6 minute read
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
Love Wine? Study Online
Online: Certificate in New Zealand Wine
• 4 Evening Sessions - 5.00 pm to 8.30 pm, 22, 24, 29 June & 1 July.
Online Webinar: Beginners guide to setting up your Home Kitchen
• 1 Weekend Session - 9.30 am to 12.30 pm, 25 & 26 July
Online LCQ
• Online & in-person dates available • From $195, view our website for more details.
Yalumba Rare and Fine
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
Tohu Awatere Valley 2019 tops Marlborough Sav Blancs list
TOHU AWATERE Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2019, from Māori-family owned Tohu Wines, has been rated the number one Marlborough 2019 Sauvignon Blanc by influential independent wine review site, The Real Review.
Rated 95 points out of a possible 100 by New Zealand Master of Wine Bob Campbell and his Real Review team, Tohu Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blanc topped the list of 115 Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs from the 2019 vintage.
Tohu chief winemaker Bruce Taylor says they’re proud to have topped a list that includes so many other outstanding wines. “2019 was a dream vintage with a very dry summer and autumn giving us the luxury of very clean, perfectly ripe fruit. The grapes for this wine are grown over the whole length of the Awatere Valley, from our high-altitude Whenua Awa vineyard all the way down to the vineyards of our growers around the Dashwood and Redwood Pass areas. The subtle flavour differences found across the Awatere Valley meshed together beautifully in 2019. We’ve just started blending our 2020 Tohu Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blanc, and we’re aiming to craft another stunning wine to match the benchmark set by the 2019 vintage,” says Taylor.
Sourced entirely from vineyards located in Marlborough’s spectacular Awatere Valley, Tohu Awatere Sauvignon Blanc is from the Tohu Manaaki range of wines, which are crafted to be approachable, contemporary wines for sharing and enjoying with food.
Kono
FAMILY-OWNED WINERY Giesen has launched the world’s first alcohol-removed Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, now at retail in New Zealand and launching internationally in coming months, starting with Australia and the US.
While there have been growing numbers of alcohol-free wines new to market in recent months, Giesen 0% - Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is the first from New Zealand’s most famous wineproducing region.
Giesen says the new wine goes through the same winemaking process as its full-strength Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, with the alcohol-free wine achieved using spinning cone technology to separate the fragrance and alcohol from the wine. Once the alcohol is removed, the distinctive distilled aroma unique to Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is added back into the wine.
Giesen says this advanced form of distillation allows its winemaking team to handle the wine gently, maintaining the integrity of the flavour palate and texture throughout the process.
The removal of the alcohol also gives Giesen 0% - Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc its own unique taste profile. While varietally expressive, it is much lighter than its full-strength counterpart and boasts citrus flavours with blackcurrant and passionfruit notes.
The release of the new wine taps into the global ‘sober curious’ trend, which is forecast to rise, and as part of the NZ Lighter wine initiative, Giesen believes the no-alcohol segment of lighter wines will become a significant part of the Lighter wine category.
“There is a growing trend towards non- alcoholic drinks and sales around the world are growing rapidly as consumers look to reduce their alcohol intake for a wide variety of reasons,” says Giesen Chief Winemaker Nikolai St George. “An added bonus is that Giesen 0% - Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is super low in calories, with a 125ml glass containing 85% fewer calories than a full-strength wine.”
