bottle to highlight its pale pink colour. Winemaker Warren MacGregor says it was customer demand that led them to make a Rosé, and he aimed for a Provençal style. “We lightly pressed the grapes to produce just enough colour, fermented dry to allow the delicate Pinot

“We were aware that Rosé in the past had been a fad…we just wanted to see if it was a trend that was going to be a long-term proposition.” – Jo Pearson, Sacred Hill

red fruit characters and Central Otago minerality to shine through.” One of the newest is Sacred Hill, which launched its 2017 Rosé under its Orange Label on September 1 this year. GM of Sales and Marketing at Sacred Hill, Jo Pearson, says they put time and research into the decision. “We recognised there was growth in the category a good two or

three years ago and started to monitor it. We were aware Rosé in the past had been a fad…we wanted to see if it was going to be a long-term proposition. It gave us a chance to look and see what was on the market…. there are a lot of French Rosés out there, which is a very dry, pale style. We wanted to encapsulate a beautiful fruit-forward style, which New Zealand is known for, but didn’t want that sweetness in the wine. We opted for the lighter colour, drier style Rosé, whilst still retaining that fruit intensity that we get in New Zealand.” After launching in September, the Sacred Hill Rosé 2017 won Gold at the NZ International Wine Show, and Silver at the Hawke’s Bay A&P Wine Awards. In fact, the New Zealand International Wine Show received 130 entries for its Rosé category this year, a figure it described as “staggering”, with 13 Gold medals awarded. Rosés won 45 medals at the 2017 Air New Zealand Wine Awards, which is down on last year’s all-time high of 56, but still up significantly on the 13 medals of just five years ago. So how did Rosé shake its reputation of a sweet, lolly pink summer quaffer?

FEATURE – THE RISE OF ROSÉ

“I think with a lot of these things it’s timing,” says Pearson. “It’s my view that New Zealand wine consumers are much more educated than they used to be. For many years they’ve been very loyal Sauvignon Blanc drinkers, for the most part, in that $10-$20 price range. The consumer now is starting to be a little more adventurous. They’re looking to see what else is out there and I think Rosé fits really nicely into that. It’s not Sauvignon Blanc, but it’s not necessarily a heavy food wine either. It’s a wine that’s easy to transition to.” Yvonne Lorkin agrees that Rosé’s versatility and range of styles has broad appeal. “There’s a classic style made with Pinot, then a Provençal style which could be Syrah or Grenache, or a more savoury, spicy style made with Merlot or Tempranillo. It’s not all samey-samey and some of them have just a hint of colour, so it’s just blush. That’s when the men have no problem, because they don’t consider them ‘a girl’s blouse’ sort of drink.” Enter the ‘Brosé’ movement. In 2015, GQ wrote a piece entitled ‘Make Way for Brosé: Why More Men Are Drinking Pink’ and a quick Instagram search of #brosé reveals more than 10,000 posts celebrating mens’ love of the wine. (In fact, that figure climbs even higher if you count the posts tagged using the wrong accent.) “With Rosé you are going to get a bit of tannin, you are going to get a bit of texture. It might look like a white wine, but it won’t taste like it. Some men would far prefer to drink a pale pink savoury spicy Rosé, than they would a glass of Sauvignon Blanc or a Pinot Gris,” points out Lorkin. Part of Rosé’s success can certainly be attributed to the shift to drier, more sophisticated styles. Then there’s the way it looks: from a purely aesthetic perspective, Rosé has appeal in spades. Its pale pink colour creates striking store displays when grouped en masse, wineries are often packaging them differently to accentuate the colour, and for today’s Insta-driven audience, it is particularly photogenic.

In fact, from a broader perspective, the colour pink has been having a ‘moment’ for a while now. From the frenzy over Apple’s iPhone 6s when it launched in Rosé gold back in 2015, to Pantone’s selection of Rose Quartz (a pale pink) as its Joint Colour of the Year in 2016, to pink in every shade dominating Milan Design Week earlier this year. There’s even something called ‘Millennial Pink’ – so it’s hardly a surprise to see that audience segment plumping for a wine to match their lifestyle choices.

“Some men would far prefer to drink a pale pink savoury spicy Rosé, than they would a glass of Sauvignon Blanc or a Pinot Gris.” – Yvonne Lorkin, WineFriend There has also been a shift from Rosé being viewed as a purely summer drink (although Frosé has been very popular), to something to be enjoyed year round. Research by the US Wine Market Council4 released in August showed 60% of

respondents drinking Rosé throughout the year. “It’s less seasonal this time,” agrees Jo Pearson. “The dip over winter is much reduced compared with what it used to be several years ago. People are drinking it all year round, so that’s good.” It would seem there’s more than just a subtle glow of pink on the horizon when it comes to predicting Rosé’s future. “It’s a really competitive space,” says Lorkin, who says she has to move fast to secure stock for WineFriend. “I’m hopeful it will last – I can’t see why it would stop.” Sacred Hill is already planning to scale up for the 2018 vintage, thanks to higher than forecast sales. “We have had amazing response from trade,” says Pearson. “It’s been a brilliant success for us and a great addition to that range. It’s early days and distribution is still growing... there are still opportunities out there. “It’s great to see people branching out and drinking more than just Sauvignon Blanc. I think that’s a real success and a real credit to the New Zealand wine industry that we’re bringing the consumers along with us.”

Dollar % Change by Segment – Supermarkets + Liquor Stores -10%

TOTAL WINE

10%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Red Wines Incl Casks

White Wine Incl Casks

Rose and Blush Wine

54%

Sparkling Wine

Wine Other

20%

-1%

Source: Nielsen Scantrack

References: 1 Nielsen NZ Scantrack. Markets: Supermarkets, traditional liquor stores. Period: MAT to 05/11/2017 2 Nielsen Insights (June 21, 2017) A Flavorful Fourth of July. Retrieved from: nielsen.com/us/en/insights/news/2017/a-flavorful-fourth-of-july.html 3 Mileham, A. (April 10th, 2017) Rosé Sales Rise Nearly 60%, Sainsbury’s Reports. The Drinks Business. Retrieved from: thedrinksbusiness.com/2017/04/ Rosé-sales-rise-nearly-60-sainsburys-reports 4 Wine Market Council (August 21, 2017) Wine Market Council’s 2017 Rose Wine Consumer Survey Unveils Motivations And Preferences Of Consumers Who Drink Rose. Retrieved from: wineindustryadvisor.com/2017/08/21/wine-market-council-Rosé-consumer-survey DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 45

DRINKSBIZ WITH CORDIS

Cordis arrives in NZ

The ribbon is cut at the official open

HUNDREDS OF guests gathered in central Auckland on November 1st to celebrate the opening of the new Cordis, Auckland (previously The Langham, Auckland). Cordis Hotels & Resorts is the new upscale global hotel brand of the Langham Hospitality Group, and the rebrand makes the Auckland property the first Cordis Hotel in the Pacific. Cordis derives its name from the Latin term meaning “heart”, and offers a new generation of curated hotels devoted to guests’ needs and well-being. Cordis hotels are already in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing, with future properties planned in Bali, Phuket and China. The launch event at Cordis, Auckland began with a High Tea for media, followed by the official opening ceremony and ribbon cutting for invited guests, a powhiri and gala event in The Great Room.

ing of Cordis, Auckland.

FIND OUT MORE AT CORDISHOTELS.COM/AUCKLAND

Guests at the Media Hig

Dinee Sarah-Kate

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Wines with

friends

46 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

Jo and Adam

Bennet t

Jo Holley and Kerry

n Amyes

Jono Pryor and Ngahi Bidois

DRINKSBIZ WITH CORDIS

Jim Boult, Mayo r of Queens tow n; Franz Mascare Auckland; Simon nhas , MD of Co Manning, Chief rdis Sales & Marketin Group; Chris Ro g Langham Hotel berts , CEO of the Tourism Indus try Association.

Local flavours at Cordis

Johnny Bennett

Jim Boult, N

gahi Bidois

, Karen Bo

ult, and Ro

and Amanda Ba

ker

“Part of the DNA of being a Cordis Hotel is to work with those in your neighbourhood,” says Cordis Hotel Manager, Shane Jolly. “We thought the opening would be a great opportunity to find a local brewer to partner with for some special beers. We came across the team at Urbanaut Brewery and found they ticked all the boxes as local Auckland brewers, starting up a fresh and new brand with some great offerings. It certainly helped that their iconic IPA has an orange label, but it was more that the quality of their beer won us over!” Cordis also partnered with Central Otago winery Maude for the opening, with its Maude Methode Traditionelle NV the bubbles of choice for the glamorous gala event. Local spirits brands Thomson Whisky and Cardrona Distillery were also served.

ger Pierce

Kingdon Chapple-Wilson

Mar ty Rich

Simone

Anderso

and Max Ke

DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 47

WINE – HIGH 5

Five of the best new wines This bunch of beauties will add spice to your drinks list, writes Joelle Thomson

Supple French red

RRP $21.99

2013 La Galine Minervois Southern France’s Languedoc region is drenched in sunshine, history and vineyards stretching as far as the eye can see, and is home to the appellation of Minervois, which is 25 kilometres from the Mediterranean coast. Its name comes from the village of Minerve, which was named for the Greek goddess Minerva. It’s an ancient hub of civilisation with fossilised footprints over 8,000 years old and specialises in wines made from Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre. These are often referred to as GSMs. They can be complex and age well, but are also approachable, thanks to the red fruit flavours of Grenache, which marry well with the spicy layers of dark fruit, body, dryness and spice that Syrah and Mourvedre offer. Minervois became a legally defined wine

region in 1985 and its winemakers have since grown the quality of their wines with modern wine equipment (stainless steel tanks) and improved vineyard methods. La Galine is an outstanding example of a modestly priced Minervois red with a soft approach backed up by a firm, fullness and long finish. 18.5/20

RRP $55

2013 Giesen ‘The Fuder’ Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ‘Fuder’ refers to large, oval wooden barrels from Germany, which inspired the Giesen family to create a range of flagship wines fermented and matured in these barrels, including this top shelf Sauvignon Blanc. This wine was fermented and further aged in fuder, which has softened its high acidity and accentuated its body, thanks to the controlled oxidative ageing process that barrel maturation can provide. The wine was made from grapes grown on a single vineyard called Matthews Lane and it’s a dry, full-bodied white with rich flavours of lemongrass, green apples and grapefruit. It drinks well now and can age for five to six years or longer, in optimum cellaring conditions. 18.5/20 GIESEN

03Pink steam

RRP $35

2016 Mahana Pinot Noir Carbonique Nelson winemaker Michael Glover is a dab hand at innovating with mainstream wine styles to highlight points of difference, such as in this Pinot ‘carbonique’. The ‘c’ word here means that the wine began its fermentation in a sealed, airtight tank where the weight of the grapes induce ‘intracellular fermentation’. This winemaking methods highlights fruit flavours and softness, making wines approachably smooth and fruity in flavour. This deep salmon coloured Rosé is 48 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

GREAT LITTLE VINEYARDS

04Time to reflect

RRP $60

2016 Brancott Estate Reflection Sauvignon

MANIFESTO WINES

02Great white

medium bodied and super fruity. It drinks well now and is best served lightly chilled. 17.5/20

This new white from Brancott Estate is a blend of two grapes: 52% Sauvignon Blanc and 48% Sauvignon Gris (a natural mutation of Sauvignon Blanc). It was launched in late October 2017 to coincide with the unveiling of an eight-metre-high iron sculpture at Brancott’s Marlborough home, designed by New York-based designer Dror Benshetrit, who also designed the bottle’s label. Like the sculpture, this wine is a statement: full-bodied, dry, smoky and intense with flavours of lemongrass, grapefruit and oak. Only 150 cases were made. It is available in standard 750ml bottles and 1500ml magnums. Both are sealed with screwcaps. 18.5/20 PERNOD RICARD

new 05Powerful Pinot

RRP $80

2015 Brancott Reflections Dror Pinot Noir This powerful new Pinot Noir was launched alongside the new Brancott Reflections Sauvignon (featured above) and has bold aromas of cloves, red plums and dried cherries, a medium body and long finish. It is a blend of the best components of Brancott Estate’s 2015 Marlborough Pinot Noir from handselected barrels, says the winery’s chief winemaker, Patrick Materman. 18.5/20 (See more about the new Dror sculpture on page 56) PERNOD RICARD

For distributor details see Distributor Index page 88

DISCOVER SACRED HILL’S NEW ROSÉ

2017 Gold Medal winner in The New Zealand International Wine Show

To order contact your Quench Collective representative or call 0800 946 326

OPINION – WINE

Joelle Thomson Journalist, wine writer and author mailme@joellethomson.com

The return of the big, buttery Chardonnay Winemakers in New Zealand’s Chardonnay Capital are upping the ante on their most important wine, says Joelle Thomson YOU CAN call them a relic of another era, or you can get on board the Chardonnay train, which literally departed from Gisborne on Labour Weekend this year. It was loaded with more than 100 lovers of Chardonnay who wanted nothing to do with crisp dry whites, but instead were all about big, creamy numbers. You could be forgiven for not knowing about the Chardonnay Express as it was a Grab-a-Seat offer on the Air New Zealand website, available for just a short time. And it didn’t take long for the seats to sell out. The organisers were a mix of winemakers from Gisborne (the self-appointed “Chardonnay Capital” of the country) and the city’s tourism board. Visitor numbers to the region have not kept pace with growth in other areas, said local maker of big, buttery Chardonnays, Steve Voysey. So, he and others in the region commissioned an old train called the W165 that lives locally and is wheeled out for action on special occasions. It was built in Dunedin in 1897 as the first of 11 WA Class locomotives and in 1898 it was put into service in Wellington, later working in Palmerston North, Taihape and Napier, with shunting stints in Putaruru, Huntly, Te Kuiti and Frankton, before being retired to Gisborne in 1960, where it languished in Young Nick’s Playground in Awapuni Road. A group of Gisborne rail enthusiasts began restoring the rusting black engine in 1985 and in 1999 they put it back on the track in a fully restored condition. Its latest role was as the Chardonnay Express and, along with fellow wine writers Bob Campbell MW and Raymond Chan, I was privileged to board the grand old train. It was a unique trip as Campbell and Chan’s palates and minds provided stimulating company, as did the wines of the Gisborne region. 50 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

Gisborne has had a bit of a rocky ride since the Global Financial Crisis in 2008. Its producing vineyard area has shrunk significantly from 2,142 hectares in 2008 to 1,371 hectares today. And its crown as the third largest wine area in New Zealand was usurped by Central Otago in 2012.

The region’s tourism has also been in the doldrums, which was part of the motivation for the inaugural Chardonnay Express Not only that, but the region’s tourism has also been in the doldrums, which was part of the motivation for the inaugural Chardonnay Express. It’s a train ride, a tourism drawcard and a promotion for the region’s strongest wine suit: Chardonnay. And it’s something the region’s tourism body wants to continue by wheeling out W165 several times a year for Chardonnay Express events. It follows the formation earlier this year, by Voysey and others, of

the Gisborne Classic Chardonnay Group. Its members need only do one thing to qualify for entry to the group: produce a big, buttery Chardonnay. Steve Voysey remains upbeat about Gisborne’s wine production, saying it’s not all bad news when it comes to declining vineyard area. “It’s a balance between making money from sales to a defined market, and over production, which does no one any favours.” He has a foot in both the high volumehigh profit and low-volume, experimental and innovative brand camps, producing his own relatively small volume wines, under the Spade Oak brand, and consulting to larger companies. There’s no shortage of big, buttery numbers produced by large and small wine companies in Gisborne because this is what the region does best, says Voysey. A train load of people raised a glass to that over Labour Weekend, and there are hopes many more will get on board for future runs.

The Gisborne Classic Chardonnay Group The members of the newly formed Gisborne Classic Chardonnay Group are: Spade Oak, Matawhero Wines, Waimata, Wright’s Wines, Poverty Bay Wine, Stone Bridge Wine, TW Wines and Bushmere Estate.

All aboard for Chardonnay! The ‘BBCs’ served aboard the W165 for its inaugural journey as the Chardonnay Express this year were 2016 Waimata Vineyards Cognoscenti Chardonnay, 2016 Matawhero Irwin Chardonnay, 2015 Bushmere Estate Classic Chardonnay, 2015 Stone Bridge Barrel Fermented Chardonnay, 2015 Le Pont Chardonnay, 2015 Spade Oak Vigneron Chardonnay, 2015 Wrights Reserve Chardonnay and 2014 TW Reserve Chardonnay. FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK.COM/CHARDONNAYEXPRESS

THERE’S A FEW DEGREES DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GOOD WINE AND A GREAT WINE. Breathing improves a wine. But the ideal temperature transforms it. Discover the difference for yourself with Taylors Wines exclusive ideal temperature sensors on all bottles of Taylors Wines Estate and Promised Land. 14

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WINE NEWS

Perfect score for Penfolds Grange 2013 THE LATEST Penfolds Grange release has scored a perfect 100 points in Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. Contributor and reviewer Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW gave the following description of Penfolds Grange 2013. “Unfurling and slowly building in the medium to full-bodied mouth with wonderful grace and depth, it reveals an incredible array of ripe black fruit, spice, meat and earth-inspired flavours, with a rock-solid frame to support this beauty (it should easily cellar for 40+ years!), while previously latent flavours emerge fully on the epically long finish, culminating in that ultimate Grange experience.” INDEPENDENT LIQUOR

Italian bubbles land for Christmas ARRIVING IN December is Bellarco Spumante, a blend of Pinot and Chardonnay grapes from Italian house Bellarco in Tuscany. Bob Campbell MW gave the wine 87 points, describing it as “Rich, mellow sparkling wine with broad toast, chocolate box and subtle yeasty/nutty flavours. Quite a mouth-filling wine with a subtle suggestion of sweetness that’s balanced by soft acidity.” Michelle McAteer-Ross, of Ian McAteer & Associates, which is the agent and distributor for Fernet Branca and Bellarco in New Zealand, says the new sparkling wine is bound to be popular. “Although we know there are a lot of good bubbles in New Zealand, we couldn’t ignore the quality of this delicate, competitively priced addition.” The Fernet Branca portfolio has also expanded, with the addition of the new Carpano Dry to complement the existing Classico and Bianco Vermouths. FOR INQUIRIES CONTACT MICHELLEMCATEER@XTRA.CO.NZ OR 027 542 0496. 52 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

Can-do at Allan Scott THE NEW Green Hopped Gooseberry Bomb is the first of three craft wine varieties to be canned at Allan Scott Family Winemakers, in a blend of winemaking and craft brewing. 2016 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc grapes are fermented with an undisclosed beer yeast, then combined with 2016 Nelson Sauvin hops. A steeped fermentation highlights the fruit characters of the grapes and hops, and is then followed by four weeks of conditioning before the wine is filtered and kegged, or canned. “We’ve taken all of the traditional winemaking thinking and, by using some brewery techniques, really turned it on its head,” says Allan Scott Family Winemakers lead winemaker Josh Scott, also the founding director of Moa Brewing Company. A Riesling and Pinot Noir are slated for launch in the coming months. The Green Hopped Gooseberry Bomb is RRP$8.99 for a 330ml can. ALLAN SCOTT FAMILY WINEMAKERS

share a taste for adventure ‘come explore delicious wine from the marlborough region. a landscape which has been carved, washed and blown by mother nature into diverse and unique sub regions, creating characteristics which we have captured in the glass’ cleighten cornelius, mud house winemaker.

sauvignon blanc RAPAURA

pinot rosé BURLEIGH

pinot noir pinot gris THE NARROWS GROVETOWN

DISCOVER MARLBOROUGH WITH MUD HOUSE www.mudhouse.co.nz

enjoy mud house wine responsibly

chardonnay OMAKA

WINE NEWS

Quench to distribute Forrest Wines

Sileni wears summer on its sleeves SILENI ESTATES has released its seasonal range of wines with packaging inspired by a New Zealand summer. The full bottle wraps encase a Marlborough

Sauvignon Blanc, Hawke’s Bay Pinot Noir and a sparkling Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris. The packaging design was developed by award-winning London design house, BD Creative. It features artworks of New Zealand cuisine accompanied with food-friendly wines. The Sileni seasonal sleeves are available now. RRP $19.99. SILENI ESTATES

QUENCH COLLECTIVE has added Forrest Wines to its portfolio of wines. It will be the exclusive distributor from February 1, 2018. Quench Collective already represents Gunn Estate, Sacred Hill, Ti Point, White Cliff, and Wild South. It also has a portfolio of spirits and craft beers. QUENCH COLLECTIVE

WINE NEWS

Design meets wine at Brancott Vineyard BRANCOTT VINEYARD in Marlborough is now home to a permanent installation by New York-based designer, Dror Benshetrit. Titled Under/standing, Dror’s intricate, volumetric sculpture fuses art and science and is designed to be a direct reflection of Brancott Estate’s winemaking process and commitment to innovation. Inspired by a visit to Brancott Estate in 2014, Dror’s eight metre high installation comprises 52 individual components that lock together once the flat matrix unfolds into its final position. As Dror was inspired by the winemaking philosophy of Brancott Estate, Brancott Estate Chief Winemaker, Patrick Materman was inspired by the installation design, and has crafted a limited edition wine range titled Reflection. “One of the elements of Dror’s designs that really resonated with me was how they can be viewed both as a single object and as multiple, interconnected components working together,” says Materman. “This inspired me to craft wines using multiple individual parcels which all maintain their integrity but also combine into a perfectly balanced, harmonious wine.” The limited edition Reflection range

includes a Sauvignon Blanc/Sauvignon Gris 2016 blend and a Pinot Noir 2015. The packaging for the range is designed by Dror to reflect Under/standing. The limited edition range and the installation join the wine rack Present, which was released in 2015 when the collaboration was announced. Under/standing can be viewed at the Brancott Estate Heritage Centre. The Brancott Estate Reflection Limited Edition range is available from the Brancott Estate Heritage Centre, via the Brancott Estate Wine Club (brancottestatewineclub. com) and in New Zealand travel retail. Priced from RRP$60.

BLUE GOLD SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL Establishing both vineyard and winery in 1990, family owned Alpha Domus was a pioneer in the renowned Bridge Pa Triangle district of Hawke’s Bay. Alpha Domus have always been inspired to create beautiful wines of worth, with quality and expert craftsmanship paramount.

Distributed by colabwinemerchants.com

ALPHADOMUS.CO.NZ

Limited release Riesling from Giesen A PARTICULARLY special parcel of fruit from Giesen’s company-owned Eden Vineyard in Waihopai Valley combined with granite tanks have come together to make the limited release Giesen Gemstone Riesling 2017. Giesen Chief Winemaker, Nikolai St George, says as soon as they hand-picked the Riesling they could see the fruit looked amazing. “We decided to keep it separate and experiment by fermenting it in three different vessels. We are fortunate to have large granite tanks and so we put a parcel in that and other parcels in stainless and seasoned oak barrels.” St George says the use of granite makes Gemstone special. “Flavour is enhanced by granite acting a little like oak barrels. It allows air in and the vessel ever so slightly sweats, this slight evaporation adds concentration to the wine. Wine matured in granite is clean, bright and full of flavour.” The winemaking team included 25 per cent of the granite fermented wine in the blend. “The addition of the granite ferment created a wine of length and intense flavour, something that was special and different to Giesen’s other Rieslings,” says St George. Gemstone by Giesen is available now. RRP $19.99

Share the best of

Marlborough The story of the Mission Estate extends beyond Hawke’s Bay. Some of our finest wine comes from our Cable Station Road vineyard in the heart of Marlborough’s Awatere Valley. The best natural features of this region combine to create truly special wines with unique varietal character and intense flavours that you’ll love to share.

GIESEN

Taylors Wines ‘World’s Most Awarded’ THE WORLD Association of Wine Writers and Journalists (WAWWJ) has released its global ranking of the world’s most awarded wineries and named family-owned Taylors Wines as the most awarded winery in the world for 2017, in a ranking of more than 50,000 producers. The World Ranking of Wines & Spirits (WRW&S) has named Taylors Wines along with Wolf Blass, Jacob’s Creek and McGuigan in the Top 20 most awarded wineries globally. Now in its 21st year, the 2017 WRW&S report was established to develop an internationally recognised ranking system for global wine competitions. It is the only ranking system of its kind in the world to evaluate the results from this quantity of international wine shows. Out of more than 700,000 wines evaluated, 12 of Taylors Wines appear in the top 100 list for ‘Wines of the Year’, including the #1 most awarded wine with its 2014 Jaraman Shiraz. The 2017 World Ranking of Wines and Spirits Report is available online at wawwj.com/2017/_EN TAYLOR BROWN

missionestate.co.nz

/missionestate

@missionestate

WINE NEWS

Rabbit Ranch releases 2017 Pinot Noir Rosé CENTRAL OTAGO vineyard Rabbit Ranch has released the second vintage of its Rosé. Made from 100% Central Otago pinot noir fruit, the 2017 Rabbit Ranch Pinot Noir grapes were lightly pressed to extract just enough colour to create a Provençal-esque pale pink wine that is highlighted by its new Burgundy Avignon clear bottle. It has fresh, floral aromas and delicate pinot strawberry red fruit characters on the palate, with a dry finish.

New champagne from Q Liquid BARON ALBERT Champagne has arrived in New Zealand, distributed exclusively through Q-Liquid Liquor. The 55 hectare Baron Albert wine estate in Champagne goes back three generations, with the three Baron sisters running it today. The Baron Albert L’Universelle is a delicate wine made from Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Fresh, elegant and structured it is an ideal aperitif, or serve with shellfish. Q-LIQUID LIQUOR

RABBIT RANCH

2017 Rapaura Sauvignon Blanc from Mud House PROUDLY IN its second vintage, the Mud House Sub Region Series focuses on the distinctive pockets of Marlborough, as shown in its latest release, the 2017 Rapaura Sauvignon Blanc. The Mud House winemaking team, led by winemaker Cleighten Cornelius, bring to life unique variance and flavour for the five varietals that make up the Sub Region Series. “We sourced our 2017 Mud House Sub Region Series Rapaura Sauvignon Blanc grapes from the eastern end of Rapaura towards Cloudy Bay, the site comprised of ancient river beds and younger soils, to create a Sauvignon Blanc with definitive

grapefruit characteristics and crunchy textures,” said Cleighten. The other four wines in the Sub Region Series also carry their own story. Pinot Gris from Grovetown has lovely depth and texture whilst retaining bright fruit aromatics; located at the eastern end of the Wairau Valley with slightly warmer temperatures over harvest. The Pinot Rosé comes from Burleigh, an area that hugs the lower terraces of the Taylor River, and features soils of clay and silt. The slightly cooler area is more suited to growing light, fragrant Pinot Noir. Chardonnay grapes come from Omaka, an area built

58 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

on ancient river systems with soils of silt, gravel and higher levels of clay. A focused stonefruit and citrus pith profile supports oak and extended lees contact. The Pinot Noir grapes are from The Narrows in the Upper Wairau Valley, taking its colloquial name from the spot where the valley elevates as it narrows into the mountains. The cool-

ness of the area, combined with airflow created by the river, allows for a longer and slower ripening season. Riverstone and clay soils help to deliver minerally acidity and tannins with tension. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT MUDHOUSE.CO.NZ DISTRIBUTED BY HANCOCKS WINE SPIRIT AND BEER MERCHANTS

A Giesen Wine For All Occasions. CONTACT YOUR GIESEN GROUP REPRESENTATIVE OR PHONE 03 344 6270

THREE

NEW

IPA’s

Hi Res is a nod to the Home of the Brave with a tonne of dank American hops shovelled in to the brew. True to its name, Hi-Res is a juicy, highly resinous brew exploding with citrus and tropical fruit flavours and aromas.

Hi Res IPA and Hopfinity IPA are available in 500ml bottle. Coastin’ Session IPA is available in 6 and 12 pack.

Accessible, approachable, distinctly quaffable. Whatever you call it, Coastin’ is a beautifully refreshing ale loaded with passionfruit, melon and mango from a generous helping of Trans-Tasman hops.

There’s a vast array of hops that grace this great country. They’ve been combined with exemplary South Island malts to create one immense Kiwi brew. Hopfinity combines a heady blend of citrus, sauvignon grape and stone fruits.

All you’ll need to survive the summer, ahem, Southerly.

BEER & CIDER CATEGORY REPORT

Fun in the sun The latest beers and ciders for quenching summer thirsts

DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 61

BEER & CIDER CATEGORY REPORT

TOP OF THE LAKE

LAKE SUPERIOR

CRISP IN TASMAN

Lakeman Taupo Thunder NZ Pale Ale

Lakeman Bodacious American IPA

Sprig & Fern Pilsner

6.5% ABV, 500ml RRP $9.99

5% ABV, 1.25 litres RRP $11.29

5.7% ABV, 500ml RRP $7.99

Stockists will love Lakeman’s arresting labels that really stand out from the crowd. The bogeyman on the front promises frighteningly full-on beers, but don’t let your patrons be scared off. The Bodacious is a case in point. It pours a dark, rich amber and looks like it’s going to knock your socks off. With blackberries on the nose and a big tropical fruit hit up front, it has all the hallmarks of a classic hop-driven IPA. The malt cushion, however, makes it all worthwhile and rounds out the ale for an excellent drinking experience. The only frightening thing is how easy it is to drink at 6.5%.

This is a light lager that would go down beautifully on a hot Nelson afternoon. Pouring golden and effervescent, it affects an almost Asian beer stance – think Korean Hite or perhaps Chang lager – but has a bit more depth of flavour to keep you interested. Would go down beautifully with snapper or any freshly caught seafood. One of the tasting panel suggested it could also be a good accompaniment with Scotch, nothing too peaty though.

Hailing from the heart of the North Island, Lakeman is a Taupo brewery to be reckoned with. Their Taupo Thunder Pale Ale is typical of their beers: lively, grunty but made with a refinement that will satisfy craft beer lovers. The Taupo Thunder pours amber and is full of artful dark fruit characteristics – a bit of citrus bitterness and hints of passionfruit and possibly even berry. A nice helping of malt helps the beer turn over and holds the hop characteristics. The big man on the label is suitably scary, but he’s keeping a rather elegant secret. LAKEMAN

LAKEMAN

HAIRY ENCOUNTER

CUDDLE UP TO THIS ONE

Lakeman Big Hairy Pale Ale

Sprig & Fern IPA

6.3% ABV, 500ml RRP $8.99

Stepping it up a notch or two, Lakeman’s Big Hairy Pale Ale is a big, chewy ale with a myriad of fruit notes jostling on the palate. The rich golden amber is the first inkling that you’re in for a treat. Aromas of peach and citrus fill the glass and the first sip has an almost bubblegum hops hint to it – heaps of juicy fruit with a slight sharpness at the end. Enjoy with rich sausages in sourdough buns. LAKEMAN

5% ABV, 1.25 litres RRP $12.29

Nelson brewery Sprig & Fern seems to specialise in craft beers that sidle up to you and make themselves at home, as opposed to some of the brasher ales in the craft universe. This IPA is a case in point: a fair amount of malt provides for an earthy drop while the hops keep the whole experience fresh and inviting. It’s great to see some warmer, dustier notes in an IPA and the ale is so rounded it drinks easily like a session beer. Enjoy with classic pub fare – a bangers and mash accompaniment if ever we saw one. SPRIG & FERN

62 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

SPRIG & FERN

IS IT A BIRD…? Emerson’s Bird Dog India Pale Ale 7% ABV, 330ml (4 pack) RRP $22.99

Emerson’s shows its chops with this one, taking a full-bodied, high-alcohol IPA but giving it the sophisticated and balanced Emerson’s treatment to create a dangerously drinkable drop. Strong, reasonably dark and malty for an IPA, it pours a deep amber and delivers acres of flavour. There are notes of pine and citrus mixed with earthy, spicy flavours and a restrained biterness. The result is a delicious IPA that will satisfy many. Recommended. LION

CATEGORY REPORT B EER & CIDER

GOD OF THE SEASONS

COAST TO COAST

CHOC-A-HOLIC

Emerson’s Vertumnus US Hopped Pilsner

Mac’s Interstate American Pale Ale

Funk Estate Can You Dig It Chocolate Milk Stout

6.2% ABV, 500ml RRP $9.99

Mac’s has come up with a good introductory APA with its Interstate American Pale Ale. Pouring golden and clean, it has crisp notes of citrus and fruit, but not so much that it will alienate anyone. A wide-appeal beer, we could see this one becoming the beer of choice for many six-pack drinkers – it’s a refreshing step up from a golden lager with just enough more going on to be interesting.

This seasonal release from the Dunedin brewers has a lighter hop and lively effervescence sparkling through its golden haze. There’s some good biscuity bitterness and a dryness that will be enjoyed in summer. The tasting panel thought its clean lines would be excellent served alongside a mid-afternoon cheeseboard, particularly with a blue. LION

5% ABV, 330ml (6-pack) RRP $15.99

LION

CAPRICORNS UNITE

THE PASSION

Herbalist IPA Horny Goat Weed

Mac’s Fruit Bat Passionfruit IPA

6.5% ABV, 500ml RRP $8.99-$9.99

The first thing to note is the big, clean attractive bottle the Horny Goat Weed IPA arrives in. The nose is full of passionfruit and the flavour is hoppy but not bitter. There’s plenty of tropical fruit in there – particularly mango and pineapple – and the addition of the Horny Goat Weed gives it an earthiness and grittiness that is refreshing. It’s a delight to drink and keeps on giving with repeat trips to the bottle. THE HERBALIST

7% ABV, 330ml (4-pack) RRP $14.99

This is a very passionfruit experience from beginning to end. While passionfruit is often one of the flavours brought out by the craft brewing process, in this case they’ve concentrated on it and developed it to its fullest. Interestingly, they’ve even managed to bring out the aroma of passionfruit skin. While it will be too much passion for some, fruit lovers will enjoy the concentration of flavour – almost like a single origin coffee or perhaps a single grain Scotch. LION

7.3% ABV, 440ml RRP $7.99

Funk Estate delivers exactly what it says on the can here: a stout that really does taste like chocolate milk. The can itself is the first impressive thing – it’s a riot of 70s orange featuring a soul singer with a giant afro. Inside, it’s a dark drop bursting with chocolate flavour and all the stout perennials of leather, a bit of smoke and spice. There’s also a thinness that comes across as the milk part. It’s not going to be for everyone but could be an excellent option as a dessert pairing or served over a scoop of ice-cream – the first beer affogato perhaps? QUENCH COLLECTIVE

GET ON BOARD Funk Estate Soul Train aPeach Tea IPA 6.8% ABV, 440ml RRP $7.99

Funk Estate has produced a rare groove with this filmy, peach-laden number. While nominally an IPA, the peach flavour is the dominant note rather than the usual citrus and tropical tones. With an aroma of peach and yes, tea, on the nose, this is one beer to get the craft enthusiasts back on the dance floor. Arriving in a distinctive 70s inspired Funk Estate can, this one will look good in the fridge and provide a party for the mouth. QUENCH COLLECTIVE

DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 63

BEER & CIDER CATEGORY REPORT

DOUBLE THE FUN

YESTERYEAR’S BEER

SPEIGHT’S SKINNY

Epic Double Geddon Double IPA

Tuatara Primeval Old World IPA

Speight’s Summit Ultra

8% ABV, 500ml RRP $10.99

5.5% ABV, 330ml (6-pack) RRP $22.99

4.2% ABV, 330ml RRP $21.99

Epic has gone for the doctor with this IPA. “Not shy” was the first comment, “full on” was the second. Pouring a bright orange from the big bottle, it’s a commitment, but one that is worth it. Double Geddon is sweet, fruity, jammy almost – maybe make that marmalade – once the bitterness of the citrus kicks in, too. Still eminently drinkable though.

Here’s a very drinkable IPA in the distinctive textured Tuatara bottle. Pouring amber with a good head, this ale has earthy notes permeating the citrus overtones and a slight hint of caramel. There’s a balance and simplicity that makes the drinking experience very pleasurable. It would pair well with barbecued lamb skewers or perhaps a hearty ragu. Recommended.

One of the only drawbacks with beer is the carbs. Speight’s has recognised this and made a beer that has 75% less carbs than normal, but still retains a decent beer hit. Pouring mid-golden brown, it smells and tastes almost indistinguishable from other wide-appeal lagers. It’s refreshing and crisp, not petering out too much as some denatured beers do. At 4.2% alcohol it’s still a respectable beer but with just 0.1g of sugar per 100ml it could be the ideal solution for those looking to take things easy over summer.

EPIC

STAY STILL Epic Static IPA 6.3% ABV, 500ml RRP $9.99

Epic says Static refers to the amount of noise it hears being made about its beers and also the fact that they are not changing – the brewery continues to deliver big, hoppy beers and isn’t about to stop. Static has upfront citrus flavours – lime and marmalade particularly – but there’s a funky, slightly muddy note along with a bit of sour and bitterness. Hop heads will be in heaven, maybe not one for beginners though. EPIC

TUATARA BREWING

AYE CARUMBA! Tuatara Sourgarita Summer Sour 5% ABV, 500ml RRP $8.99

Tuatara goes to Mexico with this clever combination of the margarita and the increasingly popular sour beer. The brewing process involves limes so there is a big citrus tang on top of the already sour style. With a little malt thrown in to mellow the sour, this is an interesting style perfect for the hot days as summer kicks in. The margarita is a classic that requires a bit of salt – perhaps try serving this beer with a slightly salt-rimmed glass? TUATARA BREWING

LION

NO SLEEP TILL BROOKLYN Urbanaut Williamsburg IPA 7.2% ABV, 330ml RRP $POA

The spiritual home of the world’s hipsters, New York’s Williamsburg now has the most fitting tribute: a beautifully crafted, artisanal IPA from the team at Urbanaut. The ale’s deep copper colour is matched with the colour on its designer can. It’s not hoppy in the tropical fruit sense, but there are notes of citrus and grapefruit floating through its hazy body. Lots of bitterness whets the whistle with every sip and makes it dangerously drinkable. URBANAUT BREWING

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CATEGORY REPORT B EER & CIDER

OHAYO GOZAIMASU

A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY

IM-PECKHAM-ABLE

Urbanaut Shimokita Lager

Monteith’s Goldsmith Cider

Peckham’s Wild All the Way

5.5% ABV, 330ml RRP $POA

5% ABV, 330ml (12-pack) RRP $24.99

6.2% ABV, 330ml RRP $4.99,

Urbanaut takes its tribute to the world’s hip neighbourhoods to Tokyo with this lager named after the cool locale Shimokita. A rather classic lager style, the Shimokita pours clear and golden in the glass though it has a bit more going on than a typical Japanese lager. The hop characteristics intermingle with the malt and the finish is quite sweet. It’s a very accessible beer and may be a good one to recommend to customers looking to make the transition from mass market lagers to something a bit more crafty.

Monteith’s has recognised that overt sweetness deters many when it comes to cider and have rectified that with their deliciously drinkable Goldsmith. It still pours a lovely golden hue with a heady apple aroma, but it’s much drier on the palate and almost approaches a hard cider style. The lower sugar makes it much more thirst-quenching and supports continued trips to the bottle. Will have wide appeal over summer and could even be served over ice.

URBANAUT BREWING

DB BREWERIES

BERRY NICE CIDER

HIT THE ROAD

Sprig & Fern Berry Cider 4.5% ABV, 1.25 litres RRP $12.29

Monteith’s Highway IPA 5.4% ABV, 330ml (6-pack) RRP $13.99

A fresh take on IPA, albeit one with the edges sanded off to make a crowdpleasing drop. It has a good dollop of malt encasing slight citrus fruit notes. At 5.4%, enthusiasts may have to take a bit of care, but this will be an excellent beer for punters to pick up on their way to the barbecue. This is the one exception where beer and highways do mix.

Bursting with berry fruit flavours, Sprig & Fern’s Berry Cider is sure to please berry cider lovers looking for something local. Starting with a base of Nelson apples, the team have added boysenberries, strawberries and blackcurrants for a deep, rich berry bouquet and flavour. The boysenberries give it a bit of a bracing bite while the strawberries supply the sweet notes. SPRIG & FERN

DB BREWERIES

For distributor details see Distributor Index page 88

Moutere Perry 5.5% ABV, 330ml RRP $3.99

Moutere Ice Cider 10.6% ABV, 375ml bottle RRP $14.99

Peckham’s make ciders of great distinction and this current crop is no exception. The Wild All the Way is an awardwinning drop that utilises Kingston Black and Major cider apples with a blend of Commice pear to come up with a yeasty, funky, cider with an earthy perfumed nose. A far cry from your typical sweet cider, this is a drop to challenge and intrigue and won Champion Cider at the 2017 NZ Cider Awards. Recommended. The Moutere Perry is a pear cider that pours light golden in the glass but has an elegant depth of flavour. It is sweet but not cloyingly so. The nose has a chilled-out version of the funk displayed by the Wild All the Way but it’s not overpowering. The Peckham’s crew really spread their wings with the Moutere Ice Cider. Arriving in a small wine bottle, this is a strong (10.6%), still cider designed to be served like a dessert wine. The funky nose is there but the taste is a combination of sugars – treacley and intense – with an apple aftertaste. Serve ice cold as an interesting alternative to the usual dessert accompaniment. PECKHAM’S

DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 65

OPINION – BEER

Neil Miller Neil Miller is an award-winning beer writer and an official supporter of the Beer: The Beautiful Truth campaign.

Beers of summer

Neil Miller gets a head start on the sunshine with his pick of beers to please the punters this summer NEW ZEALAND, pretty much like the rest of the world, tends to drink more beer in the summer. The weather is warmer, people are on holiday, and there are more family, social and sporting events to go to. A cold beer is often a natural accompaniment in these circumstances. Summer is upon us (despite the Wellington gale and heavy rain outside my windows as I write this), so here are my: Top Five Recommendations for Summer Beers of 2017. Mac’s Three Wolves (5.1%) is a fruity, full-bodied American-style pale ale made with three types of hops. It is indeed hoppy and quite bitter, but is also a wonderfully approachable beer to enjoy while barbecuing or watching the cricket. The more adventurous summer drinker should try the excellent Mac’s Birthday Suit Double IPA (7.6%). In this beer the hops and the alcohol are turned way up, though it remains most enjoyable. I’m also excited about the launch of the new Mac’s Interstate American Pale Ale (5%) (see page 63 for more). Monteith’s XPA (4.8%) is one of the first beers from Monteith’s new (but highly experienced) head brewer Rob Marshall. This intense, well-made beer uses American Citra hops blended with a mix of Kiwi varieties. The result is a smooth, quenching beer with notes of tropical fruit and pine needles. I’ve heard rival brewers rave about this XPA. There is also a certain charm about enjoying the classic Monteith’s Bohemian Pilsner (5%), served cold (and preferably in a jug) with good friends. The Mac’s and Monteith’s ranges now feature products with nutritional labelling as part of the voluntary Beer: The Beautiful Truth Campaign. The labels confirm that the beers are preservative free and much lower in sugar than most people think (99% sugar free). Liberty Halo Pilsner (5.4%) became one of my favourite beers of summer 66 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

after a wonderful sunny day at Brothers Brewery in Auckland. A group of old and new friends sat on retro couches drinking jug after jug of Liberty Halo Pilsner in what I dubbed a “crocodile death roll” of

If you examine the packaging carefully, you will see that the Statute of Liberty’s face has been replaced by the resplendent visage of Liberty brewer Joseph Wood. Handsome man. rounds – no one wanted to be the first to quit and miss buying their round. Halo is a zesty, well balanced pilsner with notes of grass, grape skin and mandarin. Plus, if you examine the packaging carefully, you will see that the Statute of Liberty’s face has been replaced by the resplendent visage of Liberty brewer Joseph Wood. Handsome man. Epic Armageddon IPA (6.66%) would be on my top five lists for beers of summer, spring, autumn, winter and even Ragnarök. It is fruity, punchy and bitter,

but this year I am detecting more ginger notes and this has provided some real zest in one of the single finest beers this nation has ever produced. I may be biased because I actually named the beer, but the sheer number of awards it has won in New Zealand and around the world emphasise that it is well worth trying. In relation to the unusually specific strength of 6.66%, brewer Luke Nicholas claims it is “the number of the yeast”. Three Boys Wheat (5%) is a trailblazing beer. Iconic Belgian witbiers (wheat beers) use wheat, orange peel and coriander seeds to flavour their brews. The most famous is Hoegaarden, in its unique hexagonal glass. This Christchurch brewery added its own twist by replacing the traditional orange peel with lemon zest. This has the advantage of giving the beer a crisp citric snap and the disadvantage of requiring that 50 lemons be zested at 5am in the industrial depths of Christchurch – even in summer. This is a thoroughly quenching and intriguing drop. Have a great summer in the hot sun with a cold beer.

BEER & CIDER NEWS

Panhead pops up in Auckland WELLINGTON’S PANHEAD Custom Ales has taken over a former nightclub in Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour for a pop-up bar that will run until March 2018. The space has been stripped back and features wall art by Wellington tattoo artist and illustrator Simon Morse. A pool table, pinball and darts sit alongside a 14-tap system with a supercharged V8 as its centrepiece. Panhead founder and brewer Mike Neilsen says it was time to bring the brewery’s wider range to Auckland drinkers. “Wellington’s been a great place for us to grow but Panhead is more proudly boutique bogan than anything, and that’s a nationwide phenomenon. Although our tasting room will be up and running at the brewery soon, Aucklanders haven’t had the chance to see what we’re about up close. Until now our tap beer availability up here has been pretty limited.” Open Wednesday to Sunday, The Panhead Viaduct Custom Bar will showcase

Panhead classics along with an ever-evolving range of limited release specials from Panhead’s pilot plant. These include Busted Knuckle, a massive Russian Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels; Bug Crusher, aged in chardonnay barrels and fermented with a proprietary yeast from Crux Fermentation Project in the U.S.; Batch 003, a Milk IPA sweetened with lactose from actual cows; and Snake Oil, a soured IPA, premiered at this year’s Beervana. The bar wil also offer a beer cocktail list and a small food menu designed to work with what’s on tap.

Honesty Box toasts medal wins THE HONESTY Box approach to crafting cider from single varietal apples was recognised at the recent NZ Cider Awards 2017, with the homegrown cider brand taking home medals, including two ‘Best in Class’ for its batch brewed ciders.

AS STEINLAGER Pure celebrates 10 years, it has released a fresh new packaging design. Maintaining the recognisable green, white and red colours, the graphics and text are now simpler and more streamlined. The word ‘Pure’ – referring to the beer’s creation with no additives or preservatives – is also larger and placed more prominently on the packaging. Steinlager Pure’s new pack design is out now. Available in 12s, 18s and 24s. RRP $26.99 for a 12-pack. LION

About Honesty Box Honesty Box offers three delicious ciders made from the juice of single varietal apples to craft an authentic taste you can recognise. The result is a cider with true depth of character that heroes the distinctive taste of apples for you to enjoy.

“Bite into Honestly Good Cider” • Three delicious ciders made from single variety apples. • Each of these batch brewed craft ciders has a unique depth and character derived from the apple flavour of each variant. • The Apple variant taste ranges from semi-sweet to complex and full flavoured. Each variant includes a flavour scale so you can find the flavour that you prefer most. • Batch brewed in New Zealand. AVAILABLE FROM INDEPENDENT LIQUOR

Braeburn Apple

Granny Smith Apple

NZ Rose Apple

Gold Medal, Best in Class • Crisp and bright Braeburn apple.

Silver Medal, Best in Class • Complex and refined Granny Smith.

Bronze Medal • Balanced and fresh NZ Rose.

• 12pk 330ml Honesty Box Cider, Braeburn Apple RRP $25.99

• 500ml Can, Granny Smith $5.99 RRP

• 500ml Can, Braeburn Apple RRP $5.99

68 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

New look for Steinlager Pure

• 500ml Can, NZ Rose Apple $5.99 RRP

DRINKSBIZ WITH LAKEMAN BREWING CO.

The Lakeman cometh…

Rory Donovan, Elissa Cooper, James Cooper and Jimmy Dale

A mythical creature has driven very real success at Lake Taupo’s Lakeman Brewing Co TRANSFORMING THEIR use of Lake Taupo’s water has spelt brewing success for farming couple James and Elissa Cooper, who own rapidly growing beer brand Lakeman Brewing Co. A few years ago, the Coopers were faced with limiting the animal stocking rates on their sheep and beef farm to cap their environmental impact on waterways and the lake, so they decided to diversify and now use the water in their awardwinning range of beers. James Cooper says inspiration struck while holidaying in Australia, and trying to work out how they could continue the farm under the new Lake Taupo catchment rules. “Some friends gave me a bottle of Coopers to try, and seeing our name on a bottle of beer was a bit of a lightbulb moment. We came back here and ripped into it.” With no prior brewing experience, the Coopers bought a brew kit from Tuatara’s Carl Vasta and set it up in an empty shed on their farm. When their first brewer fell through, James had a crack. “We thought if I could make a drinkable beer in three goes then we’d keep it. On the fourth go we got one and we went from there.”

One of their most popular products is a retail six-pack dubbed the ‘Hairy Box’. “It’s our biggest seller and all the beers in it have won a medal.” They sold their first beer four years ago and haven’t looked back. “It was a huge leap of faith,” says Elissa. But in that time Lakeman Brewing Co has secured shelf space in retail stores, bars and pubs and has won medals here and in Australia. Its most recent accolades include Gold at the 2017 Australian International Beer Awards for Big Hairy APA, and Silvers for Hairy Hop IPA and Lahar American Amber Ale. At the 2017 Brewers Guild Awards, Lakeman won four Silvers for Wildman Pale Ale, Hairy Bastard NZIPA, Hairy Hop IPA, and Badonkadonk DBIPA, as well as a clutch of bronze medals. The Coopers say their aim is to produce fantastic beers across their range so cus-

Top brews at Lakeman Brewing •

Taupo Thunder Pale Ale

•

Big Hairy APA

•

Hairy Hop IPA

•

Hairy Bastard NZIPA

•

Bodacious American IPA

tomers know they’re going to deliver on flavour and quality, but also to showcase Lake Taupo – through the use of its water and its mythical Lakeman character – the hairy mascot who appears on the label, in the brand’s online content and at local bars and tasting events. The couple brought brewer Rory Donovan on board a year ago, and he and James work closely. “I’ve always liked hoppy beers, so we initially wanted something flavoursome and drinkable,” says James. “We like playing with the different hops, and the stouts and dark beers are a road we want to continue down, as you can develop flavours further.” One of their most popular products is a retail six-pack dubbed the ‘Hairy Box’. “I didn’t approve that, but James went with it anyway and it’s our biggest seller by far,” laughs Elissa. “All the beers in it have won a medal in the last year.” Still brewing in the shed with their original kit, expansion is on the cards, along with a tasting room. “We get emails nearly every day asking about visiting, so we’ll look at maybe incorporating that onto the farm,” says James. “Then people get to visit and see what we are about.” The couple says while developing the beer and brand has been a challenge, it’s been rewarding to see it evolve. “We’re having to talk a little bit more,” says James. “We can’t get away with just wearing the [Lakeman] suit. I think we hide behind it a little bit, but now we’re starting to get out there and tell our story.” FIND OUT MORE AT LAKEMANBREWING.CO.NZ PHONE 021 794 225. DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 69

BEER & CIDER NEWS

Corona launches new can CORONA IS now available in a new slimline can – the first time the format has been available in New Zealand. Available in a 10 pack, the new 355ml Corona can is a permanent alternative to the glass Corona bottle. Corona Marketing Manager Kara McMillan expects it to be a hit over the holidays. “Kiwis are renowned for taking every opportunity in summer to explore and enjoy the outdoors. We know that at times glass beer bottles can be hard to transport, and are even banned from some campgrounds and festivals. That’s why we’ve decided to venture beyond the glass bottle and give Corona enthusiasts a way to enjoy their favourite beer, no matter where they are or what they’re doing.” Corona will be at a series of events throughout summer including Rhythm and Vines and Splore. The Corona Airstream will also be touring nationwide at a series of Corona Sunsets gigs. Corona Can 10 pack RRP $23.99. LION

Lewis Road releases cider LEWIS ROAD has added cider to its portfolio, with the release of three varietals in mid-November. The new range uses a base of apple cider made by the team at Mills Reef Winery in Tauranga using organic New Zealand apples, which is then infused with natural botanical blossom flavours of apple, peach, and orange. The Lewis Road Orchard Premium Apple Cider with Apple Blossom, Premium Apple Cider with Peach Blossom, and Premium Apple Cider with Orange Blossom are RRP $5.99 for a 518ml bottle. LEWIS ROAD

BEER & CIDER NEWS

Chic sneakers from Asahi

Tuatara gets its groove on

ASAHI SUPER Dry has teamed up with ASICS Tiger to mark the beer brand’s 30th anniversary with a limited-edition, custom sneaker collection. The Asahi x ASICS sneaker collection is exclusive to New Zealand. Brought to life on Asics Gel Lyte III sneakers, the collection features five designs which represent and celebrate the Asahi brand, history and lifestyle. It was released in November, with just 30 pairs of sneakers produced. Each design is fitted with custom features including laser etched Asahi logo lace lock sets, interchangeable lace sets, dust bags and limited-edition packaging. While not on general sale, one fivepiece collection comprising every style was auctioned on Trade Me in November, with all proceeds going to New Zealand Red Cross. The

TUATARA IS having a fan moment with Six60, launching a limited edition collaborative brew with the Kiwi band ahead of its summer tour schedule. Tuatara Six60 Super Pale (4.6%) has refreshing citrus and herbaceous notes to balance a light malt body. The beer will be available and promoted at all Six60 concerts over summer, as well as online through the band’s social media channels. The cans also feature a Spotify code to unlock unique Six60 music. Clever. Available in 330ml cans, in 6-pack and on tap.

charity auction attracted 113 bids with a winning bid of $1420 securing the coveted sneaker collection. Jade Clark, Marketing Manager for Asahi NZ, is thrilled at the project’s result. “The collection is the perfect marriage of these iconic Japanese brands, and they’ve created something that captures both of their unique aesthetics. The collaboration is an amazing celebration and exhibition of Asahi Super Dry’s 30 standout years in business.”

BIrD DOGS. NOW LIVING IN PACKS.

NOW AVAILABLE IN A 4-PACK.

TUATARA BREWING

RUM CATEGORY REPORT

The rum diaries Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for blended cocktails, mixed drinks or as a premium pour for sipping (a category on the rise), there are rums to suit your drinks list or retail customer.

72 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

CATEGORY REPORT R UM

UP TO RRP $50 Black Heart Dark Rum

Havana Club Especial

Bacardi Carta Oro

37.5% ABV, 1L RRP $36.99

40% ABV, 700ml RRP $39.99

40% ABV, 1L RRP $42.99

This was the New Zealand Navy’s official rum when giving sailors their free daily rum ration – a practice that lasted into the 1950s, making the Kiwis the last naval force to do so. It is a smooth, good value rum with a rich, strong flavour.

This golden rum is rich, round and creamy, with notes of vanilla, caramel and a hint of woodiness thanks to a second finish (double ageing) in young white oak barrels before the final blending.

Another good value pour from the Bacardi range, this was the rum used in the original Cuba Libre, made to celebrate the end of the Cuban War of Independence. Ageing in toasted oak barrels gives it a golden hue and mellow flavours. It has tropical notes alongside rich vanilla, buttery caramel, toasted almond and sweet banana.

PERNOD RICARD

INDEPENDENT LIQUOR

Matusalem Platino Black Heart Spiced Rum 37.5% ABV, 1L RRP $36.99

A spiced golden rum with rich fruit cake aromas and flavours of smooth vanilla, banana and spice. Ideal for blended cocktails. INDEPENDENT LIQUOR

Havana Club Añejo 3 Años

40% ABV, 700ml RRP $40

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. Ideal in cocktails or served on the rocks. EUROVINTAGE

40% ABV, 700ml RRP $39.99

Synonymous with Cuba, Havana Club is a familiar sight in bars the world over. This rum is aged for three years and has an intense nose of banana and smoked oak, while on the palate it has smoke, vanilla and chocolate. Ideal for use in blended cocktails. PERNOD RICARD

Bacardi Carta Blanca 37.5% ABV, 1L RRP $42.99

One of the world’s best known rum brands, Bacardi’s classic Cuban white rum is a mainstay behind many bars as it offers great quality at a good price. Bacardi Carta Blanca has aromas of tropical fruit with flavours of vanilla, banana and apricot. LION

LION

Coruba Gold 37.2% ABV, 1L RRP $42.99

This 100 per cent Jamaican blend is a versatile entry-level rum. Ageing in small oak barrels gives it its golden colour. It is a smooth rum with hints of brown sugar, nutmeg and vanilla. A great value rum that is suited to a wide range of mixed drinks. LION

Coruba Original 37.2% ABV, 1L RRP $43.99

A good value, full flavoured rum. It is mellow with aromas and flavours of molasses, cocoa and caramel, and with a hint of spice. Ideal for using in mixed drinks or blended cocktails. LION

DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 73

RUM CATEGORY REPORT

RRP $50 – RRP $80 UP TO RRP $50 CONTINUED Black Magic 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $44.99

This is a blend of light and dark rum that is made in the Caribbean. Black Magic has aromas of caramel, spice, cinnamon and vanilla, with flavours of rich fruit cake and a long finish of vanilla and brown sugar. A great value rum and ideal for using in mixed drinks.

Diplomatico Planas

El Dorado Cask Aged 3 Years

47% ABV, 700ml RRP $POA

40% ABV, 700ml RRP $52.99

An intense white rum, made from a blend of pot still, column and batch kettle rums that are aged for up to six years. This rum has fresh tropical aromas of coconut and ground coffee, while in the mouth it is slightly fruity with creamy flavours. Charcoal filtration creates its crystal clear, smooth finish. Best served neat, on the rocks or in more delicate cocktails.

El Dorado rums are distilled in Guyana. The three-year-old cask aged 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. Balanced yet full-flavoured.

WHISKY GALORE

Diplomatico Mantuano

35% ABV, 1L RRP $46.99

The flagship of the Captain Morgan range is this Caribbean rum blended with spice and natural flavours and aged in charred white oak barrels. It has flavours of vanilla and brown sugar, with a warm, fruity finish. A good value rum for mixed drinks. Ideal with cola and lime.

Bacardi Ocho 8 Años 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $52.99

HANCOCKS

Captain Morgan Original Spiced Gold

TICKETY-BOO

40% ABV, 700ml RRP $POA

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. On the palate it is complex and well-balanced, with notes of dried fruits, wood and vanilla. Slightly dry finish.

A selection of barrel-aged reserve rums aged for a minimum of eight years are blended to make this more premium offering from Bacardi, which is the sipping rum of the range. 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. LION

WHISKY GALORE

LION

Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva Captain Morgan Jamaica Black Rum 37% ABV, 1L RRP $46.99

A dark rum with rich, fruity flavours and a lingering liquorice finish. Good for mixing with cola or gingerale. LION

40% ABV, 700ml RRP $POA

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 to create a premium Manhattan or Old Fashioned. WHISKY GALORE

74 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

Skipper Dark Rum has been produced and aged in Guyana since 1930, and still boasts the original label on its bottle.

CATEGORY REPORT R UM

Skipper Dark Rum

Gosling’s Black Seal Rum

The Kraken Black Spiced Rum

40% ABV, 700ml RRP $52.99

40% ABV, 700ml RRP $54.99

Skipper Dark Rum has been produced and aged in Guyana since 1930, and still boasts the original label on its bottle. It has aromas of treacle, butterscotch and honey on the nose, with hints of black pepper, espresso bean and charred oak. The palate is buttery and smooth with notes of crème caramel, gooey toffee and custard. Lots of spice, particularly pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. It has good length, with notes of cinnamon and ginger on the finish.

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. Gosling’s Black Seal Rum is a blend of aged rums made in small batches, and has a distinctive dark colour. It is rich, smooth, full-bodied and nuanced with butterscotch, vanilla and caramel.

A black spiced rum that is produced in Trinidad and Tobago. It takes its name from the gigantic legendary sea monster, known as a Kraken. The inky black rum is infused with 11 herbs and spices. On the nose it has nutmeg, vanilla and cinnamon, with flavours of vanilla, dark chocolate, clove, rich fruit cake and toffee. Rich and spicy, this rum is ideal for a wide variety of mixed drinks and cocktails.

TICKETY-BOO

Appleton Estate Signature Blend Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum

El Dorado Cask Aged 5 Years 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $54.99

This deep golden-hued rum has aromas of dried tropical fruit, with caramel, butterscotch and molasses. Vibrant spice flavours lead to an evolving palate of fruit, caramel and toasted coconut, fading to vanilla. TICKETY-BOO

EUROVINTAGE

FEDERAL MERCHANTS

40% ABV, 700ml RRP $54.99

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 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.

40% ABV, 1L RRP $56.99

Fifteen select aged rums (aged for an average of four years) are blended to create the Signature Blend from Jamaican rum producer Appleton Estate. It 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. Serve on its own, or use in simple cocktails. LION

FEDERAL MERCHANTS

DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 75

RUM CATEGORY REPORT

The recipe for Spytail is based on a 19th century French tradition of ageing Caribbean rum in barrels with fresh ginger and spices.

RRP $50 – RRP $80 continued Spytail Black Ginger Rum

Mount Gay Black Barrel

42% ABV, 750ml RRP $59.99

40% ABV, 700ml RRP $60

The recipe for Spytail is based on a 19th century French tradition of ageing Caribbean rum in barrels with fresh ginger and spices. This rum has intense, rich ginger on the nose, against a background of vanilla and spice. On the palate it is smooth with a hint of vanilla sweetness alongside rich fruit cake spice and earthy ginger. Its rounded bottle with porthole embossing is a reference to French deep sea explorers of the late 19th century.

Mount Gay Rum has been made in Barbados for 300 years. Mount Gay Black Barrel is a versatile dark spirit for cocktails. The small batch handcrafted blend is double aged in deeply charred bourbon oak barrels, resulting in an undertone of classic bourbon spices balanced with oaky vanilla and sweet caramel.

EUROVINTAGE

Cooper’s Cut Rum 42% ABV, 700ml RRP $60

This rum from Nelson craft distillery Liquid Alchemy has aromas of butterscotch and vanilla with a hint of banana. Smooth and rounded on the palate, it has rich flavours of butterscotch and a slight vanilla note on the finish. Serve neat, or use in simple mixed drinks. LIQUID ALCHEMY

HANCOCKS

Angostura 7-Year-Old Rum

40% ABV, 700ml RRP $64.99

Appleton’s Master Blender, Joy Spence manages the very rare ‘reserve stock’ at Appleton, two of which are used in this blend of 20 select aged rums, adding complexity and depth. The Reserve Blend is full-bodied and smooth with notes of spice and nuts, oaky honey, subtle vanilla and dried orange peel. LION

El Dorado Cask Aged 8 Years 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $64.99

There are hints of tobacco mixed with caramel toffee on the nose, and a faint aroma of dried stone fruits and flambée banana. A soft and faintly sweet mouthfeel with traces of oak and butterscotch. Distinctly smooth. TICKETY-BOO

40% ABV, 700ml RRP $62.99

A blend of select rums aged for a minimum of seven years at House of Angostura, which has been producing rums for 130 years and is the only rum distillery in Trinidad today. The highly awarded Angostura 7-Year-Old is one of five in its international rum range. It has aromas of vanilla, molasses, coffee, spice and oak, with flavours of chocolate, honey, toffee, caramel, coffee and roasted nuts. Serve over ice or mix with tonic or soda. FEDERAL MERCHANTS

76 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

Appleton Estate Reserve Blend

Havana Club Añejo 7 Años 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $64.99

A premium rum created to be savoured neat, it is a combination of barrels that have been aged and blended, with the minimum age of any barrel being seven years. It is 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. PERNOD RICARD

CATEGORY REPORT R UM

RRP $80 and above Murderer’s Bay White Rum 37.5% ABV, 700ml RRP $64.99

Dancing Sands Distillery in Golden Bay makes this white rum from 100 per cent molasses that is fermented on site and double distilled in a small batch copper still. The rum has aromas of molasses and sweet banana, with a hint of orange zest and almonds. It is soft and smooth on the palate with earthy undertones and a lingering sweetness. FEDERAL MERCHANTS

Broken Heart Spiced Rum 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $69

New to local brand Broken Heart is a spiced rum aged three years in barrel. Smooth and well balanced, it uses natural spices of galangal, vanilla, orange peel, cloves and cinnamon, with distinct caramel, candied walnuts and cinnamon on the palate. BROKEN HEART

Helmsman Spiced Rum 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99

This New Zealand-brand rum is made from a blend of Caribbean golden rum and spices. Initial aromas of fruitcake followed by banana, vanilla and a hint of warm spice. It is full-bodied with rich fruit flavours, cinnamon and luscious toffee. HANCOCKS

Matusalem Gran Reserva 15

El Dorado 12-Year-Old

40% ABV, 700ml RRP $70

40% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99

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. A super-premium rum that is ideal served neat or on the rocks.

This is the youngest of El Dorado’s Luxury Cask Aged Range, which are designed to be savoured. It has a nose 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.

EUROVINTAGE

TICKETY-BOO

Mount Gay XO Reserve Cask Rum 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $75

A blend of selected Cask Reserve rums from Mount Gay that have been aged from seven to 15 years. It has aromas of ripe banana and toast, followed by vanilla and warm spice; it is rich and oaky on the palate. A robust rum to serve neat. HANCOCKS

Pusser’s Rum 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $75

Offering a true taste of naval life, this Royal Navy-style rum is produced in exact accordance with the British 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, using 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.

Pyrat XO Reserve Rum 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $94.99

This rum takes its name from the Old English word for ‘pirate’ and is made on the Caribbean island of Anguilla. It is made from eight premium Caribbean rums, aged up to 15 years, which are selected and blended for varying lengths of time. It has flavours of citrus, cinnamon, caramel and vanilla, a slightly warm bite and a smooth finish. Serve neat or over ice with a twist of lemon, or use in premium rum cocktails. EUROVINTAGE

Pusser’s Rum is a Royal Navystyle rum produced in exact accordance with the British Admiralty’s specifications.

EUROVINTAGE DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 77

RUM CATEGORY REPORT

RRP $80 and above continued El Dorado Special Reserve 15-YearOld

Matusalem Gran Reserva 23

43% ABV, 700ml RRP $109.99

This is the premium offering from Matusalem and has subtle aromas of dried fruit, fresh honey, and a floral hint over a sweet toffee base with notes of mango and exotic wood. On the palate it is creamy with a liquorice base over roasted almond with hazelnut tones and dried fruit. A sherry-like finish.

A fine cognac-like rum, which has been a consistent award-winner. A complex nose of dark coffee, candied orange, almonds, dark chocolate, pepper and rich vanilla. A silky, rounded palate with flavours of grilled tropical fruit and smooth, oaky spice. TICKETY-BOO

40% ABV, 700ml RRP $120

EUROVINTAGE

Murderer’s Bay 14-Year-Old Aged Gold Rum

Santiago de Cuba 12 Años

40% ABV, 700ml RRP $112.99

This premium rum was designed to be sipped. It has aromas of rich caramel and sweet fruit and is nutty on the palate at first, followed by rich fruit flavours, undertones of coffee, dark chocolate and spice, and a long finish of burnt sugar with a hint of banana.

This rum is fermented, distilled, aged and bottled in New Zealand by award-winning Dancing Sands Distillery in Golden Bay. In 2016, it won a Masters Medal at the London Rum Masters Competition. Aged 14 years in French oak casks, the golden rum 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. Best served neat or over a single ice cube.

40% ABV, 700ml RRP $150

HANCOCKS

FEDERAL MERCHANTS

Due to the scarcity of Mount Gay’s most mature casks, the company releases just one batch of its 1703 Master Select annually.

78 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

El Dorado Special Reserve 21-Year-Old 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $169.99

Described as being for “true rum connoisseurs”, this 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. TICKETY-BOO

Mount Gay Rum 1703 Old Cask Master Selection 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $199

This is the latest limited-edition batch of Mount Gay’s rarest and most revered rum: 1703 Master Select. The 1703 Master Select blend features 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, with this year’s release being just 12,000 bottles worldwide. It has aromas of oak and caramel, balanced, rounded flavours of caramel, spice and toast, with a delicate finish. HANCOCKS

For distributor details see Distributor Index page 88

Premium Mixers now available from Federal Merchants & Co | P: 0800 846 824

MIXERS – WHAT’S NEW

Mix it up

Latest releases in the world of mixers

East Imperial

StrangeLove

Soda Press Blonde Cola

RRP $4.99 500ml

RRP $11.99 180ml 4-pack

RRP $14.95 500ml

East Imperial has come to the party (literally) for those wishing to craft cocktails at home, releasing its range of seven mixers in new 500ml bottles. The new size is ideal for making three or four cocktails at a time. Accompanying the release is a series of cocktail recipes for making at home, designed by Brand Ambassador and mixologist Tim Martin, which are available on the East Imperial website.

This range of of super-premium mixers from Melbourne brand, StrangeLove launched in Australia in August and is now available here. StrangeLove is already stocked at leading Australian restaurants such as Attica, Quay, Vue De Monde, Rockpool, Longrain and Town Mouse. The five mixers have been developed to work with the growing number of craft spirits available, particularly gin. Tonic No. 8 – a gutsy, bold Indian tonic water. Dry, with a lively citrus zest and sustained bitterness.   Light Tonic – a light, super-dry Indian tonic with just 2.9g sugar/100ml. Ideal with floral, fragant gins.   Dirty Tonic – a bespoke, cloudy tonic that is the first bottled tonic to use wildcrafted, unrefined cinchona bark. A very dry tonic with an earthy bitterness and notes of bold citrus. Pair with citrusforward or herbaceous gins.  Bitter Lemon Tonic – a versatile, boldly citrus tonic water that pairs well with tequila, whiskey, or slightly sweeter gin.  Dry Ginger – a super-dry Ginger Ale with Sichuan pepper and two varieties of ginger. A spicy, clean ginger ale that packs heat and is ideal with rum, whisky or bourbon.

This is an all-natural, certified organic, low sugar and low caffeine cola, with a hint of citrus. The ‘Blonde’ in the name refers to its lighter hue, as it doesn’t contain the artificial ingredients that give traditional colas their darker colour. Soda Press Blonde Cola is made with cola nuts, ginger, lemon, cinnamon, rosemary and lavender. Sweetened with organic brown rice malt syrup, organic cane sugar and monkfruit, it contains half the sugar of big cola brands. Each bottle makes 17 drinks.

HANCOCKS

Six Barrel Soda Co. Strawberry & Cream RRP $14.95 500ml

The latest in Six Barrel’s limited edition releases. The Strawberry & Cream soda syrup is made with real strawberries, Heilala vanilla and fresh lemon juice. Perfect for adding a taste of summer to blended cocktails. Available while the batch lasts. SIX BARREL SODA CO.

Fever-Tree Aromatic RRP $9.99 200ml (4-pack)

As all things pink reach fever-pitch, the number one selling pink tonic of the UK summer has arrived in New Zealand. The pink hue of Fever-Tree Aromatic Tonic Water is derived from angostura bark extract, and the bark’s bitterness is balanced with cardamom, ginger, vanilla, and pimento berry, creating a clean, dry taste, with a slight citrus finish. Ideal for making a wide variety of pink mixed drinks.

SODA PRESS CO.

New Zealand Pure RRP $4.99 750ml

This new spring water is bottled at source in Kauri Springs, in the Far North. Filtered through mineral rich volcanic sediment, it has naturally high levels of silica and an exceptionally clean flavour. Available in Still and Sparkling. Ideal for serving with premium spirits. The tall, stylish bottle also makes it an attractive table water. QUENCH COLLECTIVE.

FEDERAL MERCHANTS

For distributor details see Distributor Index page 88

EUROVINTAGE DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 81

SPIRITS NEWS

Inside look at Mount Gay

BAR PROFESSIONALS were treated to a special rum blending session in November with Miguel Smith, Mount Gay International Brand Ambassador. Hancocks hosted the event at its Auckland offices, in which Smith explained the brand’s history, complex flavour profiles and versatility behind the bar. Guests then tried their hand at creating their own rum blend. Miguel Smith joined the Mount Gay team in 2012, bringing more than 15 years’ experience in the UK and Barbados drinks industries, including a significant period as mixologist at Brompton Brands’ Mahiki, then bar manager at Brompton Club. Barbados-born and bred, Smith says he has a particular passion for the rum, which can trace its roots back to 1703 on a sugar cane estate on the Caribbean island nation. “My role is to tell the true story of rum, the story of Mount Gay. By understanding that rum has a real history and over 300 years of refinement into the quality spirit that it is today, people can appreciate rum as a fine drink for all occasions.” HANCOCKS

New Zealand Negroni, anyone? KARVEN HAS introduced two products to its range which, combined with its original Karven Dry Gin, mean a 100 per cent New Zealand Negroni can go on the list this summer. Karven Vermouth Rosso (18% ABV) is made from New Zealand grape wine with a combination of botanicals such as feijoa flower and koromiko (a type of hebe). It is naturally amber red and has flavours of sweet rhubarb balanced with crisp herbaceous notes and a spiced finish. The Ropere Amaro (25% ABV) is Karven’s take on the bitter Italian herbal liqueur and uses grape alcohol, fresh local herbs and berries. Naturally ruby red, the Amaro is a balance of bitter and sweet, with three specific varieties of wormwood used. Available in 500ml bottles. Karven’s product range also includes a New Zealand Absinthe, Starka Vodka, and Bianco Vermouth. QUENCH COLLECTIVE

The Astar returns GLENMORANGIE HAS a limited release of its whisky The Astar (Scots Gaelic for “journey”) available in New Zealand. The single malt whisky was first released in 2008 and is matured entirely in bespoke oak casks from the Ozark mountains of Missouri, with the aim of imparting the wood’s maximum flavour to the spirit. The specific requirements for the custom-made casks’ design and creation mean it has taken nearly a decade for the second release to come to fruition. The Astar new limitededition displays the smooth, creamy depths of its predecessor, delivered at a slightly lower strength. Glenmorangie The Astar, 52.5% ABV, RRP $140. MOËT HENNESSEY

82 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

Contact Whisky Galore, sole agents in New Zealand for Benromach Single Malt Scotch Whisky, www.whiskytrade.co.nz BENROMACH.COM

SPIRITS NEWS

Patrón’s secret revealed in Auckland THE PATRÓN Secret Dining Society came to Auckland in November, with the tequila brand hosting a special dinner

at a secret location for invited guests. Patrón Tequila holds the events around the world, in which chefs and mixologists come together in interesting venues to create intimate dining experiences. A group of Auckland’s foodie elite and celebrity guests were taken to Kauri Bay Boomrock, south of the city, where they enjoyed a 6-course degustation by Chef

Jeroen van Bilsen paired with cocktails created by Jeremy Nivern of Mea Culpa. The brand, which offers hand-crafted ultra-premium tequila, says The Secret Dining Society is part of its drive to educate customers on how to enjoy quality tequila and to change perceptions of the spirit itself. EUROVINTAGE

Welcome to the Branca family

THE FIRST VERMOUTH

FOR ENQUIRIES: Ian McAteer & Associates Ltd. Phone 09 476 1360 Mobile 027 542 0496 Email michellemcateer@xtra.co.nz

Refined new look for Drambuie The iconic whisky liqueur unveils a new logo and bottle design DRAMBUIE—THE PREMIUM whisky liqueur that is sipped, mixed and shared around the world—has launched a striking new bottle. The new look bottle evokes Drambuie’s 270-year-old history, from its beginnings as a local favorite on the Isle of Skye in the 18th century through to its place as an essential in every cocktail bar around the world today. The Drambuie liquid does not change – remaining true to the recipe that has always been a well-kept secret: a unique combination of aged Scotch whisky, heather honey, and herbs and spices. Inspired by its rich heritage, which dates back to 1745, the new Drambuie bottle has developed in both shape and design to evoke the liqueur’s beginnings as Bonnie Prince Charlie’s ‘personal elixir’ and to reflect its evolution into a highly-regarded bartender essential. The new bottle styling is a modern interpretation of classic design with stronger shoulders and a slight taper,

making it stand proud on any back bar or drinks cabinet shelf. The bottle is cast in dark amber glass and topped with a striking red cork closure to evoke the design of the 20th century, when Drambuie came of age as the integral ingredient in the legendary Rusty NailTM. Freddy May, Global Ambassador for Drambuie at William Grant & Sons commented: “Drambuie has come a long way since it was first made and today it’s an essential in the finest bars around the world. We’re very proud to own an iconic liqueur that has been a premium mainstay of cocktail culture for more than a hundred years, and the new design is the first of several modern twists we have planned for Drambuie’s future.” The reframed brand logo is embossed onto off-

white, textured stock, while the label’s pearlescent gold finish reflects the deep golden hue of Drambuie. The label background also features an intricate pattern, the central focus of which is the intricate Jacobite Rose. William Grant & Sons Master Blender, Brian Kinsman added: “The exact Drambuie recipe is a well-kept secret, which we believe is a big part of its charm. Warm and smooth, Drambuie delivers a rich hit of aged Scotch whisky to the palate, mellowed by heather honey tones and layer upon layer of herb and spice notes. It has unmistakable presence in cocktail serves and a longlasting impact on those who discover it.” DISTRIBUTED BY HANCOCKS, WINE, SPIRIT AND BEER MERCHANTS RRP $54.99.

Rusty Nail One of the classics of the cocktail world 30ml of Drambuie 60ml of Scotch Whisky 1 Large Rock of Ice 1 Lemon Twist Build over ice in a rocks glass and stir. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Drambuie Collins A light and refreshing start to summer. 30ml of Drambuie 1 Scoop of crushed ice 1/2 a lemon 8 mint leaves 2 parts soda Cut the lemon into wedges and squeeze into the glass. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir. Garnish with a mint sprig.

DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 85

Slane Irish Whiskey lands in NZ SLANE IRISH Whiskey is a bold new take on Ireland’s legendary spirit and has just launched in New Zealand through Hancocks. Founded at the world-famous Slane Castle, it is a smooth and complex triple-cask Irish whiskey. Slane Irish Whiskey is created using high quality, mature Irish grain and malt whiskey aged in three different cask types: virgin American oak, seasoned oak, and Oloroso Sherry casks from Spain. Once carefully blended, the result of this triple-cask process is a bold yet smooth spirit with unique complexity and a more robust flavour than traditional blended Irish whiskeys. Slane Irish Whiskey is a collaboration between two historic families: the Brown family of Brown-Forman in Kentucky; a leader in whiskey since 1870, and the Conyngham family of Slane Castle in Ireland. Co-founder, Alex Conyngham works in conjunction with the team of whiskey distillers, who represent more than 60 years of whiskey-making expertise. “We set out to deliver a new take on Irish whiskey, one that respects the traditional style but at the same time excites us about where we can go,” says Alex Conyngham. “We’re fortunate to have first access to the best casks in the world through Brown-Forman’s own cooperage. It’s fantastic as the triple-cask layers create this “The triple-cask incredibly satisfying complexlayers create this ity for Slane Irish Whiskey incredibly satisfying and we’re very proud of what complexity for we’ve created.” Slane Irish Whiskey The whiskey’s new home and we’re very is the state-of-the-art Slane proud of what Distillery, built in the we’ve created.” – renovated 250-year-old Alex Conyngham Gothic horse stables of Slane Castle. The castle is familiar to rock ‘n’ roll fans the world over. Since the annual Slane Castle Concert series launched in 1981, over one million people have flocked to the estate’s idyllic grounds. Set amongst 150 acres of the Boyne Valley, Slane Castle is a picture-perfect backdrop for a new expression of Irish whiskey. “The whiskey is a nod to Slane, right down to the striking black bottle that evokes the symmetry of the castle,”says Alex Conyngham. “It’s a terrific tale of two families who share similar values joining to create a lasting legacy for Irish whiskey.” SLANE IRISH WHISKEY IS AVAILABLE NOW THROUGH YOUR HANCOCKS REPRESENTATIVE OR ON 0800 699 463.

Tasting notes Slane Irish Whiskey (40% ABV) is a rich toffee colour with aromas of complex fruit, drizzles of caramel, butterscotch and vanilla, brown spice and toasted oak. On the palate, it is spicy at first, but quickly sweetened with rich caramel, vanilla and butterscotch atop a deep layer of dried fruit, with a luxurious finish hinting at dried fruit and caramelised sugar. Serve neat, on the rocks, or mixed in classic cocktails.

86 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

OPINION - SPIRITS

Dominic Roskrow Drinksbiz UK-based world spirits expert d.roskrow@aol.co.uk www.worldwhisky.co.uk

White rum on the rise

Rum is joining the premium spirits movement, and it’s not just the dark rums to watch, says Dominic Roskrow

RUM HAS lived a charmed existence for a long while now, regarded as a frivolous, fun and flexible spirit. Rum is the bartender’s sexy friend, seductively whispering “I’ll be whatever you want me to be, darling,” while telling tales of balmy beaches, high jinks on high seas, dreadlock holidays, and a naval history where rum is the only positive in a five worded summary of life in the British navy. It finds itself positioned at the centre of a drinks triangle that has white spirits such as vodka and gin at one point, cocktails at another, and sipping spirits such as Cognac and single malt whisky at its tip. You’d think that after centuries of consumption and decades of fad and fashion, it would have run out of track, and had nowhere else to go. But you’d be wrong. For as we roll into 2018, there are plenty of people pointing to signs that suggest rum is set for a fresh session in the spotlight. And it would seem that premium white rums may well be leading the charge. White spirits fall in and out of fashion, but white rum has always been a small category, dominated by Bacardi. There were very few premium white rums, but that is changing. In fact, the entire category is benefitting from a combination of factors: the current passion for craft distilling, and in particular gin making; the increased focus on production methods; a passion for heritage and provenance; and a willingness on the part of the consumer to pay more – within reason – for a spirit that is bespoke and demonstrably well made. “In the past, I think people associated luxury with brown spirits and cask ageing, such as Scotch and Cognac,” says Mike Aikman of Edinburgh’s trendy Bramble Bar, which produces SeaWolf, the first

white rum to be distilled on Scottish soil. “However, we are starting to see people recognising premium white sprits again, like they did in the vodka boom of the 90s, which has undoubtedly been driven by the recent explosion in the gin category, and people paying £40-£50 (NZ$77-$97) a bottle, without blinking an eye.” It’s early days, but craft and artisanal distilling is opening up new flavours, helping to highlight drinks with provenance and heritage and, in turn, re-discovering forgotten rum regions. Rum is also being helped by two other factors: the first is the growing number of people who have

discovered sipping spirits such as single malt whisky and Cognac and have now moved on to rum. Secondly, it is the dark mutterings on the internet about the rapidly rising price of single malt whisky. Several leading bloggers are shying away from writing about it and turning to other spirits categories instead, and plenty think that at least some of the younger malt finding its way to market does not offer value for money. With tiki culture designed to raise spirits and give drinkers a boost in what are generally dark times, rum is perfectly placed to take advantage. Bring on the party.

“We are starting to see people recognising premium white sprits again, like they did in the vodka boom of the 90s.”

DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 87

DISTRIBUTOR INDEX

Distributors Accolade Wines

The Herbalist

Mineral Ltd

Sprig & Fern

03 520 6011 accolade-wines.com

021 940 385 theherbalist.co.nz

027 580 7325 mineralwine.co.nz

03 544 8675 sprigandfern.co.nz

Allan Scott Family Winemakers

Hancocks

Moët Hennessey

Sur Ltd

0800 699 463 hancocks.co.nz

0800 226 650 moethennessey.com

021 44 9596 sur.co.nz

Hunter’s Wines

Negociants

Taylor Brown

0800 486 837 hunters.co.nz

0800 634 624 negociantsnz.com

09 447 3801 taylorbrown.co.nz

Ian McAteer & Associates

Peckham’s Cider

Te Pa Wines

09 378 9463

michellemcateer@xtra.co.nz 027 542 0496

03 543 2959 peckhams.co.nz

03 570 5192 tepawines.com

Broken Heart Spirits

03 572 9054 allanscott.com

Beam Suntory 09 915 8440 beamsuntory.com

Bennett & Deller

Independent Liquor

Pernod Ricard

Tickety-Boo Liquor

03 442 0819 brokenheartspirits.com

0800 420 001 independentliquor.co.nz

0800 655 550 pernod-ricard-nz.com

09 377 7597 tickety-boo.co.nz

DB Breweries

Lakeman Brewing Co.

Plateau Group

Tuatara Brewing

0800 746 432 db.co.nz

021 794 225 lakemanbrewing.co.nz

office@plateaugroup.co.nz plateaugroup.co.nz

0508 TUATARA tuatarabrewing.co.nz

Epic Beer

Lewis Road

Q Liquid

Urbanaut Brewing Co

0800 212 337 epicbeer.com

0800 800 553 lewisroadcreamery.co.nz

09 636 7730 qll.co.nz

09 215 9074 urbanautbrewing.co.nz

EuroVintage

Lion

Quench Collective

Villa Maria

0800 388 766 eurovintage.co.nz

0800 107 272 lionco.com

0800 946 326 quenchcollective.co.nz

0800 505 656 villamaria.co.nz

Federal Merchants & Co

Liquid Alchemy

Rabbit Ranch

Vintners NZ

0800 846 824 federalmerchants.co.nz

03 547 5357 liquidalchemy.co.nz

03 442 6110 rabbitranch.co.nz

0800 687 9463 vintners.co.nz

Giesen

Mahana Wines

Sileni Estates

Whisky Galore

03 344 6270 giesen.co.nz

03 543 2817 mahana.nz

06 879 8768 sileni.co.nz

sales@whiskytrade.co.nz whiskytrade.co.nz

Great Little Vineyards

Maison Vauron

Six Barrel Soda Co.

Wine2Trade

09 529 0935 greatlittlevineyards.com

09 529 0157 mvauron.co.nz

022 077 9553 sixbarrelsoda.co.nz

021 180 0253 sue@wine2trade.co.nz

HaHa Wines

Manifesto Wines

Soda Press Co.

021 207 2101 manifestowinecompany.co.nz

03 265 3444 sodapressco.com

06 833 7859 hahawine.co.nz

88 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

92BESTPTS BUY

VIRGIN, SEASONED, AND SHERRY

O UR SIGNATURE TRIPLE CASKED BLEND NOW AVAILABLE

TRIBUTE – TERRY MCCASHIN

The McCashin legacy IT WAS with great sadness in late October that New Zealand raised a glass in farewell to Terry McCashin – undoubtedly one of the first ‘disruptors’ of our brewing landscape. While best known for his founding of the country’s first craft brewery, McCashin’s, in Nelson in 1981, Terry was also a former All Black (#674), a farmer, a publican, husband to Beverley and father of Maria, Dean, Scott, Anna and Todd and grandfather to 18 grandchildren. Terry died in Nelson on October 31, aged 73. It was while running pubs in the 70s that Terry became aware of how limited New Zealand’s beer options were, thanks to the dominance of the duopoly of Lion and Dominion Breweries, who controlled the commercial production and distribution of all the country’s beer. He could see an opportunity for another player to enter the market. In 1980, he and Bev bought the historic Rochdale Cider site in Nelson’s Stoke, and a year later they launched McCashin’s Brewery. They set about brewing what would become Mac’s beers. At the brewing helm was accomplished UK brewer Jim Pollitt, who had worked in Denmark with Carlsberg. Starting Mac’s put the McCashins in direct competition with Lion and DB, and in Michael Donaldson’s book Beer Nation1, Terry McCashin recounts how they struggled to get access to malt, as the only supplier was jointly owned by Lion and DB; then to bottles, and then to fund their first purchase of hops, which they

Terry and Beverley McCashin in 1981

were told had to be 12 months-worth, up front. But the determination paid off and McCashin’s launched with Mac’s Gold, Real Ale and Black Mac. The beers were naturally brewed, unsweetened and made in accordance with the Bavarian Purity Laws. With no sugar to speed up fermentation, each batch of beer took 12 weeks to create. But their uncompromising attitude to quality offered something different from the beers to which Kiwi drinkers were accustomed, and at a time of extremely limited choice. They struck a chord with beer lovers and McCashin’s became New Zealand’s most successful microbrewery. The brand enjoyed good growth throughout the 90s, until the McCashins

decided to move on and in 1999 sold the brand to Lion, who continued to brew it at the brewery in Stoke, which they leased from Terry and Bev. Over the following years, Lion shifted the bottling to other outlets and eventually moved production of Mac’s Beer out of Stoke in 2009 when the brewery lease was up. The family returned to its brewing roots at the old site in Stoke, with Terry’s son Dean leading the charge. Under the McCashin’s Brewery flag, he and wife Emma launched Stoke Beer and revived Rochdale Cider. Today, McCashin’s Brewery is the largest independently owned (and family owned) brewery in New Zealand. Our craft brewing industry owes much to Terry McCashin, who saw an opportunity to revolutionise the way beer was produced in New Zealand, and in doing so, etched his name in our brewing history. Donaldson, M. (2012) Beer Nation – the art & heart of Kiwi beer. Auckland, NZ: Penguin Books. 1

Terry McCash

in and Jim Pollit

90 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018

Rob Muldoon, Terry McCashin and Jim Pollitt at the brewery opening in 1981

Our award winning products taste clean, subtle and

good as the spirits youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re pairing them with.