Drinksbiz December January 2016 by Hurst Design Co.

The two lauter tuns in the Brew House at McCashin’s Brewery. Nelson, New Zealand

DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016 DRINKSBIZ.CO.NZ

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FROM THE EDITOR

Auckland and it can seem as if all of them are WHEN HE was run over by his tractor in February trying to have a drink down town right now. Traffic this year, Trevor Deaker was attended to by an congestion is one thing but drink driving concerns ambulance within eight minutes and was in Duneare on another level; one that might be better din hospital two hours later. addressed if we lived in a country with a community The Alexandra wine producer was netting his bar culture rather than a city one. vines when the accident happened. His workers I believe that by encouraging the development of made the call from the vineyard, which fortunately community, we in the drinks industry can effect a had cellphone coverage. His partner was able to be positive cultural shift in how we drink – and where. by Deaker’s side because “the country thing kicked There are other responsible ways of serving drinks in” – locals rallied to finish off the vine netting. too. Deaker has made a remarkable recovery. He One option is zero alcohol beverages but there attributes much of it to being connected; to the are more fun ways to look at the issue of drinkland (which keeps him physically fit) and to the driving. Pouring smaller portions of better quality locals, who stepped in to help, without a second wine, beer or spirits appeals to me. This applies thought, despite many of them being his commerequally to all alcohol categories, cial competitors. particularly with the rise of This story illustrates the imporIt is interesting to note craft beers, many of which have tance of connectedness. It’s a that as craft beers surge higher alcohol levels following theme which comes through in in popularity with their prolonged fermentations, which phrases such as ‘it’s who you higher than average facilitate greater intensity of know; not what you know’. And alcohol levels, wine’s oddly enough, it can be easier to popular appeal is heading flavour. It is interesting to note that as craft beers surge in retain a strong sense of conin the other direction; popularity with their higher than nection in small communities lower alcohol, less body average alcohol levels, wine’s than in highly populated ones. and less pronounced popular appeal is heading in the This highlights the importance flavour. This is not a other direction; lower alcohol, of shifting our focus to our own positive trend. less body and less pronounced local communities in our thinking flavour. This is not a positive trend for mainstream – and in our drinking. wine. I find it staggering that ‘lifestyle wines’ (wines The United Kingdom is a prime example of a with lower than usual alcohol content) are being culture with a strong community focus, despite its championed because the majority that I have high population; every corner has a pub and their tasted are extremely light not only in alcohol, but in focus today is often as much on food as it is the taste, body and ripeness. Most are characterised alcohol, which was once the only drawcard. by overt green flavours, which implies grapes that The festive season highlights the importance were less than fully ripe. of adding food to the alcohol we consume and to Why not drink better quality wine and consume doing so in our community, wherever that may be. less of it? Order one great glass and a soda water Most of us are out and about more than ever in the on the side. lead up to Christmas and New Year, but not always Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in our own communities. Cheers, Joelle Thomson One third of New Zealand’s population lives in

DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

Celebrate and moderate

EDITOR’S PICKS Zeffer Two Point Five Zeffer Cider’s new Two Point Five channels tropical island holiday vibes with its fresh floral flavours.

2014 Hawkdun Rise Pinot Noir Alexandra in Central Otago is home to this lovely, elegant Pinot Noir.

Skipper Rum Dark, smoky and salty; complex and tasty. Go rum. DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016 3

CONTENTS

Publisher Karen Boult karen@boult.co.nz +64 21 320 663 Editor Joelle Thomson joelle@drinksbiz.co.nz +64 21 376 786 Designer Lewis Hurst lewis@hcreative.co.nz +64 21 146 6404 hcreative.co.nz

Sugar sugar RUM CATEGORY REPORT–PAGE 55

COLUMNS, NEWS & VIEWS Word from our Publisher Karen Boult on the power of strong brands 5

BEER & CIDER

drinksbiz.co.nz

Columns Our experts share drinks world insights 6

Beer Category Report Best of the festive brews, summer beers and lower alcohol options 44

Cover Story Coca-Cola Amatil surges ahead 11

Cider News The apple of our eye; ciders on the rise 48

Out & About

Diary Dates

The Independent New Master of Wine Rebecca Gibb on a hard won qualification 14 Industry News The latest liquid news, brews and taste bites 15

WINE High 5 Top new wines selected by our editor 30 Italy’s fizz file The Riccadonna story 32 Sparkling Wine Category Report The ultimate guide to selecting, understanding and stocking sparkling wines for the festive season 34 4 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

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

Associate Member (NZ)

SPIRITS & COCKTAILS Spirits News A distillation of heady spirits news 51 Rum Category Report An intensive tasting of rums in New Zealand 55 Hot Mixes Tasty cocktails for the balmy summer season 62

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

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Last Requests Chris Litchfield on heading up Coca-Cola Amatil New Zealand 68

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PUBLISHER’S COMMENT

The power of a brand

Coke invented Santa – it’s true! Santa Claus – the big, jolly man in the red suit with a white beard didn’t always look that way. PRIOR TO 1931, Santa was depicted as everything from a tall gaunt man to a ghostly-looking elf. Coca-Cola wanted an advertising campaign that portrayed Santa as wholesome and family friendly, who was both realistic and symbolic. So they commissioned an artist who gave us a character we now know as Santa. Once I started digging, it didn’t take long to find other brands that became so successful they became a generic term for their product. A Jeep is generally known as a utilitarian four wheel drive. It is of course a brand, but the name itself came from the US army specification for a “general purpose” vehicle or “GP” which morphed into “Jeep”. Other common examples are Formica, Post-it-notes, Weed Eater, and Band Aid. In the liquor industry, close examples of

the eye of the trade and the public. That said, we are also delighted to be given the task of introducing new brands and products and help our valued clients become the creators of their own Santa Claus. We are regularly reminded that we are the “voice of the industry” when it comes to brand awareness. Thank you – we will continue to work hard to deliver the service we provide to the outstanding industry we are proud to be a part of. Another year is almost behind us – and in most quarters it seems to be regarded as a successful one. To our advertisers, thank you for your business over the year; to our readers, thank you for your interest and time. Sincere best wishes to you all for a wonderfully happy Christmas and New Year, and we look forward with anticipation to a successful 2016. Karen Boult, Owner/Publisher

this are sparkling wine from the Champagne region in France (champagne of course) and the principal liquor produce of Scotland (scotch). Brands have shaped our lives in ways that are so intertwined into our every day that we don’t even notice it. A great way of measuring the inherent value of a brand is to ask; do our consumers instinctively associate us with a moment, a memory, or an occasion? There are many examples in the liquor industry (I won’t cite specifics for fear of naming some and not others!). The industry can be proud of its long heritage of brands which have become internationally known and revered, and indeed commonplace in the lives and the celebrations we experience every day. At Drinksbiz, we are honoured to be entrusted with the task of ensuring that these brands are kept in

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IN VINO VERITAS

Joelle Thomson Editor Drinksbiz joelle@drinksbiz.co.nz

Pinot promises in the Bay Hawke’s Bay is potentially the most diverse wine region in the country

AS UNSPOKEN opportunities go, Hawke’s Bay Pinot Noir is one that has been waiting in the wings for longer than many winemakers have dared speak its name. There was just one gold medal winning Pinot Noir of the entire 24 entered at this year’s Hawke’s Bay A&P Wine Awards, but the high quality of the seven bronze medal winning Pinots proved there is more than a little promise in this cool climate loving grape variety and the wines it makes in the Bay. Show chairman Rod McDonald echoed the thoughts of many at this year’s show, saying the Pinot Noir class has noticeably improved in Hawke’s Bay this year, but there’s clearly still a lot of work to do. There is significantly more Merlot than Pinot Noir planted in Hawke’s Bay. All up, New Zealand is home to approximately 1245 hectares of Merlot and the vast majority of it grows in the Bay. But as is its wont, Merlot has traditionally been grown there to emulate the great Bordeaux reds; its role has largely been to flesh out the staunch muscular bones of the far more tannic Cabernet Sauvignon. Today, however, Cabernet Sauvignon has dwindled to less than half (297 hectares) of what was planted even 10 years ago. It is a late ripening grape and New Zealand’s cool maritime climate doesn’t always come to the party on that front. Merlot ripens earlier but still requires the warmest vineyards in the Bay in order to reach its fruitiest, fullest bodied potential. 6 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

This brings us back to Pinot Noir; an early ripening grape that suits climates such as most of New Zealand offers. The majority of wine regions in this country are prone to frosts and rain around harvest time. And while Hawke’s Bay has generally been viewed as a cool to moderate climate, it is home to an extremely diverse range of different climate areas, such as Takapau; a small rural area, 20 kilometres west of Waipukurau. This Central Hawke’s Bay climate is cooler for grape growing than better known viticultural areas such as the Gimblett Gravels,

pretty red floral fruit flavours, smooth medium tannins and noticeably zingy acidity, which comes across as freshness and vibrancy.

Hawke’s Bay has generally been viewed as a cool to moderate climate, but as it is home to an extremely diverse range of different climate areas, such as Takapau, it has areas that suit Pinot Noir down to the ground.

Promising as Pinot Noir in the Bay can be, the region’s Chenin Blancs, Verdelhos and Chardonnays all promote a strong case for further investigation into the subregional variations in climates, soil and weather patterns and how these variables impact on the wide range of white wines. The strengths (and weaknesses) of the many different areas in Hawke’s Bay highlight that the beauty of the Bay is its diversity.

where river stones absorb and radiate heat as well as creating heat pockets to keep the vines’ feet warm. The cooler inland climate at Takapau is just one of many examples in the Bay, which appear to suit Pinot Noir down to the ground. This came through in wines at this year’s show, such as the 2013 and 2014 Junction Possession Pinot Noirs, both from Takapau. Neither won medals, but they attracted strong interest and positive notes from the judges (including yours truly) because these wines have

Top Bay Pinot The best Pinot Noir at this year’s Hawke’s Bay A&P Wine Awards was the 2014 Sileni Exceptional Vintage Pinot Noir; the only gold medal winning Pinot present and an elegant, medium bodied, fruit driven wine with very good balance and a long finish.

Post script

Next year’s chair Next year winemaker Rod Easthope will take over as chair of the annual Hawke’s Bay A&P Wine Awards. The winemaker and senior judge is also an advocate of Pinot Noir in the Bay; New Zealand’s second biggest wine region. Joelle Thomson was a senior wine judge at the 15th annual Hawke’s Bay A&P Wine Awards held in September.

HOOKMVNR0915DB PHOTOGRAPHY: CHRISTOPHER DAVID THOMPSON

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COLUMN

Jenny Cameron Brewers Association of Australia and New Zealand Email: jenny.cameron@brewers.org.nz

Awards celebrate big brews The latest beer awards prove that large volume brews are no barrier to the production of high quality taste

THE NEW Zealand beer sector recently celebrated the best of its 2015 brews in a night of celebration that was a great reminder of the diversity and depth in the sector, as well as cutting through some of the myths about big beer. Now in its ninth year, the Brewers Guild of New Zealand Beer Awards is an international competition, with entries from throughout New Zealand and the world. A beer’s overall balance of characteristics was judged by a panel comprising 25 national and internationally qualified judges. All judging was done through blind tasting and each beer has to stand on its own merits against set criteria. The Annual Brewers Guild of New Zealand Beer Awards saw a record 858 entries and awarded 461 medals. Lion beat 93 other New Zealand breweries to be crowned New Zealand’s best brewery, also heading off six international breweries. As Beertown put it so well “And as the Lion taketh the Crown, the people shall wail and gnash their teeth. Curses will they Tweet, beards will they shave, and beer will they disdain.”1 People questioned how it could happen that Lion won the top award? Quite simply, Lion won champion brewery because its medal count was the highest, unaffected by outside influences like advertising or popularity, judged only on the beer itself2. It is only the second 1 www.beertown.nz – a recent addition to the beer writing landscape: Beertown NZ is an enthusiastic, subjective, opinionated and independent celebration of New Zealand beer and brewing, by beer writer and business journalist Martin Craig. 2 More details can be obtained from Beertown’s 8 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

time in the awards’ nine years that a major brewery has won the Champion Brewery (DB won in 2010). In fact, every year a different brewery has won the top gong. For anyone following awards, this recognition for Lion was not out of the blue. Their beers have been recognised on the international stage, most recently at the Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA)3 in May where the Speight’s 5 Malt

Lion won champion brewery because its medal count was the highest, unaffected by outside influences like advertising or popularity, judged only on the beer itself. It is only the second time in the awards’ nine years that a major brewery has won the Champion Brewery (DB won in 2010). Old Dark won the Trophy for Champion International Beer, as well as the Cryermalt Trophy for Best Amber/Dark Ale. The Champion International Beer is the second highest accolade in the competition after the Champion Australian Beer. Lion had also won a rare silver medal in the international lager category for their Speight’s Triple Hop Pilsner at the 2014 post on this (see above). 3 The Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) is the largest annual competition of its kind in the world judging both draught and packaged beer, with more than 1700 entries from 344 exhibitors comprising 35 countries. There were 203 entries from 33 New Zealand breweries of all sizes. Parrot Dog Brewery in Wellington won Champion International Small Brewery, also a significant achievement.

World Beer Cup in Colorado, USA4 . There were many other significant wins across the beer categories in the 2015 NZ Beer Awards, too many to mention here, but the full results can be found on the Brewers Guild website5. After Lion, Panhead placed second and Moa third in the Champion Brewery award, highlighting the ability to achieve high accolades at all levels in the sector. Liberty and Bach Brewing were also given special note for the rare achievement of winning a medal for every single one of their entries. A notable mention for Epic’s Armageddon which won best IPA in this year’s NZ Beer Awards, AIBAs and Swedish Beer Awards, and they are hoping to make it a fourth gong at the World Beer Cup next year. Lion was not the only major to win accolades. DB’s Monteith’s Velvet Stout continued its successful run after winning the Trophy for Best Stout at the AIBAs and then picked up a gold medal for it in the NZ Beer Awards. Black Dog Brewery (DB’s smallest brewery) picked up the trophy for Best Wheat Beer for its Blizzard. All in all, the beer sector is in good health in New Zealand and this is now increasingly being recognised overseas. Long may the growth, quality and diversity continue. 4 World Beer Cup is held in America every 2 years and only awards one medal in each category. New Zealand beers had not medalled at the World Beer Cup for 14 years. In 2014 as well as the Speight’s silver, Wellington brewery Garage Project also scooped a silver in the Wood & Barrel Aged Strong Beer category. 5 www.brewersguild.org.nz/news/ nzbeerawards15

COLUMN

Dom Roskrow Drinksbiz UK based world whisky expert dominic@true-spirit.co.uk

Online forum lament

WHAT POSSESSED me? I shouldn’t have done it. We’ve all been warned about going online at night, especially after a drink. I know where it’ll lead and how grubby and ashamed I will feel afterwards. Despite that, last night I went and joined an online whisky tasting. Never again. This is how it works. A whisky company sends a selected group of bloggers four or five samples. Then, on a given day at a given time, using a pre-agreed hash tag, each participant goes on Twitter, tastes the whisky, puts their thoughts online, and whisky enthusiasts can follow along, perhaps even with their own samples at home. So far, so good, eh? Actually, no. Because, frankly, these events are the whisky world’s anti-Christ. They defile and diminish everything malt whisky should be. They’re crude and smutty apologies for whisky tasting events. I hate them. Why? Firstly, the people taking part want free whisky, so they will say whatever the whisky maker wants them to say to stay onside. This is marketing passing itself off as objectivity. After a couple of rounds, two things happen. The notes start to sound remarkably similar to the press releases the whisky company has sent me. And as the evening progresses and more whisky is consumed, bloggers try to out-score each other by resorting to increasingly outlandish and ridiculous descriptors, strangling the English language in the process: “tastes like a florist’s” (you eat flowers?); “a bit like a dirty carpet in an old people’s home” (don’t even go there). Within minutes the comments are out of sync and mixed in with random tweets of other people: “I’m getting fresh Oregon mountain pine, coated with Lindt 90% 10 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

Burnt match aromas equal sulphur, unless it’s very late and very large amounts of whisky have been consumed via Twitter

As the evening progresses and more whisky is consumed, bloggers try to out-score each other by resorting to increasingly outlandish and ridiculous descriptors, strangling the English language in the process: “tastes like a florist’s” (you eat flowers?). cocoa dark chocolate.” “Woof! Kylie’s wearing a really tight dress.” “If you hold it in your mouth it starts to taste like plums.” “Breaking news: major cocaine bust.” “I get sherbet, melon and tingling on the nose...” And on we go. But what I hate about online tastings most of all is the fact that rather than befriending your malt whisky, getting to know it, falling in love with it, these events are like a quick grope in an alley; whisky’s answer to speed dating.

And if I’m honest, I can’t keep up. I’m still nosing the whisky when the notes start appearing on my screen. I once even did the tasting in the afternoon so that all I had to do was type in my reviews. Still couldn’t do it. But last night finished me off. This is how it went. Whisky one: ME: This is young and I’m getting a sulphury note. BLOG 1: I’m not getting sulphur. BLOG 2: Nor am I. ME: Well I am. BLOG 1: Who do you think you are? Jim Murray? BLOG 2: I’m getting a meaty, earthy note. ME: Sulphur. BLOG 1: There’s a sort of used match smell. Like burning. ME: SULPHUR!!! BLOG 3: Actually when the glass is empty it smells of sulphur. ME: HALE - BLOODY - LUJAH!! And with that I tuned down, switched off, dropped out. And after that, I won’t be back.

COVER STORY

Coca-Cola Amatil surges ahead New Zealand drinks giant is investing $50 million in a vast new production hub at Auckland Airport IT’S NOT every day that one of New Zealand’s largest companies invests $50 million in a new manufacturing plant at Auckland Airport but Coca-Cola Amatil New Zealand (CCA) is not an everyday business. It is the largest drinks company in the country. This year the company’s distribution, manufacturing and sales all grew when its partnership with Beam Suntory was announced on 1 October. “The agreement signifies a very exciting step in the long term partnership between CCA and Beam Suntory,” says managing director Chris Litchfield. The new agreement brings the New Zealand company into strategic alignment with its Australian parent company, which has been distributing alcohol based beverages for the past decade across the Tasman. “As well as further strengthening CCA’s New Zealand alcohol portfolio, our new agreement deepens the relationship between our two companies, locally and across Australia and the Pacific,” says Litchfield. The distribution partnership means that CCA New Zealand will sell and distribute all brands in the Beam Suntory portfolio, which includes Jim Beam bourbon, Canadian Club, Midori liqueur and Japanese whiskies as well as its RTDs, which will be manufactured in New Zealand from Jim Beam bourbon. “Following the announcement of a 10 year partnership between Beam Suntory and CCA in Australia, this is testament to the quality of our relationship and commitment to being the number one beverage distributor and manufacturer. This new partnership represents a very exciting portfolio expansion, which gives us an even greater portfolio to offer our customers across the country,” says Litchfield. The partnership will see both companies tap strongly into the distribution

The partnership will see both companies tap strongly into the distribution of spirits in New Zealand; a market which currently includes over 1 million 9 litre cases and 6 million 9 litre cases of RTDs. of spirits in New Zealand; a market which currently includes over 1 million 9 litre cases and 6 million 9 litre cases of RTDs. Juice, coffee, beer and cider are also significant sectors of CCA’s portfolio. In July, the company announced a new partnership to distribute the Stoke beer and Rochdale cider brands, produced from the famous Nelson brewery owned by the McCashin family. Scott McCashin says the new distribution agreement gives his family the opportunity to take advantage of CCA’s wide global network and efficiencies with distribution. “This is a great move for us and will help us to develop in a broader way,” he says. The owners of the Nelson brew also launched new packaging in November this year, which McCashin says has been a long time coming. “We took on a new agency, Plato Creative in Christchurch, to get us to where we wanted to be with our look. They

spent a long time getting to know us, our business and our background and history. It was important that they knew us well so that they could incorporate all of these elements into the new packaging,” he says. CCA’s new factory at Auckland Airport will provide convenient road and air networks to markets throughout New Zealand and the world. The brands to be produced at the new facility include Keri Juice as well as Thexton’s and E2. Another new focus for CCA New Zealand is its reduced sugar range of Keri Fruit Drinks, which were launched in November. Keri Fruit Drink comes in a 250ml pack and contains 30% less sugar and kilojoules* says Kristy Bovill, the juice and category business manager for CCA New Zealand. “Innovation is a key focus for our business. We are constantly looking at ways that we can respond to consumer trends and the new Keri Fruit Drink is an example of this,” says Bovill. CCA New Zealand also has distribution rights to Magners Ciders, Blue Moon beer, Kronenbourg 1664 and Grinders Coffee. The company is part of the Australian Stock Exchange listed Coca-Cola Amatil Group and is one of the top five CocaCola bottlers in the world. It also has operations in Australia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. The company plans to open the doors to its new $50 million facility in mid 2016. *In comparison to the original Keri Kids formulation. DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016 11

OUT & ABOUT Nikki Dorrington, Aa

ron Ward and Kiri Hyd

Out & About Seb van der Zwan,

Ferrick Nicky Park and Anna

Helene Ravli

ch and Jim Ro

bertson

Bubbles at Farina in Ponsonby A trio of new Australian sparkling wines was launched this year at Farina in the heart of Ponsonby, Auckland. The bubblies were introduced to a group of journalists and wine writers by Australian winemaker Ben Bryant, who visited New Zealand with the new trio of Jacob’s Creek bubblies for the festive season.

Carolyn Tayl

or and Natal

Heather Vermeer, Cathy McK eown and Cheryl Lin

is delighted to Bar Manager Kathy Tipu ish new bar. styl be at the helm of the

Ben Bryant, Joelle Thomson and Nevil

Gibson

Fort Street’s finest

tender. Amit Dhankhar, bar

Sai Hamsala

12 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

Award winning bartender Sai Hamsala has opened a new bar in one of Auckland city’s hottest entertainment precincts, Fort Street. Hamsala opened the doors of his bar, Rich Heart, in late October at an event attended by over 100 guests. Cocktails and canapes were followed by music from Auckland DJs, including MC Tali, Bulletproof and Chiccoreli. The new venue occupies two levels. It can accommodate 180 people on the main floor, while a downstairs space is available for private events and can cater for up to 90 guests. Hamsala was crowned the World’s Best Bartender at the Diplomático World Tournament Bartending Finals in Venezuela in early 2015. Opening a bar was his next goal. “It’s a dream come true,” says Hamsala, who launched his career after studying Hospitality Management at NZMA. “After bartending for 10 years and winning the Diplomático World Championship, it is definitely the right time to have my own bar.”

ie Chan

DIARY DATES

Diary dates

Saturday 23 January 2016

BRIDGE PA WINE FESTIVAL

Taste the wares of 7 wineries in the Bridge Pa Triangle growing district of Hawke’s Bay, who will join forces in Hastings for this festival, at which food will match the wines. eventfinda.co.nz

Thursday 28 to Saturday 30 January 2016

2016 CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT NOIR CELEBRATION The 12th anniversary of the Central Otago Pinot Celebration is open to all wine lovers – over 40 Central Otago winemakers and up to 200 other wine enthusiasts attend. pinotcelebration.co.nz

Friday 29 January to Monday 1 February

ASB AUCKLAND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL HALSEY WHARF, AUCKLAND

Relax with wine and live performances from Kiwi musicians and entertainers with views of the Waitemata Harbour and local seafood on hand. BE IN TO WIN PREMIUM TICKETS TO THE FESTIVAL FROM BRANCOTT ESTATE: To celebrate Brancott Estate’s support of

the ASB Auckland Seafood Festival, we have two Brancott Estate prize packs to giveaway including two tickets in each, valued at $100 each prize pack. To enter to win one of two Brancott Estate prize packs including tickets to NZ’s ultimate seafood celebration, email info@trademedia.co.nz You must be 18 years or over to enter. aucklandseafoodfestival.co.nz

Monday 1 to Wednesday 3 February 2016

INTERNATIONAL SAUVIGNON BLANC CELEBRATION

Marlborough is the place, Sauvignon Blanc is the theme and this country’s most widely exported wine with 85% of current exports being Sauvignon Blanc. sauvignon2016.com

Thursday 4 to Friday 5 February 2016

PAST PRESENT AND BEYOND, GISBORNE

Gisborne is to host New Zealand’s first Chardonnay and sparkling wine symposium, which will be titled Past, Present and Beyond... the Tale of New Zealand Chardonnay and Sparkling. The event will follow the inaugural International Sauvignon Blanc Celebration in Marlborough. Saturday 13 February 2016

MARLBOROUGH WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL

New Zealand’s original and longest running wine festival. An opportunity to sample a unique selection of world class wines and delicious local cuisine at the picturesque Brancott Estate. wine-marlborough-festival-co.nz

Tuesday 24 to Thursday 26 May 2016

VINEXPO HONG KONG

Vinexpo Hong Kong, one of the biggest international wine and spirits trade shows in the Southern Hemisphere, is making Italian wines its guests of honour at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 24 to 26 May 2016. vinexpohongkong.com

January 2017

PINOT NOIR NZ 2017

Vinexpo Hong Kong: Focus on Italian wine Italy is the world’s biggest global exporter of wine by volume and alternates with France as the world’s largest producer, which is vintage dependent. The country ranks third largest on Earth for wine consumption by volume. Italy’s wine exports have grown substantially in recent years, rising from 197 million 9-litre cases in 2009 to 204 million in 2013; now 2.44 billion bottles. Its main export markets are northern Europe and North America but China is now also importing a growing volume of Italian wine each year; 4.54 million 9-litre cases were exported to there last year, which makes Italy the fifth biggest wine supplier to China and the sixth largest to Hong Kong.

Master of Wine Jancis Robinson has confirmed her attendance at New Zealand’s next international Pinot Noir conference in January 2017. The London based writer is to be one of 15 guest speakers at the three-day Pinot Noir NZ 2017 event on Wellington’s waterfront in January 2017. Watch this space for more details as they come to hand. pinot.nz.co.nz

DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016 13

THE INDEPENDENT

New Kiwi Master of Wine

Rebecca Gibb is a British-born, New Zealand wine writer who has become the country’s newest Master of Wine

What inspired you to sit the MW? It’s the highest qualification in the wine industry, along with the Master Sommelier, and I love a challenge. It was also important to me for reasons of credibility: as a blonde in my (then) 20s, there was the initial ‘do you know what you’re talking about’ moment whenever I turned up to interview a Bordeaux chateau owner or CEO of a champagne house. With these two letters after my name, I no longer need to prove that I know my stuff.

What did you find hardest about the qualification? I thought it would be the three 12-wine blind tastings but it was actually the last part; the dissertation, now

called the research paper. I had three dissertation synopses rejected, which meant it took me three years between passing the exams and becoming a Master of Wine. There are many others who have been stuck at this hurdle for some time and the Institute of Masters of Wine have now made the process more transparent so that hopefully this won’t happen to others in the future.

What’s the most rewarding part about having passed it now? It’s pure relief to be finished studying. It’s considered the highest achievement in the world of wine and to have finally passed it is also a great relief.

Fast facts on the Master of Wine qualification • Rebecca Gibb is now one of only 340 people in the world who are entitled to call themselves Masters of Wine. Her success in the exams and dissertation now brings the tally of New Zealand Masters of Wine to 11. The other MWs in this country include Kumeu River winemaker Michael Brajkovich, wine writer Bob Campbell, wine importer Stephen Bennett and wine educator and writer Jane Skilton. • The Master of Wine Examination is notoriously difficult with few making it through all three stages of the course, which include five theory exams, three blind tasting tests and a final research paper. • It is the most prestigious qualification for members of the international wine trade, along with the Master Sommelier course.

14 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

Marlborough winery dances a new tune

A new sponsorship deal will see Nautilus Estate and the Royal New Zealand Ballet team up for the next two years NAUTILUS ESTATE of Marlborough and the Royal New Zealand Ballet will continue in a brand partnership for the next two seasons, says the winery’s managing director Clive Weston, who has confirmed that the partnership between the two brands has been extended for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. The partnership deal will see Nautilus also continue to partner with dancer Abigail Boyle as part of the agreement. Boyle has danced many lead roles in classical and contemporary works, including Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, Myrtha, Queen of the Willis in Giselle, and Odette/Odile in Swan Lake. She has also worked with the Royal New Zealand Ballet with many international choreographers, most recently creating the role of Helena in Liam Scarlett’s acclaimed new production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. “We are thrilled Nautilus is continuing their partnership with us as we believe we are a perfect match - outstanding creative New Zealand companies consistently delivering to the highest standard. And what’s more there is no better way to complete an evening with the RNZB than by enjoying a glass of superb Nautilus wine,” says Amanda Skoog, managing director of the Royal New Zealand Ballet.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Federal takes Ceres FEDERAL MERCHANTS & Co have recently taken over the distribution for Central Otago’s Ceres Wines. The range includes small volume single vineyard wines from high elevations, such as the Black Rabbit vineyard, overlooking the Cromwell area. It also includes higher volumes of Ceres Pinot Noir; which has won strong international awards in the recent past, including at large London wine competitions. Up until now, Ceres Wines has been represented in the market by Bespoke Wines, which will continue to operate with Fiona Macleod leading the promotion and distribution of other excellent Central Otago wines.

Campari goes to Eurovintage ONE OF Italy’s most iconic spirit brands, Campari, has announced a new distributor in New Zealand; EuroVintage/Thirsty Camel (EV/TC). The new partnership will take effect from 1 January 2016 and will see Campari’s brands, Aperol, Cinzano, Frangelico and Campari, all join the EuroVintage stable. “EuroVintage is delighted to be welcoming these international brands into its portfolio and building a long term relationship with such an iconic global drinks company,” says Nick Hern, CEO of EuroVintage. The new deal will also see EV/TC become the distributors of Averna, Cynar, Cinzano Sparkling and Mondoro Sparkling. Campari’s managing director for the Asia Pacific region, Franco Peroni, thanked the Beam Suntory NZ team for their dedication and professionalism. “We have experienced some fantastic growth in the Australian market over recent years and we are looking forward to leveraging EV/TC platform to continue to unlock the same potential for our brands in in New Zealand,” Peroni says.

THE NEWEST CERES WINES 2013 Ceres Pinot Noir

RRP $37.99

This wine is made with grapes grown at Bannockburn; the warmest of Central Otago’s wine areas, which gives this wine an intense ruby colour, full bodied style with rich red fruit flavours and firm tannins.

2015 Ceres Black Rabbit R Riesling RP $24.99 This is the first vintage of a single vineyard Ceres Riesling, which is made from the Black Rabbit vineyard; a spectacular elevated site where the grapes are grown on dark schist; classic Riesling country. This wine is driven by aromas of white flowers, limes and honeysuckle spice. It drinks well now and has outstanding potential to age for the long term, thanks to the high acidity of the Riesling grape; which is pronounced but balanced in this vibrant white.

2014 Ceres Pinot Gris

RRP $24.99

This wine is medium dry and medium bodied, full of rich flavours of yellow fruit, white fruit (pears and apples) and honeysuckle. 16 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

Zeffer launches lower alcohol cider THE MAKERS of Zeffer Cider have launched a lower alcohol cider called Two Point Five; the alcohol content of the new drink, which is being launched for summer 2015/2016. Zeffer director Josh Townsend describes the new Two Point Five as “a complex blend of sunflowers, rose, jasmine and calendula flowers patiently cold-soaked in freshly crushed apple cider.” The cider’s alcohol content means that it contains 0.65 of a standard New Zealand drink and 0.8 of a standard UK drink. Townsend suggests Two Point Five will be an ideal match with ceviche. Zeffer Two Point Five is sold in 4 packs, RRP $12.99.

Distributed by Federal Merchants & Co | E: info@federalmerchants.co.nz | W: federalmerchants.co.nz

INDUSTRY NEWS

Schweppes’ ginger win

A new classic ginger beer has won the top gong at the non-alcoholic beverage awards COCA-COLA WON an impressive number of accolades at the 2015 New Zealand Juice and Beverage Awards, including the supreme award for its reformulated Schweppes Classic Ginger Beer. The Schweppes Classic Ginger Beer was also awarded the prestigious Best New to Market and Best Carbonated Beverage awards, with judges describing the beverage as a fun alternative to alcohol with great ginger flavour. “We’re proud to earn recognition for creating a beverage that acts as a non-alcoholic option for those who want a bit of tasteful indulgence in their night out” says Gina Beck, brand activations manager adult & flavours at Coca-Cola New Zealand. “The makers of Schweppes have

a proud history producing the finest sodas for over 230 years. We spent a lot of time crafting a brewed ginger beer that kiwis would love, so to win this award is a fantastic acknowledgement of a great tasting beverage that is enjoyed by many.” The drink contains brewed ginger and was launched earlier this year, along with a line of Schweppes traditional beverages designed to appeal to adults looking for quality ingredients and authentic flavours. Another trophy winner in the Coke New Zealand portfolio was Baker Halls Lemon and Barley, which won the Best Low Calorie Beverage. The New Zealand Juice and Beverage Awards are held annually to promote innovation and celebrate excellence in the non alcoholic beverage industry.

Joelle’s Little Black Book Editor Joelle Thomson shares a snippet from her spare-time project, which can play an educative role in the hospitality industry

IT ONLY takes one sip of a compelling wine to become hooked on this most lusciously interesting of all drinks, and I hope that the wine essentials in my new Little Black Book of Wine can also provide the impetus for readers to get more of every glass they pour. At first glance, a decanter (or any jug, for that matter) and great wine glassware can seem intimidating, but my aim in The Little Black Book of Wine has been to completely remove any perception of intimidation from wine, and also to empower readers with the desire to branch out and try new wines. Malbec from Argentina; Cotes du Rhone from the south of France and Nero d’Avola from Sicily are all among the world’s greatest value reds. And there are more of these wines available in New Zealand than ever before, thanks to great importers, whose wines are featured in this book. If I had a dollar for every time I was asked a question about the role of sulphur dioxide in wine, I would be cruising the Mediterranean, glass in hand, right now. Instead, I have demystified this tricky topic by interviewing winemakers and researching the topic myself. Armed with the basics, wine is easy to understand and a little knowledge goes a long way towards getting more pleasure out of each glass. That’s the aim of this book. It is my wish that the trade will see the value in the educative role that this book can play and will champion the significant work that I have put into it – by purchasing and using this guide. The Little Black Book of Wine has a special RRP of $24.99 for the festive season, it is published by New Holland NZ and Australia and is available in bookstores now. 18 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

News briefs Italy to Greytown LA PANCETTA is a new wine bar, delicatessen and restaurant, which opened in Greytown’s historic Wakelin House in October. The venue is the brainchild of Rachel Priestley of The Prodigal Daughter, who has hospitality personality Marcus Darley as the front of house manager at La Pancetta. Priestley’s vision is to offer cooking classes, a great selection of Italian and selected local wines and to serve authentic Italian food. “La Pancetta will enable me to share my passion for Italian food and wine with our guests. Wakelin House provides the perfect venue for a venture I have long envisaged. The garden courtyard is perfect for al fresco dining and of course the Wairarapa produces some beautiful fresh produce which we’ll showcase on the menu,” says Priestley.

German reunifying wein A STUDENT project at Geisenheim University has seen the production of two wine blends, which were made using grapes grown in all 13 wine growing regions (aka anbaugebiete) of East and West Germany. The project marks the 25th anniversary of the reunification of the eastern and western parts of the former divided Germany. The duo of wines (a white and a red) were made with grapes grown by a wide range of producers from bulk wine producers to individual estates and from co-operatives to VDP members (Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates). It also included grapes from organic to conventional production systems.

LET THE CONVERSATION FLOW...

CEO of Palliser Estate Wines Pip Goodwin

Wai words don’t rule A name change may be in the pipeline for one of New Zealand’s smallest wine regions PIP GOODWIN may be the new CEO of Palliser Estate Wines in Martinborough but she is not new to the region, which she believes needs a new name and identity to market the region’s high quality wines and their image, both nationally and internationally. “How we name our very small region is a very contentious issue. The name Wellington could work to encompass Martinborough, Masterton and Gladstone because we have to come together as a region to promote our wines and place,” says Goodwin. “We just have to get on and do it because we are getting left behind. Martinborough is not in danger of losing its identity, nor are areas in the northern Wairarapa because labels and producers can still accentuate their own subregional areas. But overall, we need to promote ourselves more efficiently.” Goodwin says the word Wairarapa is too often confused with the similar sounding, Waipara, in North Canterbury. She has also discovered that Martinborough and

Marlborough are confusing for both the trade and for wine consumers, in some markets. “I have found people quite unsure of which area is which, when I’ve been travelling overseas for the winery,” she says. Wines from the Wairarapa region make up a relatively small 2% of New Zealand wine’s total production, with Martinborough accounting for just half of that. The reputation of the wider region, however, far outweighs this small production. “It makes no sense for a region this small to have three different promotion bodies working to promote it,” says Goodwin. These organisations are Wines from Martinborough, Wines from Wairarapa and the Wairarapa Winegrowers, members of which are currently in discussions about how best to proceed with one overall identity for their region. “There have to be some efficiencies in the way that we run our region because we are small. We need to remain true to who we are but also work more effectively to promote ourselves,” says Goodwin.

We’ve been getting people together since French missionaries founded Mission in 1851. Over the years many of the conversations have changed, but our reputation for quality and value has stood the test of time.

info@missionestate.co.nz

missionestate.co.nz

INDUSTRY NEWS

San Fran’ tasting Hawke’s Bay

Leading media, trade and educators from San Francisco recently tasted the 2013 Gimblett Gravels Annual Vintage Selection, praising the outstanding wines for their high quality IT WAS the vintage of a century for some and the tasting of the century for others; a selection of wines chosen independently by Andrew Caillard MW. The Australian based, British Master of Wine devised a short list of 12 red wines from the 2013 vintage after tasting a wide range put together blind by Hawke’s Bay winemakers. “The USA market has a strong affinity with Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet blends. Events such as this Annual Vintage Selection tasting provide an opportunity to build awareness of the unique attributes the Gimblett Gravels Wine Growing District possess, enabling our winegrowers to build sales and penetrate the world of fine wine,” says Gimblett Gravels Winegrowers Association chairman, Gordon Russell. “The tasting demonstrated the very high standard achieved by Gimblett Gravels wines, with the attendees clearly impressed with the quality of the 2013 wines presented, noting their elegance, maturity of tannins and cellaring potential. The future is incredibly exciting”. Wine writer Deborah Parker Wong suggested at the San Francisco tasting that Bordeaux varieties and Syrah perform remarkably well in the Gimblett Gravels. 20 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

“The 2013 Annual Vintage Selection was an eye opener with benchmark Syrahs that showed exotic spice and resolved tannins. The region’s distinct greywacke soils and gravel produce aromatic wines that show varietal purity and fresh, firm tension,” Parker Wong said.

The 2013 Annual Vintage Selection wines included: Blended reds (Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon dominant) Beach House Cabernet Franc Mills Reef Elspeth Cabernet Sauvignon Newton Forrest Cornerstone Cabernet Merlot Malbec Squawking Magpie SQM Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Cabernet Franc Trinity Hill The Gimblett Vidal Legacy Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Villa Maria Braided Gravels Organic Merlot

Syrah Craggy Range Le Sol Syrah Esk Valley Winemakers Reserve Syrah Mission Estate Jewelstone Syrah Te Awa Syrah Vidal Legacy Syrah

News briefs New Babich book THE BABICH wine family has released a new 220-page, hard cover book called The Next Vintage, which marks 2015 as being the centenary of their first 100 years of winemaking. This looks to be a promising read and has excellent historic photos. The authors are Michael and Judith Bassett and it is published by David Ling Publishing 2015.

New World praises Riesling THIS YEAR’S New World Wine Awards judges praised Riesling as the unsung hero varietal of the competition. Of the 47 Rieslings entered, 38 won a medal with 35 of these coming from New Zealand vineyards. “Riesling is a varietal that is often considered unfashionable and is one that people tend to ignore. But it’s the wine that winemakers drink and deserves more attention especially given the relative quality for the price per bottle and the cellaring potential as a wine that ages very well,” says Jim Harré, chair of the judging panel. There were 1,309 wines entered overall. The wines were evaluated by an independent panel of 13 wine experts who awarded 86 gold, 236 silver and 483 bronze medals. The best wines in each category were then re-tasted to determine the champion wine of each key varietal, and the overall champion red and champion white.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Nautilus on British Airways MARLBOROUGH BASED Nautilus Estate will be travelling the world now that its 2012 Nautilus Pinot Noir has been listed on British Airways business class flights. The winery was established in 1985 by Robert Hill-Smith, who celebrates 30 vintages of consistent family ownership in 2015; a rare and unusual achievement in Marlborough today. The wines bottled under the Nautilus label are made from Marlborough grown grapes, with a focus on using a different range of Pinot Noir clones, in order to accentuate the impact that each one has on the flavour and style of the wine, says winemaker Clive Jones. “The entire team at Nautilus Estate, together with our long term grower partners, are thrilled that British

News briefs

Airways have selected our Pinot Noir. Our first vintage of Nautilus Pinot Noir was back in 1997, so the British Airways listing is a pleasant reward for over 15 years toil in our vineyards and at the winery, with this most fickle but delicious variety. We trust that British Airways’ customers will enjoy this wine as much as

Cooper launches 24th guide THIS YEAR is the 24th consecutive one in which Michael Cooper has published an annual wine guide, making it the oldest book of its kind in this country. The author’s Best White Wine Buy of the Year goes to the country’s most widely produced wine; Sauvignon Blanc. His top pick is a wine that he has awarded five stars to: the 2015 Starborough Family Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, RRP $20. “This is benchmark stuff, hard to resist in its youth. Highly aromatic, it is mouthfilling, with fresh, penetrating melon, lime and slight capsicum

we enjoyed making it,” says Nautilus Estate’s managing director Clive Weston. The Nautilus wines that are exported to the United Kingdom also include the winery’s Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Cuvée Marlborough sparkling wine and, the latest addition to the range, Grüner Veltliner.

flavours, showing very impressive delicacy and vibrancy, and a dry, lasting finish. Yet this impressive wine is widely available at $20 and when sold on promotion at $16.99, it’s an absolute ‘steal’,” Cooper says. It was also awarded 19 points out of 20 by the Wellington based wine writer and consultant, Raymond Chan. “The quality of the latest release is no fluke – almost all the vintages I’ve tasted since 2008 have deserved a four-star rating or higher. The 2014 vintage won gold medals at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards, Royal Easter Show Wine Awards and the Bragato Wine Awards, where it also scooped the trophy for champion Sauvignon Blanc,” says Cooper. The wine is named after a sheep run founded in the Awatere Valley in 1849 and today Starborough Wines is owned by Bill and Lynette Jones, and their sons, Andrew and James.

Mac’s launches light cider THE MAKERS of Mac’s have launched a new cider for summer, which is called Mac’s Mid Tempo; a 2.5% ABV apple cider. “It’s always a challenge to create a reduced alcohol offering that still maintains a full flavour. We have managed to turn down the alcohol while keeping the flavour cranked right up,” says Dave Pearce from Mac’s. Mac’s Mid Tempo Cider is available in 12 packs for RRP $26.99. It is also available in 330ml bottles.

Keri lower sugar A NEW lower sugar range of Keri Fruit Drinks has been launched in 250ml pack sizes in two flavours; orange and apple & blackcurrant. The drinks in the new range contain 30 per cent less sugar and kilojoules and also contains no preservatives, says Catherine Woodley, juice brand manager for CocaCola South Pacific. “We know that lower sugar drink options can sometimes come at the expense of taste, but with Keri Fruit Drinks, consumers can get the reduced kilojoules whilst providing a great tasting product.” DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016 23

INDUSTRY NEWS

Yealands wins in Hong Kong YEALANDS WINE Group (Yealands) has been awarded the Best Sauvignon Blanc and Best New Zealand Wine at the 2015 International Wine and Spirits Competition in Hong Kong. The winery also won four silver and three bronze medals at the competition. “It’s amazing to get this result on one of our very special wines; our Sauvignon Blanc,” says Yealands chief winemaker Tamra Kelly-Washington. “With the Single Vineyard Wines, we try to express what our Seaview Vineyard has to offer throughout the diverse set of wines we make. To receive such an honour on the

Sauvignon Blanc is wonderful recognition of the hard work by both the winemaking and vineyard teams.” One of the key attributes of the coastal location is the harsh growing conditions that the grapes endure in this environment. There is a high diurnal range; intense daytime sunshine followed by cool nights. Add intense wind and low rainfall into the mix and the vineyard produces grapes that are smaller than usual for the region and which have thicker skins. This produces fruit flavours and wine with a high degree of intensity in taste. “The Sauvignon Blanc is a blend of four

specific, hand selected blocks on the vineyard; two warmer, sheltered inland blocks and two coastal blocks. The approach to blending these different sites brings harmony to the wine, highlighting the diversity of each area. The warmer sites are more expressive in aromatics and cooler sites offer more minerality, backbone and length,” says Washington. The Yealands Estate Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, RRP $24.99, is available in limited quantities from the Yealands Estate cellar door.

Wellington Airport excellence WELLINGTON AIRPORT has come up trumps with Delaware North winning the ServiceIQ Excellence in Training and Staff Development Award at the 2015 Hospitality NZ Awards in Nelson. The win highlights the outstanding hospitality service at the airport, where the New Yorkbased family business, Delaware North, serves up to 1900 customers a day. The company has made on job staff training its primary focus for its 65 employees; many of whom have either gained or are in line to achieve ServiceIQ national qualifications. “No matter how enthusiastic, passionate or gifted staff may be, they must be given the right skills and knowledge on-job where it’s relevant to what they need to achieve. Delaware North has a strong global culture built around customer service and staff development,” says ServiceIQ chief executive Dean Minchington. “It proves that workplace training isn’t a nice to have, it’s a must have.” ServiceIQ is the official training partner for the hospitality, tourism, retail, museum and aviation service industries. “Our experts work with industry to develop top quality on-job training programmes that make a real and positive difference for thousands of businesses of all sizes and their employees, all over New Zealand.” 24 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

Festive fun from Absolut THE MAKERS of Absolut Vodka have created a new limited edition range, which will be released in New Zealand in electric blue and silver in time for the festive season. “Over the years, we have presented some highly appreciated limited editions, including Absolut Warhol and Absolut Originality. We aim to raise the bar for our limited editions and continue to push creative boundaries. Absolut Electrik follows that tradition,” says Kathryn Love, Absolut marketing manager for New Zealand. The twin bottle release is available in blue and silver, with semi-transparent coating for a see through reflective effect on each bottle. The two colours represent Absolut’s signature cobalt blue and the electrical conductivity of silver. The Absolut Electrik limited edition bottle is available in 1 litre sizes, RRP $55.99.

NO AUSTRALIAN DRINKS WARM BEER. SO WHY DO WE DRINK RED WINE TOO WARM?

We might not drink warm beer, but the vast majority of red wine in Australia is currently drunk at room temperature - that’s much warmer than experts recommend because drinking wine too warm robs it of its subtle flavours and balance. So we’re helping by including exclusive optimum drinking temperature sensors on every bottle of Taylors Estate and Taylors Promised Land. Try one today and you’ll probably never drink wine the same way again. taylorswines.com.au

INDUSTRY NEWS

Moa growth leads craft market THE MOA Group has posted significantly higher sales growth for the half year to 30 September 2015 compared to the rest of the New Zealand craft beer market, reported Geoff Ross, CEO of Moa Group Limited. In a market update and indicative result for the half year to 30 September, Ross said that the company now maintains 10 per cent of all craft beer supermarket sales in New Zealand. This constituted 61 per cent of the market share, he said. “The bottom line performance of Moa is now demonstrating the improvements we have been working towards with a substantial improvement in gross margin and further volume gains. This has reduced monthly losses as we continue to invest in

Every bar needs this book North American writer Katherine Cole has produced an empowering and essential wine book, writes Joelle Thomson EVER HAD an oh-no moment when serving, ordering or buying wine? “What does ‘classico’ or ‘spatlese’ actually mean? And if somebody was to ask you to specifically explain it, things could get a little tricky. Help is at hand in author Katherine Cole’s new book, How to Fake Your Way Through a Wine List. Cole is a writer after my own heart. Her stated aim in this new book is to ‘de-snoot’

our brand,” Ross said. The Nielsen data also showed that the number one and two selling craft beers in New Zealand were, respectively, Moa Original Lager 12 pack and Moa Session Pale Ale 12 pack, according to Ross. Offshore markets also continued to grow for the company. Australia was the Geoff Ross largest export market, but countries such as Brazil and China also growing at strong rates. Ross was also reported to be pleased with progress in other South East Asian markets, where its low cost approach was building

the Moa presence. The company’s strategy has been to maintain or lower the cost of goods, while increasing their margin and sales. “We have just had our biggest revenue month in the year and, as we move into the peak selling summer months, we are forecasting further improvements in our bottom line delivery. “Currently the strategy sees no requirement for capital as business fundamentals continue to improve and we see the momentum within the craft beer category here and offshore continuing,” said Ross.

the wine world, and she does so in a warm, humourous and informative fashion. This is expert guidance from the deft hand of one who is as disillusioned as I by the pomposity that accompanies what is undoubtedly the most complex drink in the world. Wine. Ah, yes. It’s all very well to like it, but if wine drinkers are not clued up about appellations, reverse osmosis and metamorphic rocks these days, it can be easy to feel intimidated when trying to take the next step in their wine glasses. Cole’s 224 page book sheds accessible light on just such matters. Her advice defiantly rebels against many traditional tit-bits of wine ‘advice’, and she enables all who serve, buy and consume wine to pick and choose for themselves, without the intimidation factor. Cole has gone to great lengths to distill a world of wine knowledge into this book and she not only delivers on her promise of tips and tricks to sound like an expert, she empowers in other ways too, providing phonetic spelling of troublesome words. Switzerland’s Petite Arvine wine (‘peh-teetahr-veen’) for instance; a wine worth getting to know, by the way (next time you’re in Switzerland). Easier still is her description of Viognier (vee-oh-nyay). Ripe melons and peaches are her on the nail description of France’s Northern Rhone’s best known white grape and the wine it makes in the appellation of Condrieu, where Viognier

occupies a relatively miniscule 167 hectares (a massive rise from the 10 hectares planted there in the 1960s when the grape all but died out). The six chapters in Cole’s new book are accessibly sub-titled: ‘Take the first steps’; ‘Choose your own wine adventure’ and ‘Reverse the power structure’, among others. Her clear aim is to build confidence and banish wine performance anxiety. My only complaint is her own gripes about the wine industry. Fois gras with your Sauternes, anyone? Sound familiar? I agree

This is expert-guidance from the deft hand of one who is as disillusioned as I by the pomposity that accompanies what is undoubtedly the most complex drink in the world. Wine. with Cole that this is an utterly ridiculous suggestion for most wine waiters to make, but I felt that she pushed the point too heavily in her introduction. That aside, she provides excellent advice for learning the tricks of the trade. This is a convenient Christmas stocking filler, but, equally, every bar needs one. And everyone serving wine needs to read it. How to Fake Your Way Through a Wine List by Katherine Cole is published by Exile Publishing, RRP $19.99, 224 pages. DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016 27

INDUSTRY NEWS

Banrock’s green focus

By purchasing Banrock Station wines, consumers can directly support the protection of turtles and go into the draw to win a trip to the Great Barrier Reef THE CRYSTAL clear blue waters and bright colours of Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef will catch the eyes of wine drinkers this summer when they are consuming wines from the Banrock Station range. Banrock Station’s environmental management philosophy has been at the forefront of its company policy for nearly two decades. Since 1995, the Banrock Station Environmental Trust has reinvested profits from the sale of Banrock Station wines into environmental projects around the world, and this commitment to date has exceeded AUD$6 million, with more than 130 projects in 13 countries. These have included returning salmon to rivers in Canada, protecting otters in Denmark and recovering bees in the United Kingdom. The Mai Po Wetlands in Hong Kong and the whitebark pine in America have also been supported by the Banrock Stations Trust. Located in South Australia,

Banrock Station’s winery and visitors centre sits amongst the vineyards, surrounding restored wetlands and woodlands; a reflection on its dedication to the environment’s wellbeing, says Jack Glover, sales and marketing director for Accolade Wines in New Zealand. Over 4.5 million glasses of Banrock Station wine are enjoyed each year, across 60 countries. “They are full flavoured, value for money Australian wines. From something for the table, to the ever refreshing and spritzed moscatos and sparkling, there is something for everyone during these warmer summer months,” says Glover. More recently, Banrock Station has funded research to help the World Wildlife Fund – Australia and its partners, to protect turtles in the iconic Great Barrier Reef over a four year period. The Trust is 100% funded by proceeds reinvested from the sales of Banrock Station Wines. Until

Taylor made innovation A new label not only looks good, it contains sensor guidance to the wine’s temperature HEAT HAS long been held as one of the mortal enemies of wine storage but it can also play havoc with how it tastes when consumed, which is why the makers of Taylors Wines decided to put the wine drinking public to the test in a wine intelligence survey. The findings have resulted in new label technology which can change the way that wine is consumed – for the better, says Justin Taylor, company director, Asia Pacific market manager and third generation winemaking family member. 28 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

the end of the warmer months, the colourful shelf presence of tropical themed Banrock Station wines on New Zealand supermarket and liquor store shelves will capture the hearts and minds of the conservation minded wine drinker. “We’re excited to be able to inject some interest in the category with the ‘Win a trip to the Great Barrier Reef summer promotion”, and in doing so, help the effort to preserve the reef,” says Michael Dance, marketing manager for Hancocks.

The new technology is known as an Optimum Drinking Temperature Sensor, which uses thermo chromatic ink technology that changes colour, depending on the temperature of the wine. The study was commissioned by Taylors Wines and it showed 77 per cent of Australians drinking white straight from the fridge; 21% consuming it directly from the freezer and a large number drinking red wines at less than ideal temperatures. If habits are similar in this country, it could mean that wine drinking New Zealanders are also inadvertently drinking their wines at less than optimum temperatures. The new sensors feature on the back labels of Taylors Estate and Promised Land ranges of wines. The Optimum Drinking Temperature Sensor turns the labels of white wines green when the wine has reached the correct serving temperature. The labels on red

wine bottles turn fuchsia when reds have reached the ideal serving temperature. This is the first time the technology has been used in this way and it can enable wine drinkers to know when their wine is at the ideal serving temperature. “Using insights and research into wine drinking habits, we’re excited to share a simple way for wine consumers to know when their wines are just right to drink,” says Taylor. Taylors chief winemaker Adam Eggins suggests that red wines which are consumed during summer months, should ideally spend 30 minutes in the fridge, prior to serving, and that whites should be pulled from the fridge 30 minutes prior to opening and enjoying. For more information about Taylors new Optimum Drinking Sensors, visit taylorswines.com.au/betterbydegrees

www.ServiceIQ.org.nz

0800 863 693

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.

Some wine waiters and wine retailers have a talent for great service, but they still need to learn the right skills to do it well. The tricks of the wine service trade. The art of satisfying customers.

IT TAKES A LOT MORE THAN PLACING A BOTTLE OF WINE INTO A BAG AT THE CHECKOUT, OR POURING IT INTO A GLASS AT TABLE, TO BE GOOD AT GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE.

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2014 Craggy Range Block 19 Gimblett Gravels Chardonnay

Grapes from two stony vineyards went into this outstanding Chardonnay from Esk Valley winemaker Gordon Russell, who has dialed up the full bodied mouth feel and toned down the buttery flavours to create a wine with distinctiveness, character and balance. This is a must-stock wine with its creamy, nutty flavours.

Big and bold and buttery with a pale colour, full body and rich, barrel ferment aromas add a complex range of aromas and flavours to this Chardonnay. Citrus, stone fruit and spice all mingle in each mouthful of this brand new wine, which underwent 100% malolactic fermentation; which works to soften the acidity and create a creamy rounded mouth feel.

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2014 Craggy Range Te Muna Four Interesting field blends are rare wines, especially in New Zealand, where most wines are single varietals, so just what is in Te Muna Four? It is a blend of Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc, all harvested at the same time and then fermented together, which has created a seamlessly coherent, medium bodied white (inspired by Alsace, France, where winemakers are experimenting with similar styles). It is off dry with rich fruit driven flavours and a long finish. It will work well before a meal as a palate freshener. CRAGGYRANGE.COM

Check Out Chenin

RRP $25

2014 Astrolabe Wrekin Vineyard Chenin Blanc One of the most underrated wines in the world and one of New Zealandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most promising undiscovered whites. Chenin Blanc excels everywhere from Gisborne to Central Otago, shining with its bright fresh acidity, medium to full body and long finish. It tastes outstanding with seafood and has the ability to age well too, as a six year old Chenin Blanc I recently experienced showed. ASTROLABEWINES.CO.NZ

Betty Boo

RRP $24

2015 Soho Betty Marlborough Riesling

Interesting field blends are rare wines, especially in New Zealand, where most wines are single varietals, so just what is in Te Muna Four? It is a blend of Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc, all harvested at the same time.

Meet a new star with lower than usual alcohol content at 9.4% abv. The new Soho Betty lower alcohol Riesling won the Riesling trophy at the NZ International Wine Show in October, which is another reason to stock this medium bodied, intensely tasty with lemon zest, peach and dried fig flavours, a refreshing acidity and a long finish. An outstanding newcomer. SOHOWINECO.COM

30 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

A century of fine winemaking deserves more than one story. To celebrate our centenary, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re sharing 100 stories which have shaped our familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 100 years of innovation, achievement and winemaking excellence. Discover our stories at babichwines.co.nz/100stories

WINE NEWS

Italian sparkling wine growth Riccadonna brand ambassador Martina Doglio Cotto visited New Zealand in October to share her wine and a well kept culinary secret

Tell us the aim of your trip to New Zealand. We would like the history of Italian wine culture to be as well understood as the three different styles of Riccadonna sparkling wines under the label that is so well known.

How many variants are there in the Riccadonna stable today? There are six different Riccadonna wines globally, three of which are available currently in New Zealand.

Tell us about those three... The three are Riccadonna Asti, Riccadonna Prosecco and Riccadonna Ruby; very different styles from the classic Asti, which is made from the Moscato Bianco grape of Piemonte to the relatively new Prosecco; made from the Glera grape and enormously popular all around the world right now. Then there is the Riccadonna Ruby, which is made mostly (95%) from Moscato grapes with a little bit of Malvasia and Brachetto grapes to add colour. This wine was introduced to the range two years ago.

Which country is the biggest market for Riccadonna globally? The biggest market is Italy followed by Australia.

What food do you recommend to eat with Riccadonna bubblies? Some unconventional things that we recommend can work very well; for instance, we often suggest pairing the Asti with cheese and salami. I know that it is mostly seen as a festive wine to be paired with panettone but we try to recommend it more as an easy going pleasant daily wine with cheese and salami.

Martina Doglio Cotto

And what food goes well with Prosecco? Prosecco is very versatile; I love it with oysters and salmon but it works well with all seafood meals and also with white meat.

And for the Riccadonna Ruby? It is made from two traditional grapes; Malvasia and Brachetto, which taste good with fruit salad, especially containing peaches and it tastes great if a little Riccadonna Ruby is poured into the salad.

What does the range bring to New Zealand wine drinkers? Lighter alcohol options are very important today and we are keen to accentuate that the Riccadonna range is one of lighter wines. We also recommend serving Riccadonna with soda water and pomegranate juice, which equates to being only 0.7 % of a standard drink.

What are the ABVs of these wines? The Asti is 7% ABV; the Ruby is 8% ABV and the Prosecco is 11%.

32 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

The magic of the right partner Food can have a transformative impact on the taste of wines. Martina Doglio Cotto served the Riccadonna Ruby on her New Zealand trip with a berry tart, which made the experience of the wine very different with food compared to without food. “Once you serve a well matched wine and food pairing then that’s when the magic happens. When we were doing the training with the customers, it was magic to put the ingredients together with the wine, especially to show that the medium sweet Riccadonna Ruby was a revelation during the day time when served with a berry tart,” Cotto says. “The same wine on its own tasted very different and while it was still delicious, it appealed to a different range of people. This makes each of these three Riccadonna bubbles very versatile because they can please a wide audience, served with or without food.” The Riccadonna Asti, Riccadonna Prosecco and Riccadonna Ruby are all line priced at RRP $19 per 750ml bottle. Lion distributes Riccadonna in New Zealand.

WINE CATEGORY REPORT

Festive fizz

Negociants celebrates our 30th Anniversary trade customers for their support through the years

CATEGORY REPORT W INE

It comes in a wide range of styles, prices and even colours, and sparkling wine is at the top of its popularity at this time of year; Joelle Thomson selects a bunch of the best to stock, sell and serve

Riccadonna rising • There are six different Riccadonna sparkling wines produced globally, three of which are available in New Zealand. • The alcohol content for the three Riccadonna bubblies available in this country varies from the Asti 7% ABV to Ruby 8% ABV to the Prosecco, which contains 11% ABV. • These wines are medium sweet in style and are designed to be served at a cooler temperature than still white wine; between 7-10 degrees celsius is optimal. • These aromatic medium sweet sparkling wines match fresh fruit salad and they can also partner well with melon wrapped with prosciutto; a classic Italian appetiser.

ASTI ROCKS

PROMISING PROSECCO

Riccadonna Asti Dolce DOCG

Riccadonna Prosecco DOC

RRP $20.99, 7% ABV

RRP $20.99, 11% ABV

Fresh, fruity, floral and lower in alcohol, this sparkling wine is made in Piemonte in north west Italy. This is a high volume wine, which is outstandingly consistent in style and quality – it is medium sweet but is balanced by its fresh acidity, which carries its lightly sparkling flavours to a lingering, peachy finish. It is a good wine match with soft, fresh panettone or well chilled in a jug filled with ice.

The words ‘extra dry’ on the front label of this new addition to the Riccadonna stable mean that this wine is actually off-dry in style, but well balanced by the fresh acidity of the Glera grape (the new name for the Prosecco grape) so that it tastes dry in style. It has flavours of lemon and grapefruit and its 11% alcohol makes it a lovely addition to the Christmas or New Year’s Eve daytime drinks list.

LION

LA DOLCE RICCADONNA

MISSION SPARKLES

Riccadonna Ruby Dolce DOCG

Mission Fête Hand Harvested Cuvee

RRP $20.99, 8% ABV

RRP $20, 12% ABV

Dolce means sweet in Italian and this light ruby coloured, lightly sparkling wine has dialed up flavours of fresh, red fruit (raspberries, strawberries and red apples), supported by aromas of dried citrus; orange and mandarin. It has a light body, long finish and begs to be chilled and served with ice and a slice of tangerine or mandarin.

Talk about good value for money. Mission Estate’s winemaking team created this wine for the first time in 2012 as a tribute to their 163 year old winery; the country’s oldest continuous working winery. Winemaker Paul Mooney has now been at the helm of Mission’s winemaking for 36 years and, as the accessible retail price indicates, he makes this wine in tank rather than giving it a secondary fermentation in bottle. This

LION

in 2015 and we would like to thank our and wish you all a very merry Christmas.

WINE CATEGORY REPORT

Fast facts on sparkling wine • Sparkling wine is produced in almost every region that wine is made in around the world; • It goes by many names from the generic sparkling (UK), spumante (Italy) and espumoso (Spain) to the geographically protected, which include Champagne (France), Prosecco (Italy) and Cava (Spain); • Champagne is the name of a geographic region in the north of France and champagne (with a small ‘c’) is the name of the sparkling wine that is grown, produced and bottled there; • Sparkling wine that gains its bubbles in the bottle is referred to as traditional method, which means that it is made in the same way as champagne. It cannot be labelled champagne, however, because this is a geographically protected name, which can only be used for wines produced using the traditional sparkling wine method that are made and bottled in the Champagne region in France. • Champagne is often regarded as the best sparkling wine in the world and sometimes it is, but not always because many high quality sparkling wines are made in other places, using different grape varieties, different production methods and even containing different levels of bubbles; • The main methods of sparkling wine production are: -- The traditional method, which is used to produce champagne and its many lookalikes. This means that the wine’s second fermentation takes place in the bottle and the wine remains there, despite a laborious process that involves freezing the neck, ejecting the lees (left over yeast cells), topping up the bottle, shaking it, recorking it and then selling the high priced, high quality fizzy result; -- The transfer method, which also means that the wine has had its second fermentation in

36 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

the bottle; it raises its alcohol by approximately 1.5% ABV and develops yeasty flavours and bubbles before being... tipped into a tank and bottled from there. This is a cheaper method, which enables the wine to benefit a little from its contact with yeast cells in bottle, despite losing some of the fizz during its lower production cost of transfer; -- The tank method, which is where wine has both its first fermentation and its second one – responsible for the bubbles – entirely in a sealed tank; -- The Asti method, which involves ensuring that the grapes are frozen as soon as they are harvested. When market demand requires the wine, the grapes are unfrozen and partially fermented to between 5% ABV and 8% ABV to preserve their fruity appeal in a lower than usual alcohol bubbly; -- Carbonation is the cheapest method and is where carbon dioxide is injected into the wine in the same way that, say, Soda Stream does for water. • The traditional grapes for champagne and many high quality sparkling wines are Chardonnay and Pinot Noir; Pinot Meunier is used in Champagne but in few other places; • Franciacorta is an Italian sparkling wine made in Lombardia using the traditional method of production; it tends to be small scale and does not travel in volume outside Italy; • The word autolytic refers to the fresh pastry and bread aromas in top quality sparkling wines, which come from the breakdown of yeast cells in the wine; • Aromatic grapes are also used on a wide scale internationally to make sparkling wines; most notably Moscato in Italy and, increasingly, Sauvignon Blanc in New Zealand. • Chenin Blanc can make good quality sparkling wines in the Loire Valley in France;

is a high quality sparkling wine, driven by freshness – white floral aromas combine with fresh and citrusy flavours and a note of yeasty fresh bread, which gives this bubbly more than a passing resemblance to a traditional method. MISSION ESTATE

RACY ROUGE Mumm Cordon Rouge NV RRP $66.49, 12% ABV

This limited edition bottle of Champagne Mumm Cordon Rouge is wearing a new outfit for spring and summer; its one-off design was to enable its makers to celebrate their bubbly as the official champagne of the Auckland Racing Club. The new partnership with Auckland Racing Club fits with the brand’s continuing sponsorship of horse races worldwide; the Kentucky Derby and the prestigious Melbourne Cup Carnival, among others. This bubbly has the iconic fresh buttery pastry and green apple aromas that mark it clearly as a high quality champagne. PERNOD RICARD

ART OF BUBBLES Lindauer Rosé RRP $15.99, 12.5% ABV

Take a big name, a lot of Chardonnay and a little Pinot Noir and meet Lindaeur Rosé; a gold medal winner at this year’s New World Wine Awards, which is no mean feat for such a high volume sparkling wine. It is full bodied, fresh and citrusy with a long, dry finish. LION

CATEGORY REPORT W INE

CHARDONNAY RULES

from which they derive their fresh, intense, creamy layers of flavour.

2009 Daniel Le Brun Blanc de Blancs

LION

RRP $39.99, 12.5% ABV

TASTE OF FRANCE

Blanc de blancs means ‘white of whites’ and Chardonnay lovers will enjoy this outstanding Marlborough sparkling wine, which is made entirely from Chardonnay grapes grown in Marlborough. It is made in the traditional method of sparkling winemaking; meaning that its secondary fermentation took place in the bottle. This is full bodied, citrusy and crisp with a long finish. LION

DRINK PINK Daniel Le Brun Rosé RRP $29.99, 12.5% ABV

This lovely pale ruby coloured bubbly is made 100% from Pinot Noir grapes and is not only attractive to look at, but is as much fun to drink, thanks to its crisp apple flavours, underpinned by fresh bread and sweet pastry bakery aromas. LION

FRENCH CONNECTION No 1 Assemble Methode Marlborough RRP $32-$45, 12.5% ABV

This Marlborough bubbly is made by ex-pat French winemaker Daniel le Brun; one of New Zealand’s leading pioneers of top quality sparkling wine. Le Brun lives in Marlborough where he makes this, and two other outstanding bubblies; this one is a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, both blended after primary fermentation and aged for 18 months in bottle on their yeast lees,

ness. This is an unconventional wine, which matches with roast turkey and cranberry sauce brilliantly. FEDERAL MERCHANTS

Grandin Brut RRP $17.99, 11% ABV

Grandin is a French bubbly brand based in the Loire Valley, which makes high volumes of good quality sparkling wine that is imported to New Zealand by Federal Merchants. This wine is medium bodied, zesty and fresh in taste and is a method traditionelle, meaning that it was made in the champagne method. Not bad for a wine at this price; in fact, it offers extremely good value for money while giving wine drinkers a flavoursome, savoury point of difference. * There is also a Grandin Brut Rosé available for the same price. FEDERAL MERCHANTS

SPARKLING RED Black Chook Sparkling RRP $24.99, 13% ABV

Shiraz is the most widely planted grape in Australia (by several country miles) so it is no surprise to find it is the main ingredient in this sparkling wine, along with a healthy dose of Viognier; that white grape – the two are traditional soul mates in the Northern Rhone Valley in France, but that’s another story. The grapes in this affordable fizz were grown in McLaren Vale, south of Adelaide; a hot bed of experimentation with interesting wine styles, such as this deep ruby coloured, medium bodied red with its fruit flavours of fresh strawberries, raspberries and dried cranberries. It was aged in oak, which adds notes of spice and smooth-

NEW WAVE FRANCE Champagne Ayala Brut Majeur NV RRP $86, 12% ABV

Champagne Ayala is based in the Vallee de la Marne; a town in Ay in the Champagne region of France, and while it is an old sparkling wine producer (founded in 1860), it is amongst the new wave of experimental champagnes today. It was purchased by Champagne Bollinger in 2005 and has since forged a name for pushing conventional style boundaries of champagne, moving the dosage (that’s the sweetness level) down from a standard 9 grams per litre to just 7 grams. This means that its champagnes are significantly – and noticeably – drier in taste than many of its counterparts. The wine is full bodied and dry with intense acidity driving its fresh green fruit flavours of apples, limes and melon to a long finish. It is an excellent sparkling wine match with seafood. NEGOCIANTS

FRENCH BEAUTY Champagne Bollinger Special Cuvée NV RRP $110, 12% ABV

The French champagne house Bollinger is so well known (thanks to a certain television series – Ab’ Fab’) that it needs little introduction to sparkling wine lovers, but the style might need a little explaining. The house dates back to 1829 when it was founded by Jacques Bollinger; son of a

DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016 37

WINE CATEGORY REPORT

German legal officer, who broke the mould in his day by making drier champagne than most others of its time. Today, the makers of Bollinger have followed suit, creating dry champagnes (which contain 8 to 9 grams of dosage per litre of wine; relatively low). This bubbly is made mostly from Pinot Noir (60%), which gives Bolly its trademark full bodied richness, with 25% of Chardonnay adding a fresh citrusy twist and a smidgeon of the third classic French bubbly grape, Pinot Meunier.

ISLAND TIME Twin Islands Brut NV RRP $24.95, 12% ABV

This accessibly priced, high volume sparkling wine offers consistently good value and style from one year to the next, thanks to a combo of high quality Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes grown in Marlborough. It is made to drink now and delivers top value for money. NEGOCIANTS

FRESH

MARLBOROUGH WINNER

Louis Bouillot Crémant de Bourgogne NV

NEGOCIANTS

New vintage Bollinger Champagne Bollinger Spectre Limited Edition Vintage 2009 RRP $309, 12% ABV

This top new vintage champagne had nearly all been pre-sold, at the time of writing, but limited supplies were still available to bars and restaurants from Negociants NZ and fine wine retailers. The grapes in this high quality champagne were sourced from five grand cru vineyards in Ay, Verzenay, Mesnilsur-Oger, Avize and Cramant; all villages in the Champagne region. The wine gains its intense full bodied style and rich flavours from being made mostly from the Pinot Noir grape. It was also aged in small old oak barrels, which softened its naturally high acidity rather than adding wood flavour. It was aged for six years (double the French winemaking rules). The result is an outstanding, full bodied, richly nutty Bollinger; it will continue to age for four to five years, but is an outstanding sparkling wine to drink now. NEGOCIANTS 38 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

The outstanding quality of the wine makes is easy to see why Nautilus Cuvee Brut NV has won so many awards in the past half decade.

Nautilus Cuvée Marlborough Brut NV RRP $39, 12% ABV

Barrel aged reserve wines are blended with fresh young ones to retain the consistency in this top quality Marlborough bubbly each year; it is made mostly from Pinot Noir (75%) with the balance being crisp citrusy Chardonnay. It’s easy to smell, taste and see why Nautilus Cuvee Brut NV has won so many wine awards. NEGOCIANTS

VINTAGE WINNER Palliser Methode Traditionnelle 2009 RRP $46, 13.5% ABV

Meet Martinborough’s best known, best quality sparkling wine, which is made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grown in vineyards on the stony Martinborough Terraces. This is the result of cool climate grape growing, which gives this wine its crisp citrus hallmark, with the Pinot giving it outgoing full bodied flavours and a long finish. NEGOCIANTS

RRP $28, 12% ABV

The name crémant has been used in France since 1985 and can be used in seven different regions, including Burgundy (also known as Bourgogne, as this wine is labelled). This bubbly is made mostly from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir so it is full bodied with creamy richness, cut through by crisp fresh citrus flavours and bubbles. NEGOCIANTS

FANTASTIC TASMANIA Jansz Premium Cuvée NV RRP $28, 12% ABV

Tasmania’s cool climate and this wine producer’s historic connection with the French champagne house of Louis Roederer are two reasons that Jansz is such an outstanding bubbly. It is made in the traditional method and is full bodied, intensely flavoured with citrus zest, fresh buttered toast aromas and a long zingy finish. It is great value for money because it delivers intense flavours without an exceptionally high price tag. NEGOCIANTS

CATEGORY REPORT W INE

What’s in a Prosecco name? Despite the fact that the name of the Prosecco grape was officially changed to Glera in 2009 (to protect Italy’s massive Prosecco industry), the Australians have obtained legal permission to use the name Prosecco.

RACY ROEDERER Louis Roederer Brut Premier NV RRP $93.99, 12% ABV

Big, beautiful, complex and rich; this outstanding champagne is a reflection not only of adherence to great winemaking but also to this company’s daring investment in quality control, which it retains by investing heavily in its raw material. Roederer owns a phenomenal amount of its own vineyard land in the Champagne region (which is extremely rare) and by so doing, its winemakers are able to coax the very best flavours from their grapes by looking after them properly (rather than being price led by market supply). Another strategy that works well for this company is its strategy of oak ageing in large old barrels, a long ageing and a dominance of black grapes (Pinot Noir and Meunier); which give this wine its full body and intense savoury flavours. EUROVINTAGE

New from Australia

takes over the reins in mid 2016 from Jacob’s Creek chief winemaker, Bernard Hickin (who has been with the company for three decades now).

PROSECCO STAR

JACOB’S CREEK NEW RESERVE

RRP $17.29, 9.5% ABV

Jacob’s Creek Reserve Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir RRP $17.29, 12.4% ABV

This new Jacob’s Creek Reserve bubbly is made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes grown in the Adelaide Hills. This cooler than usual Australian climate enables grapes to retain their fresh acidity, which balances the full body of this savoury, yeasty wine. It was aged for between eight and 15 months (depending on demand), which gives this wine its fresh yeasty flavours.

The opportunity to make sparkling wine from unconventional grape varieties was something that Australian winemaker Ben Bryant relished when he made this new Prosecco for Jacob’s Creek. This wine ticks several boxes; lower than standard alcohol at 9.5% ABV and yet it retains its fresh, aromatic character and flavours of rock melon, green apple and citrusy lemon zest, which typify Prosecco. PERNOD RICARD

PERNOD RICARD

DRINK PINK Jacob’s Creek Reserve Sparkling Rosé RRP $17.29, 11.5% ABV

If its light pink colour hasn’t already drawn drinkers to this new sparkling wine from Jacob’s Creek, its lively red fruit flavours will; this is made mostly from Pinot Noir grapes with the balance being Chardonnay (45%) and Pinot Meunier (rare outside of France and just 5% of this wine). This classic trio support the fruit driven style and medium body with crisp structure and freshness. PERNOD RICARD

Winemaker Ben Bryant launched this new trio of Jacob’s Creek bubblies in New Zealand in September this year, during which his appointment as the new chief winemaker was announced. Bryant officially

Jacob’s Creek Reserve Sparkling Prosecco

Distributors EuroVintage 0800 338 766 eurovintage.co.nz Federal Merchants & Co 0800 846 824 federalmerchants.co.nz Lion 0800 107 272 lionco.com Mission Estate 06 845 9530 missionestate.co.nz Negociants NZ 0800 634 624 negociantsnz.com Pernod Ricard NZ 0800 655 550 pernod-ricard-nz.com

DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016 39

WINE NEWS

Chef Josh Emmett

Miles Dineen

Less is more at Crossroads today WHEN YOU ask Miles Dineen what the biggest change at Crossroads Wines has been over the past decade you hear that ‘less is more’. The ‘less’ bit is the significant reduction in new oak that he uses in winemaking today compared to a decade ago. “Everywhere in this country, our vineyards have grown up over the past 10 years and now that we have a large number of reasonably mature vineyards from which to get grapes, we have also learnt that we can dial down the amount of oak we use (new and old), which comes through in wines like the Talisman (Crossroads’ mystery premium red wine),” says Dineen. It is a mantra that defines not only Dineen’s approach to winemaking today but one that reflects the global trend towards less oak in wine. “We have reduced our percentage of new oak in the Talisman from 100% to approximately 50% to 70% new oak,” says Dineen. The exact proportion varies, depending on the vintage because the warmth of a vintage determines the ripeness of the grapes, which in turn dictates the ripeness of tannins and fruit flavour. These factors all contribute to how winemakers manage tannin structure and whether it is appropriate to give a wine a high degree of controlled 40 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

oxidative ageing in barrel or, in less ripe years, a lower amount of time in oak. While the key ingredients (the grapes) that go into the Talisman will continue to remain a mystery, the amount of oak is not, but this is only one of the wines that has benefitted from a change in focus at Crossroads over the past decade.

The Yealands Wine Group owns four vineyard sites within the 800 hectare Gimblett Gravels wine district. The Bridgeman Vineyard, the Mere Vineyard, the Elms Vineyard and the Hill Road Vineyard. The Yealands Wine Group owns four vineyard sites within the 800 hectare Gimblett Gravels wine district in Hawke’s Bay. These include the Bridgeman Vineyard near Hastings, which contains light sandy soils over gravel and is well suited to Syrah; and the Mere Vineyard, which is made up of coarse stony ground with high heat retention, so it is planted primarily with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and a little Syrah. The Elms Vineyard is planted with Syrah and the Hill Road Vineyard is planted on Twyford silt soils with Chardonnay and Syrah.

This year marks the 25th of commercial wine production for this Hawke’s Bay winery and to celebrate the milestone, Dineen and chef Josh Emmett teamed up for a lunch and wine blending event for invited members of the food and wine industry.

Hawke’s Bay wine history The first wine grapes to be planted in Hawke’s Bay went into the ground in 1851. It was Marist priests who planted them and founded what is now Mission Estate Winery. Skip forward 136 years to 1987 and the Crossroads wine story begins with the purchase of land in the Bay. Grapes were planted and the first Crossroads wines were produced in 1990; the first Reserve Chardonnay won a medal in 1993 and the first Talisman red was produced in 1994. The Yealands Wine Group purchased the winery in 2011, bringing new winemaking opportunities to Miles Dineen, who is enjoying the run of strong vintages in 2013 and 2014, both of which had such warm weather that they enabled him to make more of Hawke’s Bay’s red wine potential, using Cabernets Franc and Sauvignon in full bodied, high quality red wines. The tasty results are now pouring onto shelves and wine lists.

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hirsty Liquor Group Ltd is going from strength to strength! In the past 6 months the group has grown from 70 stores to now having a staggering 115 stores under their belt nationwide! The Group purchased the rights to the Black Bull Liquor brand in July, adding another 20 stores predominantly in the Waikato, Wanganui and Central North Island region. The addition of these stores instantly strengthened the groups buying power. The Sai Wholesale Liquor group, consisting of 8 9 retail outlets - joined Thirsty Liquor in August and have recently transformed all their shops to Black Bull Liquor. The bold new red and black image certainly stands out and differentiates the stores from others. Thirsty Liquor is also painting Hawkes Bay and Hamilton orange with the addition of 7 new Thirsty stores (previously trading as The Mill). The owner of Churchill Liquor in Auckland is helping to grow the brand to its full potential, with the addition of 12 new Thirsty stores in South Auckland alone over the past 4 months. Thirsty Liquor has a unique POS system that allows the stores to offer Loyalty Cards to their customers. Loyal customers are given additional discounts and the system creates an opportunity for each store owner to communicate promotions, special events etc. directly to their individual customers via e-newsletters and text pushes. The Management Team at Thirsty Liquor Head office is 100% owned and operated in New Zealand & they obviously have the right formula, encouraging and helping store owners expand alongside the growth strategies of the company itself.

Thirsty welcomes all new trade & account customers; cafes, restaurants, bars, sports clubs, parties, corporate offices or bulk buyers. Call us first!

For any queries relating to Thirsty Liquor or if you would like to transform your shop and join the winning team â&#x20AC;&#x201C; please call Tina Govan on 021 854 786 or email her at tina@thirstyliquor.co.nz Mention this ad and they will waive the first 2 months of Franchisee Fees!

Merry Christmas to all Thirsty Customers & Best Wishes for 2016!!

BEER CATEGORY REPORT

SUNSET SOAKERS Our tasting panel reviews a selection of summertime brews

44 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

CATEGORY REPORT B EER

GOOD THINGS COME IN THREES

INVENTIVE LIGHT (BEER)

Monteith’s Mid Strength Ale

decent citrus back note. Ideal for Mexican themed events (of course) when people are looking for something other than the usual Mexican light lagers.

3% ABV, RRP $14.99 (6 pack), 330ml

DB BREWERIES

2.5% ABV, RRP $14.99 (6 pack), 330ml

Lower alcohol beers are taking the market by storm and it’s brews like Monteith’s Mid Strength that are leading that charge. While previous efforts decreased flavour along with alcohol content, Monteith’s Mid keeps the malty sweetness of a full strength ale alive. Pouring rich and brown in the glass, it would take a real expert to tell Monteith’s Mid from a regular strength beer. DB BREWERIES

SINGAPORE SLING Tiger

DRY DISTINCTION DB Export Dry 5% ABV, RRP $25.99 (15 pack), 330ml

New Zealand’s original dry lager, DB Export Dry is a clean, crisp lager that satisfies the desire for a slightly more sophisticated beer in the mass market. A golden, pale drop with a hint of a dry finish, Export Dry has been a staple of refined Kiwi fridges since the 1980s. Enjoy with salted snacks or a fine cheese board. DB BREWERIES

5% ABV, RRP $25.99 (12 pack), 330 ml

Singapore’s first local brew is another classic lager with old and distinguished roots. Stretching back to 1932, Tiger is a classic ale that begs for a hot day and a spicy meal. With a mild flavour profile and golden hue, Tiger accompanies well with all summery foods from salads to barbecues to fresh fish. DB BREWERIES

LICK, SIP, SUCK Desperados 5.9% ABV, $16.99 (6 pack), 330ml

We were sceptical when Desperados came across the tasting table - a tequila flavoured beer just sounded like... trouble. We can happily report that it actually works quite well. The tequila taste is that of the whole tequila experience - including the lime and salt - and the inclusion of these elements makes it a quite refreshing drop with a

CHOC-A-HOLIC Boundary Road Chocolate Moose Chocolate Porter 4.5%, RRP $14.99 (6 pack), 330ml

They say not to judge a book by its cover but in this case, Boundary Road’s Chocolate Moose is just what it says it is - a big silky chocolate-tasting dark beer that recalls a fine chocolate mousse. Our initial thought on tasting it was that it was the beer incarnation of those chocolate fudge chocolates you get in a box of Roses at Christmas. It’s so dark it looks almost like Coca-Cola in the glass but there’s no mistaking it once it hits the palate. Obviously it would do well as a dessert beer but we could imagine this one sipped as an evening ale with some dried fruits or a biscuit. BOUNDARY ROAD BREWERY

Boundary Road Thomas Edison Light Beer While many light beers fade into obscurity along with their alcohol content, Boundary Road have come up with a stayer. A pale, smooth-drinking beer, Thomas Edison has just a hint of Pale Ale-style which makes you remember you’re still drinking a beer. The difference with this one, is that at 2.5% you’re allowed to have more than one. An excellent option for drivers or those who need a clear head the next morning. We predict it will become a stand-out in its class. BOUNDARY ROAD BREWERY

CITRUS WEEKEND Boundary Road Lawn Ranger Lemon & Lime 5% ABV, RRP $14.99 (6 pack), 330ml

While some radler style beers taste like they’ve had the lime cordial liberally sloshed into them, Boundary Road’s take on the lemon and lime is more subtle. The citrus is far from overpowering and presents as more of an aftertaste, enhancing the lager rather than dominating it. This light and breezy brew has a fizzy lemonade style finish that is a pleasant alternative to many of the somewhat acrid citrus beers on the market. BOUNDARY ROAD BREWERY

BASQUE BEAUTY Estrella Damm 4.6% ABV, RRP $25.99 (12 pack), 330ml

Hailing from the northern Spanish city of DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016 45

BEER CATEGORY REPORT

Stoke Foundation Range The Foundation Range is at the heart of the Stoke family of beers – all brewed using Nelson’s world famous hops and created using a fine balance of traditional techniques and innovative thinking. In addition to the two family members tasted by our panel (see below), there are five siblings in the Foundation Range – Gold (4.5% ABV), Pilsner (4% ABV), Lager (4.5% ABV), Dark (4.5% ABV), 2 Stoke (2% ABV).

FRUIT OF THE FOREST Stoke Amber Ale 4.5 % ABV, RRP $24.99 - $27.99 (12 pack), 330 ml

Redolent of a Tasman forest in summer, Stoke’s Amber Ale is a big, malty, number that pleases straight out of the bottle. Pouring a red/ amber and packed with sweet, red, toffee notes, the spice lingers and a hint of smokiness carries the beer through to the finish. Would be an ideal summer barbecue beer or, even better, the ideal accompaniment to wild game. COCA-COLA AMATIL

AFFABLE ALE Stoke IPA 4.8% ABV, RRP $24.99 - $27.99 (12 pack), 330ml

Stoke’s IPA is an excellent option for a summer session beer. Pouring that classic light, translucent brown that good IPAs do, Stoke’s version has an expert balance of pine and malt characteristics. With a slight hop bitterness and a hint of back-of-the-palate bite, this is an IPA that is both elegant and thirst quenching. COCA-COLA AMATIL

46 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

Barcelona, Estrella Damm is the oldest beer brand in the country, tracing its history back to 1876. The lager pours a slightly darker golden than some but has all of the complexity of a Gaudi cathedral. The onset is a mineraly yet balanced nose but the taste is a pale, summery, lager profile with a slight bite. Has to be enjoyed with tapas of course. BOUNDARY ROAD BREWERY

PERFECT PAIRER Inedit Damm 4.8% ABV, $27 each, 750ml.

After you’ve been lauded as the best chef in the world (Ferran Adria) and having owned the best restaurant in the world (El Bulli) what do you turn your hand to next? Brewing beer of course. The result is Inedit - a spiced malt and wheat beer produced for Bareclona’s Damm brewery - better known for their Estrella brew. Inedit is a pale, lightly spiced brew with a slightly medicinal, slightly anise character. It’s true intent though is to be used as a pairing beer for food and that’s where it comes into it’s own. We had it with pungent puttanesca and it worked perfectly, but would also complement seafood, particularly molluscs, paella or pilafs. Recommended. BOUNDARY ROAD BREWERY

DANISH DELIVERER Carlsberg 5% ABV, RRP $22.99 (12 pack), 330ml

Carlsberg is a clean, crisp, lager with a piney tingle redolent of the Danish forests. Less full-on than the the Elephant beer Carlsberg also produces, Carlsberg Pilsner is an easydrinking session lager that is a firm favourite

CATEGORY REPORT B EER

in bars around northern Europe. The attractive green bottle is a stand-out and will be an essential for fine bars this summer. BOUNDARY ROAD BREWERY

THE ORIGINAL Pilsner Urquell 4.4% ABV, RRP $29.99 (12 pack), 330ml

It’s hard to say anything about the first lager in the world but suffice to say it’s pretty good. Produced in Pilsen, in the Czech Republic, Pilsner Urquell is now being coldshipped to New Zealand. It’s the original lager that all other lagers are modelled after - golden with brilliant clarity and crispness. They’ve been producing it since 1842 so they know what they are doing. The very definition of a classic. TREASURY WINE ESTATES

WAISTLINE WATCHER Pure Blonde 4.2% ABV, RRP $26.99 (12 pack), 355ml

Despite only having 30% of the carbs of a regular beer, Pure Blonde still packs a flavour profile belying its diet credentials. Pale, clear and crisp, Pure Blonde pours with a thin white head and has an almost rice beer flavour about it. despite being low on carbs, it still retains the alcohol content of a regular beer. Would pair well with seafoods, particularly a Thai fish curry. TREASURY WINE ESTATES

TUTTI MODERAZIONE Peroni Leggera 3.5% ABV, RRP $28.99 (12 pack), 330ml

Dialing back the carbs and alcohol content,

Peroni’s Leggera still manages to hit that classic Italian mark beer drinkers have loved for so long. While still crisp and refreshing, the lightness does not lose that distinctive Peroni note, albeit taken down a peg or two. Very drinkable and sure to be a crowd pleaser in its classy Peroni packaging, Peroni Leggerra is a welcome addition to the mid-range market.

this one being more than a one-or-two type drop, but connoisseurs may be pleasantly surprised. Moa and Sauvignon Blanc – it doesn’t get much more Marlborough than that.

TREASURY WINE ESTATES

Moa Rum Barrel Sour 2014

AWESOME INTRO Epic Awakening Pils 5.2% ABV, RRP $22.99 (6 pack), 330ml

While Epic has become a by-word in New Zeland brewing for hop-driven madness, they still can make a brew that is accessible to the general public. Epic’s Awakening Pils is just such a beer. While it has a fantastically fruity nose with big tropical notes of banana and paw paw, the golden pils style lager still remains beautifully balanced and doesn’t have so much hops that it will drive the novice beer drinker away. This bright, fresh beer would serve as a great introduction to Epic and to hop-powered craft beer in general. Recommended. EPIC

SAVY-SOUR MASH-UP Moa Tripel Sauvignon 8.7% ABV, RRP $9.99 each, 375ml

Something of a beer for experts, Moa’s team has inserted Sauvignon Blanc grape juice into the brewing process of their Belgian style tripel ale. The result is a winey, fruit-laden beer with a sour nose and a finish not unlike a wheat beer. At a big 8.7% and with a flavour profile to match, we can’t see

MOA

SOUR POWER 9% ABV, RRP $9.99 each, 375ml

Sour beers will not be everyone’s cup of tea but for lovers of the European style, Moa’s Rum Barrel Sour will be a welcome addition. The rum is a subtle presence imparted by the barrel in which it was matured but the sourness is present and in full effect. Fruit characters rise through the sourness and a rasiney-sherry-like quality is present. The caution to enjoy in moderation is probably not neccessary as we doubt anyone could down a number of these radical brews. MOA

SHORT CIRCUIT Moa Sour Grapes 2014 6.9% ABV, RRP $9.99 each, 375ml

Another Sauvignon mash-up from Moa, this Belgian style fruit Lambic has a tutti frutti taste to it that gets the taste buds singing. There is a slight bit of sweet with the sour and the best comparison would be those sour lollies we used to eat as kids. Pouring pale and with a quickly dissipating head, Sour Grapes looks like lollies and slightly tastes like them too. At 6.9%, don’t let the kids get near it though. MOA

DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016 47

CIDER CATEGORY REPORT

New distributor for Paynter’s

Ciders APPLE ARISTOCRAT

MOTUEKA’S FINEST

Somersby Apple Cider

Old Mout Hard Cider

4.5% ABV, RRP $24.99 (12 pack), 330ml

5% AVV, RRP $28.99 (12 pack), 330ml

Despite its English aristocratic leanings, Somersby cider actually originates from Denmark. A European-style classic apple cider, it has gained a foothold in England (Newcastle manager Alan Pardew is said to be a great fan) with it’s balanced, crisp taste. A real thirst-quencher, Somersby’s natural fruity flavour will win over many in the cider crowd.

One of the best ciders we’ve tried, Old Mout Hard is a dry and earthy brew that cries out for repeat trips. Taking the customary cider sweetness out of the equation, Old Mout’s dark golden brew has a “craft cider” appeal that will appeal to those who can’t take the sweetness of many conventional ciders. A moderately complex but ultimately rewarding drop, Hard Cider will be enjoyed well into the summer months.

BOUNDARY ROAD BREWERY

DB BREWERIES

Distributors

A PAIR OF PAYNTER’S

Boundary Road Brewery 0800 420 001 boundaryroadbrewery.co.nz Coca-Cola Amatil 0800 692 337 ccamatil.com DB Breweries 0800 746 432 db.co.nz Epic Beer 0800 212 337 epicbeer.com Moa 09 367 9481 moabeer.com Sacred Hill 0800 946 326 sacredhillwine.com Treasury Wine Estates 0508 873 278 tweglobal.com

2014 Paynter’s Cider Pilgrim’s Dry

48 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

6% ABV, RRP $8.99 each, 500ml

The outstanding packaging of Paynter’s ciders is an apt representation of the contents of the bottles; in this case, the cider is bone dry, fresh as a daisy and with pronounced red apple flavours, a medium body and crunchy acidity on the finish.

2013 Paynter’s Cider 6% ABV, RRP $8.99 each, 500ml

This cider has a creamy taste, which comes from 20% of the juice having gone through malolactic fermentation, which softens the natural malic acid in the apples and creates a lactic creaminess. This is balanced by the off dry style of this cider. SACRED HILL

THE AWARD winning Hawke’s Bay cider brand, Paynter’s, has a new national chain of supply. It’s a fitting combination; two Hawke’s Bay beverage companies have teamed up to promote and sell their products with the appointment of the Sacred Hill Wine Company as the New Zealand distributor for Paynter’s Cider. The new distribution agreement began on 2 November and it is a separate company from Sacred Hill Vineyards; the better known winery and producer that is situated in the Dartmoor Valley, Hawke’s Bay. Paynter’s Cider founder Paul Paynter uses a range of apples for his ciders, including Minneiska (for sugar, acidity and flavour intensity); Ballarat for palate length and four traditional English cider apples, which add bitterness and tannin. The four English apples are Kingston Black, Tremlett’s Bitter, Broxwood Foxwhelp and Chisel Jersey. Cider apples grow differently in New Zealand compared to other cider producing countries such as England and France. This means that cider in New Zealand is still a work in progress as its producers discover the strengths that they can best play to when growing the raw material and producing the ciders as a result. Paynter suggests that, when compared to wine, cider is most similar to Chardonnay. He is a proponent of ageing ciders, which, he says, contain high levels of polyphenols. These can work as a preservative in the bottle. The oldest cider that he has tried was eight years of age and had intense flavour concentration. He makes a range of ciders, which are tailored to different taste preferences; dry and off dry. One of his long term hopes is that bars and restaurants will list cider as a separate drink to wine and beer on their beverage lists.

ST BE IPA

NEW ZEALAND (New Zealand Beer Awards)

ST E B IPA

AUSTRALIA

(Australian International Beer Awards) ST E B IPA

SWEDEN

(Stockholm Beer & Whiskey Festival)

epicbeer.com

SPIRITS COLUMN

Storm in a whisky dram

Are new world whiskies really all they are cracked up to be? Michael F Fraser Milne says there needs to be perspective and a warning: caveat emptor

DOMINIC ROSKROW’S columns in Drinksbiz have made some points which, in my opinion, are far from accurate and as someone who is at the sharp end of selling whisky and dealing with the whisky drinking public, I want to take him to task. Dominic has been talking negatively about no age statement whiskies. Well, actually no age statement whiskies are nothing new. I am old enough to remember Balvenie Founder’s Reserve, Glenfiddich Pure Malt, Balblair Elements, Glendronach, Bruichladdich Old Fettercairn, Tomintoul-Glenlivet, Glen Grant, Glenfarclas 105, Glen Elgin Pure Malt, Deanston and Auchentoshan, to mention but a few of the no age statement whiskies produced in the 1970s. And even some of the no age statement whiskies produced in the 1990s are still going strong in the early 2000s, including the then-newly released Isle of Arran. Famous whiskies that had 8 year old statements in the same period were Rosebank, Talisker, Dufftown, Bladnoch and Blair Athol; Balblair also had a 5 year old. I could list them endlessly but don’t need to do so in order to get the point across that the profusion of older age statement whiskies (ie 12-15-18-21-2530-40-50-75 years of age) on a regular offering is a new thing. Moving to modern times, does anyone ever mention Ardbeg Uigeadail or Corryvreckan and the fact that they have no age statement? Or Machir Bay from

Kilchoman, Aberlour A’ Bunadh, Kilkerran, Glenrothes Sherry Cask Reserve, Birnie Moss from Benriach, Glenglassaugh, Laphroaig Triple Wood and, at present, most Japanese whiskies? The point I am making is that we and the consumer are happy with this selection. Many of these whiskies have been on the market for several years and some have never had an age statement; however, most of these scotch distillers also offer age statement whiskies as well. These can take the form of 10 in Ardbeg’s case or in vintages such as 1995 from Glenrothes, and much more. So the consumer has the right to all of these and a great deal of choice.

We are, of course, interested in new drams from new places and new distillers, but not at the cost of putting off our consumers. Dominic talks about new world and craft distillers producing great whiskies and giving scotch a run for its money, but I disagree. He critiques negatively the scotch no age statement drams when, with a few exceptions, most of these new age distillers offer no age statement whiskies and, in some cases, under two years of age and they often leave a lot to be desired. At the time of writing, I had just sampled a ‘boutique’ North American wheat whisky. We opened it for two clients, allowed them try it without telling them what we know, and they were most interested. After they

sampled the dram, they both pronounced it undrinkable. We later tried it and have to concur. Sadly, this is not unusual. As to the value of many of these new craft products, they are frequently offered at ridiculous prices that cannot be justified. We encounter this experience too many times to count. We are, of course, interested in new drams from new places and new distillers, but not at the cost of putting off our consumers. We see our role at Whisky Galore being to import and sell whisky in whatever form the market demands and dictates. We allow the consumer to be the decision maker; we sell whisky and this is all about getting the second, third or fourth bottle off the shelf so that there is a return sale. We see endless return sales for many well established and many new Scottish, Irish, Japanese and American Distillers; however, we see very little such enthusiasm for many of our newer drams from other new distillers around the globe. Our worry is that by selling inferior products that are immature, we can damage the producers’ and our own business. As always, time will sort all these things out. Drinksbiz is a trade magazine but we all view whisky from one perspective or another. We never want to be in the position of selling inferior product and therefore putting that consumer off. Caveat emptor. Michael F Fraser Milne is the owner of Whisky Galore in Christchurch. whiskygalore.co.nz

DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016 51

SPIRITS NEWS

Stolen secures USA partner THE OWNERS of New Zealand brand, Stolen Spirits, announced in mid November 2015, that Chicago-based Liquid Asset Brands LLC (LAB) and Spirits Investment

Partners LLC (SIP) has made a US$14/ NZ$21 million investment in Stolen Spirits for a majority stake in the business. Stolen was formed as an independent spirits company in Auckland in 2010. Its owners currently produce four internationally awarded innovative rums: Stolen Dark, Stolen Spiced, Stolen Gold and Stolen White. The partnership with LAB/SIP provides expertise and significant growth capital for the expansion of Stolen’s portfolio to include a smoked whiskey, several unique rum releases, and other new products,

which are currently under development. The brand was the braindchild of Jamie Duff and Roger Holmes; friends who started it out of a one bedroom flat. “It was always my dream to take the Stolen brand to the USA, the most dynamic spirits market in the world,” said Jamie Duff, founder and chief creative officer. “We’re very fortunate to work with LAB as our global partner, which will enable us to do everything we want to do with this brand. Not only expanding into US markets but also developing Stolen product extensions”.

Distributed by Federal Merchants & Co | P: 0800 846 824 | E: info@federalmerchants.co.nz

SPIRITS NEWS

Crimero clocks up awards Fresh fruit and spices take centre stage in a locally produced spirit.

FOUR AWARDS in four years is no mean feat for a spirit produced by a fresh face to the New Zealand drinks industry. Meet Cameron Best and Crimero, his fruit based spirit, which is now pouring into the drinks trade. The Aucklander has spent the past eight years perfecting Crimero, which was first produced commercially four years ago and has since clocked up a string of international awards. When he first produced Crimero in 2011, Best had an interesting dilemma: which category should he enter it in at the world’s biggest wine and spirit competition? There is no shortage of categories at the International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWC), held in London annually. Best’s quandary was due to the complex range of flavours that he has included in Crimero. It wasn’t so much that he necessarily expected to win a medal with his first entry; rather his plan was to get the spirit into the international marketplace to gauge a feel for how it stacked up in terms of quality and style, when faced with global competition. So, he plucked up the courage and, in 2011, he sent off an entry to the IWC. That year Crimero won a silver medal and it has since stacked up a string of awards – one for each year of its young life. He has won two medals at the IWC and two at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

“Crimero not only offers bartenders and mixologists versatility but it solves a problem, offering customers a delicious alternative to other fruit based spirits.”

“We think that there is nothing else quite like it so it can be quite tricky in terms of what category to enter it into. It’s been entered into spice and ‘other’ spirits,” says Best, an electrician by trade, who became interested in high quality liqueurs about eight years ago. “My interest in spirits came about as the result of a problem,” Best says. “I was finding that the choice of spirits at higher strengths in a range of flavour options tended to be somewhat limited, so I thought, ‘why can’t I make something that is high strength and premium that tastes really good, which you can have as a shot or mixed into cocktails or punches. That’s where the idea stemmed from.” The first step was to start working with different types of flavours; the fresher, the better. This meant that fruits and spices were his first port of flavour call. “I wanted to try to make something

that I thought tasted nice and contained the flavours of fruits that I enjoy.” This means that he uses a wide range of berries, such as blueberries and blackberries, among other fruits. He also utilises spices, including cinnamon and vanilla. And Best is not alone. Last year, he brought in Carl Jackson to the Crimero business to help with building the brand image and message to take the spirit to the world stage. Crimero is distilled in Silverdale, north of Auckland, where all stages of the production process take place from maceration to distillation to bottling and labelling. “Crimero not only offers bartenders and mixologists versatility but it solves a problem, offering customers a delicious alternative to other fruit based spirits which are not capable of layering with Baileys, for instance, which is something that we’re really proud of Crimero for.” Crimero has an RRP of $59.99, contains 35% ABV and is available to the trade now. crimero.com

DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016 53

CATEGORY REPORT R UM

Sugar Sugar Rum first appeared in the seventeenth century as a result of the Caribbean sugar rush and has since become one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most diverse spirits, writes Joelle Thomson

DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016 55

RUM CATEGORY REPORT

THE NEW BLACK Black Heart Spiced Caribbean Rum

a drier style of rum with pronounced toffee and spice aromas of nutmeg and cinnamon. It is full bodied with a zesty citrus finish.

RRP $36.99, 1 litre, 37.5% ABV

INDEPENDENT LIQUOR

Spiced rums are produced using a base of golden rum, which has spice, flavours and, sometimes, caramel (for colouring) added. This pale caramel coloured rum has clean sweet aromas of banana, pineapple, all spice and caramel notes on the nose and palate. It is full bodied and offers great value for money. INDEPENDENT LIQUOR

HEART OF DARKNESS Black Heart Rum RRP $36.99, 1 litre, 37.5% ABV

Black Heart Rum was the New Zealand Navy’s official rum until the 1950s and this deep toffee hued dark rum is in keeping with the classic navy style; originally the result of travelling in the warm hulls of ships (see our rum facts for more detail). This is

Rum facts • The definition of rum is a loose one because this spirit can be produced from any sugar cane product; juice, molasses or sugar syrup; • If rum is made using sugar cane juice, it can be fermented easily but molasses

Angostura Trinidad & Tobago 7 Year Old Rum RRP$62.99, 700ml, 40% ABV

BLACK SEAL Gosling’s Black Seal Rum RRP $64.99, 700ml, 40% ABV

Channelling navy rum styles; this Bermuda Black Rum has a deep brown toffee colour and rich appealing aromas of caramelised muscovado and brown sugar flavours. Add the sweet spicy cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and licorice flavours on its zesty finish. It’s a tasty little number and versatile; its colour and rich sweet flavours can add depth, body and taste to a wide range of cocktails but this rum also suits being served neat; ice and a slice of lime will balance its sweet flavours well. FEDERAL MERCHANTS

needs to be diluted with water in order to ferment because its (undiluted) concentration kills yeast; • The islands that dominate both sugar and rum production are Barbados, Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba; • The first Bacardi is thought to have been produced

56 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

THE X-FACTOR

Talk about complexity; and deliciousness. This deep amber rum is full of flavours of coffee, dark cocoa, cinnamon and dark toffee. It is full bodied with fresh sweet aromas melding beautifully with its dark flavours; both make this rum a sensational sipping spirit. Outstanding. FEDERAL MERCHANTS

SAILOR’S CHOICE Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum RRP $59.99, 700ml, 40% ABV

This label promises natural spice flavours and the palate delivers big time; pronounced, fresh citrus zesty flavours lead into a full bodied and bold rum with rich aromas of lemon, aniseed, cinnamon, nutmeg and licorice; it is complex and has a

in Cuba in 1862 by Don Facunado; • The Cuban light style of rum dominated 20th century rum styles, but it is one of many types of rum produced today, including dark coloured navy rums, which are now mostly produced using caramel-derived

colouring compounds; • The colour of navy rums originally appeared naturally as a result of the natural evaporation in barrel ageing that occurred as rums rolled around in the humid hulls of ships for months on end; • The European Union and United States have different

CATEGORY REPORT R UM

Rum labelling terms The term ‘rhum agricole’ refers to any rum that is distilled from fermented sugar cane juice in any French department, on the island of Madeira (1000 kilometres south west of Portugal) and on the island of Martinique, which has its own French Appellation d’Origine Controlle (AOC) for rum. An AOC is a legally defined geographic zone of production. The word ‘vieux’ refers to rum that is aged for three years in oak casks that contain less than 650 litres of rum. The words ‘Eleve sous bois’ mean that the rum has been aged for at least 12 months in oak.

long finish. Smooth, soft and flavoursome; an outstanding rum for sipping or for short, classy cocktails.

flavours or in winter by the fire when its toasted complexity will add to the occasion.

BRIGHT WHITE

TICKETY-BOO

El Dorado 3 Year Cask Aged Rum RRP $44.95, 700ml, 40% ABV

FEDERAL MERCHANTS

OUTSTANDING DRY RUM

EDITOR’S PICK Ron Mocambo 20 Year Art Edition RRP $84.95, 700ml, 40% ABV

This top rum is not only packaged to look as if it has been aged for 20 years, but its deep brown flavours and amber rim indicate its long maturation process, as do the sweet toasted coconut and roasted hazelnut aromas on the nose. It is produced in Veracruz, Mexico in the region of Cordoba; a place widely recognised as the cradle of high quality rum production. Its long ageing process and complex range of dark dry toast, coffee and chocolate flavours all make this a rum for sipping, savouring and contemplation; it was my pick of the line-up this year and an outstanding spirit to enjoy year round; in summer for its tropical

legal definitions on the alcoholic strength of rum; in the EU it must be at least 96% ABV following full distillation whereas in the USA it must be 95% ABV, prior to dilution and bottling; • Distillation can take place in column or pot stills and the choice of which is used all

Skipper Rum RRP $52.95, 700ml, 40% ABV

“It’s jolly hard to know what’s what these days,” says the back label of this evocatively labelled dark rum from the Diamond Distillery in Guyana, which has been producing rum since 1930. This deep brown rum has an amber rim and pronounced aromas roasted hazlenuts, almonds and fresh toffee, which comes down to the sum of its parts –seven dark rums were all aged for at least three years and then blended into this deep coloured, full bodied, intensely flavoured rum with its coffee, toffee and salty licorice flavours; a stunner in cocktails and also as a sipping rum, particularly since it finishes with a concentrated dry note. TICKETY-BOO

depends on the volume of production (column stills are capable of distilling larger amounts than pot stills); • Many rums in the heyday of navy rum consumption were traditionally matured in the United Kingdom but as the global market for rum has since declined, the majority

This elegant looking bottle contains a super clean white rum, which gains its freshness from being twice filtered through natural charcoal, giving great clarity to this spirit. On the nose it is clean with citrus flavours of lemon, lime and grapefruit and secondary aromas of vanilla and coconut. It’s a stunning white rum, ideally for use as a cocktail base but one which can also be enjoyed on its own. TICKETY-BOO

TOASTY FIVE YEAR OLD El Dorado 5 Year Old Cask Aged Rum RRP $52.95, 700ml, 40% ABV

This amber coloured, five year old rum has distinctive sweet, but balanced flavours of dried and tropical fruit; apricots, mangoes,

of rums are now matured in the Caribbean; • The humidity and warmth of the Caribbean climate enables rum to age in conditions that are called tropical ageing because distillers will lose about 6 per cent of the volume of rum every year; this is triple the

speed with which Scottish whisky distillers lose their ‘angel’s share’ to natural evaporation; • American oak barrels are the most commonly used vessel to age and mature rum, but ex-Cognac barrels, made from French oak, are also used.

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RUM CATEGORY REPORT

pineapples and even a note of paw paw. Its five year ageing process gives this rum strong secondary aromas of caramel, toffee, lightly roasted coffee beans, butterscotch and molasses, which add complexity to the toasted coconut finish. This can certainly be used as a versatile blending rum but it drinks beautifully on its own too. TICKETY-BOO

VERY NICE SPICE El Dorado 12 Year Special Reserve Rum RRP $79.95, 700ml, 40% ABV

This rum is big and beautiful. Deep amber in colour, it has intense rich viscosity and a full body with pronounced honey, marmalade and dark sugar aromas leading into flavours of dried fruit; think figs, apricots and dried peach. It finishes on an elegant, dry, lingering fresh flavour note. TICKETY-BOO

The Santiago story The Santiago de Cuba rums arrived in New Zealand for the first time in 2013 and are imported and distributed by Hancocks, whose Santiago brand ambassador is Matt Bradley. “Our number one customer is Blue Breeze Inn, which had this brand exclusively for six months while no other bar had it. This is their house rum and the rum of lots of their cocktails; it’s definitely more of a high end rum rather than a mass market style, although it has great versatility with a wide range of flavours in the brand portfolio,” says Bradley.

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WHITE RUM Santiago de Cuba Carta Blanca RRP $49.99, 1 litre, 38% ABV

The pale lemon colour indicates the light ageing process that this rum went through; it was blended from four different distillates to give it a consistency and complexity and it was created as a cocktail mixer – perfect for a daiquiri, for instance. Daiquiri is the name of a town outside of Santiago, which was the original capital of Cuba, prior to Havana. Fresh sugar cane and citrus notes define the nose of this clean, fruity white rum and a slight note of vanilla is a further indication of this rum’s light ageing process. HANCOCKS

The humidity and warmth of the Caribbean climate enables rum to age in conditions that are called tropical ageing because distillers will lose about 6 per cent of the volume of rum every year; this is triple the speed with which Scottish whisky distillers lose their ‘angel’s share’ to natural evaporation.

SIPPING SENSATION Santiago de Cuba 12 Year Old RRP $149.99, 700ml, 40% ABV

This rum takes me back to the first taste of rum and raisin ice cream I ever had, but it has a whole lot more class, not least because the average age of rum in this blend is 15 years old (the 12 years on the label is an indication of the youngest

component) but there are also up to 20 year old rums in this blend. It was created as a top shelf sipping rum, says brand manager Matt Bradley. “Even though it’s very dark in colour, it’s still a gold rum and its colour comes from the American white oak.” The aromas here are of cocoa, sweet spice and warm concentrated raisins (rum and raisin ice cream, here we come). It has a delicious long after-taste – a real pleasure for any rum connoisseur. HANCOCKS

CASTRO’S CHOICE Santiago de Cuba 20 Year Old RRP $249.99, 700ml, 40% ABV

Super concentrated and rich in flavour, this rum has an intensely viscous, oily mouth feel and super intense flavours of cocoa, coffee and chocolate. It is said to have been Fidel Castro’s rum of choice, thanks to its complex flavours, which come from its oak ageing. HANCOCKS

STEAL ME AWAY Stolen White RRP $39.99, 700ml, 37.5% ABV

This New Zealand branded, Caribbean rum has been a success story in the making since it was first launched five years ago now. This white rum is distilled in Trinidad and Tobago and it won a gold and silver medal in its first year of production in 2010 when founders Jamie Duff and Roger Holmes created the brand. This is zesty, pure and fresh; the perfect blending white rum to have on hand. STOLEN RUM

CATEGORY REPORT R UM

Editor’s picks BLANC SLATE

TOP WHITE RUM

Bacardi Carta Blanca

Waiwera Spiced Silver Rum

RRP $42.99, 1 litre, 37.5% ABV

RRP $80, 700ml, 40% ABV

This beautifully packaged white rum brand is produced in Puerto Rico and has a fresh and clean taste with aromas of citrusy lemon zest. Its light body and zingy finish make it an ideal cocktail mixer.

White rums can be deceptively complex, at times, such as this lovely newcomer to the Kiwi drinks scene, which is a super fresh rum with distinctively fresh floral and herb notes on the nose and palate, thanks to the inclusion of New Zealand native botanicals. It may be ideally suited to being a mixer but this spiced silver rum is so refreshingly complex in aroma and light bodied that it makes a lively, outstanding sipping rum too. Serve on ice with a citrus slice.

LION

GOLDEN TASTE Bacardi Carta Oro RRP $42.99, 1 litre, 40% ABV

This is a versatile rum with sensational toasted brown sugar aromas and a citrusy zing combining in a medium bodied style. It is a stunner on its own and also drinks well as a cocktail mixer, thanks to its impeccable balance. LION

WAIWERA SPIRITS

COMPLEX APPLETON Appleton Estate Signature Blend RRP $44.99, 700ml, 40% ABV

event, thanks to its deep amber colour and toasted coconut aromas which lead into a full bodied, complex rum with flavours of hazlenuts, almonds, roasted figs, fresh dates and notes of mocha on the finish. LION

APPLETON’S FINEST Appleton Estate 12 Year Old RRP $67.99, 43% ABV, 750ml

This rum has a relatively high alcohol content at 43% ABV, which is well balanced by its intense spice, cedar and charred oak aromas, which add complexity and a full body to this stellar spirit. It is deep amber in colour with bright, fresh, tropical fruit aroma notes adding to its appeal. A stunner. LION

This is an outstanding rum to sip and savour neat; on ice or simply as the main

GOLD STAR

DARK SIDE

SPICY X-FACTOR

Stolen Gold

Stolen Dark

Stolen Spiced

RRP $39.99, 700ml, 37.5% ABV

RRP $37.99, 1 litre, 37.5% ABV

RRP $39.99, 700ml, 37.5% ABV

Delicious complex aromas and flavours of fresh grapefruit, lemon and peach combine with secondary notes of toasted almond, cocoa, toffee and caramel; this is a sensational sipping rum.

Rich sweet aromas of toast, caramel, hot chocolate and nutmeg combine in this well priced New Zealand-produced rum brand, which is distilled in the Caribbean and contains a sweetness in taste, giving it a broad appeal and versatility in the market – as both a blender and sipper.

This rum is distilled in the Caribbean and has spicy flavourings added, which dial up the aromatic complexity to a toasted, charry, smoky intensity. It is medium bodied with a long, fiery finish; a top taste to add to cocktails and to enjoy on its own too.

STOLEN RUM

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RUM CATEGORY REPORT

MIX IT UP Havana Club Añejo 3 Años RRP $41.99, 700ml and RRP $55.99, 1 litre; 40% ABV

Havana Club Añejo 3 Años is a blend of aged and aromatic sugarcane distillates, which were matured for three years in white oak barrels to make this a smooth premium rum, ideally suited to being a mixer.

in this blend having been aged for between five and seven years; after five years, it is put into brand new whisky barrels, which effectively give it a double ageing treatment – dialing up its flavours in the process. The result is an undertone of classic bourbon aromas with spicy aromas balanced with oaky vanilla, sandalwood and sweet caramel flavours HANCOCKS

PERNOD RICARD

HAVANA’S SPECIAL Havana Club Añejo Especial RRP $48.99, 700ml, 40% ABV

Havana Club Añejo Especial is a blend of rums aged for up to five years by rum master blender; Maestro Ronero, Don José Navarro. Its sweet approach on the front palate and gently spiced aromas lend it to work ideally as a mixer or base for cocktails. PERNOD RICARD

The Mount Gay Rum story Photographic evidence has shown that Mount Gay Rum is the world’s oldest rum brand, founded in 1703 in Barbados, where it was first distilled and where the sugar cane in this brand is still grown.

BLACK BARREL DROP Mount Gay Black Barrel RRP $60, 700ml, 40% ABV

A cocktail rum ideally suited to drinks such as the Old Fashioned. On the other hand, this rum also contains surprising levels of great complexity, thanks to the components

60 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

EXTRA SPECIAL Mount Gay XO

WINNING WAIWERA Waiwera Spiced Gold Rum RRP $80, 700ml, 40% ABV

This appealingly packaged New Zealand rum was awarded the Beverage of the Year Award at this year’s New Zealand Food Awards, which is no mean feat for a relative newcomer to the local spirits scene. It is a top tasting rum too, with complex, smooth spicy aromas and a fresh, citrusy note which adds freshness and a clean taste to this spiced gold rum. WAIWERA SPIRITS

RRP $75, 700ml, 43% ABV

The average age of each rum in this blend is 12 years, with some of the components in the blend up to 15 years old. This is a highly awarded rum on the global drinks circuit with its deep amber colour and intense dried fruit aromas and flavours of burnt toffee, vanilla, cinnamon, mace and nutmeg. This is an opulent rum which is definitely in the sipping category; on the rocks or not, but to be savoured. A stunner that lives up to its ‘XO’ name. HANCOCKS

CRÈME DE LA CREME Mount Gay 1703 RRP $179, 700ml, 43% ABV

This is the top rum in the Mount Gay range; it is made from a blend of components ranging from 10 to 30 years. The flavours are super complex and fine with an extremely long finish, channelling flavours of sandalwood and a great perfume of intense orange zest, freshly toasted cedar, oak, caramel, spice and toast. Perfect for celebrating and savouring. HANCOCKS

Distributors Federal Merchants & Co 0800 846 824 federalmerchants.co.nz Hancocks 0800 699 463 hancocks.co.nz Independent Liquor 0800 420 001 independentliquor.co.nz Lion 0800 107 272 lionco.com Pernod Ricard NZ 0800 655 550 pernod-ricard-nz.com Stolen Rum 09 309 2905 stolenrum.com Tickety-Boo Liquor 09 377 7597 tickety-boo.co.nz Waiwera Spirits 021 065 2105 waiweraspirit.co.nz

V /X

RESERVE

IS N OW

IS NOW

Created by our former Master Blender nearly 30 years ago

Created by Master Blender Joy Spence to celebrate the Estate’s 250th Anniversary

Unique blend of 15 aged rums

Blend of 20 aged rums – including 2 special ‘reserve stock’ rums

Best enjoyed in a premium rum cocktail such as an aged Daiquiri

Perfect for elevated rum cocktails, such as the Rum Manhattan, or enjoyed neat

Curated blend of select aged rums A masterpiece of oak ageing, using Number One Select American Oak barrels Best enjoyed neat or in the finest cocktails such as the Original Mai Tai

HOT MIXES

Hot mixes

Mix it up this summer with these cocktails devised by Cameron Best, producer of New Zealand’s newest spirit, Crimero, and by the mixologists at Bellini Bar at The Hillton Auckland

Bellini cocktails Apple and cinnamon sour 15ml cinnamon infused vodka 50ml Crème de Manzana Verde 5ml apple syrup 30ml lime juice 1 egg white 1 cinnamon stick to garnish

Shake all ingredients together and pour over crushed ice into individual glasses, then garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Frozen mojito Apple and cinnamon sour

Frozen Mojito

60ml Havana Club Anejo Blanco 3 Year Old 60ml soda water 20 ml lime juice 1 spoon of sugar Fresh mint leaves Fresh lime

Blend all ingredients together with ice, pour into a tall glass and garnish with mint leaves and freshly sliced lime wedges.

Crimero cocktails Crimero Rosella Ice 1 part Crimero 4 parts soda water A squeeze of fresh lime

Mix all ingredients together and serve Crimero Rosella in a large jug for individual self-pours, as people would serve themselves a punch.

Crimero Siren Ice 6 parts Crimero 13 parts pineapple juice 3 parts Triple Sec 1 part fresh lime

Mix all ingredients together, shake well, pour and serve, as pictured, in a classic martini glass.

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Crimero Rosella

Crimero Siren

SPIRITS NEWS

New vodka heads south

shape is costly and therefore prohibitive to manufacture in New Zealand. He sources them from China. The founder of Triple Rock Vodka is spearheading sales growth in the The biggest growth for Triple Rock Vodka South Island is now in the South Island where Christchurch is emerging as the biggest market difference to the range,” Williamson says. STUART WILLIAMSON of Triple Rock followed by Dunedin. The brand was his brainchild. It came Vodka talks fondly of the time he spent “I’ve had good interest from several bar about following a dinner in Vienna one trialling flavours before becoming a ‘real’ owners in Dunedin, which is a really good night. spirit brand two years ago. market to sell into with so “We were drinking the house The brand’s commercial launch was in many bars within close walking schnapps and it occurred to 2013, initially as a test product to about 20 distance. Dunedin has a good me that there was nothing simlocations around Auckland. community feel around the ilar in New Zealand. I looked at “We conducted sampling sessions to Octagon and I think it’s going importing their brand here, but ask people what they thought of our new to be a strong market for Triple it was going to cost us about spirit and the initial feedback was good,” Rock.” $100 a bottle. Spirits are a big Williamson says, of the early days of Triple Williamson’s goal is to be the market but that price is getting Rock Vodka’s commercial production. New Zealand market leader too high, so I began to think The vodka is now available in four distincStuart Williamson within three years. about creating something,” tive flavour variants: Jaffa, Kiwi & Lime, “My goal is to provide a Williamson says. Chilli Mocha and Liquorice. quality Kiwi vodka experience wrapped in a His personal directive was to create a “We went through a lot of different flavour distinct and appealing bespoke bottle.” range of flavours that had a significant point trials from strawberries and chocolate “We already have interest from overseas of difference to others on the market. to honey to coconut, among others. We distributors and there are local exporters Distillation takes place on the North wanted to create flavours that are indicative keen to work with us to get Triple Rock Shore, along with the bottling and labelling of New Zealand, which is why we went for Vodka to the rest of the world.” but the bottles themselves are sourced the Jaffa and Kiwi & Lime; being key New Zealand flavours. The Chilli Mocha adds a

from off shore because their distinctive

triplerock.vodka

SPIRITS NEWS

The gin renaissance New York author Aaron Knoll shares an excerpt from his new book Gin about the revolution this traditional white spirit is going through

GIN HAS experienced a huge craft revolution much in the same way that beer has. Having experienced a big decline in popularity during the 1960s, as beer did, gin’s revivial got underway in the 1970s and 80s. The re-emergence of cocktails during the 1990s, together with the introduction of new and radical brands such as Bombay Sapphire and Hendrick’s really kicked off the revolution in Europe. By the year 2000, revellers in New York City welcoming in the new millenium went on Bombay Sapphire Martini benders to celebrate. And in a newspaper piece at the time, a couple described their perfect Martini as ‘Bombay Sapphire with a drop of Martini and Rossi Vermouth.’ In 2005, they were still calling the Bombay Sapphire Martini by name, only this time straight up with an olive. The gin had become a status symbol, and in a short time rose to a level of prominence that put it on par with the centuries-old brands. Many are quick to give credit to the advertising and marketing team, and plenty of that is fair. But you only serve a first sip through marketing. You serve the second, and every taste after that, with a good product. Bombay Sapphire found an opening, and it ran with it.

SPIRITS NEWS

More Young Blood Some of what is now regarded as the old guard of American craft distilling hit the market in the mid 1990s. Anchor Brewing Company launched Junipero in 1996, Bendistillery’s Crater Lake Gin hit the market the same year, while Citadelle, from a Cognac distillery in France, and Plymouth Gin, the renowned brand famous for its relationship with the British Royal Navy, had both made it onto shelves Stateside by the late 1990s as well. Many of the big names joined the bandwagon. Tanqueray Gin, which had been a staple for years, launched Tanqueray Malacca, and drinkers who had no taste for gin found themselves singing its praises. Its sweeter, floral-forward profile didn’t catch on the way Bombay Sapphire did, though, and it was discontinued in 2001. Drinkers had to wait another 12 years before getting to try it again. The brand that perhaps has done the most to change taste buds this century, in large part due to its unique and distinctive advertising campaign, was Hendrick’s, launched at the beginning of the millenium. A dry gin, tweaked to be more floral forward by the addition of rose and cucumber, then macerated post-distillation, helped popularise the idea that gin could de-emphasise the juniper and still be considered a gin. Suddenly you’d hear of people who said they disliked gin making an exception for Hendrick’s. Other gins that emphasised this floral-forward style continued to proliferate. Throughout the next decade gins that deviated from the trend proliferated. G’vine’s Floraison, Magellan’s signature blue gin,

Martin Miller’s Westbourne and standard gins, as well as a much more successful offshoot of the Tanqueray brand – Tanqueray 10 – were all widely available by 2005 and 2006, which would be the year that American craft distilling really began to embrace gin wholeheartedly. Brands such as Junipero, and other launches like Leopold’s were out there. However, I’d say the watershed moment was when Rogue, North Shore, Philadelphia Distilling and House Spirits all released their gins in 2006. House Spirits’ Aviation American Gin might have done the most to push the word forward that this was the beginning of something. A well-circulated essay by House Spirits’ distiller Ryan Magarian declared his gin among several others as a new category in itself. ‘New Western Dry Gin’ was the name, and within it he lumped a great deal of the new gins coming onto the market, including the already well-known Hendrick’s and Tanqueray 10, among many other smaller distilleries’ efforts. By 2005–2006, American craft distilling began to embrace gin wholeheartedly. The terms ‘New Western Gin’, ‘New American Gin’ and ‘Contemporary Gin’ exploded onto the scene as gin traditionalists attempted to define what was becoming of the once narrow category.

Gin fast facts Gin by Aaron Knoll is published by Jacqui Small 2015, distributed in New Zealand by Allen and Unwin. Find out more about Aaron Knoll at his blog: theginsin.com

WHAT’S NEW

Great Gunn

Central Chardonnay

Great Gewurztraminer

2015 Gunn Estate Reserve Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

2014 Maude Central Otago Chardonnay

2010 Vinoptima Reserve Gewurztraminer

RRP $17.99

RRP $29 to $35

RRP $75

This new white from Gunn Estate highlights Marlborough’s (and New Zealand’s) strongest wine style; Sauvignon Blanc in all its intense, fruit driven glory. The flavours here are in the ripe tropical spectrum; think guava, passionfruit and pineapple with fresh green flavours supporting this wine’s fruit appeal. Fresh vibrant acidity matches this light bodied style and the long finish further adds to its drink-me-now style. Serve lightly chilled with seafood as a fresh summer white.

This dry, full bodied and beautifully flavoursome southern white comes from the winemaking duo, Sarah-Kate and Dan Dineen; a wife-husband team whose home use hand harvested grapes grown on their family’s Mt Maude vineyard in Wanaka. The vines were planted in 1994 and production is relatively small, even by New Zealand standards (which are, generally, not high volume). Just 2268 bottles of this well balanced white were produced from the 2014 vintage, which makes it a wine worth diving into. Think: French oak, well integrated spicy aromas, big and rich but refined and smooth... Everything we look for in a top Chardonnay.

It has been a big year for Nick Nobilo, whose latest Gewurztraminer is another outstanding example of the lusciously opulent style that he pioneered in the Gisborne region – and pays tribute to his Queen’s Birthday Honour and 50+ years of winemaking. This wine has pronounced aromas of spice, cinnamon, Turkish Delight, floral red roses and honeysuckle, all of which are supported by this full body style, which is well balanced medium acidity and a long finish. It’s an all-on style that works because of its succulent freshness and intensity of flavour.

gunnestate.co.nz

negociantsnz.com

maudewines.com

Meet a new great

Main event

2013 Pegasus Bay Chardonnay

2014 Main Divide Waipara Valley Chardonnay

RRP $39 to $40

This is an outstanding white wine, year on year; modeled on the great Burgundian whites, which means that it is full bodied with intense flavours of pronounced fresh citrus and stone fruit; think: lemons, nectarine and a hint of dried apricot. Its tastes super fresh with zesty acidity driving its nervy core to a lingering finish. An exceptional South Island Chardonnay that says ‘drink me now’ but also clearly has the staying power to age and evolve beautifully for up to a decade. eurovintage.co.nz

66 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016

RRP $16.95 to $19.99

As under $20 whites go, this full bodied, buttery, bells ‘n’ whistles Chardonnay puts the capital ‘v’ in value with its dialed up flavours of zesty citrusy grapefruit and freshly crushed almonds. This is a deliciously complex wine at a bargain price for its intensity and interesting tastes. The makers of this wine have also released its big brother white wine in the second half of this year; the 2013 Pegasus Bay Chardonnay. eurovintage.co.nz

Glenmorangie give away The makers of Glenmorangie have one festive gift pack to give away to a lucky Drinksbiz reader. The pack launched in New Zealand in late November this year for the festive season and includes one bottle of Glenmorangie Original with two Glenmorangie branded glasses. In total this prize pack is valued at RRP $69.99. To be in to win, write to Drinksbiz’ editor Joelle Thomson with one sentence on what makes Glenmorangie distinctive. Include: ‘Glenmorangie prize’ in the subject line. Email: joelle@drinksbiz.co.nz

WHAT’S NEW

Top new Hawke’s Bay trio Tasting notes by Joelle Thomson Rosy Hawke’s Bay wine

Sensational Syrah

Complex big red

2015 Elephant Hill Rose

2013 Elephant Hill Airavata Syrah Hawke’s Bay

2013 Elephant Hill Hieronymous Cabernet Malbec Merlot

RRP $26-$29, 13% ABV

Take 92% Tempranillo (a Spanish grape now growing in Hawke’s Bay) and 8% Syrah, blend them together and what do you have? A delicious, dry pink wine, that’s what. Winemaker Steve Skinner used that recipe to make this refreshing pale role from Syrah grown on the warm Gimblett Gravels and Tempranillo grown on the cooler coastal Elephant Hill vineyard at Te Awanga. This pink wine is a tasty contrast to the majority of New Zealand pink wines, which tend to be made by the French winemaking method called saignee – pronounced ‘sigh-knee’; a method where juice is siphoned off from red fermentation tanks to concentrate the taste and tannins in reds while making a fresh, light, often offdry pink wine at the same time. Skinner is tapping into a different audience by making a pink wine intentionally as a result of minimizing the amount of time that the juice spends with grape skins, which contain the colour. It is another version of the same theme but gives the winemaker more control over the style. This is one of the best pink wines I have tasted in the past 12 months. Available at cellar door and Elephant Hill Winery restaurant only.

RRP $95 13.5% ABV

This wine drinks well now but has ‘age me’ written all over its deep purple, full bodied style. Airavata is this winery’s top label, which winemaker Steve Skinner only produces in years that stand out as higher than usual in terms of grape quality. And 2013 in Hawke’s Bay fitted that bill, as did the duo of vintages which followed: 2014 and 2015. “To get a year like 2013 was incredibly good for Hawke’s Bay winemakers but to get two follow on vintages with healthy, ripe grapes like we had; well, that was outstanding,” Skinner says. This is a big wine made from tiny quantities of grapes; the average yield per vine was a miniscule 1.5kg of grapes, which represents a high cost to the winery. The wine was fermented with a smidgeon (about 1%) of the white grape, Viognier; a small addition helps, ironically enough, to retain the intense colour in the red. This wine drinks well now and will reward further cellaring for 10 years and beyond.

RRP $95, 14%

Hawke’s Bay has a close relationship with Cabernet Sauvignon but it is only in the very warmest years that this deeply colour black grape can fully ripen. The same applies anywhere, for that matter, because Cabernet Sauvignon is a relatively late ripening grape, hence the marriage of Merlot and, sometimes, even a little Malbec since both add flesh to Cabernet’s staunch tannic bones. This full bodied, deeply coloured and complex red is a stylish blend of all three grapes, which share space nicely in this rich, flavoursome, fruit forward wine; 80% of which spent time in T-5 barrels from the Taransaud cooperage in Bordeaux. Most barrels are dried for up to two years, prior to being coopered but T-5 barrels are famous for their longer than usual seasoning outdoors of up to five years. This softens the impact of oak flavour in the wines by seasoning the wood in natural weather conditions. As Skinner says: “The more a wine has, in terms of concentration of flavour, the more oak you can include without it becoming obvious. This is a monster wine and it was more than able to stand up to 80% new oak.” Elephant Hill Estate Phone 06 873 0400, elephanthill.co.nz

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LAST REQUESTS

Team work

The managing director of Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA) New Zealand, Chris Litchfield, shares his drinks world How would you describe your new role?

What’s your ultimate dream drink?

It’s a very exciting role in a very exciting industry and a very exciting part of the world. I get great diversity with businesses in soft drinks, juice, coffee, beer, cider and other alcohol based beverages and we are lucky enough to have some of the world’s and New Zealand’s favourite brands in our portfolio. We operate for New Zealand and the Pacific out of Auckland so there is the opportunity to travel lots to meet and engage with many interesting diverse customers and employees. It’s a very busy role but our organisation has an energising and engaging culture that’s all about getting things done and showing the rest of the Coke world what’s possible. I am also very fortunate in that I get to lead one of the most talented and engaged group of people across the Pacific. They give me the platform to lead from.

Anything with Diet Coke, especially vodka. Although I have become very fond of Canadian Club and Schweppes Classic Dry Ginger Ale in recent times.

Who or what gives you inspiration each day? Our vision. Our team here at CCA has a vision to be the best beverage company in the world and to have everyone in New Zealand enjoy one of our great brands, every day.

Who would you swap places with for one day? Warren Buffett, one of the best investors of our time. I would love to hear first hand how he sees value.

What are the biggest challenges for you in working with alcoholic drinks? It’s a very diverse and competitive sector, which provides a lot of challenges. Satisfying consumers’ changing needs becomes really important if you want to have a competitive advantage and this provides a raft of challenges. Understanding what is happening in your markets and with your customers becomes crucial if you are going to provide meaningful innovation and class leading service.

What was your dream career when growing up? That’s easy, a stockbroker driving a Ferrari. I was growing up when the first Wall Street film was released.

My ultimate dream drink is anything with Diet Coke, especially vodka. Although I have become very fond of Canadian Club and Schweppes Classic Dry Ginger Ale in recent times.

68 DRINKSBIZ DECEMBER 2015 / JANUARY 2016