FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015 DRINKSBIZ.CO.NZ
NEW LOOK Our new look celebrates Mac’s history as New Zealand craft beer pioneers, bringing a distinctive personality to each beer in the range while retaining the iconic Mac’s shield, rip cap, ribbed bottles and of-course, the award winning beer inside.
THE FLAVOUR SCALE We’ve created a flavour scale – from “Quenching” to Savouring” – to help drinkers easily explore the Mac’s range of craft beers. The flavour scale appears on all our bottles, packs and tap fonts.
New Brews Mac’s has a long history of innovating with great new products, and we’ve just added two new bottled beers that have already earned their stripes on tap: Three Wolves Pale Ale and Green Beret IPA. We’re also quietly confident about our four unique new ciders: Cloudy Apple, Cranberry & Ginger, Blood Orange & Cardamom and Chilli & Lime.
AWARDS COMMS SUPPORT Our new look will be hard to miss with a nationwide communications launch that will feature imaginative billboards, crafty digital advertising, and an attention-grabbing radio promotion, as well as in-store and in-bar activity and support.
Mac’s is one of New Zealand’s most awarded beer brands, and we are immensely proud of our talented brewers and the beers they create. One of our proudest moments was winning gold for Sassy Red at the International Brewing Awards in the UK. And as well as the mantelpiece, we’re also displaying our medals on our new packaging.
P E E D M FRO UR O N I H T I W D O O W L E R R A B R E D L O B A S E COM . N O B R U O B
Jim Beam NZ
P.G.R. The Taste of Summer A beautiful aromatic blend of Pinot Gris, Gew端rztraminer and Riesling. Brimming with summer flavours, perfect for any occasion.
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For more information please contact your Yealands representative.
yealands.co.nz
FROM THE EDITOR
LOCATION IS everything, and even more so now that the country’s new drink driving laws have taken effect because they impact on where as well as how we drink. The law was introduced on 1 December last year and reduces the blood alcohol limit from 80 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood to 50 milligrams. If it seemed like a bitter Christmas present to those of us in the trade who enjoy a tipple or two, consider the ongoing implications for owners of hospitality venues. And by extension, this means their suppliers too. If fewer people drink outside of their homes, less alcohol will be sold. However, this bittersweet Christmas present need not be all bad news. I believe there is a sweet side to the message that drink driving is a lethal combo. It is this: drinking locally. I believe it is one of the keys to unlocking our problematic binge drinking and driving culture. It’s easier said than done, however, particularly because its success depends on where you live. For those living in compact cities, such as Wellington, it is relatively easy to avoid drinking and driving. Those living near to the centre of the windy city can jump on a bus or a train easily, quickly and regularly. The infrastructure works.
The trouble is that a large proportion of the country’s population now live in Auckland; a troublesome piece of land sprawling out to all corners of its finger-like isthmus. This means that it is an inconveniently shaped city that not only sprawls in every direction, but does so on fingers of land that are difficult to get to, unless people drive – or are driven. Public transport has never been one of Auckland’s stronger suits, but it is improving and the Uber taxi APP is an outstanding addition to the how to get home issue. It is significantly cheaper than most, if not all, other taxis, and therefore there is less need to drive. Perhaps the most obvious answer to the perennial problem of going out to drink is an increase in local bars; such as the United Kingdom’s pub on every corner concept. Where is the equivalent of Grey Lynn’s Gypsy Tea Room for suburbs such as Avondale, New Lynn and Waterview? Bring them on. These bars not only help to reduce the need to drink and drive, but they champion the connection of locals with one another. This in turn can make for safer, more connected communities. And in the meantime, check out Uber, which can connect your customers with your venue and their home. Happy New Year. Joelle Thomson
DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015
Location, location, lo...
Cover story: Mac’s new look “When life gives you lemons, slice them up and find the gin.”
The makers of Mac’s are launching new beers, new ciders, a new logo and a new flavour scale this month, which makes it easier to navigate the different styles of beverages in the range. “The new flavour scale is aimed to help introduce people to craft styles that they might not have tried before. We sometimes think of Mac’s as a gateway craft brand to help introduce people to craft beers because it’s a safe trusted, high quality brand in New Zealand,” says Dave Pearce of Mac’s. The new scale ranks Mac’s brews and ciders from 1 to 7, defining the intensity of taste as the numbers ascend. Read our feature story on page 32 of this issue and find out about the new range.
Editor’s picks 2013 Kerpen Riesling This wine ticks all the boxes; it’s low in alcohol (9.5%), big on flavour and light bodied in style – the perfect summer wine. And it’s affordable; RRP $16-$17.
Zeffer Slack Ma Girdle Easily my champion for hot summer days and balmy nights.
Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur Dry, refreshing and perfect with Schweppes soda and orange rind. DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015 5
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 Advertising Roger Pierce advertising@drinksbiz.co.nz +64 9 361 2347 +64 274 335 354
Bright fresh whites SAUVIGNON BLANC CATEGORY REPORT–PAGE 36
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REGULARS
BEER & CIDER
Columns 8 Diary Dates 15 Out & About 16 Industry News 18
Feature Story – Mac’s The makers of Mac’s bring in a new flavour scale 32 Beer Category Report
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WINE
Beer and Cider News
48
High 5 Hot wines to stock by the glass – and by the bottle 30
SPIRITS & COCKTAILS
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Cocktail Spirits Category Report The best of the bunch of top shelf spirits 51
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Sauvignon Blanc Category Report Bright fresh whites for summer sipping 36
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Spirits News Michael F Fraser Milne talks whisky
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Shoulder to shoulder. Woodstock the # 1 Brand in traditional liquor is a major sponsor of NZ’s # 1 sports franchise
*source: Gemba Sport & Entertainment Report 2012-2015 *Colmar Brunton Nov 2014
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IN VINO VERITAS
Joelle Thomson Editor Drinksbiz joelle@drinksbiz.co.nz
Innovative wine lists, take two Food and innovation can lead to increased profitability and wine sales, writes Editor Joelle Thomson
INNOVATIVE WINE lists. Ah, those aspirational dreams of every wine bar owner and restaurateur. Not to mention the wine lover who craves diversity to Marlborough whites and Barossa reds. It is easier said than done, but with the global launch of Coravin (the wine saver whereby bottles do not even need to be open to allow wine to be poured from them), help is at hand. The only trouble is that Coravin cannot be shipped to New Zealand. Gary Bowering of ServiceIQ in Wellington writes to say that while the makers of Coravin are now able to ship to over 20 countries around the world, there are barriers prohibiting the delivery of the Coravin to New Zealand. The high pressurisation of the Coravin Capsules puts them in the hazardous materials category, which means that shipments are not permitted here. Yet. Gary has just ordered a Coravin via Fishpond online and hopes to provide us with the good news that it can be sent to our shores. As a member of the Consumer NZ magazine’s wine tasting panel and the marketing manager for a hospitality industry training organisation, he agrees that Coravin has the potential to revolutionise the age-old problem for restaurants and bars that have to contend with when they offer a wide range of wine by the glass; namely, the freshness of all those open bottles. Another way to offer a diverse range of wine, without the hassle of different bottles all open at the same time, is to choose diverse wines and offer them with food rather than alone. For instance, olives with dry sherry or Sauvignon Blanc with a sliver of salmon on crostini for $12 (the price includes the wine and food; all inclusive) from 5 to 7 pm every night. Keep portions small and bite sized on a plate alongside the wine. It 8 DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015
There are also low alcohol options that are valid and genuine styles in their own right rather than contrived ones, which have had alcohol intentionally removed just so that they tick ‘healthy’ boxes. is possible to increase profit by reducing portion sizes of both the food and the wine. And restaurants can actively engage their customers in the notion of the importance of eating – even a little – while they consume alcohol. And later on, serve a bite of gingerbread with PX sherry between 9 and 10pm or a lightly chilled tawny port with a couple of slivers of aged cheddar or blue cheese. Health is intrinsically more important to wine drinkers today and this needs to be addressed by serving some food but keeping portion sizes small.
There are also low alcohol options that are valid and genuine styles in their own right rather than contrived ones, which have had alcohol intentionally removed just so that they tick ‘healthy’ boxes. Think Prosecco, good Lambrusco (Bennett & Deller and Sapori d’Italia have good options with incredibly appealing trade price tags), Moscato d’Asti, northern German Riesling and southern New Zealand Rieslings as being among many wine styles that tend to contain low to moderate alcohol content but are extremely flavoursome. Keep serving sizes small, introduce a sense of adventure for your customers to try new things while making a good profit and forging a name for innovation. I have spread sheeted several such options and the bottom line looks pretty tasty... Food for thought.
we planted vines, which grew into a family tree. Samuel Smith planted Yalumba’s first vines in 1849 and wine has been an integral part of his family ever since. Five generations of Samuel’s descendants have lived and breathed the business, which is today the oldest family-owned winery in Australia. A lot has changed in 165 years. The winery has grown substantially and there are a lot more people around. But one thing that will never change is the family atmosphere. Whether they have Smith in their last name or not, every single person who works at Yalumba is part of the family. Because everyone is here
kwp!YAL10537
for the same reason, for the love of wine.
COLUMN
Stephanie Melbourne Brewers Association of Australia and New Zealand Stephanie.Melbourne@brewers.org.nz
Sale and supply of alcohol reforms
How are things going one year on from major legislative changes to the sale of alcohol?
DECEMBER 2014 marked one year since the full implementation of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 (Act). It is still very early days to assess how the Act is achieving its objectives of ensuring alcohol is sold, supplied and consumed in a safe and responsible way, and harm is minimised. However, it has brought about a number of significant changes which are starting to make their presence felt. In 2010, the Law Commission made a series of 153 recommendations which it issued in a report following a review of the regulatory framework for the sale and supply of liquor. The Act set down a framework which adopted 126 of these recommendations in full or in part, while the remaining areas of contention have been dealt with, or are in the process of being further considered via other avenues. There are the inevitable teething problems with a new piece of legislation and these will continue into 2015, but the result will hopefully be a stable and consistent framework for alcohol legislation and regulation that all stakeholders can work with. The Act introduced a number of initiatives to emphasise that a responsible host (including parents and the hospitality industry) can play a key part in ensuring people consume alcohol safely and responsibly. Obligations to provide a reasonable range of food, non-alcoholic and low alcohol drinks, arrangements for safe transport, and free drinking water have all been widely adopted and encouraged. For example, the Health Promotion Agency’s recent “no more beersies” campaign played up the availability of free drinking water in its spoof ads. DB Breweries supported this campaign and 10 DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015
had “no beersies” taps (water) plumbed at various venues of on-premise operators keen to get on board. These provisions also come with high penalties for non-compliance – $2,000 for parents and staff, and $10,000 for licensees as well as a possible suspension of their licence which is designed to be a significant deterrent. Of key importance in the Act are on the spot fines, bringing in individual responsibility. For example, infringement notices and a $250 fine will be payable if you present a fake ID or use someone else’s ID to buy alcohol, as well as drinking in an alcohol ban area. These are extremely useful for police enforcement of minor yet
Obligations to provide a reasonable range of food, non-alcoholic and low alcohol drinks, arrangements for safe transport, and free drinking water have all been widely adopted and encouraged. time consuming infringements that will have a significant effect in setting a high standard of expected behaviour. When we take a look at what is happening outside the Act, many of the Law Commission’s other recommendations have been or are being considered. For example, the drink driving limit for adult drivers was lowered as at 1 December 2014. Much media attention has also been given to the Act’s related cousin the Local Alcohol Policy (LAP), allowing territorial authorities to develop optional LAPS, and giving communities more say in this process. The LAP process is proving to be rigorous but it is better the policies are
thoroughly tested and debated, as they will set the blueprint for at least the next six years. Only time will tell whether the correct balance has been struck once the final LAPs are implemented during 2015. In alcohol advertising and sponsorship, the Government responded to the Law Commission report by setting up an independent panel to consider and recommend to Ministers whether further restrictions on alcohol advertising and sponsorship were needed to reduce alcohol related harm. The Ministry of Justice issued a report in April 2014 after it investigated the impact and effectiveness of a minimum price regime in reducing harmful alcohol consumption. Overall, no compelling evidence was found that raising the cost of alcohol was the right approach. The Ministry recommended that a minimum pricing regime should not be considered for a further five years giving the Act and other reforms time to become embedded. Contrary to some commentary, the fact remains that this was an extensive review of alcohol laws, the core issues have been or are being considered, and there are some significant changes to the way that industry, individuals and parents consume, sell and supply alcohol. While the Act may still experience teething problems, particularly around enforcement and consistency, there is a strong view that the industry needs a stable and enforceable piece of legislation to work with and it appears the Act may be on track to achieve this goal. The Health Promotion Agency has resources and publications to help people understand and comply with the Sale and Supply of Alcohol laws. alcohol.org.nz
#notbeersies
COLUMN
Dom Roskrow Drinksbiz UK based world whisky expert dominic@true-spirit.co.uk
Big year for whisky
Expect 2015 to be a major year for ‘New World’ whisky, with New Zealand in the vanguard, writes our man on the ground in the United Kingdom IT’S MY view that we will look back on 2014 in years to come and see it as a pivotal year for the development of whisky globally. While Scotch was struggling last year to meet world demand and maintain its high standards - there were far too many ordinary malts released with no age statements - whisky from other territories gained strength. Ireland and Japan both had a particularly good year, which was reflected in the end of year awards in The Whisky Bible and The Malt Maniacs, both of which honoured unconventional whisky over Scotch. It was an important year for New World whiskies, too. For New Zealand and Australia it was a case of consolidating what had already been achieved and making difficult decisions about how to expand. In the Northern Hemisphere we saw an explosion of new distilleries, the fruits of which are, of course, some years away. A major highlight of the year for me was a visit to Austria, Switzerland, Germany and Liechtenstein, where there are now about 100 distilleries. Many have been producing spirits for hundreds of years but are relatively new to whisky. Five years ago they couldn’t make it very well but now they are adapting fast. Expect some exciting whiskies in the future. 2015, though, may belong to the New Zealand Whisky Company, and the reason is simple: it’s a rugby world cup year, and Greg Ramsay and his team – of which I am proud to say I am part of – know how to turn that to their advantage. Just over three years ago as the All Blacks kicked their first ball of the tournament, I received a bottle of New Zealand whisky called Crouch, Touch, Pause, Engage. To my delight, it was fabulous and it accompanied me through our 12 DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015
A major highlight of the year for me was a visit to Austria, Switzerland, Germany and Liechtenstein, where there are now about 100 distilleries. Many have been producing spirits for hundreds of years but are relatively new to whisky. successful world cup triumph. A couple of days after that glorious final night in Auckland, another turned up called Vindication. One bottle was 1995, the last time the Blacks had reached the final; the other 1987, the last time we had won the world cup. Clever. Since then the New Zealand Whisky Company has staged ‘internationals’ against England, Wales and Scotland, competing in blind tastings against their
hosts on or around a Northern Hemisphere Test involving the All Blacks – and won every one. So, with the prospect of Richie McCaw and Co heading north in a few months’ time, the opportunity to show off the whisky will be too hard to ignore. We may even get a few ex players involved. After all, The Bree Louise pub, next to Euston Station in London, is a bit of a rugby haunt and a few months back launched Zinzan Brooke’s All Black Bitter – a beer doing exactly what it says on the glass. I expect few world whiskies to shout louder this year and with Scottish independent giant Gordon & MacPhail right behind the whisky, it’s set to go from strength to strength. And wouldn’t it be great to celebrate an All Blacks back to back double with a glass of New Zealand Doublewood? Here’s to a great year for everyone.
Distributed by Federal Merchants & Co | P: 0800 846 824 E:info@federalmerchants.com | W: federalmerchants.co.nz
COLUMN
Gabe Cook Guest Columnist
Money growing on trees for cider makers Cider has been one of the undoubted success stories of the global drinks industry over the past decade
CIDER’S INEXORABLE rise in New Zealand as a quality and diverse category shows no abating, judging by an annual competition which was held in Auckland late last year. A record total of 102 products were entered in the 2014 New Zealand Fruit Wine and Cider Awards, which took place over two days. Once upon a time, fruit wines were the dominant category in this event, but no more: over two thirds of the entrants this year were ciders. I was on the panel with four wine makers and wine judges and we were mightily impressed by the quality of the entries, which were categorised according to type and sweetness. The vast majority of the ciders and fruit wines sampled were of a high standard, demonstrating great skill and technique, with a number of bronze, silver and gold medals deservedly awarded. The eponymous Paynter’s Cider, from Hawkes Bay, won the Vintage Cider category, which, as is the case with wine, is made solely from a single year’s harvest.
The competition continues to grow and adapt in this country, which was reflected by the addition of a new category this year; heritage cider, referring to ciders made from old fashioned varieties that have historically been grown with the specific intention of making cider. 14 DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015
Paynter’s Cider is in the vanguard of new, small, high quality producers in NZ, and such was the quality of this product that my peers and I also crowned it as Champion Cider. My score sheet notes describe a ‘cider displaying a fresh baked apple aroma, followed by great mouthfeel, structure and complexity’. I was particularly impressed by the balance of punchy fruit and soft, astringent tannins. This truly is a new world cider: fresh, acidic varieties originatating from the USA and Australia have been blended with high tannin varieties from the UK; and all pulled together by a fifth generation Kiwi apple grower. The largest category was Medium Cider with Fruit, which currently is the dominant presence on the ever expanding supermarket cider shelf. I had some preconceptions that this category would simply be dominated by ‘alcoholic fruit juice’. And, although some products veered more towards this end of the spectrum, the majority of entries displayed a good cider base with varying levels and types of fruit. The competition continues to grow and adapt in this country, which was reflected by the addition of a new category this year; heritage cider, referring to ciders made from old fashioned varieties that have historically been grown with the specific intention of making cider. The result was the presentation of some bold and downright funky products. That said, quality cider can be made from apples
too, and some fantastic exponents of these more delicate and refined offerings were also sampled by the judges. This was a fabulous showcase of this country’s best offerings in this fast growing industry. Whether you like your cider fruity or funky, one thing is for certain: if this competition is a bellwether for the state of New Zealand cider, then the industry is in rude health.
Whether you like your cider fruity or funky, one thing is for certain: if this competition is a bellwether for the state of New Zealand cider, then the industry is in rude health.
DIARY DATES
Diary Dates
THE 2015 WINERY TOUR
Saturday 24 January to Saturday 28 February Headlined by Dave Dobbyn and Don McGlashan, Supergroove and Anika Moa, the 2015 Winery Tour will play nine shows in nine wineries. Tickets on sale at winerytour.co.nz or ticketmaster.co.nz (phone 0800 111 999).
MARLBOROUGH WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL
Saturday 14 February 2015 The 31st annual Marlborough Wine & Food Festival will be held on Valentine’s Day 2015 in the country’s biggest wine region and the Black Seeds are the headline music act. Bookings essential: ticketek.co.nz or visit marlboroughwinefestival.co.nz for more information.
STONELEIGH POPS UP AT VOLVO RACE Friday 27 February to Sunday 15 March Stoneleigh Wines is an Official Port Sponsor of the Auckland Stopover for the 2014-15 Volvo Ocean Race and will pop up as an al fresco garden bar for the event; at Te Wero Island, Auckland Viaduct. Visitors can enjoy Stoneleigh Latitude wines with food from Masu restaurant from 11.30am to 10pm throughout.
DOG POINT LOGAN BROWN CLASSIC PICNIC
Saturday 28 February 2015, 12 noon to 4.30pm The annual Dog Point Logan Brown Classic Picnic is on again in February at 797 New Renwick Road (corner of New Renwick and Dog Point Roads in Marlborough). Bookings essential: picnic@dogpoint.co.nz
2015 MELBOURNE FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL
Friday 27 February to Sunday 15 March 2015 A pop-up artisan bakery rising daily in the heart of the city, a long lunch for 1,500 in Melbourne’s iconic fresh produce market, and a wine tasting with 40 of the world’s best biodynamic winemakers. melbournefoodandwine.com.au
WAIHEKE VINTAGE FESTIVAL
Thursday 12 to Monday 16 March 2015 Head to the island for a laid back festival with top notch wine and food... waihekevintagefestival.co.nz
WILDFOODS FESTIVAL
Saturday 14 March 2015 The annual Wildfoods Festival will be held in Hokitika on the West Coast of the South Island in mid March. wildfoods.co.nz
GREAT KIWI BEER FESTIVAL
Saturday 28 March 2015 Hagley Park is the place, beer is the theme and over 50 brewers plan to attend and collectively serve more than 300 on tap brews, alongside food producers, a home brew competition and live music, including Pseudo Echo, Hello Sailor, Sola Rosa, Thomas Oliver and Summer Thieves. For more information, visit greatkiwibeerfestival.co.nz or the Great Kiwi Beer Festival Facebook page.
THE FOOD SHOW CHRISTCHURCH
Friday 1 to Sunday 3 May 2015 Horncastle Arena, Jack Hinton Drive, Christchurch This is the first of the 2015 annual national food shows and has a strong emphasis on local products.
THE FOOD SHOW AUCKLAND
Thursday 30 July to Sunday 2 August 2015 ASB Showgrounds, Greenlane, Auckland This is the biggest of the country’s annual Food Shows and there is a preview day; get in quick to attend.
THE FOOD SHOW WELLINGTON
Friday 4 to Sunday 6 September 2015 Westpac Stadium, Waterloo Quay, Wellington This show takes place over Father’s Day, so there will be plenty on offer for dads living in the windy city. foodshow.co.nz
DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015 15
OUT & ABOUT
Out & About
Frankie Walker, Chandn
i Chandan-Sahrawat, Sid
Bill Scott, Brooke Riley
Jeremy K
ingi, Erik
cine, James
James Derig
, Ja Lorietta Bahr
Sai Charan, Nick Davidson
Hornblow, Lo
16 DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015
Georgia Peth
eram
a Amoore
The Bacardi Legacy Cocktail Competition final was held at Mantells in late 2014 and was the New Zealand leg of an international event that sees the best bartenders from over 30 countries compete to be crowned the winner of the Bacardi Legacy Global Competition. A crowd of bartenders and media watched a bunch of the best mixologists and bartenders in New Zealand compete, including Barney Toy, James Millar and Lorietta Bahr. Each finalist mixed their cocktail in front of a panel of judges, which included Bacardi Global Advocacy Director Jacob Briars; one of the world’s most respected bartenders. After tough deliberation, the judges named Barney Toy and his Pan Am cocktail the winner. The Pan Am was inspired by the by gone days of luxury travel in the 1920s and 1930s. Toy will represent New Zealand in the global finals of the Bacardi Legacy Global Cocktail Competition in Sydney in May.
, Gabrielle Ra
Sarah Beech,
Sahrawat
White rum shakes it up
Mariana King
Kara Hinton,
rietta Bahr
mes Millar, Di
Gemma Ross, Andre
ckie Cullimor
, Ryan Cox
e, Barney To
a Hammond, Jacob
Briars
y
OUT & ABOUT
Masu and Moët combine The makers of Moët & Chandon celebrated the start of the New Zealand tennis season by hosting an event at the Skycity Grand Hotel, ahead of the ASB Classic and the Heineken Open, both of which ran in early January. Guests were entertained with a tiny tennis tournament, live entertainment, canapés from Masu and Moët & Chandon Imperial.
Steven Luatua,
Sam Wallace an
d Kayla Cullen
Jooles Clements and
Johannes W
ilson and Sa
Ricardo Simich & Wil
Helene Ravlich
m Mannerin
helmina Shrimpton
Jamie Ridge & Eleanor Day
-Ross, Angela Nadine Chalmers Rachael Botica Bloomfield and
Kayla Cullen & Maria Tutaia
g Clarke Gay ford
Chantelle Mear
s and Juliette Ho
gan
Mumm’s the word at Taste Tim Phin
and Kath
Guests celebrated the opening of the G.H.Mumm Champagne bar at the Taste of Auckland festival, enjoying a French-themed champagne brunch in the Mumm marquee and trying their hand at the art of sabrage. It was the perfect celebration occasion to mark the opening of the Mumm Champagne bar, a new addition to the festival.
ryn Love
Zoe and Teia William
s
DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015 17
INDUSTRY NEWS
International News briefs Carlsberg retracts Russian brewing A spokesperson for Carlsberg says that the company has not ruled out closing some of its Russian breweries due to the country’s deepening economic crisis. The Danish brewer may close its Voronezh and Tula plants, both south of Moscow. The retraction is due to an anticipated shrinking beer market in Russia, which is expected to lose 4% of its volume in beer sales this year, with an additional 5% loss in 2016, due to GDP pressures from falling oil prices and a decline in the rouble’s value.
Clear glass disaster A British report revealed in January this year that up to 35% of wine bottled in clear glass is damaged by exposure to light. “As much as 4% of supermarket wine is damaged by exposure to harsh lighting,” says Wotwine; an APP, which was set up by UK-based Masters of Wine, winemakers, sommeliers and trade professionals; all of whom rate supermarket wines on a value for money basis. (It is good to have this officially acknowledged because it comes as no surprise to those of us who regularly buy, taste and rate supermarket wines alongside samples stored in more optimal conditions – Drinksbiz Editor.)
Woollaston’s new winemaker
Nelson’s Woollaston Estates has a new winemaker, Michael Glover, who moves from Australia’s Bannockburn winery, to lead the winemaking team at the company’s Mahana winery GLOVER HAS been at Bannockburn for a decade now but grew up in Nelson, so the shift sees him return home. “We are delighted to welcome Michael to our team,” says Woollaston Estates director Philip Woollaston. “His winemaking philosophy is an ideal fit with our natural approach to winemaking from low yielding organic vineyards. Because Michael grew up near Mahana and understands our soils and climate intimately, we look forward to seeing him take our wines to an even higher level,” says Woollaston. Glover helped his father plant the family vineyard in the Upper Moutere in Nelson when he was a teenager, before moving to Australia to study winemak18 DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015
ing at Charles Sturt University in New South Wales. He also has winemaking experience in France, Germany and Italy besides Australia. “I have always harboured a desire to one day return to the Moutere and make great wine. Now, after 20 years, this opportunity is just too alluring to pass up. The chance to work with quality fruit, grown in a manner that fits my ideals of ‘terroir’ is incredibly exciting.” Glover takes up the new role in February, in time for the 2015 vintage, replacing Shane Munn, who heads to a new venture in Canada after three vintages at Woollaston Estates.
Unfair tax on Scotch A groundswell of British based Scots drinkers are vocalising their complaints at the 78% tax on Scotch whisky. The Scotch Whisky Association has also strengthened its calls for a drop in duty after research revealed the industry contributes more than 5 billion pounds to the economy – making it bigger than the UK’s iron and steel, textiles, shipbuilding and computing industries.
Spirits compete The world’s second international spirits competition is to take place this year on March 1 and 2 in Berlin. Its judges will be drawn solely from the spirits trade and will consist of buyers from retail, who will judge spirits alongside restaurateurs, cocktail bar proprietors, hotel beverage directors, distributors and importers. “Unlike other spirits competitions, these judges have purchasing power and the ability to make a direct impact on brand sales,” say organisers. Read more at: berlininternationalspiritscompetition.com
INDUSTRY NEWS
Woodstock stands shoulder to shoulder with the Vodafone Warriors The Vodafone Warriors herald a new era with a three year deal with Woodstock Bourbon
WOODSTOCK AND the Vodafone Warriors has a ring to it that is about to become more familiar to fans of the club with the announcement that Woodstock is a major sponsor for the next three years. “With 2015 signalling a new chapter in our history we are delighted to welcome Woodstock into the Vodafone Warriors’ family,” said Vodafone Warriors chief executive Jim Doyle, of the new sponsorship deal. Independent Liquor plans to promote the sponsorship significantly in key retail stores and also with a strong presence on Facebook. The deal will see the Woodstock and Wild Buck Ale brands displayed on both the NRL and NSW Cup jerseys. In addition, Independent Liquor will have pourage rights at all 11 Vodafone Warriors matches to be held at Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland, as well as signage, player access and a number of exclusive behind the scenes experiences. “We’ve always been popular with Vodafone Warriors fans and couldn’t be prouder to share their passion in what is a very special year for the club,” says Adam Maxwell, marketing director for Independent Liquor. “We’ll be there every step of the way to help the Vodafone Warriors kick off their 20th anniversary celebrations. It’s a great
time to start our partnership,” says Maxwell. A recent significant addition to the Woodstock brand is the launch of Woodstock Black; a premium bourbon that spends four years ageing in American white oak barrels, prior to release, on which it is blended with old style cola. This long ageing process enables Woodstock Black to develop the smoothness, concentration and complexity of flavours during its evaporation in barrels over the ageing process. Long ageing in wood concentrates the flavours of bourbon so the liquid left over intensifies in flavour as it ages.The longer the ageing process, the more intense the concentration. Aged bourbon also gains colour and flavour from the oak, which it picks up as it ages. New American white oak barrels are deeply charred, which enhances the taste of bourbons as they mature in barrels. Woodstock master distillers use high quality corn and other premium grains
along with iron free water, which flows from the limestone hills of Kentucky. “Woodstock Black has a subtle taste of toffee and vanilla with slight dried fruit in the initial rush of flavour in a good aged bourbon. The charred oak barrels give it a distinctive spicy oak firmness that is unique to American whiskeys, balanced out with the citrus dry cola taste,” says Maxwell. “We’re excited about New Zealand’s most popular* bourbon and cola standing shoulder to shoulder with the Vodafone Warriors and can’t wait to roll out the plans Woodstock has for fans in 2015,” says Maxwell. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Warriors with the club’s first home game of the season to be held on Saturday 21 March against the Parramatta Eels. independentliquor.co.nz warriors.kiwi *Woodstock had the highest moving average sales in its category – February to December 2014: Colmar Brunton, November 2014. DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015 19
INDUSTRY NEWS
Krug o’clock launches in Auckland The Grove restaurant in Auckland has become the first in New Zealand to offer Krug O’Clock every day to customers until the end of February 2015. Canapes by chef Ben Bayly are made fresh daily to drink with one of the world’s most expensive Champagnes in what is being dubbed an informal Champagne hour, which takes place from 5pm every day. “Joseph Krug’s vision was to create a Champagne of undisputed quality, finesse and elegance and over 20 years of precision and devotion are needed to craft a single bottle of Krug Grande Cuvée. Michael Dearth and his team at The Grove are experts in gastronomy, which is why we have partnered with them to bring ‘Thank Krug It’s 5 O’Clock’ to New Zealand,” says Rai Banbury, Krug senior brand manager. Thank Krug It’s 5 O’Clock is also operating at top restaurants in London, Melbourne as well as other cities around the world, in restaurants that are offering Krug Grand Cuvée. Bayly’s Krug inspired canapés include terrine of alpine salmon, faux foie gras, hazelnuts and asparagus, ‘Ika Mata’ of tuna and soft shell crab with coconut and a Mango lasagna with fromage frais. TKIF is taking place at The Grove’s new bar space on Wyndham Street, Auckland until February 28th 2015.
Hawke’s Bay Pinot wins international trophy WINE AWARDS are flowing thick and fast at this time of year but one of the least expected wins for a New Zealand wine overseas was for a Hawke’s Bay Pinot Noir, which won the trophy for best Pinot Noir at the 2014 Sydney International Wine Competition. Results of the competition were announced in late 2014 and the winning wine comes from Sileni Estates in the Bay. “We’re absolutely elated that a wine from Hawke’s Bay, a region that has never been celebrated for Pinot, has come out on top. Our Plateau Pinot is made from fruit grown in cooler Hawke’s Bay sub regions. The wine is a blend of fruit from The Plateau, which consists of river terrace gravels, which is cooler due to its elevation at 120 metres above sea level, and Parkhill, a coastal vineyard which has clay based soils and is cooled by the sea breeze,” said Sileni chief winemaker Grant Edmonds. “We struggle to keep up with demand for our 20 DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015
Hawke’s Bay Pinot Noir, which is appreciated for its food friendly style and vibrant fruit flavours. This is a great result for showcasing the sub-regional opportunities for non-traditional varieties in Hawke’s Bay,” said Sileni CEO, Graeme Avery. The Sydney competition was judged by a panel of 14 international and Australian judges, with the top wines judged alongside matching food dishes to ensure that the results reflected the way most consumers drink wine, namely with food. This award tops off an impressive run for Sileni Pinot Noir. The same wine received Gold at the prestigious 2014 Mundus Vini International Wine Awards in Germany. The 2012 vintage of the ‘The Plateau’ Pinot Noir was awarded the ‘Best New Zealand Wine’ at the 2014 China Wine and Spirits Award and ‘Best New Zealand Red Wine’ at the 2014 Korea Wine Challenge. ‘The Plateau’ Pinot Noir 2011 also received Gold at the 2013 Selections Mondiales des Vins in Montreal.
Distributed by Federal Merchants & Co | E: info@federalmerchants.co.nz | W: federalmerchants.co.nz
Andy Warhol
LIMITED EDITION
Keith Haring
Roy Lichtenstein
Fernet’s pop art
POP ART COLLECTOR SERIES
FOR ENQUIRIES: Ian McAteer & Associates Ltd. Phone 09 476 1360 Mobile 027 542 0496 Email michellemcateer@xtra.co.nz
THE MAKERS of Fernet Branca are thrilled to release their Limited Edition Pop Art Collector Series tins, which join the rest of their range. There are three designs in the limited edition series, which were inspired by Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Keith Haring. Their makers are describing them as a must have for all Fernet Branca fans. They sell as a set for approximately $185. Sales of Fernet Branca continue to increase year on year, with growing numbers of people trying the flavours. Fernet Branca is made solely from herbs and spices, including the rare and hard to find (and, therefore, very high priced), saffron. “With more people becoming health conscious, Fernet will continue its popularity and it is an entirely natural product, highly regarded for its medicinal properties as a digestive,” says Fernet Branca’s New Zealand importer, Michelle McAteer-Ross. “Fernet Branca has always been popular with bartenders in New Zealand and around the world, and although Italian - it has become the national drink of Argentina. They drink it with cola and is called a Fernandito,” she says. Ian McAteer and Associates has been the New Zealand distributor for over 10 years. The company is owned and run by the team of Ian McAteer and his daughter Michelle. They also import a wide range of other Branca products, including Antica Formula, Punt e Mes, Borghetti and Carpano Classico and Bianco. For more information about these products, email: michellemcateer@xtra.co.nz or read more online about Fernet Branca at the company’s New Zealand facebook page: facebook.com/FernetBrancaNZ
INDUSTRY NEWS
New wine degree this year
The South Island is the HQ of New Zealand’s wine industry, as the formation of a new viticulture and winemaking degree shows A NEW viticulture and third year would comprise a winemaking degree is being mix of higher level viticulture, launched at the Nelson Marlwinemaking and research borough Institute of Technolskills, providing students an ogy (NMIT). opportunity to specialise in The Bachelor of Viticulture areas of interest. and Winemaking will begin this One of the key features of year at NMIT’s Marlborough the new degree would be campus, which has offered a strong applied research viticulture and wine education component, which would for the past 23 years. equip students with the skills In the past, NMIT’s Diploma in to carry out research once Viticulture and Wine Producthey become involved in the tion graduates were able to industry. pathway into the Lincoln UniThe degree will be availversity Bachelor of Viticulture able with both part-time and and Oenology, which could also online/distance options. be studied at NMIT’s Marlbor“We want to be sure that ough campus. when our students go out NMIT chief executive Tony and work, they will have Gray says it made sense for strong practical skills in both a tertiary institute based in the vineyard and the winery. a region that The aim is “We want to be produces 75 to ensure sure that when percent of the that they will our students go country’s grape understand out and work, they the science harvest, to offer its will have strong own degree in the behind their practical skills in subject. duties so they both the vineyard “The possibilcan make and the winery.” ity of developing decisions, but our own degree they’ll also is something that we’ve been know how to apply themlooking at for some time and selves to hands-on tasks,” it’s an idea that’s strongly Hayward said. supported by the New Zealand NMIT’s current viticulture wine industry,” he says. and wine diploma has 30 By delivering the degree students studying on campus in Marlborough, it should be with another 40 students easier to draw on specialenrolled in the online/disist personnel working in the tance option. Almost half of Marlborough wine industry for the first year diploma stuguest lecturing and for placedents come from overseas. ment of students for practical Facilities within the NMIT work based training, he said. Campus and Marlborough NMIT wine tutor David HayResearch Centre include a ward said the first year of the large teaching laboratory, a degree would provide students wine sensory room, micro with a solid foundation in the vinification unit, research basics of viticulture and winevineyard plus a technology making. Studies in the second transfer theatre. year would focus on further Find out more from the developing and refining stuNelson Marlborough Institute dents’ technical skills, while the of Technology, nmit.ac.nz
INDUSTRY NEWS
My Coke prizes THE MAKERS of Coca-Cola have introduced a new on-pack promotion with the launch of My Coke, which rewards customers holding unique codes with weekly and quarterly prizes. The promotion runs until October 2015 and consumers receive the codes with every product purchase. “My Coke makes the traditional shopper experience that much more exciting by giving them the opportunity to win valuable prizes with each purchase. It also rewards our loyal fan base, who make purchasing Coke products a part of their regular routines,” says Heidi Somerville, marketing manager at Coca-Cola Oceania. To be eligible for large prizes, consumers need to purchase a CocaCola drink, register at coke.co.nz or via the Coke NZ app and then enter their code to earn points and enter the prize draws. Prizes include a paddle-board bundle for two, $10,000 for a family adventure holiday, a summer music pack for two with Samsung phones, portable speakers and headphones and Beats Solo Headphones, among other prizes. The codes can be found under PET labels, under 440ml can tabs and inside multi-pack wraps. Every My Coke point equals one entry into a selected prize draw. coke.co.nz/mycoke
Perrier goes street PERRIER’S NEW look, limited edition street art collection features original designs from artists all over the world. Paris-based New York street artist JonOne has created a colourful abstract design for the Perrier glass bottle’s front label while Japanese artist Sasu has designed a geometric label for the Perrier plastic bottles. Brazilian artist Kobra has created a new look to feature on the French mineral water brand’s new slim cans, which have yet to arrive in New Zealand. The new look Perrier designs are available in New Zealand in 750ml and 330ml four-packs from Stuart Alexander & Co. 24 DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015
Behind Winery Doors WINERIES IN Marlborough and Nelson are the theme of this new book, which was edited by Christine Dale and designed as a travel guide to stash in the car next time you’re driving around the north of the South Island on a wine tasting. It is the first of a new series by father-daughter publishing team; Geoffrey Dale, (author of Press Pass and an ex NZ Herald photographer) and Christine Dale (editor). Co-author Renee Dale was the first female recipient of the Romeo Bragato Exchange Scholarship between the EIT in Hawkes Bay and the and Scuola di Viticultura ed Enologia di Conegliano in Veneto, Italy. The team has also published a collection of posters of the winery doors around the country.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Yealands goes walkabout ONE OF Marlborough’s largest wineries has joined forces with the Department of Conservation this year in a partnership, which will see over $100,000 go towards conservation work in the South Island. The winery is Yealands Estate, which is based in the Awatere Valley; south of Blenheim township and owned by Peter Yealands, who has a strong focus on sustainable wine production. The new project will see funds from Yealands go directly towards conservation initiatives on the Queen Charlotte Track in the Marlborough Sounds. It was announced by Conservation Minister Maggie Barry in January this year. Barry said that wine producer Peter
Yealands had built up a reputation as a leader in sustainable wine production. This new partnership reinforced that. The Yealands Estate winery will provide $25,000 towards the conservation work on the track for each of the next three years. It will also contribute at least $10,000 from the sales of its Eco range of wines. “The Queen Charlotte Track with its stunning scenery and native wildlife, draws more than 16,000 people a year to walk or bike all or part of its 71 kilometre length,” Barry said. The financial contribution from Yealands would see the Department of Conservation work with the Marlborough District Council and the owners of land that the track traverses.
Culinary capital kicks off GROW WELLINGTON and the Wellington Culinary Events Trust hosted their official launch of this year’s Visa Wellington On a Plate (VWOAP) Supplier Showcase at an event held at the beginning of this month (February). The aim of the annual food and beverage event launch was to provide an opportunity for the capital’s local food and beverage producers to meet and sample each others’ food and drink creations from the Wellington region. This was an event solely for the trade and, as in previous years, it attracted leading industry chefs and overseas retail buyers. It is a forerunner to the VWOAP food festival, which takes place in August each year. To find out more about Visa Wellington On a Plate, contact Rochelle Maroon at Grow Wellington, phone (04) 382 0064 or email: Rochelle.Maroon@growwellington.co.nz 26 DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015
Lion’s roaring new drink LION BREWERIES has signed a new deal to sell Vita Coco coconut water along with its main product range. The announcement signals the company’s intention to provide beverage options for all consumers; in part as a response to shifts in the market where there is growing demand for lower than standard alcohol contents, and non-alcoholic drinks, says Lion’s managing director Rory Glass “We are seeing a consumer trend towards health, wellbeing and moderation and to consumers increasingly looking for healthy alternative drink options,” says Glass. Vita Coco has been in existence for a decade and is now one of the biggest coconut water brands globally. While coconut water is still relatively new in this country, the category is now estimated to be worth $1.7 billion in sales internationally, with strong continued growth of up to 150% per year, says Glass. Sales in the United States are particularly strong because of the economies of scale. The deal with Lion was a boost to the Vita Coco brand, which has a strong presence in the United States, Canada, Europe and Japan, says Vita Coco chief executive Michael Kirban. “Vita Coco’s international growth continues to impress us. In some regions we’re seeing up to 300 per cent growth. We expect New Zealand to be a strong market for the brand and one that will help us become a truly global beverage brand.” Research in New Zealand showed that about 30 per cent of drinks consumed at adult social occasions were non-alcoholic and that the number was growing, said Glass. “We know that consumers aren’t particularly satisfied with current options available in the marketplace so for a little bit of time now we’ve been building a foothold in that non-alcoholic space.” To date, that has included Lion’s nonalcoholic Hopt soda water and some of the Mac’s range. The Vita Coco addition was a small step outside of Lion’s main category, says Glass. “It is not a big leap, but it is something we expect to grow over time and it’s come about because we want to provide our customers with a range of drinks for all social occasions.”
INDUSTRY NEWS
Pinot pioneer awarded for conservation Clive Paton is one of the godfathers of Martinborough Pinot Noir who has a strong environmental focus, as an award shows
MARTINBOROUGH PINOT Noir pioneer Clive Paton was awarded the 2014 Loder Cup for his “outstanding achievements as a motivator, protector, promoter and propagator of New Zealand flora.” The award recognises him as a strong champion of the environment for his work in growing rata from seed and, over the past decade, for planting over 50,000 native trees on his Ata Rangi Bush Block; a 130 hectare, partly DOC-covenanted area of land adjacent to the Aorangi Forest Park in the South Wairarapa. Paton was one of the first four people to plant grapes and make wine in Martinborough and is widely recognised as the maker of New Zealand’s most consistently high scoring Pinot Noir; Ata Rangi. But the environment is just as important to him. As well as his Pinot Noir and high quality white wine focus, he founded and is the chairman of the Aorangi Restoration Trust, which was formed to improve biodiversity, while maintaining opportunities for hunting and recreation. He is also on the board of Pukaha Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre. Anne Lawrence, chair of the Wellington Conservation Board, describes Paton as “a real mix of vision and action.”
“One minute he’ll be outlining a big, bold idea for how things can be in 30 years’ time, and the next he’ll be setting possum traps or penguin nesting boxes down on the coast,” she says. The Loder Cup is one of New Zealand’s
“Awards are certainly neither a motivation nor a goal when I throw myself into conservation work, but this is a wonderful surprise and I’m humbled by it. The cup is engraved with the names of many of my heroes,” says Paton.
oldest conservation awards and it was presented to Paton in November at a ceremony in Wellington. “Awards are certainly neither a motivation nor a goal when I throw myself into conservation work, but this is a wonderful surprise and I’m humbled by it. The cup is engraved with the names of many of my heroes,” says Paton. He and the Ata Rangi winemaking team are also celebrating 10 years of supporting Project Crimson; the charitable trust that focuses on the protection and reforestation of pohutukawa and endangered Northern rata.
News briefs Austrian glass giant opts for Negociants
Waiheke’s Tempranillo
Negociants New Zealand is the new national distributor for the Austrian based Riedel glassware brand to all licensed venues and wineries. Riedel New Zealand managing director, Mark Baulderstone says the new distribution network is an exciting opportunity to raise Riedel’s profile in New Zealand. “In conjunction with Negociants, we have worked hard to ensure we are going to market with a newly engineered pricing structure, which will be much more advantageous to the wholesale and retail market. Along with a refined range of products, we have great confidence in this new partnership,” Baulderstone says. Negociants New Zealand managing director Clive Weston is thrilled to have secured the glass brand, which he plans to see further grow its position in the on-trade as well as with consumers.
Waiheke Island restaurant and winery, Mudbrick Vineyard, has released its second ever Reserve Tempranillo from the 2014 vintage; RRP $60. Winemaker Patrick Newton says the first vintage of Tempranillo grapes was 2012 but all of the fruit went into the winery’s Rosé. A reserve Tempranillo was then made in 2013, and in 2014. “Every year we are learning in the vineyard and we think we are close to knowing what the vines need. The fruit seems to get better and better. The vines were planted in 2008,” Newton says, of the Tempranillo grapes; which are Spanish in origin and best known for their role in reds from Rioja and Ribera del Duero.
Negociants’ free call number for Riedel enquiries is: 0800 634 624
mudbrick.co.nz DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015 27
Some may speak of range. Others of quality. All speak of
Mud House duo set for top vintage
MUD HOUSE winemaker Nadine Worley has returned to work following her third (“and final”) stint of maternity leave, joining fellow winemaker Cleighten Cornelius. Cornelius has held the Mud House winemaking reins over the past year, covering Worley’s leave. Both say they are looking forward to the collaboration for the upcoming 2015 vintage. “Winemaking by yourself can sometimes be a bit dull“, Worley says. “Having more of a team atmosphere, where we can challenge each other and bounce ideas off one another is ideal. I have worked with Cleighten previously and can’t wait for his unique energy and humour over harvest this year,” she says. Cornelius describes his fellow winemaker as “a great lady, and I think when we combine our thoughts and perspective, it will ensure the best outcomes for the Mud House wines.” Internationally respected producers of bottles During a recent grading session at which the pair tasted barrel component wines for the wine and spirit industries. of the 2014 Pinot Noirs, both Worley and Cornelius discovLightweight. Heavyweight. Proprietary. Decorated. ered that they were “Winemaking by yourself looking for different SAVERGLASS AUSTRALIA Pty Ltd SAVERGLASS NZ Ltd can sometimes be a bit 289 Flinders Street, Adelaide SA 5000 Unit G, 383 Khyber Pass Rd, Newmarket 1023 Auckland components in the PO Box 6537 (Halifax Street), Adelaide SA 5000 PO Box 8020 Symonds St Auckland dull“, Worley says. “Having Tel. : (08) 8232.0770 / Fax : (08) 8232.0880 Tel. : (09) 522 2990 / Fax : 09 522 2994 wines. www.saverglass.com / info@saverglass.com www.saverglass.com / krb@saverglass.com more of a team atmosphere, “Cleighten was where we can challenge really drawn to the SAVERGLASS AUSTRALIA Pty Ltd SAVERGLASS NZ Ltd each other and bounce ideas 289 Flinders Street, Adelaide SA 5000 Unit G, 383 Khyber Pass Rd, Newmarket 1023 Auckland earthy, structured PO Box 6537 (Halifax Street), Adelaide SA 5000 PO Box 8020 Symonds St Auckland Tel. : (08) 8232.0770 / Fax : (08) 8232.0880 Tel. : (09) 522 2990 / Fax : 09 522 2994 off one another is ideal.” www.saverglass.com / info@saverglass.com www.saverglass.com / krb@saverglass.com styles in the Pinot while I was looking for a pure, fruit driven style. I think that when we meet in the middle between SAVERGLASS AUSTRALIA Pty Ltd these two favourable styles the result will 289 Flinders Street, Adelaide SA 5000 be even better wine,” Worley says. PO Box 6537 (Halifax Street), Adelaide SA 5000 Both are now excited about the 2015 Tel. : (08) 8232.0770 / Fax : (08) 8232.0880 www.saverglass.com / info@saverglass.com vintage. Paul Paleologos: pnp@saverglass.com.au Worley says that the Woolshed Vineyard Sally Arnold: sjt@saverglass.com.au in Marlborough is humming along nicely now that the vines have some age on them, which can translate to grapes with SAVERGLASS NZ Ltd desirable structure, providing in turn PO Box 8020 Symonds St Auckland strong mid palate weight to the Sauvignon Tel. : (09) 522 2990 / 021 580 104 Fax : 09 522 2994 www.saverglass.com / krb@saverglass.co.nz Blancs made from them. “I am sure we will have some pretty exciting wines by the end of harvest.”
INDUSTRY NEWS
Thousand year brand is Craggy’s goal A new strategic role has been created to support one of Hawke’s Bay’s biggest winery’s global growth
CRAGGY RANGE has engaged Rob Fyfe to join the company in a newly created position as strategic advisor. The move follows on from the consultancy role that Fyfe has been working in with the winery for over 12 months now. “I love the challenge of supporting world class New Zealand businesses to realise their potential on the world stage. There are many businesses both here and offshore with an outstanding product or service with the need to forge a global brand position, distribution strategy and infrastructure to fulfil the possibilities,” Fyfe says. “Craggy Range is similarly placed. The Peabody family, which owns this winery has the ambition to craft wines that are regarded amongst the world’s finest. Their vision, ambition and the quality of the wines and the experience of the team supporting the brand have all inspired me to contribute to the strategic vision of the business.” Craggy Range owner Terry Peabody says he is delighted to formalise Fyfe’s role with the company; he is currently CEO of clothing manufacturer, Icebreaker and is the former CEO of Air New Zealand. Peabody says his global business credentials are second to none. “That’s where our challenges lie; building brand awareness and distribution internationally. Rob’s experience with New Zealand brands is invaluable in supporting Craggy Range’s ambitions to grow its export markets.” Fyfe says there is a direct correlation between Icebreaker and Craggy Range in terms of exploring the challenges and opportunities between the two companies, which presents what he describes as an excellent chance to look at each from the perspective of a different industry. “It’s healthy to be involved in three different industries; wine, jewellery - through my Michael Hill directorship - and outdoor apparel. It allows me to cross fertilise ideas and experience between each of them.” Fyfe says Craggy Range wine is already world class in quality. He believes the biggest challenges for the company moving
“There is a big opportunity to gain recognition and reputation outside those varieties and mid-range price points. Terry’s dream is that he can create a 1,000 year brand with Craggy Range and that is our goal.” forward are about growing brand awareness and building distribution in international markets. “When you look at what has taken centuries to create in Europe and compare to what the Peabody family and the Craggy Range team have created in a little over a decade, it is inspiring and is testament to the power of the family’s vision and the relentless and uncompromising focus on execution.” New Zealand’s global wine reputation has been forged with great value, mid-priced Sauvignon Blancs and Pinot Noirs. “There is a big opportunity to gain recognition and reputation outside those
varieties and mid-range price points. Terry’s dream is that he can create a 1,000 year brand with Craggy Range and that is our goal.” In addition to his renowned business skills, Fyfe brings to Craggy Range a strong interest in and knowledge of New Zealand wines nurtured during his international postings and more recently at Air New Zealand through the annual wine awards. “The thing I love about wine is the sense of connection it creates to the ‘place’, the terroir of where the grapes are grown. To me, understanding and appreciating wine creates another dimension of feeling connected to the land, the history, the sense of place that is New Zealand. “When that sense of place is combined with a depth of story, with the craft of artisans and winemakers whose skills and knowledge have been perfected over centuries and passed down through generations, that’s when a wine comes to life for me.” DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015 29
HIGH 5
Hot new wines to list
Drinksbiz Editor Joelle Thomson selects five top wines which have great flavours and are well priced for lists in bars and restaurants
1
Pinot perfection
RRP $24.99
RRP $23.99
2012 Main Divide Pinot Noir
2014 Esk Valley Rosé
This North Canterbury Pinot Noir is one of the country’s best value reds; full bodied, fleshy, flavoursome, spicy and long on the finish – what more could a wine lover ask for in a red? It’s all present and counted here.
This outstanding Rosé is more deeply coloured than most on the market right now because it is made from Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc; all of which contribute greater depth of colour than the majority of the country’s Rosés (which are Pinot-based). This staunch trio of grapes also offer up a firm backbone (the Cabernets) and a fleshy fruity mid palate (the Merlot).
TRADE ENQUIRIES: EuroVintage, phone
0800 338 766, eurovintage.co.nz
2
Two newcomers from Waipara RRP $35
2013 The Bone Line Pinot Noir This is a new brand from an experienced trio of wine producers; Tutton, Sienko and Hill, who used a mix of old Swiss and new (to New Zealand) French clones of Pinot Noir; all of the grapes in this wine were hand picked and hand plunged for a week (to extract colour and tannin) before 22% of them went into new Burgundian oak to spend 10 months ageing, maturing, softening and picking up all sorts of spicy complexity along the way. Talk about an awesome newcomer to the wine shelves; stock this one and serve it year-round.
3
Great Canterbury Chardonnay
RRP $30
This smooth new Chardonnay is big on flavours of citrus (lemon, grapefruit and ripe orange) and beautifully balanced by fresh acidity and a medium body; every sip lingers and it’s so tasty that it practically begs for a roast chicken to eat alongside it. TRADE ENQUIRIES: The Bone Line,
phone (03) 314 8699
TRADE ENQUIRIES: Villa Maria,
phone 0800 505 656, villamaria.co.nz
5
Dry Riesling
RRP $32
2013 Mahana Riesling Nelson Let’s hear it for Nelson’s aromatic whites; the rich clay-bound gravel soils of the Mahana vineyard show their potential for producing outstanding white aromatic styles, such as this lovely restrained Riesling. It drinks well now with seafood drizzled in lemon juice and it also has great ability to age, thanks to its low pH and high acidity, which is precisely what makes it sing in the glass. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Woollaston Estates,
2013 The Bone Line Sharkstone Chardonnay
30 DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015
4
In the pink
phone 0800 224 224, woollaston.co.nz
0800 338 766 INFO@EUROVINTAGE.CO.NZ
FEATURE
Mac’s brews a new look The makers of Mac’s have created a flavour scale to go with their new packaging
WHY DO the Mac’s bottles have a distinctive ribbed neck, a rip cap and a new flavour scale on their labels? The answers are all to be found on the new look bottles from later this month; the launch of which coincides with two new beers, four new ciders and the release of the brand’s official new flavour scale. The launch is set for late February and there will be a phase-in period, during which the existing stock will be sold through. But Mac’s brand manager Dave Pearce describes the new look as an evolution rather than a revolution. “We will transition existing products into new packaging from about the end of February and of course there will be a phase in period, but it won’t be a disconnect for Mac’s fans, who will recognize the new design but see more information on it,” Pearce says. He believes the new information on the labels will better inform and also help trade consumers understand new and interesting flavours, both within and outside of the Mac’s range, but particularly in the craft beer sector. The new design retains the Mac’s shield and font. New elements on the labels include the story of Mac’s and new
32 DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015
graphic representations, which are aimed to depict each beer’s style. “We want to articulate our history better, so the primary logo is changing from “Mac’s” to “Mac’s since 1981” and there will be a story on the bottle explaining and detailing the rip-cap, the history and the bottle shape,” says Pearce. The new graphic representations will also add an educational element. The
With just two words, the new Mac’s flavour scale is clearly not intended to be a beer oracle but rather to provide an accessible, easy to understand map to the taste intensity and style of the beers and ciders. labels will include a back story on each bottle; for example, Mac’s Three Wolves (a new pale ale) comes from the Latin word for hops, which means “wolf of the woods”. Major awards will also be highlighted on the packs. This is commonplace for many wines, but not so common on beer packaging. It is being introduced by the makers of Mac’s to provide validation of their beer quality to consumers.
The new flavour scale Simplicity is key to the new Mac’s flavour scale, which is to be used on both beers and ciders made by the company. It will also be launched progressively on all the products from late February onwards and it ranks flavour on a scale of 1 to 7. “The point of the scale is that it is not one-way – each end has different, but equally great, styles of beer,” Pearce says. “At one end it refers to ‘quench’ for beers that are crisp and lighter in style, generally. At the other end is the word ‘savour’. With just two words, the new Mac’s flavour scale is clearly not intended to be a beer oracle but rather to provide an accessible, easy to understand map to the taste intensity and style of the beers and ciders. “It is hopefully going to be a nice way for beer and cider drinkers to navigate their way through our range and through craft products in general.” The inspiration for the flavour scale came from the drinks industry. Nespresso, for instance, scores its coffee capsules from 1 to 10 and the makers of Jed’s coffees have a similar scale, which is
FEATURE
clearly marked and easy to spot on its packaging. “Coffee is a good example to use when talking about craft beers because both have grown enormously in range in New Zealand over the past decade. We get a lot of feedback from people that they don’t quite understand some of the beer language and that there’s not a lot of middle ground. Beer drinkers are telling us that they don’t really know what they’re going to get when they buy a craft beer. Someone might buy a beer that they love but next time they try something that sounds similar but it tastes totally different,” Pearce says. “The new flavour scale is aimed to help introduce people to craft styles that they might not have tried before. We think Mac’s is a great brand to help introduce people to craft beers because it’s a safe trusted, high quality brand in New Zealand.” The new scale ranks Mac’s brews and ciders between 2 and 6. There are none at the 1 and 7, but this may evolve over time. “We want to create flavours that are accessible as well as pioneering some interesting new ones, but we want to make it clearer for our drinkers to better understand what to expect when they buy Mac’s beers.” Examples of existing Mac’s flavours are Mac’s Gold and Mac’s Spring Tide; each rated 2 on the scale and Mac’s Green Beret (a new IPA) is rated 6. “There will also be some exciting changes coming to the Mac’s brew bars over the next little while, which will include launch events for these new products.”
“The flavour scale is hopefully going to be a nice way for beer and cider drinkers to navigate their way through our range and through craft products in general. It’s a really good place to start.”
Read about Mac’s ciders on page 48 and beers on page 43. DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015 33
After A highlY SucceSSFul lAunch on tAP, we’re ProuD to welcoMe two new beerS to the MAc’S StAble.
Green Beret Brewed to produce flavours of citrus, pine & tropical fruit, Green Beret is then dry hopped for an explosion of hop aroma and flavour.
Three WolveS Amarillo, Simcoe & Nelson Sauvin hops dominate this elaborate Pale Ale, bursting with citrus & tropical notes and a well-balanced bitterness.
CiderS crAFted to tAKe drinKerS’ tASte buDS on A journeY of diScoverY.
These new Mac’s ciders are no ordinary ciders and that’s deliberate – 28% of people feel regular ciders lack style and sophistication. 41% believe they’re lacking in quality and deliver too much sweetness and sugar. These perceptions are holding back cider consumption but Mac’s is about to change all that. The market is ready for these more sophisticated ciders in a great range of unique new flavours.
SAUVIGNON BLANC CATEGORY REPORT
SAVVY CHOICES Sauvignon Blanc occupies nearly five times more space in this country’s vineyards than the next most planted grape, Pinot Noir, and the quality is also better than ever, writes Editor Joelle Thomson
36 DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015
CATEGORY REPORT SAUVIGNON BLANC
NELSON’S FINEST
derived acidity and super long, flavoursome finish. Great with seafood or by the glass.
2014 Waimea Sauvignon Blanc RRP $21 Nelson
TRADE ENQUIRIES: Villa Maria
This is a fresh South Island Sauvignon Blanc in a different style to Marlborough; lighter in body, more herby in taste with clean and zesty tropical aromas and flavours. It works beautifully served as a wine match with fresh pan fried fish with fresh lemon on the side. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Federal Merchants
MARLBOROUGH STARS 2014 Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
RRP $20
This is an outstanding take on the Sauvignon Blanc theme from the country’s largest wine region. This wine is intense on the nose with zest fresh acidity and a full body. It is refreshingly dry in style and with a very long, intense finish of fresh cut grass and a hint of tropical fruit (pineapple, lime zest and papaya).
2013 Villa Maria Reserve Wairau RRP $28 Valley Sauvignon Blanc Sunshine in the glass; this is pure Marlborough with its intense zesty green apple flavours, moderate acidity and explosive fruity flavours; not to mention that lingering finish... This is a great wine to serve to your customers in the sunshine.
TRADE ENQUIRIES: Giesen
FOXY DRY WHITE 2013 Foxes Island Awatere Sauvignon Blanc
INTERESTING ALTERNATIVES RRP $26
This is one classy Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough winemaker John Belsham, who creates a bone dry and extremely food friendly wine in this outstanding bottle. It has pronounced tropical fruit aromas and flavours, a medium body and zesty fresh acidity; all of which are tamed into submission by its dry, lime-zesty flavour profile. It has a long, intense lemon-citrus finish and tastes great with seafood or any lemoninfused dish. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Foxes Island
Fresh, youthful and intense, this light bodied Marlborough white is a delight; all passionfruit, peach and mango in flavour with an off-dry note on its long, clean and refreshing finish. This is good value and great late summer and autumn drinking. (The 2014 The Doctors’ Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough is also produced by Dr John Forrest (hence the name) and it cruises in at 9% alcohol, which helps the low alcohol section of the wine list – and those customers who are conscious of drinking less, if driving.) TRADE ENQUIRIES: MacVine
2014 Selaks Founders Limited Edition Marlborough Sauvignon RRP $27 Blanc
BRANCOTT HITS HIGH NOTES
From one of the country’s oldest wine brands comes this intensely tropical, smooth and soft Sauvignon Blanc, which drinks well now and works brilliantly as a wine to serve by the glass, due to its soft texture. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Constellation
TOP SAUVIGNON BLANC
VALLEY HIGH
2012 Giesen Marlborough The RRP $40 August 1888
Talk about an outstanding medium bodied white wine. Esk Valley is a Hawke’s Bay winery but the grapes in this fresh zesty little newcomer were grown in Marlborough, which accounts for the zingy cool climate-
2014 Forrest Sauvignon Blanc RRP $22 Marlborough
CELEBRATING SELAKS
TRADE ENQUIRIES: Villa Maria
2014 Esk Valley Marlborough RRP $20 Sauvignon Blanc
kiwifruit and mango flavours. It is full bodied and long on the finish and drinks well now; working particularly well with fresh seafood.
Giesen is a big name wine producer but the production of The August Sauvignon Blanc is relatively small production because this is one of the company’s flagship wines. It more than lives up to it too, with super intense flavour concentration of clean, green grapefruit and lemon tastes along with plum,
2014 Brancott Estate Marlborough RRP $17 Sauvignon Blanc This big brand really does put the ‘q’ in quality by offering up a deliciously complex white in this well known, modestly priced wine. Think: toasted almonds, fresh brazil nuts and tropical fruit flavours of pineapples, mangos and papaya. This is a lovely combo and, thanks to its pronounced zesty acidity, it tastes excellent with pan fried fresh white fish, served with a sliver of lemon. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Pernod Ricard
DRY HILLS 2014 Lawson’s Dry Hills Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
RRP $23
Lawson’s Dry Hills was established by Ross and Barbara Lawson as one of the first DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015 37
SAUVIGNON BLANC CATEGORY REPORT
Fact file: Sauvignon Blanc • Sauvignon Blanc is the most widely planted grape in New Zealand with over 20,000 of the country’s total 35,300 hectares of grapevines growing nationwide; • Chardonnay was the most planted grape in New Zealand from 1992 until 2002; • Sauvignon Blanc first overtook Chardonnay in 2002 when they occupied, respectively, 3484 hectares and 3481 hectares; today the gap between them is significantly wider with Sauvignon occupying 20,027 hectares and Chardonnay 3,211 (a slight decline from 2002); • Marlborough is the headquarters of Sauvignon Blanc in this country; a region that made up 76.7% of the country’s total 2014 harvest, the majority of it being Sauvignon Blanc; • The 2014 harvest in New Zealand saw a 29% rise over 2013, which made this year the country’s largest ever grape harvest; • Sauvignon Blanc is the third most planted grape variety in France as of 2013, according to Master of Wine Jancis Robinson in the newly published book, Wine Grapes; • The Loire Valley and Bordeaux in France are the original stamping grounds of Sauvignon Blanc; • Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé in the Loire are regarded as being home to some of the greatest dry whites in the world, made entirely from Sauvignon Blanc; • In Bordeaux, Sauvignon
38 DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015
Blanc is nearly always blended with Semillon, both to make the dry whites of Graves and the intensely sweet, luscious, long lived sweet whites of Sauternes; • South Africa and New Zealand are the highest quality Sauvignon Blanc producing countries today outside of France; • California and Chile also have significant plantings of Sauvignon Blanc grapes and production of wine made from them, but quality is variable; • Sauvignon Gris, Sauvignon Rosé and Sauvignon Rouge are clonal variations on the Sauvignon Blanc theme; thought to have mutated from it; • Sauvignon Blanc is one of the parents of Cabernet Sauvignon, which accounts for the sometimes noticeably strong similarity in their aromas. (Cabernet Franc is the other parent of Cabernet Sauvignon.); • Fumé Blanc is the name that the late Californian winemaker Robert Mondavi came up with for Sauvignon Blanc; it refers to wines that have been fermented or aged (or both) in oak, and it can be produced anywhere in the world. It is not a legally protected name; • Sauvignon Blanc is an early to mid ripening grape and needs to be planted on low vigour rootstocks and in soils that are not overly fertile because otherwise its leaf area (aka the canopy) gets out of control, which draws carbohydrates away from the fruit.
wineries in Marlborough; its owners forging a name for themselves as producers of outstanding Sauvignon Blanc. Ross has passed away but Barbara continues the same quality focus that defined the couple’s early winemaking days. This wine sings with intensity, complexity and a long finish. It is an excellent, dry wine that tastes great with fresh seafood. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Lawson’s Dry Hills
ISLAND TIME 2014 Twin Islands Marlborough RRP $18.90 Sauvignon Blanc If this fresh bright, light bodied white isn’t the reason to serve lightly grilled asparagus with lemon juice and slivers of parmesan, then I don’t know what is; its intense, zesty fresh green fruit flavours and refreshing acidity make it a delicious sunny day white with a long finish. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Negociants
WORTH SHELLING OUT 2014 Nautilus Marlborough RRP $24.95 Sauvignon Blanc Fresh off the bottling line when tasted in early December, this Sauvignon Blanc has mouthwatering acidity, which is balanced by its full body and intense green fruit flavours. A luscious, lovely new white. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Negociants
CERTIFIED ORGANIC 2013 Urlar Gladstone Select Parcel RRP $29.95 Sauvignon Blanc This lovely fresh, medium bodied white comes from a biodynamically managed vineyard belonging to Urlar; a relatively small but high quality wine producer in the northern Wairarapa. It is a certified organic wine with super fresh, pronounced flavours
CATEGORY REPORT SAUVIGNON BLANC
The story of Section 94 The name Section 94 is taken from the vineyard that the grapes in this eponymous wine come from; it is the name that was on an early land survey of New Zealand, which was carried out in the late 1800s. The earliest land surveys of this country saw land divided up into areas, which were named ‘sections’. This became the legal description of a piece of land. Section 94 is the specific name of the single block of land that is located within the larger Dog Point Vineyard.
of fresh fennel, grapefruit zest and tropical fruit.
Top three
TRADE ENQUIRIES: Negociants
SAINTLY SAUVIGNON
ONE FOR THE ROAD
BELLS AND WHITES
2014 Saint Clair Marlborough Wairau Valley Sauvignon Blanc
2012 Pegasus Bay Sauvignon Semillon
2013 Dog Point Vineyard Section 94
LIGHT ‘N’ FRESH 2014 Opawa Marlborough RRP $19.95 Sauvignon Blanc Light in body, fruit flavour and intensity, this wine has a refreshingly citrus taste, thanks to its cool climate South Island origins. If you’re searching for a seafood-friendly white that is transformed by citrusy seafood flavours, here it is. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Negociants
EASY TIGER 2014 Spy Valley Easy Tiger RRP $16-17 Sauvignon Blanc The newest white from Spy Valley is Easy Tiger; ‘naturally crafted to be lower in alcohol’; the winery’s 9.5% alcohol 2014 Sauvignon Blanc, has a lightly spritzy fizz that adds zesty appeal to this medium bodied wine, stretching it out to a long finish. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Red+White Cellar
RRP $34
When it comes to Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough winery Saint Clair has it nailed on a number of fronts. This shines through in this intensely flavoursome Sauvignon Blanc, which is pronounced in aroma, taste and weight in the mouth. Winemaker Matt Thomson’s talents for bringing out the best from the winery’s vineyards really comes through in this super concentrated wine with its complex layers of fresh herbs, anise and its long citrusy tasting finish. This is an outstanding example of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc at its classic fresh best.
RRP $28
Bold, concentrated and complex, this North Canterbury Sauvignon Blanc pushes new boundaries of flavour and winemaking with its pronounced flavours of roasted almonds, citrus zest and ruby grapefruit; it is bone dry in style with zesty acidity, a full body and a super long finish. It is blended with Semillon and has had some oak fermentation, which adds to complexity and, thanks to its gentle ageing and maturation before bottling, this wine also has the ability to age and evolve in the bottle for up to 10 years; and possibly then some. TRADE ENQUIRIES: EuroVintage
TRADE ENQUIRIES: Negociants
RRP $35-$39
Hand picked grapes, low crop levels and indigenous yeast fermentation in old French oak barrels are the story of this exceptional Sauvignon Blanc, which is released later than most, due to the time it spends evolving in oak, prior to being bottled. It is the vision of Dog Point Vineyard founders Ivan Sutherland and James Healy, who celebrated 10 years of Dog Point wines in late 2014 by opening a decade’s worth of all their wines. This one was the most outstanding of all, particularly the 2006 vintage, which now drinks exceptionally well, proving that when it is treated well, Marlborough Sauvignon can age and evolve fascinatingly. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Red+White
Cellar
Distributors Constellation Brands 09 412 666 constellationnz.com EuroVintage 0800 338 766 eurovintage.co.nz
Federal Merchants 0800 846 824 federalmerchants.co.nz Foxes Island 09 378 1369 foxes-island.co.nz Giesen Wines 03 344 6270 giesen.co.nz
Lawson’s Dry Hills 03 578 7674 lawsonsdryhills.co.nz MacVine International 09 579 7451 macvine.co.nz Negociants NZ 0800 634 624 negociantsnz.com
Pernod Ricard NZ 0800 655 550 pernod-ricard-nz.com Red + White Cellar 0800 946 379 redwhitecellar.co.nz Villa Maria 0800 505 656 villamaria.co.nz
DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015 39
WINE NEWS
Federal takes on Awatere River
© AWATERE RIVER WINE COMPANY
The Awatere Valley is now bigger than Hawke’s Bay when it comes to planted vineyard area, which demonstrates Marlborough’s massive recent growth
IF WE could transport ourselves back 15 years, then the words ‘Awatere Valley’ would be regarded as something of a rarity when it came to wine production. It’s a different story today. The Awatere is now home to more vines than the entire Hawke’s Bay region and accounts for a large part of Marlborough’s phenomenal growth over the past 15 years. And while many of the grapes grown in the cooler, windier and southern Awatere Valley are blended into large branded wines, many also go into smaller brands, such as Awatere River by Louis Vavasour. The Auckland based company, Federal Merchants & Co, is the new distributor for the Awatere River Wine Company. “We are very pleased to be associated with one of New Zealand’s leading wine distributors,” says Awatere River managing director Louis Vavasour. “Federal Merchants has all of the elements necessary for responsible brand growth: a strong and experienced sales and marketing team; excellent trade history and relationships; a comprehensive beer, wine, spirits and drinks portfolio; efficient and proven delivery logistics.” The Awatere River brand specialises in 40 DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015
Marlborough’s best known varietal wines, namely, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. “At Awatere River Wine Company we strive for excellence,” says Vavasour. “We are in a position to select our best fruit and best wines for the Awatere River by Louis Vavasour label and this will not be compromised by volume growth.” The New Zealand wine component of Federal Merchants & Co’s portfolio now boasts two key players from thew country’s largest region, Marlborough, with Awatere River by
Louis Vavasour joining Wairau River. “Both producers [Wairau River and Awatere River] represent distinctly different sub-regions of the wider Marlborough district and that is extremely exciting for us to share with the trade and in turn, their customers – the wine consumer” explains Federal Merchant & Co’s wine brand manager Will Whitby. “The level of awards these wines have already achieved is obviously another attraction, and further confirms the excellent quality that people can expect”.
BEER CATEGORY REPORT
BEER AHEAD Meet the newest brews and the best of the old faves in our latest beer category report
42 DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015
CATEGORY REPORT B EER
TWO GREAT NEW BREWS FROM MAC’S Mac’s Three Wolves Pale Ale 6-pack RRP$14.99, 330ml, 5.1% ABV
Lower alcohol beers are a buzz word at the moment, particularly with the new driving limits. Speight’s has joined the party with their Mid Ale but have been determined to not compromise on taste.
Mac’s foray into pale ales has paid dividends and its draught-only beers are soon coming to bottles. The Three Wolves Americanstyle pale is the more assertively hoppy than its Green Beret partner, hence its name – derived from the Latin term for hops which translated as “Wolf of the Woods”. Three Wolves pours a slightly cloudy warm amber and its hop hit will have craft beer lovers reaching for another. Would work well as an accompaniment to Asian dishes, particularly Asian spiced meats and fresh herb-driven dishes.
Mac’s Green Beret IPA 6-pack RRP$14.99, 330ml, 5.4% ABV
Golden brown and slightly biscuity on the nose, Mac’s Green Beret IPA is the very definition of balance. Gladly, this refined beer will soon be available in bottles. It hits the right flavour combination between up-front bitterness and slightly honeyed, hop fruit notes. A perfect accompaniment to a burger on a summer’s evening, the Green Beret has a perfect hop balance that inspires second and third trips to the fridge. Highly recommended.
AND SOME OLD FAVOURITES Mac's Hop Rocker 6-pack RRP$14.99, 330ml, 5% ABV
Mac's distinctive pilsner is a very drinkable, hop-driven beer that retains a bit of South Island restraint and has fruity notes rather then the whole fruit salad. While it is recommended to be served quite cold (2 to 4 degrees) it actually releases a host of very
pleasing aromatics if allowed to warm in the hand a bit. Pairs well with curries and freshly spiced dishes.
Mac’s Great White 6-pack RRP$14.99, 330ml, 5% ABV
Seafood cries out to be eaten with Mac’s version of a classic Belgian wheat beer. Pouring pale and dissipating with a white head, the citrus sour notes don’t overwhelm but still demand a plate of mussels or a snapper fillet for maximum enjoyment. Light spicy characteristics and a respectable 5% alcohol content make Great White the choice of a discerning drinker.
Mac's Sassy Red 6-pack RRP$14.99, 330ml, 4.5% ABV
A burnished amber glass of malty goodness is the best description for Sassy Red. As autumn descends, this rich and deep ale comes into its own as an ideal side to gamey meats, nutty cheeses and even caramel based deserts. Classy enough to enjoy on the Auckland waterfront but still robust enough to be drunk standing round a 44 gallon drum fire in Central Otago. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Lion
SOUTHERN STRENGTH Speight’s Mid Ale 12-pack RRP$18.99, 330ml, 2.5% ABV
Lower alcohol beers are a buzz word at the moment, particularly with the new driving limits. Speight’s has joined the party with their Mid Ale but have been determined to not compromise on taste. The Mid is a well malted ale with a good bitter hit for a balanced beer. Would do well at a barbecue with its easy-drinking flavours complementing Kiwi classics like steak, sausages or DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015 43
BEER CATEGORY REPORT
chicken wings. All with a healthy dose of host responsibility. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Lion
THE FULL MONTY Monteith’s Southern Pale Ale 12-pack RRP$26.99, 330ml, 4.6% ABV
A light, clean beer, Monteith’s Southern Pale Ale has the hops but doesn’t make a big deal of them - just enough to be crisp and refreshing. At a manageable 4.6%, Southern is a contender for a six-pack at St Kilda beach over fish and chips or with richer, meatier fare like venison or wild boar. Its crispness allows for a second, or a third, to be enjoyed in a session. TRADE ENQUIRIES: DB Breweries
LEMON TWIST DB Export Citrus Grapefruit 12-pack RRP$19.99, 330ml, 2% ABV
While bitterness is a flavour often associated with beer, this citrus tang is really that - DB Export beer with natural grapefruit juice. Served ice-col, the tang hits at the back of the mouth, tightening the jaw but refreshing the palate. At just 2% it really can act as a thirstquencher or be enjoyed several times over on a hot afternoon. Dare we say it, DB Export Citrus Grapefruit could even be enjoyed on a warm summer’s morning. TRADE ENQUIRIES: DB Breweries
IMPISHLY GOOD Epic IMP
for ever-increasing hop assaults with their corresponding jumps in alcohol contents (right the way up to the 9% Lupulingus) they wanted to try and make a "smaller" IPA at a more manageable alcohol content, but still with the hoppiness Epic has become known for. The result is the Imp - a 4.7% beauty. The pale tawny brew hits you with fruity citrus notes and finishes with a bitterness belied by its "responsible" ABV. Recommended for hop lovers cautious about the new drink-driving limits. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Epic Brewing Co
SONGBIRD Tui Pilsner 12-pack RRP$19.99, 330ml, 5% ABV
Tui Pilsner is an easy drinking lager with a crisp and refreshing finish. A long, pale pour with a fine bead, Tui Pilsner has good bitterness and stands up well to spicy flavours. Enjoy it well-chilled and enjoy the aroma as it hand warms toward the end of the glass. TRADE ENQUIRIES: DB Breweries
Moa John Paul Grodziskie 3.7% ABV Draught only
Poland's finest - Pope John Paul II, lends his name to one of the country's most distinctive beer styles in this interesting new brew from Moa. The Blenheim brewery's second draught-only Special Reserve this season is a Polish style Oak-Smoked Wheat Ale. The Gratzer style sees the wheat malt smoked in oak imparting a smokiness to the finished product that doesn't overwhelm. A lightbodied beer with a tart and dry finish, this one will drink well on a warm summer's night. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Moa Beer
FESTIVE FIZZ Moa Festive IPA RRP$7.99, 500ml, 6.4% ABV
A super-drinkable IPA from the team at Moa, the Festive IPA rings in the new year with vigour and freshness. Pouring a tawny golden, this resinous and fruitful IPA makes use of several hops giving a citrusy-piney taste. A well constructed ale at a take-care-level 6.4%, however, the hops don't overwhelm and it stays a drinkable, refreshing option. Recommended.
RRP$6.99, 500ml, 4.7% ABV
Moa Checkpoint Charlie
This little devil began as a challenge to the Epic brewing crew. While the team are known
One of Moa's Special Reserve beers and
44 DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015
available only on draught at selected craft beer bars, Checkpoint Charlie is a Berlin-style Weisse beer. Named for the famous crossing point between Cold War East and West Berlin, this wheat beer pours pale and golden with a slight cloudiness. The flavour is fresh, acidic and sour but, true to Berlin style, it is served with a syrup that can be added to the brew to balance the sourness. A true European experience.
3.0% ABV Draught only
Distributors DB Breweries 0800 746 432 db.co.nz Epic Brewing Co 0800 212 337 epicbeer.com Lion 0800 107 272 lionco.com Moa Beer 09 367 9481 moabeer.com
CATEGORY REPORT B EER
ABV: 4.7% IBU: 35 DRYHOP: > Armageddon imp.epicbeer.com
DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015 45
SAME REFRES
KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED FOR THE
ESHING TASTE
FRESH NEW LOOK.
NEW LOOK PACKAGING IN-STORES.
BEER & CIDER NEWS
Corona gives back at Piha
Meet Mac’s newest ciders
Three new adventurously flavoured ciders are being introduced to the Mac’s range this month (February) EACH OF the new flavoured ciders will be bottled solely in 568ml imperial bottles and will join Mac’s Cloudy Apple as part of the brand’s cider range. Cloudy Apple is also bottled in 568ml imperials as well as being the brand’s only cider currently available on tap. The new flavours include Mac’s Blood Orange & Cardamom Cider, Mac’s Chilli & Lime Cider and Mac’s Cranberry & Ginger. “We chose three flavours that are a bit different; Chilli & Lime is a bit of a head-turner. All of the new flavours are in a style that tastes dry to appeal to drinkers who want a consistently dry flavoured cider,” says Dave Pearce of Mac’s. “We have certainly seen in our research that many male cider drinkers are a bit put off by both packaging and sweet flavours, so we are bringing in slightly drier flavours. One of the drivers of flavour is not just sweetness but trying new things, so this is a chance to give the flavour hounds a chance to explore something new.” Like all Mac’s products, the new ciders will be labelled with a new flavour scale, which ranks flavour on a scale of 1 to 7. The flavor scale will roll out on all Mac’s bottles from the end of February onwards. “The new scale is not about going from bad to good,” Pearce says. “At one end it refers to ‘quench’ for beers that are crisp and lighter in style, 48 DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015
generally. At the other end is the word ‘savour’. The new flavour scale is intended to be a guide to style and flavour rather than quality, Pearce says. When the new flavour scale begins, all of the Mac’s products will sit between 2 and 6, with no 1s or 7s currently being listed. “Partly it was nice that we don’t top out or bottom out on the range, but this could change and evolve over time,” Pearce says. The existing Mac’s Cloudy Apple Cider cruises in at a 2 and the new Mac’s Chilli and Lime Cider is a 5; it has a little heat to it, so the higher rating reflects this. “We think this is a handy way to understand taste and we’d love people to try one that they relate to and then know what they are drinking, in terms of flavour intensity.” To find out more contact your local Lion sales representative, phone 0800 107 272, lionco.com
Mac’s ciders are available as:Mac’s Cloudy Apple RRP$5.99, 568ml & 25 litre kegs, 4.7% ABV
Mac’s Blood Orange & Cardamom RRP$5.99, 568ml, 4.2% ABV
Mac’s Chilli & Lime RRP$5.99, 568ml, 4% ABV
Mac’s Cranberry & Ginger RRP$5.99, 568ml, 4.2% ABV
PIHA IS the place to be for another fund raising event over summer; this time with a Corona in hand, one eye on the sunset and the other on a photographic art exhibition. The funds raised from sales of both the beer and the artworks will go towards the club. The exhibition began on 16 January this year and the Corona are working in partnership with the Piha Surf Life Saving Club to showcase the work of 10 photographers in order to raise the funds. “Our surf club is well-known for helping save the lives of those who get into difficulty at Piha. We are working in partnership with Corona to raise vital funds for the redevelopment of our club. The aim is to build a better future for both our local community and visitors to the beach,” says Peter Brown, president of Piha Surf Life Saving Club. “All those visiting the Corona Deck and New Zealand Perspectives exhibition will be able to walk away with a clear understanding of what this amazing facility will provide Piha.” “New Zealand Perspectives aims to showcase the work of 10 inspiring photographers who have captured the most beautiful coastal images from across the country, while at the same time raise awareness of the redevelopment project at Piha Surf Life Saving Club,” says Stephanie Quantrill from Corona. The club will host the exhibition alongside a temporary pop-up Corona bar so that visitors can enjoy the sun setting over Piha from a prime position. All profits from the sale of Corona will contribute to the fundraising efforts of the club. Each piece of photographic artwork will be professionally framed and displayed at the club. Visitors can bid on the artworks via an online auction. All proceeds will be donated to the club. The Corona Deck and New Zealand Perspectives exhibition will be open from 4.30pm until sunset every Friday, Saturday and Sunday until Sunday 1 March. Visit New Zealand Perspectives online at corona.co.nz/piha
BEER & CIDER NEWS
Yeastie Boys go global WEDNESDAY 28 January was the day, $500,000 was the goal and in typically, irreverently successful fashion, Wellington’s Yeastie Boys raised $500,000 within the first half hour of their PledgeMe fund raising ‘offer’. The funds raised go towards the Boys’ three year plan; to replicate their current New Zealand business model in Britain. “Putting together an offer like this takes a lot of time and energy,” said Stu McKinlay; ‘head boy’ of the Yeastie Boys. In December, the duo brewers announced that they hoped to double turnover to approximately $1.5 million, if they managed to raise the money via PledgeMe. Creative director Stu McKinlay said at the time the capital raised would be used to develop the company’s production in the United Kingdom and sales in Europe. “Our hearts, souls and minds have been invested into getting the business plan right. Now we want get the job done and refocus back on the business of making great beer and getting it to the people who want it.” He plans to be brewing in Britain by April this year. This will coincide with their appearance at the Wetherspoon International Craft Brewer’s Showcase; an event that is similar to the same pub chain’s International Real Ale Festival, in which the Yeastie Boys took part during 2014. The share offer also included information on the distribution of their beer in Britain and its production by Aberdeen-based BrewDog. “We’ve known for a while that there is demand for our beer in Britain and, as such, have been chatting with BrewDog for some time,” said Sam Possenniskie; one of the Boys. “The coming together of this Kiwi craft beer collective, and the wide reach of Instil Drinks as distributors, are the two perfect pieces of the jigsaw puzzle that we wanted to get in place before reaching out to our crowd.”
New look for Isaac’s NEW ZEALAND’S Isaac’s Cider brand has revealed new packaging for summer. “It’s five years since Isaac’s Cider first launched originally under the Mac’s brand, but it’s since become a significant brand in its own right – changing the cider landscape in New Zealand,” says Kate Fisken, Isaac’s brand manager. “We believe it’s time for a fresh new look to take on more of the brand qualities that make it attractive to our consumers.” This is the first packaging change since the brand was launched but the contents of Isaac’s ciders remain the same. The ciders are made using a base of locally grown apples to create a crisp, refreshing taste. The clear bottles, and the branch, which was part of the original packaging, also remain the same. Isaac’s Cider is available in apple, pear, beer, feijoa, blackcurrant & honey and lime & bitter flavours. The different flavour variants are available in a mixture of 6 packs of 330ml bottles, 12 packs of 330ml bottles and, for some variants (berry, feijoa, blackcurrant & honey and lime & bitters), also as a 1.25L bottle. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Lion, phone 0800 107 272, lionco.com
News briefs Crafty beer tours
Brits beering up
Great Scott the beer man
A new beer tour has been launched by an Auckland travel agent, which will see New Zealand craft beer lovers travel to Portland, Oregon for six nights. House of Travel Ellerslie owner Glen Armstrong plans to offer New Zealand craft beer enthusiasts the chance to sip and savour 84 crafty creations at the long-running Oregon Brewers Festival, as well as experiencing the gourmet food and coffee culture of Portland.
Beer sales were up by 1.3% in the United Kingdom in 2014 following nine consecutive years of concistent decline in British beer sales. The rise is partly being attributed to two cuts in beer duty; a 42% rise from 2008 to 2013 saw sales decline enormously. Recent cuts have redressed the situation slightly. Watch this space.
The founder of Moa Brewing, Josh Scott, has had his beer credentials formalised by being awarded as a Certified Cicerone (also known as a CC) after he passed an exam on Phoenix, in the United States. He is now working on becoming an MC; a Master Cicerone.
More details at: www.houseoftravel. co.nz/hot-stores/auckland/ellerslie DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015 49
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CATEGORY REPORT C OCKTAIL SPIRITS
Cocktail classics Summer cocktails take on a whole new flavour this year with a wide range of spirits and liqueurs to mix with the classic greats, as our category report reveals, writes Editor Joelle Thomson
DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015 51
COCKTAIL SPIRITS CATEGORY REPORT
Where do cocktails come from? The first use of the word cocktail is a little like the history of the pavlova; two nations claim it is theirs, in this case, the Americans and the British. But one thing that both do seem to agree on is that the origin of the word ‘cock-tail’, stems back to the French word, ‘coquetel’, which is an egg cup that has been used to serve drinks. That said, the Mexicans rather like to claim it as their own too; cola de gallo is a drink whose name means ‘cock’s tail’. But many cocktails are called ‘slings’; most famously, the Singapore Sling. We have the Germans to thank for this nifty little word; “schlingen” means ‘to swallow quickly’. Touché. So without further ado, here is an extremely wide range of tasty cocktail ingredients; the majority were tasted by myself and submitted by the drinks trade. It has been a fascinating, if lengthy, process of examining some of the world’s most diverse spirit-based drinks ingredients in this much depth. I trust the trade that serves these drinks will get as much pleasure from them. Joelle Thomson
HOT BLOODED SICILIAN Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur RRP $89.95, 700ml, 40% ABV
Trust the Italians to come up with a fiery 40% alcohol blood orange liqueur that smells like freshly picked oranges and begs for a splash of gin, soda water and ice. Meet Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur. This swanky new Sicilian liqueur really does channel intensely rich mandarins, tangelos and blood orange aromas. It is off dry in taste, but because it practically pleads for a dry mixer, the result is inevitably intended to be a cocktail made in a very dry style. The bottle is also a piece of art in itself. As I said, trust the Italians; or should we say, the Sicilians. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Federal Merchants
SMOOTH AND STRONG Monkey Shoulder Whisky RRP $64.99, 700ml, 40% ABV
From its amber colour to its intensely rich aromas of sweet caramel, coconut and cedar, this blended malt Scotch whisky is certainly not for the faint-hearted. It is a classic Speyside whisky with its full body, refined pure malty flavours and a long, intensely spicy and medium-dry styled finish. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Federal Merchants
THE ULTIMATE MIXERS Angostura Bitters RRP $34.95, 200ml, 44.7% ABV
Angostura Orange Bitters RRP $26.95, 100ml
Jose Cuervo Tradicional Reposado margarita martini
52 DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015
If you’re a gin and tonic whizz, then these intensely aromatic bitters from Angostura are must haves behind the bar, thanks to their pronounced cinnamon, nutmeg, fennel and burnt orange rind aromas and flavours. Clearly, a little goes a long way. These two diversely different bitters from Angostura
CATEGORY REPORT C OCKTAIL SPIRITS
both enable a cocktail that verges on sweet to instantly become more complex, more concentrated and with a longer, more flavoursome finish. Talk about the magic ingredient in classic cocktails. Angostura Bitters and the Angostura Orange Bitters also make a great addition to a well mixed top shelf gin (served with just the merest dash of tonic). TRADE ENQUIRIES: Federal Merchants
ZESTY ZOO-BROV-KA Zubrowka Vodka RRP $49.99, 700ml, 40% ABV
There’s more than a touch of the unusual to this top shelf Polish vodka, which is made in homage to the last remaining herd of European bison, which graze on (surprise surprise) bison grass in the North Podlasie Lowland. The colour is pale olives and this vodka has complex aromas of fresh pistachio nuts, hazelnut butter, a slightly salty grassy taste and a warming spirit finish. It is a super smooth vodka as a sipping drink but adds fascinating depth of taste to cocktails based on a savoury theme. This is an outstanding vodka, which brings new meaning to the notion ‘flavoured vodka’ because it has a seamless grassy taste. Each bottle contains a blade of bison grass. It is pronounced ‘zoo-brov-ka’ TRADE ENQUIRIES: Beam Suntory
Cocktail recommendation
Make an Apple Zu cocktail by combining Zubrowka with apple juice, apple cider and a garnish of fresh cinnamon, served on ice.
ITALY ROCKS Aperol 700ml, RRP $34.99, 11%ABV
Intense orange colour aside (it is a great look), Aperol is very much the liqueur of our times; it’s rocking in Italy right now, most famously for being blended with a glass of chilled Prosecco (Italian tank fermented
sparkling wine from the Veneto and Friuli regions). In cocktails, it makes a nifty replacement for Campari in a negroni lookalike or served on ice with a dash of soda water. For innovative mixologists, Aperol is begging for some experimentation.
ITALIAN INNOVATION
TRADE ENQUIRIES: Beam Suntory
These tasty new Italian mixers are intended to be served in the same way as a spirit but, since they contain significantly lower alcohol and because they are winebased alcoholic drinks, they can be served in wine glasses and consumed in slightly larger quantities. Mix about one third to one quarter of the Cocchi drink of your choice with the balance being soda water, ice and a twist of orange peel or ruby grapefruit. The Bianco is made from the Moscato grape (Italian for Muscat) while the Rosa is made from Brachetto and Malvasia; both Italian grapes.
Galliano Ristretto is firmly in the savoury taste spectrum with its earthy coffee flavours and spirit hot ginger finish. It makes a lovely sipping liqueur served on ice (and also lends itself to a decent splash over high quality Kapiti vanilla ice cream).
Cocchi Americano Bianco Aperitivo RRP $40, 750ml, 16.5% ABV
Cocchi Rosa Aperitivo RRP $40, 750ml, 16.5% ABV
TRADE ENQUIRIES: Tickety-Boo
GOLD CLASS CAFFÉ WITH YOUR GALLIANO Galliano Ristretto RRP $34.99, 500ml, 30% ABV
Meet a deeper shade of Galliano; this new variation on the well known Italian liqueur theme is deep brown in colour with a caramel hue on the rim and intense aromas of freshly ground coffee, ginger, nutmeg and golden syrup. Galliano Ristretto is firmly in the savoury taste spectrum with its earthy coffee flavours and spirit hot ginger finish. It makes a lovely sipping liqueur served on ice (and also lends itself to a decent splash over high quality Kapiti vanilla ice cream) but... as we are focusing on cocktails, the new Galliano Ristretto is the perfect partner to an espresso martini. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Beam Suntory
Cocktail recommendation
This is the ideal ingredient for the classic Espresso Martini.
Absolut Elyx Vodka RRP $84.99, 700ml, 40% ABV
Elyx is the top vodka from Absolut and it looks the part too. This vodka is, as its name implies, small batch distilled in a 1929 copper still and packaged in a distinctive square shaped bottle. As it has been in New Zealand for only a short time, it is still a relatively new proposition for vodka consumers, so it offers a strong point of difference for the top shelf of bars and restaurants nationwide. It is water white in colour and is so intense in aroma that it almost has the aromatic intensity of an unaged brandy. But Elyx is made from a single estate harvest of Swedish winter wheat. The small batch production further accentuates its floral and fruity aromas, giving it a soft smooth mouth feel – making it ideal for a sipping vodka – and its character suits fresh, clean cocktails where purity and high quality are key. Serve with top quality ingredients in high end cocktails. Elyx is definitely a class above other vodkas, thanks to its clean DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015 53
COCKTAIL SPIRITS CATEGORY REPORT
purity of aroma and taste, coupled with its long finish. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Pernod Ricard
Jose Cuervo Tradicional Reposado frozen shot
ARISTOCRAT OF APERTIFS Lillet Blanc RRP $45.99, 17% ABV, 750ml
Savoury and sweet with fresh fennel and aromatic white flowers on the nose; Lillet Blanc is a fresh flavoured, complex French wine and fruit liqueur product, which has been in New Zealand for a couple of years. It was created in 1887 at Podensac, south of Bordeaux, by Paul and Raymond Lillet and it is a blend of 85% wine with the remaining 15% being fruit liqueurs, the result of which is then aged in oak to soften its aromas and add complexity and concentration of flavour. Speaking of which, Lillet tastes of dried oranges, honey, pine, fennel and tropical fruit flavours. It is intended to be served well chilled and either neat, on ice or in cocktails and long drinks. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Pernod Ricard
GIN FLING Beefeater 24 Gin RRP $59.99, 45% ABV, 700ml
This new zesty citrus flavoured gin was the brainchild of Beefeater master distiller Desmond Payne, who used 12 different,
The mixers The makers of Fever-Tree have hit the nail on the you know what by making their tagline “If ¾ of your drink is the mixer, make sure you use the best.” Even if that number is reduced to just half of the drink, why would you sully the ‘waters’, so to speak, with the taste of a less than outstanding mixer? If availability was the reason in the past, meet this outstanding new range of mixers, which take taste two levels up and which is now widely available nationwide. There are four variants in the Fever-Tree range, all of which are available in 4-packs of 200ml single serve bottles; in fact, this size is ideal for two spirits. The RRP of each of the Fever-Tree range is $9.99 per 4-pack and the range is as follows: Fever Tree Indian Tonic Water Fever Tree Lemonade Fever Tree Ginger Beer Fever Tree Ginger Ale Fever Tree Soda Water
EuroVintage also sells an interesting trio called Master of Mixes, which features a Bloody Mary, Margarita and Sangria; each of which is RRP $9.99. TRADE ENQUIRIES: EuroVintage
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natural botanicals, including hand-prepared grapefruit and Seville orange peel and also the rare Japanese Sencha tea, which complements this gin with its fragrant savoury aromas. The palate is powerful but soft and smooth. All of the botanicals are soaked for 24 hours prior to distillation, which ensures there is great intensity of aroma and taste, which are led here by the power of green tea aromas, grapefruit, orange rind and juniper. It packs a surprisingly powerful punch in each zesty whiff, cruising in at a 45% ABV – strong but pure. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Pernod Ricard
REGAL BY NATURE Chivas Regal 12-Year Old Whisky RRP $67.99, 40% ABV, 700ml
Chivas more than lives up to its name. Both the Chivas Regal 12 year old and its 18 year old sibling are top notch whiskies, and are relatively accessibly priced, enabling the trade to serve an intense and pronounced taste of Scotland in a wide range of cocktails (as well as the inevitable whisky to sip and savour). The brand’s owners trace their heritage back to 1801 to Speyside in Scotland and the whisky is distilled today at Chivas Regal’s home; Strathisla Distillery at Keith, Moray, which was founded in 1786, making it one of the oldest continuously operating distilleries in the highlands. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Pernod Ricard
CATEGORY REPORT C OCKTAIL SPIRITS
Jameson Apple & Spice see page 56
St Patrick’s Day celebrations THE CLASSIC ROGUE Rogue Society Dry Gin RRP $79.99, 750ml, 40% ABV
To describe a brand new Kiwi gin as a classic takes some doing, but the Rogue really is pushing the right buttons with gin devotees; as a private tasting that I attended in North Canterbury late last year showed. It was one of my top five gins and here I am tasting this outstandingly fresh, zesty citrus classic once again. It impresses with its subtle citrus (lemons and limes rather than anything riper) aromas, although there is a hint of blood orange too. It is dry, powerful, full bodied and long on the finish. I have had the good fortune to taste this outstanding gin at several different tastings I have attended where it has repeatedly been served blind and come up trumps every time. Of course, taste is subjective, but in terms of the classic quality parameters – concentration, complexity, length of flavour and purity – Rogue delivers. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Hancocks
CLASSIC COINTREAU
Celebrate all things Irish with this top tasting trio from Federal Merchants
IRISH DEW Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey RRP $52.99, 700 ml, 40% ABV
Talk about a top cocktail contender; this classic Irish whiskey has a pale amber colour, medium intensity of flavour and a deliciously pronounced savoury taste. It has pronounced clean but earthy aromas and a hint of mild peatiness here with a salty whiff of sea air there, both of which give it great balance and versatility. It is a lovely balanced sipping whiskey to serve neat or on the rocks, but equally makes an outstanding addition to cocktails, thanks to its versatile flavours, warming finish and its relatively subtle style.
liqueur with a rich texture and intense aromas of honey, treacle and all spice. It is doubtless a gorgeous sipping whiskey for winter, either neat or – best of all – with a dash of water or ice. But it also adds intensity and complexity of flavour to well thought out cocktails. The accessible price makes it a top bet for adventurous mixologists.
LUCK OF THE IRISH O’Mara’s Irish Country Cream RRP $16.99, 750ml, 13.9% ABV
RRP $42.99, 700ml, 30% ABV
This taste of Ireland cruises in at a relatively low alcoholic content for a cream liqueur of just 13.9% ABV. It is intensely sweet in taste with sweet caramel, chocolate and coffee flavours in a full bodied, unctuously rich style of liqueur. It has a long finish and should ideally be served on ice (if not ice cream) or chilled in a cocktail.
This is a sensational Irish whiskey
TRADE ENQUIRIES: Federal Merchants
LUSCIOUS IRISH LIQUEUR The Dubliner Irish Whiskey Liqueur
Cointreau RRP $54.99, 700ml, 40% ABV
Classic, fresh, intense; Cointreau is one of the world’s best known historic orange flavoured liqueurs and is still bottled in the same iconic packaging for which it is famously well known. Cointreau is a clear coloured liqueur, which makes it versatile as a cocktail mixer because it does not impart a hue of its own. It is the liqueur that is at the heart of classic cocktails such as the margarita and the sidecar, but equally its extremely fresh citrusy flavours marry well with a wide range of experimental cocktails, particularly where purity of fruit flavour is called for. It is off dry in taste but its warming alcoholic finish balances its zesty citrus sweetness perfectly. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Hancocks
BOTTLED HISTORY
as the traditional Cutty Sark. The recipe is featured in this report.
Cutty Sark Blended Scotch Whisky
TRADE ENQUIRIES: Hancocks
700ml, RRP $39.99, 40% ABV
This iconic blended Scottish whisky is still relatively new to this country, having arrived here last year. It still bears its traditional label and instantly recognisable packaging, replete with historic sailing ship and yellow label and box. It is aged in American oak barrels, which impart the intense aromas of fresh salted caramels, fiery ginger and savoury spice that combine with Cutty Sark’s hallmark taste of vanilla and citrus (lemon, grapefruit and blood orange), to create a rich, complex whisky, which can add depth and freshness to cocktails, such
MEXICAN SIESTA Jose Cuervo Tradicional Reposado RRP $49.99, 1L, 40% ABV
Mexico’s signature spirit speaks for itself; the word ‘reposado’ means ‘rested’ and refers to the minimum two month oak barrel ageing through which this spirit gains its smoothness. It is made entirely from the blue agave; a lily rather than a cacti. This plant’s edgy green flavours and zesty edge are softened by the barrel ageing process, DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015 55
COCKTAIL SPIRITS CATEGORY REPORT
Continental Royale
The cocktails Beefeater 24 Gin & Tea 60ml Beefeater 24 90ml Chilled English Breakfast tea 10ml Sugar syrup Method: Pour all ingredients over ice in a highball glass and stir. Garnish with a lemon wheel.
Pillow Talk #2 60ml Absolut Elyx 15ml White Peppercorn Lillet Blanc 10ml Falernum 15ml Apricot Liqueur 30ml Fresh pressed Lime Juice Method: Shake, double strain and serve up in a chilled coupe with a dust of fresh black pepper and an apricot slice.
The Ponsonby Colada Jacqui Clark from Tickety-Boo works with El Dorado rums and devised this summer cocktail, using the brand’s white rum, a short glass and fresh fruity ingredients; she dubbed it The Ponsonby Colado. 30mls El Dorado Silver White Rum Coconut water Pineapple juice Method: Mix 30 mls of El Dorado Silver white rum on ice in a short glass with equal parts of coconut water and pineapple juice.
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Continental Royale 30ml Chivas 12-Year Old 10ml Maple syrup 2 dashes of Regans’ Orange bitters 1 slice of fresh ginger Method: Combine all ingredients into a shaker, shake and fine strain into a flute, with G.H. Mumm Cordon Rouge and garnish with a grapefruit zest.
Jameson Apple & Spice 45ml Jameson Irish Whiskey 1 barspoon Pernod 15ml Heavy spiced cinnamon syrup Fresh juice of 3 granny smith apples Method: Build in a hi-ball glass and garnish with a fresh slice of apple.
Cointreau fizz strawberry and mint 50ml Cointreau 15ml fresh lime 4 to 5 fresh strawberries 3 fresh mint leaves 50ml soda water Method: Muddle the strawberries with mint leaves in a boston shaker glass. Add Cointreau and lime juice. Fill with ice. Shake and strain over ice. Top with soda water and serve.
which also adds a subtle savoury taste to this high quality reposado. If tequila brings just one style of spirit to mind, try this outstanding example and report back. It is a great sipping spirit but equally adds personality, character and versatility to cocktails. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Lion
Cuervo’s Signature
The flagship cocktail of Jose Cuervo Tradicional Reposado is called the Signature Serve and is as delicious as it is easy. Serve 30ml of Jose Cuervo Tradicional Reposado, chilled (serve very cold) and neat on the rocks in a short glass. Sip and savour. No garnish necessary.
SCOTTISH HIGH Label 5 Scotch Whisky RRP $37.99, 40% ABV, 1 litre
Smoky aromas, toasted barrel flavours and a hint of dried almonds; this blended Scotch contains more than its fair share of complexity on the nose and the palate, which no doubt accounts for its global growth of over 25% in sales during the past half decade. It is conveniently packaged in a large, 1 litre bottle, making it a handy proposition for bars (and for whisky drinkers at home too). It is bright medium amber in colour and has a strong floral aroma, which translates to a light fresh taste. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Independent Liquor
WEE SWEETIE Glayva RRP $45.99, 500ml, 35% ABV
The name Glayva is an English version of the Gaelic words, Glè Mhath; which means ‘very good’. This is an understatement for the intensely appealing aromatic flavours of this versatile liqueur Scotch. Every whiff throws out pronounced flavours of fresh cloves, candied orange rind and mandarin essence, which makes sense given that it is infused with spices, tangerines, cinnamon, almonds
CATEGORY REPORT C OCKTAIL SPIRITS
and honey; all of which make this a whisky liqueur. Its makers have been awarded Best Liqueur in the World 14 times for Glayva at the biggest competition on earth; the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWC). And it is not only honeyed in aroma but also on the palate where it is lusciously sweet and treacly in texture, with flavours of manuka honey. No wonder it is described as an exotic fusion of aged malts and flavours. This taste sensation suits a range of cocktails from unctuously honeyed to bone dry and works as a sipping Scotch on ice or neat; provided it is lightly chilled. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Independent Liquor
Brokers: Hats off, if you’ll excuse the pun, to this exceptional gin. It is made in Shakespeare country; Warwickshire, England and was created in 2000 by gin loving brothers Martin and Andy Dawson; Martin has worked in the drinks industry all of his life, while Andy fancied a change from another liquid industry; oil.
BRING ON THE STOLI Stolichnaya Vodka RRP$37.99, 1 litre, 38% ABV
Stoli’ shot to global fame thanks to the fun loving duo in the British television series, Ab Fab, but it has stayed on top of its game, thanks to its high quality. Water white in colour, it has a soft hint of sweet marshmallow and rose petal on the nose, which lead into a lightly off-dry vodka on the palate. Its 38% ABV lends it the ability to mingle with other cocktail ingredients while adding a super clean, fresh purity of flavour and a
medium length on the finish. Like its big brother, Stolichnaya Elit, Stolichnaya Vodka is produced in Latvia and is distilled from grain. (There is also Stolichnaya Ivanov, which contains a slightly lower ABV of 37.2%.) TRADE ENQUIRIES: Independent Liquor
ELIT HITS HIGH NOTES Stolichnaya Elit Vodka RRP $99.99, 700ml, 40% ABV
in that regard, with its distinctively pronounced juniper aromas leading another nine aromatics (its makers suggest that Broker’s stylistically sits in between the intensity of Tanqueray and the lightness of Bombay Sapphire). It is now also the official gin of the London Stock Exchange. Aside from seeing the traditional bowler hat, which adorns the top of every cap, it’s easy to taste why that might be. This is a gin lover’s gin every sip of the way. TRADE ENQUIRIES: Independent Liquor
The top tier of Stolichnaya’s vodkas is the evocatively named and stunningly packaged ‘Elit’, produced in Latvia. Its aromas are bold, intense and fruity, balanced by a velvety smooth and flavoursome finish which has a warming alcoholic heat and length of flavours that linger; this gives it a real edge as the key ingredient in a top notch cocktail. Vodka lovers will also enjoy it as a sipping vodka to savour; recommended on ice or with a dash of clean, pure water (still) to enhance its aromatic profile and hint of sweetness.
Distributors Beam Suntory 09 915 8440 beamsuntory.com EuroVintage 0800 338 766 eurovintage.co.nz
TRADE ENQUIRIES: Independent Liquor
THINK OF ENGLAND Broker’s London Dry Gin RRP $46.99, 1 litre, 40% ABV
Hats off, if you’ll excuse the pun, to this exceptional gin. It is made in Shakespeare country; Warwickshire, England and was created in 2000 by gin loving brothers Martin and Andy Dawson; Martin has worked in the drinks industry all of his life, while Andy fancied a change from another liquid industry; oil. They have since clocked up an impressive string of top awards for their gin, including a gold medal at the 2005 San Francisco World Spirits Competition through to the 2012 Chairman’s Trophy Aviation category at the Ultimate Cocktail Challenge in New York; an award which recognised the versatility of top shelf gin as a mixer in an extra dry martini. Dry is the word. This gin pushes all the boundaries
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 Tickety-Boo Liquor 09 377 7597 tickety-boo.co.nz
DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015 57
SPIRITS NEWS
Fred Noe
Devil we know The makers of Jim Beam are promoting their proprietary ‘Devil’s Cut’ bourbon to the trade as both a sipping drink to savour and as a top shelf mixer
How to serve it • The primary purpose of Devil’s Cut is as a sipping bourbon to savour on ice; • Devil’s Cut can also be served as a traditional bourbon; with Coca Cola or with Dry Ginger Ale; • Devil’s Cut can also be used as a mixer in cocktails, including the following.
THE MYTHICAL angel’s share is the liquid lost to the ‘angels’ through the evaporation of alcohol, which is ageing in barrels; be it spirits, wines, beer and even, today, some ciders. But the makers of Jim Beam have turned this idea on its head by developing their own process to extract what they refer to as ‘the devil’s cut’; also known as those rich flavours that usually remain trapped inside the wood of the barrels in which their bourbons have been aged. The result is Jim Beam Devil’s Cut bourbon, which was initially launched in 2011 in North America, followed by its launch here in New Zealand two years ago. “Devil’s Cut bourbon is defined by the extraction process rather than the ageing process. When we empty our barrels, there’s always been an element of that bourbon that remains trapped in the wood. For Devil’s Cut, we have developed a technique to pull these intense flavours out of the wood rather than losing them to the wood,” says Kirsty Band, Beam Suntory marketing manager. The result of this process, which was developed by Jim Beam master distiller Fred Noe, is a drink with a bolder bourbon flavour because its essence has been extracted from the wood of the barrel. The process developed by Noe is aimed 58 DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015
to extract the flavours of the rich whiskey trapped inside the barrels’ wood after they have been emptied. The barrel-treated flavour extract is then held until it develops what Noe describes as “the proper balance of bourbon notes”. He then blends it with extra-aged bourbon and bottles it at 90 proof. The result is a bourbon with a full body, pronounced aromas and flavours which have a deeper colour, aroma and taste than many other bourbons. It is aged for between four to six years in comparison to Jim Beam’s usual standard bourbon ageing time, which is a minimum of four years.
How it comes Jim Beam Devil’s Cut is available in two sizes; 700ml, RRP $39.99 and 1 litre, RRP $49.99. Both contain 45% ABV. There is also a Jim Beam Devil’s Cut RTD.
How to order Devil’s Cut Contact Beam Suntory, phone (09) 915 8444
Devil on horseback 30ml Jim Beam Devil’s Cut 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters 120ml ginger beer 2 fresh lime wedges
Squeeze lime wedges into glass and drop in. Add dashes of bitters, measure and pour in Jim Beam Devil’s Cut. Fill glass completely with ice and top with ginger beer. Stir and serve.
The rider 30ml Jim Beam Devil’s Cut 30ml Jim Beam Honey 30ml fresh orange juice 1 sugar cube Flamed orange zest to garnish
Soak the sugar cube in Jim Beam Devil’s Cut on a bar spoon. Light and allow the sugar to caramelise. Stir in fresh pressed orange juice, Jim Beam Honey and Jim Beam Devil’s Cut. Top with cracked ice, garnish and serve.
SPIRITS NEWS
Blue Duck makes top 10 IT’S NEW, it’s local, it’s a champion of the environment and, now, it’s a winner. Meet Blue Duck Vodka. The New Zealand brand was released onto the market for the first time last year and it has already garnered a number of international awards, including, in January, being named in the top top 10 vodkas in the world by ShortList, the largest men’s lifestyle magazine in Britain. The just-released top 10 vodkas list was an attempt to redress the balance that high profile vodkas have in a world awash with quantity. These awards focused
entirely on quality, said the mixologists who judged the awards; Alex Kratena, Simone Carporale, Max Venning and James Fowler. The judges come with a string of strong credentials themselves. Carporale is the head bar tender and assistant head bar tender of Artesian; winner of Drinks International Magazine’s The World’s Best Bar award three years running. Venning is the head bartender of the award-winning 69 Colebrooke Row cocktail bar and Fowler is the 2014 winner of the World Class UK Bartender contest. They noted that Blue Duck
Vodka was distilled “an improbable seven times to ensure a silky-smooth finish” and that “Blue Duck owes its clean, crisp flavour in part to the white water source of its New Zealand home – claimed to be amongst the cleanest in the world.”
Blue Duck details... Blue Duck Vodka also won a double gold medal at the 2014 San Francisco Spirit Awards and a gold award from the United State’s 50 Best Imported Vodka list. Blue Duck’s RRP is $75.99. It is distributed in New Zealand by Negociants NZ, negociantsnz.com.
Fireball RTD launches MEET FIREBALL Cinnamon Whisky’s new ready to drink pre-mix in a can, which was introduced to the New Zealand market in January this year. The new pre-mixed ‘RTD’ contains apple cider with Fireball Whisky. It was created in response to consumer demand, says the New Zealand Fireball distributor, Kevin Rowe from Tickety-Boo Liquor. “Many consumers have been combining Fireball with their cider and now this combination is available in a high impact can that features the fire breathing dragon. The whisky flavour is backed by the freshness of the apple and has a kick of hot cinnamon on the finish,” Rowe says. “The Fireball brand continues to explode across the globe and the RTD has been eagerly anticipated by consumers here in New Zealand.” Rowe says that the RTD’s big sibling, the Fireball Cinnamon Whisky Liqueur, showed significant sales growth and enjoyed a successful winter in New Zealand last year. “It was very popular in the snow as an après serve. The launch of the can is an exciting addition and a delicious convenient way to enjoy Fireball Cinnamon Whisky.” The new Fireball & Cider RTD is available in 4-packs of 250ml slim-line can with an RRP of $19.99. It is available through Tasman / Allied Liquor and Tickety-Boo Liquor (Tasman Code: 246410).
Hancocks takes on Scots gin HANCOCKS WINE, Spirit & Beer Merchants has added the Scottish Caorunn Gin to its range. Caorunn (pronounced Ka-roon) is a top shelf, high priced gin that is distilled in the Scottish Highlands in small batches by gin distiller Simon Buley at Balmenach Distillery; a working malt whisky distillery in the Speyside region of the Highlands. Caorunn is made from tripledistilled pure grain spirit, Scottish water and eleven Celtic botanicals from the surrounding hills. It has an aromatic taste with fruit and floral notes and a long, dry finish. Its makers recommend serving Caorunn gin with tonic and a freshly cut red apple. Caorunn Gin comes in 700ml bottles and has an RRP of $85. Hancocks, phone 0800 699 463, hancocks.co.nz
DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015 61
SPIRITS COLUMN
Big can be beautiful
Globalisation of whisky is not the unmitigated disaster that some proclaim; on the contrary, writes Michael F Fraser Milne
WE FIND a lot of folk that we talk to about Scotch whisky think that the whole industry is owned by multinational corporations which have an attitude of ‘wow betide us all’. There are Scottish multinational companies involved in whisky production, such as Diageo, but, it is a very mixed bag and much of the Scotch whisky industry is in private ownership or in small company ownership, such as Edradour, Kilchoman, Glenfarclas, Glendronach, Springbank, BenRiach, Glenglassaugh, Glenfiddich, Glenrothes, to name but a few. However, let’s look at a couple of distilleries which are owned by the multinational “Moet Hennessy/Louis Vuitton” – Ardbeg and Glenmorangie. Since MacDonald and Muir sold these iconic distilleries in 1997, have we seen a decline in the quality of the spirit or indeed in the distilleries or businesses themselves? The answer is: a resounding ‘no’. Ardbeg was under the demolition ball when it was bought. Not only has it been brought back to its former glory, but it has in fact been enhanced every year, from a new paint job to the old houses (what was left of them) being done up. The distillation process is exactly the same as it has always been. Are we drinking good Ardbeg Single Malt? Indeed, yes we are. In fact, some of the expressions out there are exceptional. Are they selling more each year? I am pretty sure they are. Is there a vibrant and content work force? Well during my visits they are busy and seem proud of what they are doing. Is the island of Islay benefitting? Yes, undoubtedly. Now let’s look at Glenmorangie. Well, here things are different. There has been expansion of this distillery to almost twice its former size; however it is how it has been done that surprises me. To get more mash tuns in required knocking down the front of the distillery; a wonderful entrance point with its magnificent local stone as the walls. They did knock it 62 DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015
down, but they took the stone from some of the old warehouses which faced the unseen railway and sea and used these so that when you drive in you would not know that it was an extension (a substantial one) or that it has not been there since the beginning. The entire place is in keeping with its historic look.
So, there you have it a great example of investment in the Scotch whisky industry by a foreign owned company (French). The owners of many of these distilleries prove time and again that they fully understand the need to invest in Scotland in a similar fashion to what they have done in their own countries – for example,
I think a balance of ownership is needed to make sure we get variety and have ‘characters’ involved, who retain the individuality, which makes the high end spirits industry thrive.
in areas such as Cognac. There is clearly a natural empathy taking place here. I think a balance of ownership is needed to make sure we get variety and have ‘characters’ involved, who retain the individuality, which makes the high end spirits industry thrive. So, here we are in 2015 and it will be interesting again to see who sells which distillery to whom and where we go from here. Integrity and honesty, and great whisky is the ask from the customer. Let’s hope these treasured values continue. Slainte.
The same in the Still Room; those huge high copper pot stills have doubled in number. However, again its owners make it look like the stills should be there and the integrity of the distillery has been retained. Has the whisky suffered? I don’t think so. Has the area suffered? No. Indeed, it has created much work as it has been done by locals wherever possible.
Michael F Fraser Milne is the owner of Whisky Galore in Christchurch. whiskygalore.co.nz
Whisky Galore are proud to be the sole agents for the Springbank distillery in New Zealand. To stock this iconic Scotch Single Malt Whisky contact us on 0800 944 759 or info@whiskytrade.co.nz
WHISKYTRADE.CO.NZ
HOT MIXES
Mix it up
Throw caution to the wind, say the makers of Smirnoff Caipiroska
Caipiroska 30ml Smirnoff Raw sugar 1 lime Ice cubes
Crush some ice in a tea towel. Add lime chopped into quarters and then halved again. Muddle the lime with two teaspoons of sugar in a glass. Add 30ml of Smirnoff and the crushed ice. Shake well and pour into a glass.
Lemon Drop 30ml Smirnoff 30ml triple sec Lemon White sugar Ice cubes
Chill a martini glass with ice Squeeze some lemon juice and add it to 1 teaspoon of white sugar. Add 30ml of Smirnoff and 30ml of triple sec. Shake well and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Summer Punch 150ml Smirnoff 75ml triple sec 1 watermelon Lemonade Lemon Mint Ice cubes
Slice the top off a watermelon and scoop out its contents into a bowl. Juice the contents of the watermelon. Pour it back into the watermelon along with some lemon, 150ml of Smirnoff and 75ml of triple sec. Top it up with lemonade and add ice. Serve with a mint garnish.
Lemon Drop
Summer Punch
Black Russian 30ml Smirnoff 30ml coffee liqueur Cola Ice cubes
Fill a glass with ice Add 30ml of Smirnoff and 30ml of coffee liqueur. Top up with cola
Black Russian
Blue Duck Vodka and Black Robin Gin are going from one strength to another, harnessing top accolades and awards for their high quality, outstanding brand awareness and environmental championing focus
Blue Duck Duck Chukka 60ml Blue Duck Vodka 15ml Monin kiwifruit syrup 30ml fresh lime juice
Serve Blue Duck Duck Chukka shaken and then strained over fresh ice and topped up with soda water in a linz glass. Garnish with cucumber.
64 DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015
Black Robin Conservationist 50ml Black Robin Gin 30ml persimmon juice 20ml lemon juice 10ml simple syrup 2 thin slices of capsicum 2 fresh kaffir lime leaves
Serve Black Robin Conservationist shaken and then strained over fresh ice and topped up with soda water, linz glass, garnish with kaffir lime leaves.
ADVERTISING STATISTICS
Sale of the century
The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 has had some effect on curbing advertising and marketing that promotes excessive liquor consumption according to Liquor Information Pricing Services (LIPS)
OVER A year has passed since the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act came into force on 19 December 2013. Under the law it is an offence to advertise discounts on alcohol of 25% or more outside licensed areas. Retailers and on premise outlets are also prohibited from advertising any free gifts, services, or opportunities to win prizes if they purchase liquor, except within their licensed area. The penalties for breaching these regulations are significant. Merchants can be fined up to $10,000 and can have their licence suspended or cancelled.
So, what effect have the new conditions had on liquor advertisers in 2014? Here at LIPS, we have been monitoring advertised prices, discounts and promotion activity on alcohol for over 10 years in New Zealand. Interestingly, the total volume of advertised liquor prices in print and electronic media grew by 2% in 2014. There has also been an increase in the total number of advertised products featuring discounts, up 76% to 10,737 records. “This shows liquor advertisers have not been put off promoting savings to consumers despite the law change,” says LIPS director Sean Jowers. Despite the growing volume of advertised discounts, there has been a reduction in the volume of products advertised with discounts of 25% or more as you would expect, but it is not significant. “There has been over 560 instances of advertised products showing a discount equal to, or greater than 25%,” says Jowers. “This is only a 27% decrease on the volume advertised in 2013.”
Where are these potential law breaches occurring? “Most advertisers have generally been very compliant and cautious in this area,” says Jowers. “However, some retailers continue to
advertise large discounts, but these have in most cases been confined to the merchants’ websites. Over 85% of the possible discount breaches we recorded in 2014 were published on websites, 7% in newspapers, 6% in mailers and flyers, and 1% via email.” The question is whether a retailer’s website constitutes part of their licensed premises or not? “That would really depend on the type and nature of their liquor license,” says Jowers. “Until a complaint is investigated, charges laid, and a judgement is made, we just don’t know the answer yet.” There is also some confusion around price promotion in the legislation. The wording prohibits a discount of 25% or more being advertised below the price at which the product is “ordinarily sold”. What defines the “ordinary price” has also not been determined. Is this the shelf price, or an average promotion price which may be featured for more than 26 weeks a year, and accounts for more than 50% of annual sales? Until there is some case law around this, and a precedent established, it will continue to be ambiguous.
The total volume of advertised liquor prices in print and electronic media grew by 2% in 2014.
DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015 65
ADVERTISING STATISTICS
In the year to 31 December 2014 there was a 69% reduction in the volume of advertised promotions offering free gifts, services or the chance to win prizes.
While there have still been many instances of advertised discounts of 25% or more, the total volume only represents 5% of all advertised discounts for 2014. The overall average discount size for alcohol has also fallen from 15% in 2013, to 13.7% in 2014. Advertised promotions have also been under the spotlight by LIPS for the past 12 months. “We are seeing some very positive signs that retailers and on-premise outlets
are complying with the law in this area,” says Jowers. In the year to 31 December 2014 there was a 69% reduction in the volume of advertised promotions offering free gifts, services or the chance to win prizes. However, there have still been 1,190 advertised liquor products containing incentives which may breach the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012. A significant number of these were ‘Gift with Purchase’ promotions advertised by just a few key retailers throughout 2014. “These sorts of promotions are now often advertised as ‘Combo’ or ‘Bundle’ deals without featuring the word ‘Free Gift’ to comply with the law,” says Jowers. “However, it is clearly obvious with some advertisements that they are not ‘Combo’ or ‘Bundle’ deals at all.” It is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between an advertised promotion offering two or more products for a single price (ie Combo or Bundle), which does not constitute a “Gift with Purchase” promotion in some form. What is evident is the large reduction of ‘Enter to Win’ promotions being advertised with alcohol, down 99% since 2013. Conversely, LIPS has seen a significant rise in advertised loyalty promotions, with ‘Fly Buys’ and ‘Onecard’ offers growing strongly over last year. The introduction of new price promotions such as ‘Mix & Match’, ‘Multi-Buy’, ‘Twozee’ and ‘One Day Sale’ have also shown enormous growth in 2014. It will be interesting to see whether these advertising and marketing regulations continue to be adhered to or not by liquor retailers and suppliers. It will also be interesting to see if they have the desired effect of decreasing excessive liquor consumption, reducing appeal to minors and mitigating alcohol related harm. One thing is for certain. Liquor advertising, discounts and promotion offers will continue to be closely monitored over 2015 by all parties. LIPS monitors alcohol prices and promotion activity advertised in print and electronic media throughout New Zealand. Pricing data and reviews can be obtained by subscription at lipsltd.co.nz. For further information contact Sean Jowers on 021 547 583.
66 DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015
WHAT’S NEW
Top new wine releases Hawke’s Bay’s best
Top Rosé
Stock Riesling
2014 Vidal Reserve Chardonnay
2014 Spencer Hill Estate Nelson Blanc de Pinot Noir RRP $22-$23
2014 Mud House Waipara Valley Riesling RRP $18-$19
PHIL JONES and Matt Rutherford of Spencer Hill Winery in Nelson have put their money where their grapes are and used a bunch of their best Pinot Noir grapes entirely to make a Rosé, which they have named their Spencer Hill Blanc de Pinot Noir. The wine has just been released and is made from grapes grown on a terraced hillside vineyard in the Moutere; it is a transparent but deep pink in colour with pronounced aromas of strawberries, raspberries and fresh yeasty flavours. It is an outstanding example of what an intentionally made Rosé can taste like, and would make a great addition to summer wine lists.
THE WAIPARA Valley in North Canterbury is home to many of New Zealand’s finest Rieslings in all styles from bone dry and full bodied to lusciously sweet, light bodied and fresh. This well priced newcomer from Mud House Winery was released on the eve of Christmas, in good time for summer wine listings. It is medium dry in style with fresh acidity driving its intense flavours of zesty citrus to a lingering, bright finish. It is 12% ABV, which is slightly lower than average alcohol content in most wines – white or red – which adds another appealing drawcard to a wine that is, as its makers say, an outstanding match with fresh seafood doused in fresh lime juice and served in the sunshine. Stock it.
RRP $19.99
THE 2014 vintage was a landmark one for Vidal Estate in Hawke’s Bay, with the introduction of classical new labelling, which has been designed specifically to reflect the winery’s long heritage, dating back to 1905. The new labels carry winery founder Anthony Joseph Vidal’s signature and give pride of place to the winery crest. “Our award winning Chardonnays have forged an extremely high quality reputation for our winery, so we are very excited about this new Chardonnay,” says Vidal Estate winemaker Hugh Crichton. vidal.co.nz
spencerhillwine.com
mudhouse.co.nz
King of the hill
Que Syrah
Chenin rocks
2013 Sacred Hill Halo Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon RRP $27.99
2013 Sacred Hill Halo Hawke’s Bay Syrah RRP $29.99
2014 Mt Difficulty Long Gully Chenin Blanc RRP $26-$27
IF WORD is not already out, the 2013 Hawke’s Bay reds are head turners, and this accessibly priced blend of Merlot with Cabernet Sauvignon is just the tip of an outstandingly long list from Sacred Hill and other producers in the Bay. Sacred Hill winemaker Tony Bish describes 2013 as the winery’s best vintage of grapes ever harvested from Hawke’s Bay’s Gimblett Gravels sub-region. “The warm, sunny and long ripening season in Hawke’s Bay that year will see stunning wines that will be enjoyed and talked about for decades,” says Bish.
THE HALO range from Sacred Hill is named after the winery’s logo and bridges the winery’s flagship range with its entry point wines by offering a bunch of outstanding quality, well priced bottles. This Syrah is one of the best the winery has yet produced and comes from a great vintage; pronounced black fruit flavours, intense spice and a full body all combine in a wine with a lingering finish and great flavours.
MT DIFFICULTY winemaker Matt Dicey describes the experimental new Long Gully Chenin Blanc from Central Otago a work in progress, which seems just a tad modest, given its deliciously refreshing high acidity, clean apricot, lemon and grapefruit flavours and its long finish. If this is experimental for Central Otago, bring it on... This is a great wine to stock and just 10.9% ABV (without having its alcohol reduced), so it offers great flavours and an excellent alternative to higher alcohol wines for bars with an eye on the drink-driving changes.
sacredhill.com
sacredhill.com
mtdifficulty.co.nz
DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015 67
LAST REQUESTS
Heart of glass
The world’s most famous wine glass brand is Riedel from Austria. Australian-based Mark Baulderstone of Riedel shares his thoughts, over a glass
What’s your idea of the perfect drink? It’s hard to go past vintage Champagne (I drank an amazing 2004 Dom Perignon over Christmas) or Burgundy.
What would you ideally like to drink it in? Our new Veritas series includes two Pinot Noir glasses, an Old World and a New World, so I’m spoilt when it comes to having the perfect vessel. The Old World Veritas glass is ideal for classic aged Burgundies, whereas our New World Veritas glass will show up characteristics of vintage Champagne that you would never find in a flute. This series features a Champagne glass for this reason; it’s all about the full sensory experience, which includes the wine’s incredible aroma.
What’s the best thing about good glassware? Good glassware allows you to enjoy beverages at their best. Our glasses are engineered to show the balance of characteristics in beverages, whether that be wine, spirits, or even Coca Cola. With wine, we aim to balance fruit, tannin, oak, and alcohol, and provide the palate with a complete flavour profile. So if you, or your customers, have paid a decent amount for a bottle of wine, you’re getting the best value.
And what’s the biggest fallacy? That the size and shape of your glass plays no part in your perception. We have worked tirelessly to dispel this myth because we know how significant a role the glass plays. We host tastings with our varietal-specific glasses to prove this; there’s nothing more enjoyable for us than having a sceptic sit down to one of our tastings and leave complaining that they’ll never be able to drink from anything else. 68 DRINKSBIZ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015
Both here, and in Australia, we serve our reds too hot. Red wines should be served around 15 to 18 degrees celsius but, in summer, restaurants and bars serve wines that have been sitting out in the heat all day.
Which wine decanter inspires you the most? Our Eve decanter, as it marked the beginning of a new age for us. It was designed by 11th generation Maximilian Riedel, now the company’s CEO, and was the first in his snake series. These decanters are works of art that are incredibly functional, as they vigorously double-decant the wine. They even speak, gurgling when you use them. They’re fun wine toys that look as good as they are useful.
What’s the most pressing problem in the drinks world today? Wine served at the wrong temperature. It’s not going to cause the end of the industry but it does have a big effect on customers’ enjoyment. Both here, and in Australia, we serve our reds too hot. Red wines should be served around 15 to 18 degrees celsius but, in summer, restaurants and bars serve wines that have been sitting out in the heat all day. It will turn any refined wine into a mouthful of
alcohol, and undoubtedly deters customers from ordering another glass.
How can a restaurant, bar, or café, do the best job with Riedel? The venues that use our glassware to their best advantage always use varietal specific glassware, and our decanters. A great flagship for our brand, in Australia, is Neil Perry’s Rockpool Bar and Grill in Sydney. He uses a standard glass for table top and our varietal glasses for those who purchase by the bottle. They also decant every bottle. Apart from the advantages to the wine, to invigorate young wines and remove sediment from old, decanting creates a great sense of ceremony. Any venue that uses decanters will discover the positive intrigue it creates for the other customers.
What’s your ultimate wine and food match? A great bottle of Pinot Noir with a piece of perfectly cooked salmon.
THE KRAKEN PERFECT STORM The Kraken Black Spiced Rum is made from a blend of light, molasses-based rums infused with 11 different herbs & spices. To enjoy a Kraken Perfect Storm combine 30ml of Kraken Rum with 60ml of Fever-Tree Premium Ginger Beer over ice with a wedge of lime.
0800 338 766 INFO@EUROVINTAGE.CO.NZ
MID STRENGTH BREW FULL STRENGTH FLAVOUR | 2.5% ABV