WINE NEWS
Wither Hills launches Syrah and Merlot
WITHER HILLS has released its first-ever Syrah and Merlot varietals, expanding its range with the wines from Hawke’s Bay, rather than the brand’s Marlborough home. Matt Large, Head Winemaker at Wither Hills, says the region was the obvious choice for the new wines. “While we’ve experimented with a few different wines in small batches over the years, it’s clear that the Hawke’s Bay is the best region for creating Merlots and Syrahs of depth and richness. “We’ve created a warmly textured Merlot, matured under different oak regimes over 18 months to bring out vibrant dark plum flavours, with nuances of cigar box and chocolate. To create our Syrah, we gently de-stem and ferment the fruit before an extended maceration period to soften the tannins, resulting in a varietal packed with notes of dark fruit, pepper and spice,” he says. For the launch, Wither Hills commissioned Napier-based ceramic artist Holly Morgan of morganmade to create an exclusive range of tableware (pictured left) that integrates raw materials from the Te Awanga region, home to some of the grapes in the wines.
The Wither Hills x morganmade platters and tableware will be available to purchase online from Wither Hills and at cellar door. A consumer promotion with New World (North Island stores) will also run for the month of July. Leila McCracken, Senior Brand Manager of Wither Hills, says morganmade was the perfect choice to launch the new wines with something special for customers. “At Wither Hills, our wine is ‘Made Beautifully’. It’s this commitment to quality that is at the heart of our brand and all we do. With that in mind, it made sense to work with an artisan like Holly to celebrate the new red wines. The passion and incredible care she has in her craft are values shared by our team, who are also inspired by the unique character of New Zealand’s land,” says McCracken. The Wither Hills Hawke’s Bay Merlot and Syrah will also be the first products to go to market wearing the new-look copper-foil label, a special homage to the brand’s origins and spiritual home. The Wither Hills Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2018 and Syrah 2018 are RRP $21.99 Lion
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The latest releases in the Yalumba Rare and Fine range of wines are now available through distributor Negociants NZ. Jessica Hill-Smith, brand manager for the specialised portfolio (and daughter of proprietor Robert Hill-Smith), was in New Zealand in March for trade tastings of the wines, which represent the best examples of the varieties and blends that Yalumba produces from its South Australian sites. Highlights included the refined and elegant Octavius Shiraz 2015, made from four vineyard sites with vines averaging 100 years old; the Virgilius Viognier (a rising star for Yalumba and with the potential to age for 10-15 years) and the latest releases of The Caley (2013 and 2014) – regarded as the pinnacle of Yalumba’s red winemaking. The collection includes: • The Virgilius Viognier 2017 (RRP $50) • The Menzies Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 (RRP $48) • The Octavius Shiraz 2015 (RRP $98) • The Signature Cabernet & Shiraz 2015 (RRP $50) • The Caley Cabernet & Shiraz 2013 (RRP $349) • The Caley Cabernet & Shiraz 2014 (RRP $349) Negociants
