OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017 DRINKSBIZ.CO.NZ
RELEASED ON
19.10.17
NEW
THERE’S A FEW DEGREES DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GOOD WINE AND A GREAT WINE. Breathing improves a wine. But the ideal temperature transforms it. Discover the difference for yourself with Taylors Wines exclusive ideal temperature sensors on all bottles of Taylors Wines Estate and Promised Land. 14
15
16
17
18
19
PERFECT
taylorswines.com.au
˚C
TEMPERATURE SENSOR
FROM THE EDITOR
combined with Blumenthal’s frankly incredible ONE OF the most spectacular drinks lists I have food, was a feast for the senses. Our sommelier ever encountered was at Heston Blumenthal’s used that drinks list to add to what was already a restaurant The Fat Duck, in Bray. It was six years magical experience. ago, when the restaurant was ranked third in Granted, not every drinks list is like that – The the world and somehow we had managed to Fat Duck is an extreme example – but every secure a booking (no mean feat given they get drinks list has the ability to turn a customer’s thousands of inquiries a day. I vaguely remember experience of an establishment from a basic signing something to do with our first-born). transaction into something more; maybe even I recall vividly the sharply suited sommelier turn them into a regular. Part sales tool, part approaching our table with the drinks menu and brand extension, drinks laying it reverentially before lists say a lot about an us. It was the sort of weighty I recall vividly the establishment. leather-bound tome that Hermsharply suited In our feature story on page ione Granger would have in her sommelier approaching 30, we talk to some industry school bag, and it hit the table our table with the drinks experts about what to consider with a soft thud. menu and laying it when designing a drinks list Left to peruse its pages we reverentially before us. and what makes a good one. exclaimed over the contents, This issue also features our marvelled at the variety annual gin report – our biggest ever, in fact, with (quailed quietly at some of the prices) and local craft distillers making their presence felt, decided that really we’d be better off with some and a special report from the International Wine expert advice. Our sommelier happily obliged, and Spirit Competition in London, where New and after ascertaining our personal preferences, Zealand wineries are clocking up the wins. he matched each of the many courses to come Enjoy the issue. with a range of wines, cocktails, beers, teas, infusions and sakes, all the while regaling us with Victoria Wells tales of their origins and makers. Editor – Drinksbiz The variety of the matches seemed groundvictoria@drinksbiz.co.nz breaking at the time (less so now) and, when
DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017
Would you like the list?
EDITOR’S PICKS Sacred Hill Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2017 I have to confess to only coming round to Rosé very recently – they always seemed too sweet for me, but this deliciously dry version from Sacred Hill with a touch of berry is just the ticket. (Pg 55)
Tuatara Coastin’ Session IPA This beer tastes of the promise of summer, with afternoons on the deck – and from where I’m sitting right now (grey skies, driving rain, high winds) that sounds pretty good. Plus, at just 4.6% ABV you can keep the chillybin full. (Pg 60)
Broken Heart Quince Gin Gin with your cheeseboard – why wouldn’t you? Especially when it has the rich flavour of golden ripe quinces. Serve this alongside a sharp Cheddar and you’ll never look back. (Pg 74)
DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017 5
CONTENTS
Publisher Karen Boult karen@boult.co.nz +64 21 320 663 Editor Victoria Wells victoria@drinksbiz.co.nz +64 27 575 9021 Designer Lewis Hurst lewis@hcreative.co.nz +64 21 146 6404 hcreative.co.nz
What makes a great drinks list and what to avoid PAGE 30
REGULARS Out & About Diary Dates Cover Story Industry News Feature: Drinks Lists
8 10 12 14 30
Beer & Cider Report Cheers to spring 59 Beer Column: Kiwis far from drowning in a flood of beer 64 Beer & Cider News
66
Associate Member (NZ)
Drinksbiz is published every second month by Trade Media Limited, 300 Richmond Road,
Wine Report: Bright whites 35 42
High 5: Big, buttery and beautiful 48 Column: In Vino Veritas 50 Wine News
drinksbiz.co.nz
BEER & CIDER
WINE IWSC Report
Laura Verner – Pasture
Advertising Roger Pierce advertising@drinksbiz.co.nz +64 9 361 2347 +64 274 335 354
55
SPIRITS & COCKTAILS
Grey Lynn, Auckland,
Spirits Report: Ruin to riches 71
phone (09) 361 2347.
Mixing it up
80
Profile: Lesley Gracie
81
Spirits Column: Pushing gin’s boundaries 82 Spirits News
85
New Zealand,
The contents of Drinksbiz are copyright and may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. Please address all editorial,
LAST ORDERS
6 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
subscription and advertising
Distributor Index
88
Last Requests
90
enquiries to Trade Media Limited, P O Box 37745, Parnell, Auckland.
Distributed by Federal Merchants & Co Ph: +64 9 578 1823 | E: clientservices@federalmerchants.co.nz
OUT & ABOUT
OUT & ABOUT Jules Taylor launches OTQ 2017 Marlborough winemaker Jules Taylor launched her 2017 OTQ series at Auckland’s Qb Studios in September. The ‘On The Quiet’ Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Rosé are single vineyard limited release.
Jules Taylor
Jules Taylor
Stella Artois Draught Masters The New Zealand Stella Artois Draught Masters was held at the Sapphire Room in Auckland to find out who could best execute the Stella Artois 9-Step pouring ritual. From the 15 finalists, Frankie McGuire from the Mount Social Club in Tauranga was named New Zealand Draught Master for 2017. (More on page 68.) 8 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
OUT & ABOUT
Belvedere at NZFW c, Maddison
Cooper, Dav
id Grr
Jay Reeve, Lu
ke Lockwoo
d
O
d livia Bascan
Loic Quede
Chung and Sophie
Belvedere Vodka celebrated its first year at NZ Fashion Week with a Belvedere Bar onsite at the Viaduct Events Centre. Belvedere Vodka offered a bespoke cocktail menu curated especially for NZFW by Belvedere Ambassador Mick Formosa and a daily Martini Hour.
na Reeve, Julia Matthews, An d Laura Snelling Cassidy Morris an
Belvedere Am
Aziz
ly Taurau Al-Sa’afin, Li
, Gracie Tayl
or and Jarr yd
Kerr
Clayton Balle and Will
bassador M
ick Formosa
Bennison
2017 Hancocks Liquor Industry Tour More than 800 hospitality and retail trade professionals enjoyed a showcase of Hancocks’ liquor portfolio at the 2017 Hancocks Liquor Industry Tour trade show in Auckland in August.
DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017 9
DIARY DATES
DIARY DATES OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
Thursday 12 October NEW ZEALAND FOOD AWARDS (AUCKLAND) The gala dinner and awards announcement for the NZ Food Awards 2017, recognising the best of New Zealand’s food and beverage industry, in association with Massey University.
Wednesday 1 – Sunday 5 November THE BOTANICAL BAZAAR (AUCKLAND) A sensory cocktail and food experience with Bombay Sapphire. Cocktail stations curated by Ambassaor Chase Bickerton, music and market stalls.
foodawards.co.nz
Saturday 14 October CITY OF ALES (AUCKLAND) City of Ales and SOBA (Society of Beer Advocates) present a showcase of Auckland beers over two sessions at the Maritime Room. Food matches available. eventfinda.co.nz
Tuesday 17 October WAIHEKE ISLAND OF WINE EXPO Sixteen of Waiheke Island’s top wineries showcase more than 90 artisan wines at the Crowne Plaza in Auckland. Waiheke’s winemakers and owners will be present to offer some of their latest releases.
botanicalbazaar.co.nz
Friday 3 – Sunday 12 November F.A.W.C! (HAWKE’S BAY) The Food and Wine Classic is a series of uniquely different food and wine events held throughout Hawke’s Bay with top chefs and winemakers from the region and around the country. fawc.co.nz
Saturday 4 November NZ CIDER FESTIVAL (NELSON) In its second year, the NZ Cider Festival returns to Founders Park for a day of traditional and contemporary ciders, alongside food stalls, entertainment and live music. nzciderfestival.com
eventfinda.co.nz
Saturday 11 November THE DUNEDIN CRAFT BEER & FOOD FESTIVAL A celebration of craft beer held at Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium, along with local ciders, food and wine. dunedinbeerfest.co.nz
Thursday 16 – Sunday 19 November TASTE OF AUCKLAND Auckland’s top chefs and restaurateurs return to Western Springs for four days of masterclasses, signature dishes, local food and wine, and special events. Australian chef George Calombaris guest stars. tasteofauckland.co.nz
DECEMBER Saturday 2 December SOUTH ISLAND WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL (CHRISTCHURCH) Wineries from across the South Island’s five wine regions will be sampling their wines, matched with dishes from top local chefs, at Hagley Park. winefestival.co.nz
Tuesday 17 October HAWKE’S BAY A&P BAYLEYS WINE AWARDS Now in its 17th year, this is the oldest regional wine awards competition in New Zealand. Entries are accepted from wineries with wine made from 85% Hawke’s Bay grapes. The Awards dinner will be held in the Waikoko Gardens with judged and awarded wines served throughout the evening. Ticket details at showgroundshb.co.nz
Thursday 19 October PENFOLDS COLLECTION 2017 RELEASE The global release of the Penfolds Collection 2017. A showcase of wines from across the Penfolds range that display the distinctive Penfolds ‘House Style’. penfolds.com
Saturday 21 – Sunday 22 October THE PACIFIC BEER EXPO (WGTN) This festival on Wellington’s waterfront offers a selection of beers from New Zealand and around the Pacific Rim. pacificbeerexpo.co.nz
Sunday 19 November TOAST MARTINBOROUGH A day-long festival held in and around the Martinborough region with a festival circuit that includes local winemakers and a showcase of fine local produce. toastmartinborough.co.nz
10 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
WWW.HANCOCKS.CO.NZ
COVER STORY – PENFOLDS
A moment in time As the highly anticipated Penfolds Collection 2017 is released, we speak to Penfolds Senior Winemaker Stephanie Dutton about what it’s like to be part of a globally admired brand and why the annual Collection is so exciting for lovers of wine
“It’s not until launch events at release that you are able to reflect on these time capsules and the vintage that they represent.” – Stephanie Dutton, Penfolds Senior Winemaker
12 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
COVER STORY – PENFOLDS
What was your path to Penfolds? This is definitely one of those moments in life that I now realise changed the course of things forever for me. With little thought or contemplation, I applied at Penfolds Magill Estate Restaurant for an evening job that focused on wine service at Penfolds spiritual home. I didn’t quite comprehend the learning curve that this experience would give me. Opening a 1959 Grange on a Wednesday night was the norm, decanting Special Bins or rare bottlings for pseudo-celebrities, and verticals or complete portfolio tastings for industry veterans was common. The Penfolds winemaking team relies heavily on experience, long apprenticeships and loyalty. Without my time at Magill Estate Restaurant and steep learning curve of aged wine, Australian wine history and building my own ‘Penfolds knowledge library’, I don’t believe I would have been considered for a winemaking role.
gives you, because you are anticipating the hazards or blows that she might serve instead. It’s not until launch events at release that you are able to reflect on these time capsules and the vintage that they represent; the milestones that were occurring concurrently, either personally or for Penfolds.
attention it garners is still not proportional to the generosity it has to offer. And Koonunga Hill Seventy-Six Shiraz Cabernet. This is one that you don’t see in retail space, sometimes in on-premise venues and always available at cellar door.
What are your highlights of this year’s Collection?
Re-corking clinics. Each time they roll around, both domestically and internationally, they are a highlight. They help us write and re-write the history books. They give us stories that we never knew existed. And, rather selfishly, they give us the opportunity
The 2015 Bin 28 is what I will be buying a couple of cases of. The 2013 Grange is what I’ll be buying a couple of bottles of. I pay for Grange like everyone else
What are some of your highlights working at Penfolds so far?
How do you balance the brand’s long heritage with your own winemaking style? There is a great quote from [Penfolds first Chief Winemaker] Max Schubert, “We must not be afraid to put into effect the strength of our own convictions, continue to use our imagination in winemaking generally, and be prepared to experiment in order to gain something extra, different and unique in the world of wine.” Every time my/our imagination requires time, money, resources or new age thinking, this serves as great ammunition and support for the cause. For a traditional brand, innovation bubbles zealously both above and below the surface. In terms of stylistic impact that we have as individuals, I think it will be easier to identify in retrospect. I’m also completely at peace with being aware of wine fashion, but certainly not a slave to trends. Innovation has to be sustainable.
What makes the annual Collection release so exciting? I love that at the time of release, you are forced to reflect on the vintage, or vintages, that were. In the thick of vintage you’re subjected to long hours, extreme conditions, around-the-clock presence and full weeks. It’s hectic, like being in the eye of the storm. Quite often you’re oblivious to the virtues that Mother Nature
The Penfolds Collection is an annual release of Penfolds wines that display the distinctive and recognisable Penfolds ‘House Style’ across the range. Held in October, this release began in 2014 and replaced the twice yearly ‘Bin Series’ and ‘Icon and Luxury Collection’ release events. The Penfolds Collection 2017 is available globally from October 19th. DISTRIBUTED BY INDEPENDENT LIQUOR
does, so an annual purchase is not always a given. Mentioning Grange is not a default position, it’s a worthy call out this year, the 2013 vintage is reminiscent of Penfolds wines of yesteryear.
What do you think wine lovers enjoy about the release of the annual Collection? The loyalists enjoy seeing how consistency of style is maintained, whilst still showcasing vintage personality. It’s easier said than done.
Which Penfolds wines do you think deserve more of the spotlight? St Henri. Granted, it’s not a little-known wine and has a long history with more than 50 consecutive releases. But the
to ‘check in’ with certain wines and vintages that we haven’t seen for a while.
What are some of the exciting projects at Penfolds? The Penfolds Ampoule, to me, is the most exciting project that we have birthed in the last decade. The perfect example of function and form coming together. A project that is aesthetically breathtaking, scientifically valuable, but ultimately contains 750ml of something that is truly unique: hermetically sealed, genuinely time-capsuled wine.
Which Penfolds wine excites you the most? One that doesn’t exist…..yet. I hope I’m talking about it in a couple of years’ time. DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017 13
INDUSTRY NEWS
Invivo appoints former Accolade director Former CEO of Accolade Wines, Paul Schaafsma, has been appointed to the board of wine company Invivo as an independent director. Under Schaafsma’s leadership, Accolade Wines exceeded AUD$1billion in revenue with a team of 1700 employees across Australia, New Zealand, UK, China, Japan, South East Asia, USA, Chile, Canada and South Africa. His work in the industry culminated in him being awarded “Man of the Year” by Drinks Business magazine in 2015. Invivo co-founder Tim Lightbourne says having Paul on board is an incredible coup for the company. “We spent a long time finding the right director to join our board, but when we spoke with Paul it was obvious he shared the same ideas about brand building and standing out from the crowd as we do. We look forward to working with Paul to achieve our global ambitions for Invivo”.
New glass to toast THE EVOLVING style of New World Sauvignon Blanc has been recognised in the release of a new glass from Riedel. The design, in Riedel’s Veritas series, comes 20 years after its first New World Sauvignon Blanc glass. Like its predecessor, the 2017 version was designed in collaboration with Marlborough producers after a series of tasting workshops and reflects the changes in the variety. “Wine styles inevitably evolve over the years as a result of winemaking techniques, changing climate, and trend,” says Riedel Australia and New Zealand’s Managing Director, Mark Baulderstone. “Marlborough believed that our existing glass was no longer perfect for their wines and, with 40 per cent of the white wine consumed in Australia coming from New Zealand, we had to listen.” The new Veritas Sauvignon Blanc glass features a slightly taller, more tapered bowl, to further develop the fruit-driven New World style, and an elegant thin Veritas stem. Available from Riedel now in a retail twin pack (RRP $129.90) or six-pack for on-premise.
14 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
Hunter’s takes Sparkling crown again HUNTER’S WINES has again won the top award for New Zealand wines at the Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships, winning the trophy for Best New Zealand Sparkling Wine for the third year in a row. Owner Jane Hunter was at the black tie gala at the Vintner’s Hall in London in September to receive the award for the Hunter’s MiruMiru™ Reserve 2013. The wine also received a gold medal, as did the Hunter’s MiruMiru™ Non Vintage. Hunter’s was the only New Zealand winery to win gold at this year’s event. Jane Hunter says MiruMiru™ is the jewel in the winery’s crown. “I have watched production grow over the past years as well as the range expand from the Reserve MiruMiru™ to include Non Vintage and Rosé,” she says. “New Zealand sparkling wines are hugely underrated and we need to work to ensure that they are recognised on the world stage as the quality wines that they are.”
Hancocks in the spotlight A SHOWCASE of Hancocks’ liquor portfolio in Auckland attracted more than 800 hospitality and retail trade professionals to the event in August. The 2017 Hancocks Liquor Industry Tour trade show was held at Eden Park’s North Lounge, with sweeping views over the hallowed turf. Guests, who included restaurateurs, retailers and senior bar staff, had the opportunity to meet, taste, and explore Hancocks’ brands through innovative and engaging displays, presentations, and tastings. The event included product training, networking opportunities and a range of masterclasses focused on whiskies and mixers. The full range of domestically and internationally produced wines, spirits, beers, and liqueurs Winemakers, from the extensive brewers, brand Hancocks portfolio ambassadors were available to and brand experience firstrepresentatives hand. To complewere all on hand ment the tasting at the event, activity, there was many of whom an impressive had travelled display of both from around the Eisch and Polysafe world to attend. stemware. Winemakers, brewers, brand ambassadors and brand representatives were all on hand at the event, many of whom had travelled from around the world to attend. They were able to add an extra dimension to the experience for guests as they answered questions about their products, provided insight into their creation and gave advice on serving and presentation. Hancocks Managing Director, Joe Jakicevich, says he was greatly encouraged by the attendance and commitment to the industry displayed by the brands and attendees, and reinforced the desire for Hancocks to continue to be the Supplier of Choice to the New Zealand liquor industry. The 2017 event marked the 15th year of the Hancocks Liquor Industry Tour, with planning already underway for making 2018 another memorable event on the industry calendar.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Giesen to pour at Wine Spectator NY
Theo Giesen
GIESEN WINES has been invited to pour at the prestigious Wine Spectator New York Wine Experience in October. Only wineries that have received the highest tasting scores of 90+ point ratings from the magazine’s tasting panel are considered for an invitation to pour at the New York Wine Experience Critics’ Choice Grand Tastings – to be held on October 19 and 20 this year. GIesen has had a strong sales focus State-side over the past two years. One of the winery’s three founders, Theo Giesen will attend the event, where Giesen will be pouring The Brothers Late Harvest Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2013, which received 90 points when reviewed in Wine Spectator. 2017 marks the 37th year that Wine Spectator has hosted the tastings, which are legendary with wine lovers in the United States.
Taylors and Fonseca move to Hancocks FAMILY-RUN COMPANY Taylors and Fonseca, a specialist in Port wine production, has moved its distribution to Hancocks, from previous distributor Treasury (effective from August 22). Taylors and Fonseca has several 100-point wines in its portfolio and a global leadership position in quality Ports that include Late Bottled Vintage, Aged Tawnies, 50- year-old Single Harvest Tawnies, and Vintage Ports. Hancocks owner and Managing Director, Joe Jakicevich, said that adding the Taylors and Fonseca Ports to the portfolio of his family’s business would greatly assist in meeting customers’ expectations and consumers’ needs via a premium portfolio of brands, and thanked Treasury for its work and positioning it achieved for the brands.
Sherwood Estate turns 30 JILL AND Dayne Sherwood of Sherwood Estate are marking three decades since they planted 20 acres of vines on their Canterbury block. Sherwood Estate has since grown from a small family vineyard and winery to one of the largest independent wine companies in New Zealand, producing over 50,000 cases of wine a year for local retailers and for export to 20 countries, yet remaining family-owned and operated. A new wax seal logo has been released as part of Sherwood Estate’s 30th birthday celebrations. DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017 17
INDUSTRY NEWS
Waiheke win for 2017 Bayer Young Viticulturist SIX NATIONAL finalists competed in Marlborough for the title of Bayer Young Viticulturist of the Year 2017 – but it was Tim Adams from Obsidian, Waiheke Island, who took out the title. The win for the Auckland/Northern region breaks a three-year winning run for Hawke’s Bay. At 30 years old, Adams was at the maximum age for entering the competition, so came to the national final with great determination, achieving strong results across the board. The finalists undertook a wide range of challenges testing their skills and knowledge including budgeting, pests and diseases, tractor maintenance, trellising, irrigation and general viticultural knowledge. Annabel Bulk from Felton Road, Central Otago was Runner-Up and impressed the judges with her high level of knowledge and
Michael Cooper’s Wine Guide 2018 NEW ZEALAND’S most aclaimed wine writer returns with the latest iteration of his comprehensive wine guide. New Zealand Wines 2018 – Michael Cooper’s Buyer’s Guide is the most authoritative guide to New Zealand wines and has been updated with new tasting notes and ratings. It is divided by grape variety to help selection, and includes vintage ratings, star ratings for quality, and a dryness/sweetness guide. Other features include Classic Wines: wines that consistently achieve an outstanding level of quality for at least three vintages. RRP $39.99. Out Nov 9, 2017. Published by Upstart Press. 18 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
great aptitude in the practical challenges, where she quickly and professionally rigged up trellising, wiring and irrigation equipment. The judges commented that they were very impressed with the high calibre of the national finalists overall, who included Ben Richards of Hawke’s Bay; Ben McNab Jones
of Wairarapa; Laurie Stradling of Nelson and Anthony Walsh of Marlborough. Tim Adams’ prize package includes a Hyundai Santa Fe for a year, a $5000 AGMARDT travel scholarship and a leadership week. He will also represent the wine industry in the Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition in November.
Jackson and Pask to merge TWO PIONEERING New Zealand wineries, Marlborough’s Jackson Estate and Hawke’s Bay’s Pask Winery have joined forces under the stewardship of the Wellington-based Benton Family Wine Group. Both wineries have operated for over 30 years at the premium end of the market. In 2013, the Group acquired Jackson Estate and has now completed a full restructuring and turnaround of the Company. This has seen increased distribution and sales across domestic and all export markets, and has provided the confidence to complete a state of the art winery on Jackson’s Road in Marlborough, specialising in Pinot Noir. Jeff Hart has been appointed Managing Director of the enlarged group and said the merger will provide shared benefits through increased size, enhanced product range, and geographical diversity. Pask has a 1,000 tonne winery on Omahu Road and 60 hectares of vineyards in the renowned Gimblett Gravels. John Benton will chair both companies, while Chris Pask will retain his involvement with Pask Winery as the Founding Director on the Pask Winery Board. Jeff Clarke has been appointed the Group’s chief winemaker. Clarke, who began his winemaking career in Australia, has been involved as Head Winemaker at Pernod Ricard and more recently Ara Wines.
DRINKSBIZ WITH APEX LABELLING
Stand-out results Shelf appeal is crucial in today’s cluttered market – how do you set your product apart?
THE IMPORTANCE of visual appeal to a product’s success is well established and more crucial than ever in today’s busy beverage landscape as consumers choose from an ever wider range of beers, wines and spirits. Increasingly, drinks brands must set themselves apart through their bottles and labels in local and international markets while ensuring quality presentation. New Zealand wine exports are targeted to reach $2 billion in 2020, meaning more is heading to offshore markets and onto shelves where it is competing against product from Europe and the US. Although New Zealand’s wine-making reputation stands it in good stead, packaging plays an important role. “The bar is set so high internationally,” says Sam Howe, of Apex Labelling. “You have to look at how you ensure the quality coming off the line. When you’re in a premium market you want to make sure the product looks good and justifies the price point.” Apex manufactures labelling solutions for a wide range of companies and products. Originally from the UK, Howe has a background in automotive engineering (including time working with McLaren) and product development. He took over Apex earlier this
year and says he’s been impressed by New Zealand companies’ desire to differentiate themselves. “More and more of our customers are trying to be creative, and not just do another bog standard bottle of water or bottle of beer.”
Pushing the boundaries Howe says current trends in labelling range from ‘clear on clear’ (a clear label on a clear bottle), through to more textural paper applications using richer, thicker stocks to allow for deeper print and colours. Apex Labelling works directly with businesses, as well as with label print companies, who are often tasked with achieving a new look for a brand. “They’re really trying to push the boundaries with what you can do with a label and what you can successfully apply to a bottle,” says Howe. “Clear on clear, for example, gives a very different appearance to a product on the shelves but is a very difficult thing to do well. It takes a lot of time to set it up and a lot of time to get it right.” Another growing trend is the move to bottles with embossing or in unusual shapes. “A lot more of our customers are commissioning their own bottles or jars,” agrees Howe. “Traditionally, Kiwi wine has been packaged
in standard glass bottles whereas now, particularly with export, they’re putting their logo or slogan or provenance information on the bottle, meaning that needs to be oriented appropriately. That usually leads to the need for more equipment, but also for people like us to think more laterally about how you orient a product.”
Talking tech Streamlining processes for effective use of staff is key for any business. Control and automation are a big focus for Apex and Sam Howe says their aim is to help companies simplify their labelling processes and free up staff to work on other aspects of the business. “It’s removing the need for skilled operators or to have lengthy set-up procedures and trying to automate that with actuation and sensing.” Awareness of emerging technologies in parallel industries, such as camera systems with high speed photography, plays a big part in Apex’s R&D and how its machinery might develop in future, says Howe. “It’s about being able to push the button with the picture of what you want to label and the machine configures itself to label that product – that really resonates with customers and that’s where they want to get to.”
You Make It. We Label It. Apex design, manufacture, service and support our advanced labelling solutions, here in New Zealand. Each machine is built to meet the specific requirements of your product and application.
CUSTOM MADE IN NEW ZEALAND
Phone +64 9 278 9168 sales@apexlabelling.com apexlabelling.com
INDUSTRY NEWS
Canterbury wine tops Bragato Wine Awards
A CABERNET Franc from Canterbury came out on top at the 2017 Bragato Wine Awards. Grown by Lindsay Hill, in the Waipara West vineyard in Canterbury, The Boneline Cabernet Franc 2016 won the coveted Bragato Trophy for Champion Wine of the Show. It was also awarded the O-I New Zealand Trophy for Champion Emerging Red Wine. The Bragato Wine Awards recognise the grower for viticultural excellence and
acknowledges that growing excellent grapes is the foundation of making wines of true quality. For the first time in the competition’s 23 year history, all wines entered in 2017 had to be single vineyard wines. “This Cabernet Franc was a pleasure to judge, but equally an absolute joy to taste, savour and discuss,” said Chair of Judges Ben Glover. “This wine is certainly all about a single site… A real treat.”
Bragato Wine Awards 2017 Trophy Results Bragato Trophy for Champion Wine of the Show The Boneline Cabernet Franc 2016 Canterbury Vineyard: Waipara West, Grower: Lindsay Hill
Glengarry Trophy for Champion Sparkling Wine Akarua Vintage Brut 2011 Otago Vineyard: Cairnmuir Road, Grower: Mark Naismith
Mike Wolter Memorial Trophy for Champion Pinot Noir Ruby Bay Pinot Noir 2016 Nelson Vineyard: Ruby Bay Vineyard, Grower: Andrew Tamplin
Friedrich Wohnsiedler Trophy for Champion Riesling Waipara Hills Soul Deans Riesling 2015 Canterbury Vineyard: Deans Vineyard, Grower: Accolade Wines
Alan Limmer Trophy for Champion Syrah Coopers Creek SV 'Chalk Ridge' Syrah 2015 Hawke's Bay Vineyard: Chalk Ridge, Grower: Wayne Morrow
Brother Cyprian Trophy for Champion Pinot Gris Devil's Staircase Pinot Gris 2016 Otago Vineyard: Rockburn Wines Ltd, Grower: Chris James, Richard Bunton, Paul Halford
O-I New Zealand Trophy for Champion Emerging Red Wine The Boneline Cabernet Franc 2016 Canterbury Vineyard: Waipara West, Grower: Lindsay Hill Tom McDonald Memorial Trophy for Champion Classical Red Wine Saint Clair James Sinclair Cabernet Merlot 2015 Hawke's Bay Vineyard: Plateau Vineyard, Grower: Neal & Judy Ibbotson Richard Smart Trophy for Champion Rosé Clark Estate Dayvinleigh Rosé 2017 Marlborough Vineyard: Dayvinleigh, Grower: Kevin Johnston New Zealand Frost Fans Trophy for Champion Sweet Wine Villa Maria Reserve Noble Riesling Botrytis Selection 2015 Marlborough Vineyard: Rocenvin Vineyard, Grower: Christine Fletcher
Nick Nobilo Trophy for Champion Gewürztraminer Bladen Gewürztraminer 2016 Marlborough Vineyard: Paynters Road Vineyard, Grower: Keven and Kerry Tilly O-I New Zealand Trophy for Champion Emerging White Wine Askerne Viognier 2016 Hawke's Bay Vineyard: Askerne, Grower: Kathryn and John Loughlin Spence Brothers Trophy for Champion Sauvignon Blanc Konrad Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Marlborough Vineyard: Konrad Wines, Grower: Konrad Hengstler Bill Irwin Trophy for Champion Chardonnay Domaine Rewa Chardonnay 2015 Otago Vineyard: Domaine Rewa, Grower: Philippa Fourbet
Wine exports reach record high THE EXPORT value of New Zealand wine has reached a record high according to the 2017 Annual Report of New Zealand Winegrowers. Now valued at $1.66 billion, up six per cent in June year end 2017, wine now stands as New Zealand’s fifth largest goods export. Over the past two decades the wine industry has achieved average annual 20 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
export growth of 17 per cent a year, according to the report. “With diversified markets and a strong upward trajectory, the industry is in good shape to achieve $2 billion of exports by 2020” said Steve Green, Chair of New Zealand Winegrowers. The report states that exports to the USA have led the strong growth, passing $500
million for the first time (up 12 per cent). New Zealand wine became the third most valuable wine import into the USA, behind only France and Italy. THE 2017 ANNUAL REPORT CAN BE ACCESSED AT NZWINE.COM/EN/NEWS-MEDIA/ STATISTICS-REPORTS/ NEW-ZEALANDWINEGROWERS-ANNUAL-REPORT/
www.ServiceIQ.org.nz
0800 863 693
Contact ServiceIQ to find out how your hospitality or retail business can go to the next level with one small step. With ServiceIQ, your staff could even upskill for free.
The difference comes down to three words and one simple concept: on-job training.
It’s the difference between just doing the job and doing it brilliantly. So brilliantly in fact, that your customers come back more often, spend more, bring their friends and recommend you to others.
Some wine waiters and wine retailers have a talent for great service, but they still need to learn the right skills to do it well. The tricks of the wine service trade. The art of satisfying customers.
IT TAKES A LOT MORE THAN PLACING A BOTTLE OF WINE INTO A BAG AT THE CHECKOUT, OR POURING IT INTO A GLASS AT TABLE, TO BE GOOD AT GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE.
TRAINED
THEY ARE
GREAT STAFF AREN’T BORN
DRINKSBIZ WITH ZEXX
Perfect partner for summer
GETTING READY for the summer rush just got easier with help from Kiwi company Zexx, which offers cost-effective, efficient solutions for making delicious frozen slushies, cocktails and everything in-between. Zexx NZ provides locally made beverage products and Italian dispensing machinery to more than 250 sites around New Zealand, as well as the Pacific Islands, Australia and Hong Kong, across retail hospitality, party and event catering, and even schools. For those looking for simple drink solutions, Zexx has two core ranges: Triple 3 is a full-fruit, no preservative, 7% ABV slushy mix, while Fruzo Supreme is 99% fruit juice with no added sugar. Both are supplied in concentrate form as an all-inclusive liquid to reduce onsite preparation time and are the ideal way to refresh any summer drinks menu. For businesses looking to tap into the snowballing Frosé trend this summer, (slushies and other frozen drinks made with increasingly popular Rosé) Zexx Managing Director, Derek Sampson, says their Triple 3 machine is ideal. “And it’s not just Rosé,” 22 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
“Our machines can slush any sort of alcohol, which opens up a world of possibilities for bar staff to get creative with value added products” Derek Sampson – Managing Director, Zexx NZ
he says, “our machines can slush any sort of alcohol, which opens up a world of possibilities for bar staff to get creative with value added products.” The Zexx granita (slushy) machines pour product to a standard consistency every time, and Zexx even takes care of maintenance.
Zexx is a trusted partner for major restaurant chains Cobb & Co, and Mexicali Fresh. Its Fruzo range provided the answer when Cobb & Co when it was looking to refresh its kids’ drinks menu, while Mexicali Fresh teamed up with Zexx to create its signature Margarita slushy nine years ago, which has proved a drinks menu favourite that has been going strong ever since. Find out how to add Zexx’s quality frozen drinks range to your line-up. CONTACT ZEXX ON 0800 556 022 OR VISIT ZEXXNZ.CO.NZ
INDUSTRY NEWS
Snapper Rock and Cherry Block join NZ Wine & Spirit Merchants WINERIES SNAPPER Rock and Cherry Block have signed an agreement with New Zealand Wine and Spirit Merchants Limited to distribute their brands in the New Zealand market. The agreement took effect in early September and replaces their previous sales and distribution facilities managed by Antipodean Sommelier. New Zealand Wine & Spirit Merchants (NZWSM) is a newly launched, specialist distributor of local and international beverages to the licensed trade. The business is headed by Garry Critchley and Phil Wakelin, both of whom have enjoyed long careers in the wine and beverage distribution sector.
Crossroads for craft beer THE ANNUAL ANZ Craft Beer Industry Insights Report has found craft at a crossroads, with the number of craft breweries continuing to expand and presenting a challenge in growing share of market. The New Zealand craft beer sector continued to expand in 2016 with almost 200 breweries competing for a modestly growing share of the beer market, according to the report, which was released in early August. Since 2011 the number of small breweries has grown at around 16 percent year on year. Today there are nearly 200 breweries in New Zealand producing more than 1,600 unique craft beers. Small brewery production volume has grown at 22 percent and small brewery revenue has grown by up to 32 percent, as their share of the total beer market value gained another 1.5 percentage points (to 10 per cent in 2016). “Small breweries have become a big business,” says John Bennett, ANZ General Manager, Central Region, Commercial & Agri. “New brands are appearing all the time and together the industry is changing the way many New Zealanders think about and consume beer.” Retail sales data from Nielsen Scantrack shows beer in the $10 to $15 a litre price
CRAFT BEER INSIGHTS
32%
22% 2016 annual growth in small brewery production volume, down from 28% growth in 20151.
5.8% Small brewery production share of total consumption by volume (litres), up from 4.9% in 20151.
6 New hop growers signed up for the 2018 harvest5.
1600+ Unique beers in the New Zealand market3.
FY16 small brewery revenue growth, based on an ANZ benchmark sample, down from 39% in FY15.
10% Small brewery share of total consumption by value ($) up from 8.5% in 20152.
194 ‘Craft’ breweries in New Zealand.
4.4-5.0% ABV This is the fastest growing segment4, typical of gateway craft styles.
Sources & notes: 1: Based on small producer data provided by Stats NZ for Beertown.NZ Ltd and ANZ, and Alcohol Available for Consumption information (including imports) information published by Stats NZ. A small brewery is defined as a brewery whose total production volume is less than 1% of the total volume of beer produced and not exported in any one year. Refer to 2017 ANZ Craft Beer Industry Insights for more detail. 2: ANZ estimate based on small breweries achieving value 1.7x their share of volume. 3: ANZ estimate based on 194 ‘craft’ breweries @ ~8 beers each plus imports. 4: Stats NZ. 5: ANZ Analysis
bracket has been gaining momentum over the past three years, growing to 15 per cent of sales by volume (up from 10 per cent). The sector has also seen job growth, employing an additional 400 plus people since 2008. While the range of choice benefits consumers, Bennett says brewers are finding intensifying competition for retail shelf
space. “I am confident we will continue to see growth but brewers need to be smart about how they sell their product; it is about more than just good beer,” he said. “What can we learn from more mature markets and industries in terms of quality control, distribution, branding and tapping other markets? These are questions for a burgeoning industry, but they are great issues to have, especially with an increasingly passionate and discerning consumer.” Exporting remains a challenge for the industry with exports remaining static at around 10 percent of beer production, with considerations such as cool chain continuity impacting the shelf life of the more volatile styles of craft beer. It’s a challenge worth solving, says Bennett. The more mature New Zealand wine sector exports approximately 80 percent of annual production for export earnings in excess of $1.6 billion. “Successful exporters, and successful brewers full-stop, can offer something unique to a cleverlytargeted audience. Those are the brewers who will outlive the industry’s growing pains and capitalise on the superpower potential of this exciting industry.” THE FULL REPORT IS AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD – GOOGLE ‘ANZ CRAFT BEER REPORT 2017’. DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017 23
INDUSTRY NEWS
Sommeliers of the Year 2017
Clearview Estate co-owner Helma van den Berg and head chef Pete Hallgarth
Tourism boost for Clearview Estate CLEARVIEW ESTATE is riding high after two wins in the tourism sector for its award-winning Hawke’s Bay winery. It has won the inaugural Essence of Hawke’s Bay award and the overall Supreme Award at the Hawke’s Bay Tourism Awards, which highlight exceptional visitor experience. On the hospitality front, Clearview also won the inaugural Outstanding Cellar Door award and Outstanding Supplier / Sales Representative award (for Lisa Clarke) at the Hawke’s Bay Hospitality Awards in August. Clearview Estate has been a favourite destination for Hawke’s Bay visitors and locals for nearly 30 years, drawing people to its restaurant and cellar door on the Te Awanga coast. “We couldn’t be more delighted,” says Helma van den Berg, co-founder and co-owner who, along with Tim Turvey, established the business from 1988, planting vines and building the brand. “I think we 24 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
have enduring passion even after 30 years, and the same two people who had the idea are still running it every day." In 1991, the pair built the rustic Red Shed restaurant and cellar door, pioneering coastal vineyard dining in the Mediterranean style, which quickly proved to be a big hit and has remained popular over the decades since. “We strive to reflect the best of Hawke’s Bay in all that we do,” says Ms van den Berg. “We are passionate about our wines, paired with fresh and creative dishes that make innovative use of Hawke’s Bay’s extraordinary seasonal produce. Tim Turvey says he’s delighted for the current and past Clearview team. “This award is for everyone who has helped create the Clearview experience – whether it’s in helping to pick grapes, hand craft our wines, create culinary delights, or share our wines with customers, they are the essence of Clearview.”
THE COUNTRY’S top two sommeliers were named at the New Zealand School of Food & Wine in Auckland in August at the annual Sommelier of the Year and Junior Sommelier of the Year competition. Stephanie Guth of The French Café in Auckland won Sommelier of the Year 2017, while Amelia French from The George Hotel in Christchurch won the Junior competition. The annual event is run by NZSFW founder Celia Hay in collaboration with Master Sommelier Cameron Douglas. “This award recognises the vital role played by the hospitality professional as part of the dining experience and serves to inspire others to look beyond the traditional roles of chef and server,” says Celia Hay. “At this level a sommelier must have developed an exceptional palate and comprehensive knowledge of beverages. While wine styles, grape varieties and regions are important, a sommelier must also be knowledgeable about cocktails, spirit brands, beer and Japanese sake as well as tea and coffee, and must have excellent communication skills.” The competition process included tasting six wines blind, opening Champagne for the judges and an audience, and pouring the Champagne into eight glasses while answering questions about different beverages.
FULL FRUIT - NO PRESERVATIVE - ALCOHOL SLUSHIES
0800 556 022 www.zexxnz.co.nz
SKOPE partners with leading ice maker Australasian commercial refrigeration manufacturer and supplier SKOPE has announced a new partnership with Spanish ice maker manufacturer ITV, making it the sole Australasian distributor of the internationally renowned ice making brand. OVER THE last 30 years, ITV has carved out a reputation in producing and supplying ice makers to hotels, bars and restaurants in over 140 countries around the world. Committed to its craft, ITV produces Ice Makers that offer superior energy savings, reliability and easy maintenance. During the production of ice cubes, ITV uses a shower system that forms individual ice cubes that are consistent, crystal clear and suitable for commercial and industrial use. One of ITV’s successes is its development and patented “flexible nozzle spray system”, which is designed to prevent limescale build-up while improving the production of ice cubes.
ITV Ice Makers to suit ITV Ice Maker models are built to withstand demanding working environments and are suitable for use in large daily productions, like quick service restaurants, supermarkets, food production and more. With both 26 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
self-contained and modular Ice Makers there is something to suit every space and every requirement. The SPIKA range of modular machines are popular in restaurants and hotels with large ice consumption. SPIKA ice cubes are hard and long-lasting so they’re ideal for cooling drinks quickly. The SPIKA range produces two sizes – a full and a half-cube. In a smaller space the ALFA NG self-contained models with built-in storage bins are perfect. Designed to fit under a standard
ALFA NG60 A model
commercial benchtop, ALFA NG takes up less floor and wall space than most Ice Makers. ALFA ice cubes cool faster without watering drinks down, so are perfect for cocktails. ALFA NG offers quality without compromising on quantity. If you’re looking for ice that enhances your coveted top-shelf you can’t go past the GALA modular range. GALA ice is appreciated for its elegant look and high performance, making it undisputedly the best ice for your top shelf. GALA is also the best
If you’re looking for ice that enhances your coveted top-shelf you can’t go past the GALA modular range. choice for whisky as it doesn’t alter the flavour, something customers will appreciate. SKOPE ITV Ice Makers offer superior energy efficient solutions that respond to the needs of the demanding foodservice, accommodation and hospitality industries. ITV produce over 30,000 units per year which will give you confidence that you’re investing in quality technology that will enhance your business and provide your customers with a great experience. FIND OUT MORE AT SKOPE.CO.NZ
With thanks to The Happening, 165 Gloucester Street, Christchurch Central
DRINKSBIZ WITH SKOPE
CLARITY I PURITY I QUALITY
BRINGING JUST-ICE TO DRINKS EVERYWHERE INTRODUCING THE ITV ICE MAKER RANGE
INDUSTRY NEWS
New US distributor for Saint Clair Family Estate
Black Barn Vineyards, Hawkes Bay
Wine industry puts focus on tourists WITH 24% of international holidaymakers making vineyard and winery visits part of their itinerary, New Zealand Winegrowers has added a wine tourism section to its website, which showcases more than 450 wine experiences. The new ‘Visit’ section of nzwine.com allows tourists to search wine regions using a Google map tool, or filter listings by region and four experience types: cellar door tastings; dining in a winery setting; overnighting in vineyard accommodation; and taking part in on-site activities such as tours and other experiences. “Wine tourism provides an exciting new opportunity for us to showcase our wines in the unique locations where they are grown and produced,” says New Zealand Winegrowers Global Marketing Director Chris Yorke. “We’re seeing evidence of just how much tourists are enjoying wine tourism in New Zealand through the strong TripAdvisor ratings our wineries are receiving.” New Zealand Winegrowers is also partnering with Tourism New Zealand to develop online tourism training modules for wineries.
New Sales Director at DB PAUL MILLWARD has been appointed as the new Sales Director at DB Beweries, where he joins DB’s Leadership Team and will be responsible for delivering domestic and export sales for the business. Millward started at DB in 2010 as Head of Retail and DB has won numerous awards for customer engagement under his leadership. Paul Millward replaces Dan Gilbert, who has been promoted by the Heineken Company to the role of Managing Director for Solomon Breweries Ltd in the Solomon Islands. 28 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
MARLBOROUGH FAMILY-OWNED winery Saint Clair Family Estate has announced that E. & J. Gallo Winery is the exclusive national distributor for its wine brand in the US. E. & J. Gallo Winery is the world’s largest family-owned wine company. As well as crafting its own wine, the company has a portfolio of more than 90 wines and spirits that it imports and distributes throughout the US. Saint Clair Family Estate founder Neal Ibbotson said the agreement with E. & J. Gallo Winery was a significant step in growing brand awareness in the US market.
AI to help wine profits flow ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE is set to help wineries make early-season predictions on a vineyard’s likely grape yield. “Grape growers and wineries spend a lot of money trying to predict their grape yield each year,” says Lincoln Agritech Optics and Image Processing Team Leader, Jaco Fourie. “This currently involves hiring a large number of workers to manually sample grape bunches.” Lincoln Agritech Ltd is working on creating a more convenient computerised system that uses electronic sensors to accurately count grapes. “The sensors will capture and analyse grape bunches within individual rows, and assess the number, sizes and distribution of grape bunches,” says Dr Fourie. “We’ll feed this data into computer algorithms, which have been designed by the University of Canterbury, to predict grape yield at harvest time.” New data will be added to the system each year, leading to continuous improvements in the model’s accuracy, with the system’s predictive power improving over time as more data is gathered under different conditions. The main focus of grape varieties for the study is Sauvignon Blanc, after which the team will identify how much technology development will be needed for Pinot Noir. The project is funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and NZ Winegrowers.
D RINKSBIZ WITH SAVERGLASS
A revealing sparkle Saverglass unveils its new Bordelaise Eclat range – designed with delicate wines in mind NEW FROM French company Saverglass – makers of premium glass bottles for wines and spirits – comes Bordelaise Eclat. The range offers six new punts designed to reveal sparkle and radiance, emphasising Saverglass’ extra white flint glass and showing off the subtle and refined colours of white and rosé wines. Inspired by nature, the six original punt shapes display the harmony of a textured motif, the softness of organic curves and even the complexity of natural geometric figures, while radiating light upwards through delicately coloured wines to create magic. FIND OUT MORE AT SAVERGLASS.COM OR CALL KAREN ON 09 522 2990.
FEATURE – DRINKS LISTS
On the list
Drinks lists play a leading role in any establishment – Victoria Wells speaks to three industry professionals for their views on what makes a great one and what to avoid.
while they can tailor make the Pasture Match to fit their philosophy and flavours, sourcing product for the drinks list that spoke to their approach took time. “With the wine list it was about finding things that would be complementary but also trying to communicate our values – for us provenance is very important, as is supporting our local growers and producers. Right from the beginning we’ve had a list dominated by independent New Zealand wineries, preferably grower/producer, and we try to bring in as much that is natural, organic or bio-dynamic.” Master Sommelier, Cameron Douglas, curates wine lists for restaurants around the country, including Wellington’s Annam, Meredith’s and Mekong Baby in Auckland, and The Lodge Bar in Queenstown. He says getting an understanding of an establishment’s “whole package” is key. “They need to ringfence their primary, secondary and tertiary audiences. I need to interview the owner and chef, taste the food, understand who their audience is and the price and style of their food. The more information I can garner from the key people and decision makers in a particular restaurant the more easily I can begin to build a list.”
Mixing it up
Pasture cocktails by Laura Verner
WITH COMPETITION for the drinking consumer’s dollar higher than ever, a well-constructed drinks list is a key tool in the sales arsenal. While cost and supplier relationships play a part in shaping it, there are other crucial areas to consider at the outset, too.
Who are you? Knowing the personality of your establishment and understanding your audience is the first step. Laura and Ed Verner own Auckland restaurant Pasture in Parnell. Seating just 20 and offering a set menu, its philosophy is seasonal, local, handmade and sustainable – an ethos that extends to its drinks list, which was 30 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
named New Zealand’s best at the 2017 Cuisine Good Food Awards. “Our aim was to create something that really spoke to our cuisine, which is quite different,” says Laura Verner, who creates the drinks, and curates the list with husband Ed, who is the Head Chef. “It’s quite acid-forward, very delicate flavours, and really focused on fermentation, preservation; very umami and unusual – we aim to bring flavours that people have never really encountered before.” Pasture offers diners a match of beer, cider, wine, and spirits with its menu, or its unique Pasture Match – a nonalcoholic array of handmade infusions, ferments and extractions. Verner says
Douglas says variety is key to a good list, but highlights the need for “safety zones” to accommodate a range of customers, and uses SKYCITY’s new Chinese restaurant Huami as an example. “It’s among other restaurants on Federal Street, and so it has to have a point of difference. Food will be one of those things, so we have to ensure we appeal to a diner who wants to find something familiar [to drink]. So yes, we have to have Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc on our list, or we have to have a Villa Maria product because we need those safety zone sales. Where we get creative is by having people on the floor, or customers who are interested in experimenting, and going to Grüner Veltliner or Albariño that are locally or internationally produced.”
Common pitfalls A list that doesn’t cater to the audience, the food, or the strengths of the staff will soon become apparent. “If you’ve got a weak link then you have to fix it or remove it straight away,” says Douglas. “If you’ve got too many sparkling wines by the glass and they’re not selling then you have to examine whether that is a training-based
FEATURE – DRINKS LISTS
issue, or an audience issue. You have to look at the reasons why things aren’t working and isolate whether you can fix that through training or whether the brands are too obscure.” Award-winning bartender Peter Lowry manages the bars at The Library and Chow in Wellington, after spending eight years at Hawthorn Lounge and says businesses should avoid pitching outside their comfort zone. “If you’re not a cocktail bar then go easy on yourself. There are places that are wonderful bars, but because they’re not set up for [cocktails], as soon as you order that drink, the staff are looking around to see where the shaker is, because it’s two weeks since someone ordered it. Whenever you’re going to do cocktails you need to know that you’re going to be selling them.” He also warns against overcharging for basics, or having the only by-the-glass option for a varietal at a high price point, saying it can blindside customers who haven’t looked at the list. “Suddenly they get the bill and it’s an $18, $19, $20 glass of wine. That for me, is dishonesty. Those owners will argue that’s the worth of the wine but it’s not being done in a balanced sense. If you’re doing that you should have a second tier.”
“With the wine list it was about finding things that would be complementary but also trying to communicate our values – for us provenance is very important, as is supporting our local growers and producers.”
He says stocking more expensive product shouldn’t be feared, as long as it is justifiable. “As a bartender I have to look at value nearly constantly. I love gin, but I don’t understand very, very expensive gins because it doesn’t require any ageing so you don’t require any insurance… it’s purely the botanicals in the bottle. As long as I can explain where the value [of a product] is, then I’m happy.”
poured between two pineapples that are on fire, but you can’t make a G&T, then… I’m going to look at you as an amateur. “There will be little Italian restaurants and their cocktail selection will be an Aperol Spritz, a Negroni and a Bicicletta and that would have not changed in 20 years and that will be the most appropriate thing for them. They know exactly what they’re doing and it’s something they can manage.”
Know your stuff (and do it well) “Whenever you bill yourself as a cocktail bar, creativity is key,” says Lowry. “Depending on premise it can vary – but if you’re a cocktail bar and you’re not doing something interesting, or educational, or both, then there really is no point.” Cocktails, in particular, require knowledge and skill, which come with experience, he says. “I feel you need to earn your right to do out there things. It is much more important that the customers feel secure. If you’re going to give me something
Have a point of difference “Bars are starting to specialise,” says Cameron Douglas, “where they might have a significant tequila list or a significant whisky list. Huami at SKYCITY, they’re beginning to specialise not only in whisky, but in Chinese beverages like Maotai.” It can be as simple as taking your basics and thinking of how to serve them with a twist. “You need to have a beer on tap if you’re doing pizza,” says Lowry, but I don’t think that should limit you. I would
DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017 31
FEATURE – DRINKS LISTS
still want a touch of innovation, even if it’s something as simple as adding Picon (bitter orange liqueur) to the beer.” Some of Pasture’s points of difference lie in its use of fruit, vegetables and botanicals to create painstakingly handmade small-batch ingredients, its commitment to serving only New Zealand distilled spirits, and its offering of a nonalcoholic drinks match. “That has been a focus since we opened,” says Verner. “We have bottle-aged ferments, tea-based infusions, non-alcoholic shaken cocktails – it’s really quite textural and unique.”
Sellers and story-tellers While a drinks list sets the scene, it relies on good staff to open dialogue with customers. Laura Verner says the natural wines on Pasture’s list have made that easy. “There are such wonderful stories behind the people who make them. It’s really not hard to go to a table with these bottles and give people a really personal experience. So many people say it’s so much fun to be taken completely out of their comfort zone or to be shown wines and varietals that they never knew existed, told about techniques of making wine that they didn’t know happened.” The potential for staff to make a difference to the bottom line cannot be overestimated. The difference between a staff member who can engage a customer at the bar or a group at the table in a way that contributes to their experience, as opposed to a staff member who simply takes an order and clears glasses is vast. “The list only gets you so far,” says Lowry. “The list is completely redundant if there’s no staff member to walk over and say ‘How was that drink sir, how was that drink madam?’. That ‘check back’ is where the list ends.” “If you’ve got talent on the floor, or you can hire talent – credentialled talent and not just anybody – then you’ve added to the bottom line immediately,” says Cameron Douglas, who regularly trains wait staff and runs the Court of Master Sommeliers programme in New Zealand. However, he says restaurateurs face a challenge in finding high quality careerfocused people and points to gaps in basic technical service training. “Some can’t open sparkling wine properly. And restaurateurs need to tell training institutions: ‘start gearing up for this’ or they need to get an expert in to train their staff. I’m spending a lot of time teaching people how to pull a cork out of a bottle, 32 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
Drinks development at Pasture by Laura Verner
which is something I never thought I’d have to do!”
Trends Craft spirits and a consumer prepared to ‘spend more on less’ are two of the major trends shaping drinks lists now. Peter Lowry also cites the rise in popularity of mezcals, Pisco and un-aged brandies, agricole rums and Cachaça. “Something that comes off the still really big and funky – flavours that are definable from the distillate,” he says. The surge of new wave gins continues too, as does the ever wider range of mixers designed to match the new flavour profiles. Research has shown consumers are spending less often, but choosing higher
value products when they do. Lowry says the advent of Coravin has had a big impact on wine by the glass offerings, allowing establishments to offer a much wider range of premium product.
The journey Being clear about what an establishment stands for is the first step towards a successful drinks list and Pasture’s award-winning effort underscores that. “There are people who have books bound in leather devoted to their wines and really epic cellars; we don’t do that,” says Verner. “It’s not that either one is right or wrong, we’re just doing what makes sense for our cuisine and who we are and it was really nice to have that recognised.”
We’ve got them all !! Italians know how to do it ! From the humble and classic Lambrusco to the most elegant and sophisticated Prosecco. What we call Prosecco today, used to be known as Puccino during the Roman Empire times. Prosecco is a Denomination of Origin product so has to be made using Glera grapes and should come from the Italian region of Veneto where the Tutelary Consortium of Prosecco (Est 1962) sets the rules and enforces them. The outcome is the worldwide big splash of this enticing “spumante”.
(04) 383 9596 021 44 95 96 info@sur.co.nz
Distributed by Federal Merchants & Co P: +64 9 578 1823 E: clientservices@federalmerchants.co.nz
New Zealand agents: SUR Wines
2018 HARVEST PACKAGES NOW AVAILABLE
Find the best people for your business
BRIGHT WHITES – WINE CATEGORY REPORT
Fresh flavours Lighten up for spring with these bright whites that represent great quality, drinkability and value for money, recommends Joelle Thomson
DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017 35
BRIGHT WHITES WINE CATEGORY REPORT
Riesling 2015 Giesen Marlborough Riesling RRP $16.99 This wine deserves its impressive string of gold medals because it’s a zest fest of deliciousness with pronounced flavours of lemon, peach and ripe mandarin. Its modest acidity provides approachability, so the wine drinks well now but has the potential to age for four to five years. 18.5/20 GIESEN
2013 Winesmiths 36 Bottles RRP $22.95 Riesling Central Otago It may be four years old, but this Otago Riesling is as youthful as they come and bone dry in style with 6.1 grams per litre of residual sugar helping to balance its high acidity. Its refreshing zesty flavours would
Rheingau Riesling Vineyards 36 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
pair well now with seafood, but this wine will gain body, fleshiness and peachier flavours as it ages – and it can age well for nine to 10 years. 17.5/20 WINE2TRADE
2013 Terrace Edge Classic Riesling RRP $19.95 Waipara Valley North Canterbury does it again: this region’s climate (long hot summers, lingering autumns) creates the slow but steady conditions that are perfect for intense flavour development in Rieslings like this lemon zesty white. It’s a medium dry style balanced by crisp acidity with 12.5 grams per litre of residual sugar. It drinks well now and can age for a further four to five years. 17.5/20 WINE2TRADE
2016 Terrace Edge Waipara Liquid RRP $21.95 Geography This North Canterbury Riesling (certified organic with BioGro NZ) is mediumbodied and intensely aromatic with flavours of sweet lemons, ripe grapefruit, peach and a note of apricot – the wine has five per cent botrytis. The acidity adds freshness, succulence and tension, balancing the fruit intensity and adding a long finish. It is medium sweet in style but this is offset by the high acidity. Good value for money and a lovely drink right now, but will also age a further four to five years. 17.50/20 WINE2TRADE
2016 Amisfield Dry Riesling RRP $25 Otago may have most of its grapes in the Pinot basket, but the region’s white
WINE CATEGORY REPORT B RIGHT WHITES
Marlborough may be best known for its bright whites made from Sauvignon Blanc but the region has great and virtually unexplored potential with Riesling too…
wines can be just as good and Amisfield Dry Riesling is one of my longstanding favourites. Winemaker Stephanie Lambert is a fellow Riesling fan and she makes this wine from vines that are 11-16 years old, leaving residual sugar of 8.6 grams per litre to balance its high acidity and provide accessible drinkability early on. It has a moderate alcohol level of 12% ABV, another refreshing draw to its bright, vibrant style. It is a lively drink right now and will also age well for nine to ten years. 17.5/20 AMISFIELD
2014 The Boneline Hellblock RRP $23-$24 Riesling This wine is a winner. Dry, fresh, vibrant, flavoursome and with wide instant appeal (as a recent Wellington tasting revealed). It sheds a new light on Riesling thanks to North Canterbury’s long autumns, which encourage the late-ripening Riesling grape to develop a complex range of flavours from zesty limes to ripe grapefruit, mandarin and peach. This ‘flavour fest’ is balanced by high acidity, which adds length to each succulent mouthful. 18.5/20 THE BONELINE
2014 Domaine Rewa Central Otago RRP $26.95 Riesling This Riesling has organic certification with BioGro NZ and boasts delicious flavours of lime, green apple, sweet lemon, mandarin and ripe peach. It’s a complex medium dry style offset beautifully by
high acidity, which adds succulence and lingering flavour to every sip. The wine has 25 grams per litre of residual sugar, but the low-ish alcohol of 11.2% ABV, the high acidity and intense flavours are well balanced. 18.5/20 WINE2TRADE
2016 Pewsey Vale Riesling
RRP $25
Australia is famous for its dry Rieslings, such as this light-bodied beauty made from grapes grown at 440 metres above sea level in the Eden Valley – a cool area in South Australia with a climate that differs greatly from the warmer neighbouring Barossa Valley. This wine has moderately high acidity and notes of fresh lime zest and, at this youthful stage of its life, works best with seafood and salty flavours. It drinks well now, yet has great ageing potential of nine to ten years. 17.5/20 NEGOCIANTS
2016 Pikes Traditionale Riesling RRP $22.99 South Australia’s Clare Valley rocks when it comes to dry Riesling with great drinkability now and an incredible ability to age and develop the complex flavours that make Riesling, for many, the greatest white grape on Earth. This wine is steely right now thanks to cool temperature fermentation, which preserves its primary citrus and green fruit flavours, but it can age and become fuller in body and richer in flavour for up to and beyond 10 years. That’s no mean feat in a country known
for its hot summers, but Clare Valley’s cooler climate enables Riesling to reach its peaks of great taste. 18.5/20 EUROVINTAGE
2016 River-T Estate Waitaki Valley RRP $21.95 Riesling This wine comes from a small familyowned vineyard in north Otago’s Waitaki Valley, inland from Oamaru. The grapes in this Riesling were hand-harvested after hanging out on the vines until late autumn and the wine is light-bodied with intense flavours of white flowers, lime zest, white peach and high acidity lending it a long, satisfying finish. 17.5/20 RIVER-T ESTATE
2017 Villa Maria Private Bin Riesling RRP $15.99 Outstanding wine, which rightly earns its maker the 2017 title of ‘New Zealand’s Most Admired Wine Brand’ from the British Drinks International magazine. This is a festival of fantastic flavours driven by a core of intense lime zest, lime juice, lemon and ripe mandarin, peach and even notes of apricot. It’s an incredibly clean, refreshing wine with a complex range of flavours and a long finish, which is why I’m giving it the equivalent of a silver medal score. It can also age well for four to five years. 17.5/20 VILLA MARIA
DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017 37
BRIGHT WHITES WINE CATEGORY REPORT
2012 Charles Wiffen Marlborough Riesling
RRP $19.95
Marlborough may be best known for its bright whites made from Sauvignon Blanc but the region has great and virtually unexplored potential with Riesling too, and this medium dry style proves the point. It has crisp, fresh acidity driving the wine’s intense aromatic flavours of white flowers, yellow citrus and hint of honey and peach. It drinks well now and has moderate alcohol of 10.9% ABV with 20 grams per litre of residual sugar (technically – and in taste – medium dry). It’s very good value for $20. 17.5/20 WINE2TRADE
2010 Desert Heart Central Otago Riesling RRP $24.95 This wine was made from grapes grown in Bannockburn, hand-picked and cool fermented with indigenous yeasts to 13% ABV, leaving 7.2 grams per litre of residual sugar, putting this wine intentionally in the off-dry style of Riesling. It is fresh and refreshing with interesting lime zest, green apple and honey flavours. It drinks well now but is youthful in style and has the potential to age well for six to seven years, thanks to the cool climate region, high acidity and winemaking by Jane Docherty. 17.5/20 DESERT HEART
2015 Mount Edward Morrison Riesling
and you have one of this country’s most distinctive white wines – one that is extremely tight and restrained in its youth and has great potential for ageing, due to its high acidity. This wine is made in small quantities at the Morrison Vineyard at Pisa, near Cromwell in Central Otago. It’s a special vineyard and a small one, planted by winemaker Duncan Forsyth; a fan of bone dry Rieslings. This wine drinks well now (pair with seafood and fresh flavours), but will come into its own with time. It can cellar well for nine to 10 years, and potentially beyond. 18.5/20 MINERAL
2015 Millton Opou Gisborne Riesling
WINE2TRADE
RRP $28
Gisborne winemaker James Millton is one of this country’s leading champions of diversity when it comes to wine styles. He makes a wide range and all from organically certified grapes and, increasingly, biodynamically grown grapes, such as in this Riesling. The wine is light-bodied but intensely flavoursome with aromas of jasmine, orange zest and ripe mandarin. Medium dry, it has refreshing zesty acidity and a long finish. 16.5/20 VINTNERS
Pinot Gris 2016 Spade Oak Voysey Gisborne RRP $19.95 Pinot Gris
RRP $29
Combine the deep south, the high acid Riesling grape and the Morrison Vineyard 38 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
diverse and exciting line-ups in the country right now, spanning interesting quirky whites such as Albariño, Petit Manseng and Viognier, through to Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris and a blanc de blancs bubbly. This Pinot Gris is youthful in colour (pale lemon) with flavours of green apple, pear and ripe stonefruit (white peach and peach nectar). It is medium-bodied and works well with spicy food thanks to its freshness and low acidity, which gives it a smooth style. The complex flavours are enhanced by time on yeast lees following fermentation. 17.5/20
Gisborne winemaker Steve Voysey is a dab hand with white winemaking and his Spade Oak brand includes one of the most
2015 Terrace Edge Waipara Pinot Gris
RRP $27
This wine is full-bodied and off dry at 14.3% ABV and with 15.5 grams per litre of residual sugar following a hand harvest and wild yeast fermentation in aged French oak. Lees stirring enhances its crushed nut aromas, which sit in harmony with its soft acidity and flavours of lily, white peach and honey. 16.5/20 WINE2TRADE
2015 Charles Wiffen Marlborough RRP $24 Pinot Gris Grapes from the Wiffen vineyards in Marlborough were fermented at cool temperatures to preserve fruit flavours of ripe apples, pear, peach and honeysuckle. The wine is made in an off-dry style with 12 grams per litre of residual sugar. It has a full body at 13.8% ABV, which is enhanced by 10 per cent of the wine
WINE CATEGORY REPORT B RIGHT WHITES
NEW TED BY MOUNT ED Duncan Forsyth and Anna Reiderer have launched a new range of wines this spring that are priced to appeal strongly to the restaurant and bar trade. The wines are called ‘Ted’ and are so new that images are yet to be taken, but the wines were trickling into the trade as Drinksbiz went to print. Ted wines are made from vineyards that are converting to organic certification (all Mount Edward-branded wines are now certified organic with BioGro NZ).
2017 Ted by Mount Edward Rosé
being matured in barrels for eight months, adding both flavour and fullness. It’s soft, smooth and works well as an aperitif or with spicy food thanks to its soft acidity and medium body. 16.5/20
2016 Ted Pinot Blanc
2017 Ara Single Estate Pinot Gris RRP $22.99 Fresh white pear and apple flavours shine in this top quality Marlborough Pinot Gris, which is made from a single estate – albeit a rather large one. Cool climate acidity combines with ripe fruit flavours that have developed during warmer days in our largest wine region. This is a wine made for drinking now. 17.5/20
2016 Peter Yealands Reserve RRP $18.95 Pinot Gris Yealands Estate is one of Marlborough’s largest and best known wineries and Pinot Gris is one of the keys to its success thanks to wines such as this Reserve white with its fresh pear flavours, medium body and finish. 16.5/20 YEALANDS
2016 Yealands Babydoll Pinot Gris RRP $17.95 Light, fresh whites are Marlborough’s strength and this one delivers great drinkability for both newcomers to wine and seasoned wine lovers alike. It’s soft, smooth and refreshing with its clean bright flavours of white pear and green apples. It has a light body and medium
RRP $22
A lovely dry white with refreshing citrusy flavours and interesting texture and weight (medium-bodied style) gained from time on yeast lees, which add savoury flavours. It is one of only three Otago Pinot Blancs; the others are from Nevis Bluff and (coming soon) Mount Difficulty. 16.5/20
WINE2TRADE
GIESEN
RRP $22
My pick of the new Ted range from Mt Edward is this pretty, pale pink rosé which is fresh, vibrant and dry in flavour. 17.5/20
MINERAL
finish. Yealands’ Babydoll range was previously only available on-premise, but proved so popular it was released to retail in April this year. 16.5/20 YEALANDS
2017 Craggy Range Pinot Gris, RRP $27.95 Te Muna Te Muna Road is part of Martinborough’s wine region, albeit a slightly elevated, slightly cooler and slightly drier area within the same climatic zone. Craggy Range Winery is in Hawke’s Bay but its owners, the Peabody family, have vineyards at Te Muna where they manage their own grapes, hence the high quality of this wine. This climate lends itself to wine styles with vibrant freshness, like this one, thanks to the bright acidity that adds zest to each sip. 17.5/20
2016 Mahana Nelson Pinot Gris RRP $29.50 This is the best Pinot Gris I have tasted in many years, possibly ever, and it comes from Nelson winemaker Michael Glover of Mahana Estate. It’s not your typical Gris, either, but is clean, fresh, light in body but fascinatingly tasty thanks to its grapes being given four days of skin contact prior to fermentation. This gives the wine its pale copper colour and its almost savoury flavours, which are balanced by fruit notes of dried apple and red apple. It’s anything but a typical Pinot Gris and even has slightly higher acidity than most. Michael Glover has worked hard to make a wine that allows Gris to shine. What a winner. Love this wine. 18.50/20 MAHANA ESTATE
VINTNERS DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017 39
BRIGHT WHITES WINE CATEGORY REPORT
Albariño 2016 Nautilus Albariño
RRP $29.95
Take the north-west of Spain and the South Island of New Zealand, and what do you have? This Albariño, for one, which is a hugely promising alternative white wine made at Nautilus by winemaker Clive Jones. He treats the wine to cool temperature ferments to preserve its peachy flavours and steely, slightly salty citrus tang, which comes through on the incredibly refreshing finish. Nautilus makes the best Marlborough Albariño that I have tried yet – a succulent, sensational drink. 18.5/20 NEGOCIANTS
2016 Villa Maria Single Vineyard Braided Gravels Albariño RRP $29.99 As one of New Zealand’s largest wineries, Villa Maria is also one of this country’s pioneers when it comes to trialling new wave wines for the mainstream market. This high quality Albariño has a fresh, medium-bodied style, moderate acidity and a long, succulent finish. It is a lovely expression of Hawke’s Bay’s warm climate, where the grapes for this wine were grown at Villa Maria’s Jospeh Soler vineyard, close to the region’s famed Gimblett Road. 17.5/20 VILLA MARIA
This 2016 Nautilus Albariño is a hugely promising alternative white wine made at Nautilus by winemaker Clive Jones.
2016 Villa Maria Cellar Selection RRP $17.99 Albariño This Albariño is made with grapes grown in one of the country’s warmest areas – Gisborne – which works well for the Spanish Albariño grape as it comes from a relatively warm, relatively high rainfall area in the north-west of Spain. This is medium-bodied, fresh and tangy on the finish. Very good value at this price and great to see an alternative grape variety widely available. 16.5/20 VILLA MARIA
Other Varietals 2016 Pala I Fiori Vermentino di RRP $21 Sardegna And now for something new: a modern Sardinian white made from the Vermentino grape; a specialty of this part of the Mediterranean. It’s a warm climate grape that retains refreshing moderate acidity to balance its medium body and ripe flavours of crushed almonds, citrus and blood orange. This is a dry wine that matches seafood superbly and is accessibly priced. 16.5/20 NEGOCIANTS
40 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
2016 Yealands PGR
RRP $24.95
Here is an innovative taste sensation made from an unconventional blend of white grapes: Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer and Riesling. This interesting trio combine their respective strengths to make a medium-bodied white with the softness of Gris, the personality of Gewürztraminer’s rose petal flavours and the zesty, bright lift of Riesling. It has a long finish and an accessible price tag. 17.5/20 YEALANDS
2016 Millton Te Arai Chenin Blanc RRP $30 James Millton is Chenin Blanc’s leading proponent in New Zealand and his Te Arai Vineyard is five kilometres from the sea, which adds a coolness that enables Chenin to retain its hallmark of high acidity – balanced here in an off-dry style with 7.4 grams per litre of residual sugar. The wine drinks beautifully now, or can age well for nine to ten years. 17.5/20 VINTNERS
For distributor details see Distributor Index page 88
– A UNIQUE –
GEMSTONE FROM NZ’S MOST AWARDED RIESLING PRODUCER
Mother earth creates gemstones. At Giesen we work in harmony with the earth, growing full flavoured Riesling grapes which we ferment and mature in granite. This creates a unique precious gem, Gemstone by Giesen.
LIMITED RELEASE SINGLE VINEYARD
AVAILABLE END OF OCTOBER 2017 • CONTACT YOUR GIESEN GROUP REPRESENTATIVE OR PHONE 03 344 6270
IWSC 2017 – REPORT
NZ goes gold at IWSC 2017
As the new New Zealand media partner for the International Wine & Spirit Competition, we bring you this in-depth look at the prestigious competition and the initial medal results ahead of the major award ceremony in mid-November. NEW ZEALAND wines did it again. They beat Sauvignons from around the globe at the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) 2017 to scoop the Sauvignon Blanc Trophy, and took out the Pinot Trophy on top of that. (See results over the page.) Add to that a plethora of Gold medal awards in styles from stickies to Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer to red
42 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
blends, and 2017 has been another stellar year for New Zealand at the competition. Considered something of an oenological Olympics, award wins at the IWSC are significant. Now in its 48th year, it is one of the world’s largest and most highly regarded wine shows, attracting entries from close to 90 countries, which are judged by some of the world’s most
esteemed palates. Success at the show not only reflects the quality of the individual products, but of a country as a whole. New Zealand regularly punches above its weight, beating wines from around the world to win top IWSC trophies and taking home a medal haul that’s above the average for the competition. Founded by the wine chemist, Anton Massel, in 1969, the IWSC retains his scientific influence: unlike other competitions its assessments include detailed technical analysis of the award-winning wines. The rationale behind this extra step is to provide an additional quality assurance that the awarded wines are sound and will continue to be so when the public purchase them after the results are released. It’s also somewhat rare that a wine competition is a full-time business working out of its own UK-based premises. Instead of setting up in rented space for a fast and frenetic few days of tasting, judging for the IWSC starts with the European entries in March and finishes with the New Zealand category in September. This time and space allows for lower limits
IWSC 2017 – REPORT
Founded by the wine chemist, Anton Massel, in 1969, the IWSC retains his scientific influence as its assessments include detailed technical analysis.
to be set on the number of wines that pass across a judge’s palate in a session. In many competitions on this side of the world, judges can often sample several hundred wines in the course of a day. A more European model is followed at the IWSC, with panels rarely seeing more than 60 wines in a day; this guards against tiring taste buds and allows plenty
Notes from the NZ Chair “Despite 2017 proving a challenging vintage for many regions, the standard of entries was very high and New Zealand still managed a strong year at the IWSC overall, actually winning more gold medals than at last year’s competition. It was great to see top awards given to such a spread of styles, reinforcing the fact that the country not only makes world-class Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, but varieties such as Chardonnay and Riesling as well, which were also highly awarded this year.” – Jo Burzynska
of time for assessment and discussion. A wine show is only as good as the quality of its results, which is where its carefully selected judges come in. The IWSC’s respected roll call includes 40 Masters of Wine, leading wine critics, professional buyers and winemakers, who are overseen by its Technical and Judging Committee. To ensure all products are evaluated with the consumer in mind, the IWSC also includes “lay” judges on its panels; knowledgeable consumer judges from outside the drinks industry, brought in to balance the professional perspective. Results with integrity are also achieved by the rigour with which this judging is managed. On arrival, each entry is allotted a number, which becomes its only identity before the eyes of the judges throughout proceedings. This is all the judges see on their glasses, which are poured in a room separate from the judging, so there’s no risk of a giveaway glimpse of a wine capsule or bottle neck to provide clues about the specific provenance of what they’re tasting. Judges are told only the theme of each DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017 43
IWSC 2017 – REPORT
Trophy Wines Takapoto Single Vineyard Bannockburn Pinot Noir 2012 – Outstanding and Pinot Noir Trophy Tesco finest* North Row Vineyard Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016 – Outstanding and Sauvignon Blanc Trophy
NZ Producer Trophy shortlist Crossroads (Peter Yealands) Kim Crawford (Constellation New Zealand) Matua Valley Wines
It’s also somewhat rare that a wine competition is a full-time business working out of its own UK-based premises.
Profile Farms
of the classes, which are organised by vintage, variety, style and region – right down to sub-region if specified, to ensure like is judged with like. Each judge gives a wine an individual mark that is pooled with those of their fellow panel members. These are then averaged to determine whether a wine gets a gold, silver, bronze or no award. Wines awarded marks in the upper part of the gold and silver medal brackets, or a unanimous gold, are additionally named ‘Outstanding’. When there’s no clear agreement wines can be re-tasted, discussed or referred to another panel to arrive at a consensus. After the initial medals have been awarded, the top wines go forward for re-tasting in the Trophy category.
NZ Gold Medals
Here, they compete at national or international level with the top wines of the show. Those awarded Trophy, such as Takapoto Single Vineyard Bannockburn Pinot Noir 2012 and the Tesco finest* North Row Vineyard Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016 this year, have beaten competition from all other countries, making a win at this level a major achievement. A Trophy is also awarded to the producer from each country whose entries have done the best overall, with this year’s New Zealand shortlist below. The winner will be revealed mid-November at the IWSC’s awards banquet at the historic Guildhall in the City of London, where all the top winners receive their awards. FIND OUT MORE AT IWSC.NET
Taste success with Glengarry The IWSC has partnered with Glengarry, which will be promoting many of the medal winners throughout its stores. Glengarry will be holding an event at its flagship Victoria Park branch on the evening of November 3, where you can taste many of the highest awarded wines with NZ Panel Chair, Jo Burzynska. FOR MORE DETAILS AND TO BUY TICKETS: GLENGARRYWINES.CO.NZ/TASTINGS
Winners at The Winery Top award-winning wines are also being promoted in the south at The Winery in Queenstown, where some will be offered for tasting in store over the October promotional period. THEWINERY.CO.NZ
44 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
Peregrine Wines Villa Maria
Peregrine Central Otago Riesling 2012 (Outstanding) Marisco Vineyards The King’s A Sticky End Noble Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016 (Outstanding) Kim Crawford Small Parcels Wild Grace Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2016 (Outstanding) Crossroads Talisman Hawke’s Bay 2014 Giesen The Brothers Late Harvest Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2014 Lake Chalice Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Matua Single Vineyard Central Otago Pinot Noir 2014 Mohua Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Oyster Bay Marlborough Botrytised Riesling 2011 Spy Valley Single Vineyard Marlborough Gewürztraminer 2016 Takapoto Single Vineyard Bannockburn Central Otago Pinot Noir 2014 The Ned Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2017 Tohu Rore Reserve Marlborough Pinot Noir 2015 Villa Maria Single Vineyard Keltern Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2016
THIS SUMMER IS ALL ABOUT
Rosé
MADE BY MOONLIGHT .
2017
opawawine.com
DRINKSBIZ WITH VILLA MARIA
New Zealand’s Most Awarded Winery
No great wine ever came from a spreadsheet.
Villa Maria opens another world Pioneering New Zealand wine brand Villa Maria has launched a major international campaign to drive consumer connection and showcase its world-class wines
CONSUMERS AROUND the world are taking up the invitation to discover more about Villa Maria and its wines as the New Zealand wine company rolls out a new multi-channel campaign entitled ‘Open Another World™’. The campaign encompasses digital, social, experiential, print and in-store POS elements. It launched in the UK in 2016, and in the USA, Canada and New Zealand in 2017, with activity planned through 2018. It taps into consumers’ increasing desire to know more about a brand and its values before choosing it as part of their lifestyle. ‘Open Another World™‘ uses brand-focused messaging to invite consumers to delve more deeply into who Villa Maria is, and to discover its commitment to quality winemaking by revealing the people behind the brand and emphasising the craftsmanship that goes into its wines. Villa Maria Chairperson, Karen Fistonich, says the time was right for the company to open more of a dialogue with its audience. “We believe today’s consumers want to know what lies behind a brand and that authenticity is key to consumers being able to truly trust a brand. Social media has given us the opportunity to connect more directly with our end consumer and have more meaningful 46 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
Winemaking is an art, not a numbers game and our winemakers and viticulturists understand this. They pick our grapes based on flavour and ripeness, not on achieving a certain yield. It’s a luxury we have from being family-owned which means everything we do is for the good of what’s in the glass. For us it’s simple: our wine is far more important than how many zeros are on our balance sheet. So open a bottle of Villa Maria and experience what passion and dedication taste like.
OPEN ANOTHER WORLD
TM
George, Founder, Owner
VM1708-2893 OAW_A2 poster.indd 1
“Our ‘Open Another World’ campaign enables us to share our stories – so consumers can get to know us and understand what has inspired us.” Karen Fistonich, Chairperson – Villa Maria exchanges versus just pushing static brand ads at them. Our ‘Open Another World’ campaign enables us to share our stories – so consumers can get to know us and understand what has inspired us.” This manifests through a variety of
24/08/17 12:55 PM
social content designed to tell the story of Villa Maria’s winemakers and viticulturists; insights into the brand and its history, through to practical wine information and food matching tips. Villa Maria has also partnered with key social influencers in the target 20-40 demographic who are creating custom content to share with their audiences. Experiential activations have included a Treasure Hunt in central Auckland designed to build greater engagement and drive wine tasting. Digital and social programming is focused on brand awareness, alongside media partnerships with
DRINKSBIZ WITH VILLA MARIA
New at Villa Maria
Villa Maria plans to stay uppermost in shoppers’ minds over summer with a ‘container bar’ touring nationwide to showcase the wide range of varietals, along with in-store activations in both on- and off-trade.
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Rosé
New Zealand’s Most Awarded Winery
Full-bodied, with distinct undertones of independence. When you’re independent, you get to decide your own path and follow your dreams. This is what fuels us on our journey to constantly discover amazing. We can experiment with new varietals, try new winemaking techniques, leave the grapes on the vines until they reach peak ripeness for full flavour and choose only what is good enough to share with our family and friends. See for yourself, next time you open a bottle of Villa Maria.
OPEN ANOTHER WORLD
TM
George, Founder, Owner
VM1708-2893 OAW_A2 poster.indd 2
24/08/17 12:56 PM
New Zealand’s Most Awarded Winery
*Drinks International’s ‘The World’s Most Admired Wine Brands’ 2017 survey
We put trust in our makers.
Our winemakers and viticulturists are why we are #1 in New Zealand and fourth Most Admired Wine Brand* in the world. Their intuition and commitment to their craft has created wines that people love to drink. We don’t ever want to lose that so we give them the room to do what they do best. It’s a luxury that comes from being family-owned. And for us, that means always putting quality first. Next time you open a bottle of Villa Maria you’ll be opening a world of uncompromising dedication and a little touch of faith.
OPEN ANOTHER WORLD
TM
Emma, Vineyard Nursery Viticulturist
VM1708-2893 OAW_A2 poster.indd 3
24/08/17 12:56 PM
outlets such as Paperboy, Viva, MindFood and The Edge radio, as well as earned media coverage to bring the Villa Maria stories to life and put the brand front and centre. Villa Maria plans to stay uppermost in shoppers’ minds over summer with a ‘container bar’ touring nationwide to showcase the wide range of varietals, along with in-store activations in both onand off-trade. Two new launches will be showcased as part of the campaign: the Villa Maria Cellar Selection Rosé and the Single Vineyard Albariño. The Rosé will play a key role during the campaign given the varietal’s steady growth in the New Zealand market, point of difference, and popularity as a summer drink. Albariño, meanwhile, is gaining momentum as an alternative white and is particularly suited to food matching over summer months. Villa Maria believes the ‘Open Another World™’ campaign will show consumers another side to the entirely New Zealand and family-owned company that was named ‘New Zealand’s Most Admired Wine Brand’ by Drinks International magazine in 2017. “’Open another World’ invites the wine drinker in – to discover our world, to hear our history and the strong values that have defined us,” explains Karen Fistonich. “Ultimately, to share a glass of wine and have an experience that is enhanced, because they now understand the commitment and dedication to quality that lies behind our brand.”
This new release will be a highlight of the summer campaign, with Rosé one of the fastest-growing varietals in the market. Vineyard blocks expressing delicate Pinot Noir flavours and crisp natural acidity are carefully selected for this Cellar Selection wine, which is made from 100% Marlborough Pinot Noir. Villa Maria Cellar Selection Rosé has aromas of freshly picked raspberries and strawberries, combined with fresh herbs and delicate florals. The flavours on the palate are reminiscent of juicy watermelon and red cherries, finishing with the crisp tartness of pomegranate seeds. It captures summer in a glass, but can be enjoyed year-round.
Villa Maria Braided Gravels Albariño Villa Maria continues its pioneering tradition with this Albariño from Hawke’s Bay. This wine is made from a single vineyard parcel from Villa Maria’s Joseph Soler vineyard in Hawke’s Bay, close to Gimblett Road. The grapes were gently pressed to a combination of stainless steel barrels and seasoned oak puncheon for fermentation. The resulting wine displays pure varietal characters of peach and lime, entwined with subtle mineral complexities on a complex, long and dry finish.
FIND OUT MORE AT VILLAMARIA.CO.NZ DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017 47
WINE – HIGH 5
Big, buttery and beautiful
It remains the world’s most popular white wine and Chardonnay shows no signs of slowing, with these releases from New Zealand producers sure to catch consumers’ attention, writes Joelle Thomson
01
Lone star
RRP $28
The Family Company, ‘Cosmos’ Blanc de Blancs The term ‘blanc de blancs’ translates literally as ‘white of whites’. It refers to Chardonnay being the solo player in this dry, full-bodied, creamy bubbly. Its complex flavours of fresh buttered sourdough come from lees ageing in the bottle where the wine went through its second fermentation and gained bubbles from the dissolved CO2. Good value for money, thanks to its rich flavours, full body, complex aromas and lingering finish. A great summer wine at an accessible price for bars and restaurants to serve by the glass. VINTAGE DISTRIBUTION
02Cellar buster
POA for 6-pack
2007 Dog Point Vineyard Marlborough Chardonnay
Chardonnay – the facts • Originated in France’s Burgundy wine region • Believed to take its name from the village of Chardonnay in the same region • Is New Zealand’s third most planted grape overall, and second most planted white grape after Sauvignon Blanc (which leads by several country miles) • Is extremely versatile as it has the ability to make crisp dry whites in a Chablis style (with low to no oak), as well as big, buttery full-bodied wines. It also performs a key role in sparkling wine production
48 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
This 10-year-old wine is dry, full-bodied and flavoursome with intense creamy aromas and complexity that make it an exceptionally interesting drink. Its makers have re-released it and other wines from 2007 as part of a new focus in which they are re-releasing older vintage wines as 6-packs. The first includes this 2007 Chardonnay, the 2007 Section 94 (100% barrel fermented Sauvignon Blanc) and the 2007 Pinot Noir. Limited amounts of the wines were made available this year for purchase and next year the winery will release 2008 wines from its cellars. DOG POINT VINEYARD
03King of Chardonnay
RRP $60
2016 Tony Bish Skeetfield Chardonnay This big-bodied Chardonnay is made from the Skeetfield Vineyard, which is dry farmed and planted with Mendoza Chardonnay grapes, which are known for their variable berry sizes. This variation can work to the advantage of high quality wines by providing grapes with high acidity and concentration of flavour, which is further accentuated by the unirrigated vines producing intense concentra-
tion. The wine was 100% barrel fermented in French oak from famed coopers Taransaud, 60% of which were new barrels. It remained on lees for 12 months and has picked up rich characters as a result. The finish is long and the price is high, but the quality stacks up in what is hopefully destined to become a New Zealand classic. TONY BISH WINES
04Great Whitehaven
RRP $22-$24
2015 Whitehaven Marlborough Chardonnay It’s rare to find a wine this good at such a modest price, but then, this was a gold medal winner at the New Zealand International Wine Show in Auckland. It’s made from grapes that were hand-harvested, whole cluster pressed and transferred to French oak barrels midway through fermentation. This time in wood provides the wine with an integrated aroma and taste of cedar and cloves. Its dry, fullbodied (13.5% ABV) flavours are supported by zesty acidity and aromas of citrus and peach. Whitehaven Marlborough Chardonnay is a top drop under $25 that consistently over-delivers for its price. WHITEHAVEN
05Nautilus top white
RRP $34
2016 Nautilus Marlborough Chardonnay Chardonnay plays a small but important role at Nautilus Estate in Marlborough. Just five per cent of the overall production is devoted to this popular wine, meaning only 70 barrels of this rich, buttery Chardonnay were produced. The wine went through a full barrel ferment, which adds softness as well as complex flavours of yeast, buttery notes and fresh bread aromas, all of which are underpinned by great acidity – adding a refreshing note and a long finish. NEGOCIANTS
For distributor details see Distributor Index page 88
Summer is just a sip away… Try our new Pinot Noir Rosé Aromatics of freshly picked raspberries and strawberries combine with fresh herbs and delicate florals. With flavours of juicy watermelon, red cherries and the crisp tartness of pomegranate seeds, enjoy the taste of summer all year round.
New Zealand’s Most Awarded Winery
Available in stores nationwide.
IN VINO VERITAS
Joelle Thomson Journalist, wine writer and author mailme@joellethomson.com
Super natural wine
The word ‘natural’ may be on trend, but organic and biodynamic wine production have more quantifiable integrity, says Joelle Thomson JAMES MILLTON farms 30 hectares in Gisborne and began his journey into organic winemaking 30 years ago, so you could call him a natural when it comes to growing things without man-made chemicals. But ‘natural’ is not a word that organic winemakers tend to use these days. ‘Natural wine’ is a trend that is snowballing internationally but, strangely, has no defined meaning. For this reason, some have described natural wine as meaningless, but the movement has too many followers to be discounted. It is used to market wines made along guidelines that suggest there are no added chemicals, commercial yeasts (to aid fermentation) or sulphur dioxide (to preserve oxidation). But that’s not always the case. Because there are no boundaries around what ‘natural’ wine is, many ‘natural’ wines have been made with grapes grown using man-made chemicals, which begs the question: what does ‘natural’ mean? Many natural wine producers focus more on what they don’t do in the winery, than on what they do in the vineyard to grow grapes that are free from chemicals. It’s a stark contrast to organic and biodynamic wine production, which is underpinned by quantifiable independent auditing and certification. In June, I attended New Zealand’s second Organic & Biodynamic Winegrowing Conference, which was held in Marlborough. Organic Winegrowers New Zealand is funded by New Zealand Winegrowers, to which all wine producers pay a levy for legislative, marketing and health reasons. The conference focused on bugs, biosecurity and reducing chemical use in non-organic grape growing and wine production, but the most inspiring story I heard was while sitting down to lunch with winemaker Guy Porter of Bellbird Spring Wines, whose journey brings us back to James Millton. Both men were drawn to organic grape 50 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
Many natural wine producers focus more on what they don’t do in the winery, than on what they do in the vineyard to grow grapes that are free from chemicals. growing through a concern for human health. “I got into organics out of a desire to create a workplace with better health and safety practices than the use of chemicals, such as glyphosate, which we did use,” said Porter, explaining his journey away from conventional horticultural methods into full organic conversion with BioGro NZ. This took effect on his wines for the first time in 2016. He has seen a radical change in the health of the soils in his 4.6 hectare vineyard in North Canterbury. Worm numbers and microbes have increased since he stopped using chemicals to combat weeds and other predator risks, such as insects. What’s interesting, he says, is to see non-organic vineyards with their
burnt-out strips underneath the vines, due to chemicals. “If you manage land this way, you can have dead soils,” says Porter. “You damage the beneficial relationship between the plants with the other organisms.” As he began exploring the health and safety aspects of growing grapes, it became clear that hazardous chemicals were used in conventional viticulture. He wanted a safer, healthier workplace and discovered that the sky didn’t fall in when he discarded chemicals, so it became a driver for the way he farmed his land. Porter now has full BioGro certification, but it hasn’t yet appeared on his wine labels. Marketing was not the reason for going organic – health and safety were. You could call it natural, or you could simply say it’s super to see chemicals go and the natural world championed with quantifiable, authentic certification.
NB: The next Organic & Biodynamic Winegrowing Conference will be held in 2019.
VISIT WWW.LEEFIELDSTATION.CO.NZ TO GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING
DRINKSBIZ WITH SOCIAL DRINKWARE
The social solution THE PERFECT answer to summer’s packed events calendar is here: a new premium stemless wine tumbler made from recyclable PET plastic that is ideal for hospitality events, or those hosting friends and family. Kiwi company Social Drinkware has created the high quality 470ml tumblers for retail and hospitality with 4-pack and 48-pack boxes available. Co-owner Nick Borland says they have a superior look and feel compared with other similar products on the market and are more cost-effective, too. The 4-pack of tumblers will retail for RRP$9.99. They are ideal for small or large-scale events where glass isn’t practical, or a recyclable option is preferred. He says they spent a lot of time perfecting the design to ensure crystal clear clarity and ideal shape. “We have a more modern premium wine glass shape – we’ve been very conscious of how wide the mouth of the glass is so it can contain the wine’s aromas. Although it is plastic, when there’s wine in it it’s so light and so thin that you could almost think you were drinking out of a glass.” The tumblers are designed to be single use and as such are recyclable, but Borland points out that they can easily be washed and re-used. Social Drinkware’s 52 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
commitment to a more sustainable product extends to its packaging as well: the tumblers come in PET plastic trays inside a cardboard box – meaning everything can be recycled. Borland says they wanted to create something that is ‘hospo ready’, to make event set-up as easy as it can be. “There’s no extraneous packaging. There are no plastic bags, everything is in a tray so it’s easy to open
“Although it is plastic, when there’s wine in it it’s so light and so thin that you could almost think you were drinking out of a glass.”
and pull out. You’re handling it by the base of the glass so there are no fingers at the top. We’re very conscious of our market and want to make it easy while being conscious of waste as well.” The response from industry has already been overwhelmingly positive with interest from organisers of major winery festivals through to smaller boutique events. “It’s a fantastic product for bars and restaurants too,” says Borland, “where they want to supplement glass with plastic, perhaps for an indoor/outdoor event.” He expects the glasses to popular with consumers as well, heading into summer party season and holidays. Social Drinkware tumblers will be available from the beginning of November through Southern Hospitality and champagne flutes and craft beer tumblers are in the pipeline too. Nick Borland says their close relationship with the manufacturer means they can also create products to customers’ requirements. “We’re able to work with customers on tailor-made solutions around size, shape, pour lines and branding. We like to think of ourselves as a progressive brand where we can sit down with people and work with what they want.” FIND OUT MORE AT SOCIALDRINKWARE.COM
Exclusive distributor in New Zealand:
Q-Liquid Ltd, 232A Neilson Street, Onehunga, Auckland. Tel: 09 6367730 WWW.QLL.CO.NZ
WINE NEWS
Rush on for OTQ WINEMAKER JULES Taylor has released the latest wines in her popular OTQ range. The Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Rosé are all limited release single vineyard wines from Marlborough using handpicked grapes. OTQ stands for ‘On The Quiet’, a reference to the fact Taylor first made these wines from pockets of fruit she spotted in the vineyards, which she felt showed great promise. Making them ‘on the quiet’ in small quantities at the back of the winery she was able to experiment more with the four varietals. The Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in the 2017 range are all wild fermented and barrel aged. The 2017 Rosé is made from Pinot Noir and is dry, with light berry flavours. With the Sauvignon Blanc the largest of the four varietals at 500 cases, OTQ is expected to move quickly in its biggest markets of New Zealand and the US. “Once it’s gone, it’s gone,” says Taylor. “I’d say if you want some with your Christmas turkey, get in now.”
Sacred Hill launches new Rosé HAWKE’S BAY wine brand Sacred Hill is looking to build on the rapid growth of Rosé with the release of its Sacred Hill Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2017. The varietal has soared in popularity and is widely expected to see continued demand from shoppers heading into summer and beyond. The Sacred Hill Rosé 2017 has vibrant flavours of berry with a sherbert lift on the finish. (12.5% ABV) RRP$16.99 QUENCH COLLECTIVE
HANCOCKS
Madam Sass strides into the room... AS FAR as wine labels go, Madam Sass, as the name suggests, is ready to challenge boundaries and make a lasting impression in the premium Pinot Noir category. The new label launched by Accolade Wines has already made an upfront splash with wine drinkers. Madam Sass was launched in September in Auckland at the popular Pinot Palooza event. It was the right fit for the new brand, where the aim of the event is to offer Pinot Noir lovers a fun environment to meet the producer and hear more about their story; with less focus on the technical winemaking aspects. Winemaker Cleighten Cornelius said the predominantly female crowd loved the label, which resembles a vintage corset. “The wine received a lot of attention, with many people coming back for a second taste. The event was sold out, with almost 1,000 guests at Shed 10. Madam Sass fitted in perfectly with the relaxed Pinot-centric space.” Brand Manager, Chrissy Powlesland, agreed the event was fantastic and was delighted with the new wine’s success. “We know that wine lovers have so many choices today, so taking a ‘love at first sight’ approach meant the label’s design was really important,” she said.
Shelf stand-out it has, aplenty. The label’s story was conceived around the plight of Madam Sass, a femme fatale character from the Gold Rush era in Central Otago in the 1860s, and Powlesland said it was important to weave the story of the terroir into the label. “We did this by personifying the brand with our fictional heroine. I wanted Madam Sass to be memorable and a concept that would resonate with sassy women in today’s world,” she said. The company’s vineyard, Claim 431 on Bendigo Loop Road, where Madam Sass is produced, offers a direct connection to the gold mining era. The vineyard was planted in 2003 and is better known for producing award-winning Mud House wines. Hancocks Wine, Spirit & Beer Merchants is Accolade Wines’ distributor in New Zealand and its Wine Portfolio Manager, Andrew Antunovich said Madam Sass has been really well received by the trade. Glengarry was the first stockist and supermarket shoppers in the South Island will be next to sip Madam Sass, with Foodstuffs South Island ranging the brand from October. Auckland institution Chapel Bar on Ponsonby Road (always an early adopter) will be featuring ‘Madam Sass Hour’ “leading customers into summer in a Sassy way!” said Antunovich. For distribution inquiries contact Hancocks Wine, Spirit & Beer Merchants 0800 699 463. FACEBOOK.COM/MADAMSASS TWITTER.COM/MADAMSASSWINE
DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017 55
WINE NEWS
Premium wines from Taylor Brown TAYLOR BROWN (the joint distribution partnership between Australian winemakers Taylors Wines and Brown Brothers) has released the latest wines in its superpremium portfolio in New Zealand. Third and fourth generation family members, Justin Taylor and Caroline Brown, hosted a series of consumer and trade events in Auckland and Wellington to showcase Brown Brothers’ Patricia range and Taylors’ St Andrew range.
Brown Brothers is focusing on driving the Patricia range’s high credentials in New Zealand, as well as the Prosecco and Moscato wines that are finding success in other markets. Taylors’ aims to highlight its portfolio beyond the Estate range, which is already a staple for the New Zealand wine drinker with the Merlot, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon each ranked number one in their price categories. Patricia is Brown Brothers’ flagship range, named after Patricia Brown, whose fatherin-law founded the winery in 1889 and whose children continued the family winemaking tradition. The four new premium releases are: Patricia Pinot Noir Chardonnay Brut 2010 (RRP $34.99), Patricia Shiraz 2012 (RRP $54.99), Patricia Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 (RRP $54.99) and Patricia Noble Riesling 2013 ($34.99). Taylors Wines St Andrews range is designed to showcase the very best of
handcrafted Clare Valley winemaking. New premium releases are: St Andrews Riesling 2016 (RRP $34.99), St Andrews Chardonnay 2015 (RRP $34.99), St Andrews Shiraz 2014 (RRP $69.99) and St Andrews Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 (RRP $69.99). TAYLOR BROWN
Message in a bottle from SOHO
Montana adds Reserve Rosé
SOHO WINES is getting behind the issue of mental health with its new release SOHO Pink Sheep Rosé 2017. The wine’s name was inspired by acclaimed designer, the late Alexander McQueen, who often described himself as the “pink sheep” of the family. McQueen, who suffered from mental illness, took his own life in 2010. Fifty cents from each bottle of SOHO Pink Sheep Rosé 2017 sold will be donated to a nominated mental health charity – in New Zealand this is Mike King’s charitable trust Key to Life, which aims to encourage positive change around mental health, with a focus on youth. RRP$ 27.
A HAWKE’S Bay Rosé is the latest addition to Montana’s Reserve range, which launched earlier this year. The new wine has strawberry and red berry characters with a creamy mouthfeel. The range is designed to showcase varietals from New Zealand’s best known wine regions. The Rosé joins the existing Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, Waipara Pinot Noir, Gisborne Chardonnay and Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris. RRP $16.99 PERNOD RICARD
SOHO WINE CO
Winejobsonline sources best harvest staff worldwide RECRUITMENT FOR the 2018 harvest is in full swing and New Zealand’s premier wine industry jobsite, winejobsonline, is in its 14th year of sourcing harvest staff from around the world for the country’s winemakers. The high quality and
quantity of applicants being received through the site confirms New Zealand’s attractiveness as a location for wine industry workers to gain experience. It is estimated that more than 15,000 job applications will be received from at least 30
56 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
different countries as winemakers recruit staff over the next three to four months. Winejobsonline offers various harvest/vintage packages, and placing a job advertisement on the site is straightforward, stress-free and extremely
cost-effective. Employers can monitor advertisement views and applications and the volume of applicants ensures they have a wide range of jobseekers from which to choose. FIND OUT MORE AT WINEJOBSONLINE.COM
Live life a glass half full Premium plastic wine tumblers, beautifully crafted to give the appearance of glass, whilst being durable, affordable and recyclable. Whether you’re interested in selling our retail 4 pack in your store or simply requiring our tumblers for an event or function, we have pricing structures to cater for any social occasion. Talk to us to find out more, or to place your first order.
+64 (0)21 146 2925
socialdrinkware@gmail.com
www.socialdrinkware.com
THREE
NEW
IPA’s
Hi Res is a nod to the Home of the Brave with a tonne of dank American hops shovelled in to the brew. True to its name, Hi-Res is a juicy, highly resinous brew exploding with citrus and tropical fruit flavours and aromas.
Hi Res IPA and Hopfinity IPA are available in 500ml bottle. Coastin’ Session IPA is available in 6 and 12 pack.
Accessible, approachable, distinctly quaffable. Whatever you call it, Coastin’ is a beautifully refreshing ale loaded with passionfruit, melon and mango from a generous helping of Trans-Tasman hops.
There’s a vast array of hops that grace this great country. They’ve been combined with exemplary South Island malts to create one immense Kiwi brew. Hopfinity combines a heady blend of citrus, sauvignon grape and stone fruits.
All you’ll need to survive the summer, ahem, Southerly.
BEER & CIDER CATEGORY REPORT
Cheers to spring Longer days, warmer weather and the promise of summer round the corner. Get ready for the crowds with these new releases.
DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017 59
BEER & CIDER CATEGORY REPORT
OUT IN THE WOPS
APRI-CIATE THIS
OOH-AHH!
Emerson’s Hop Wops Session
Tuatara Sanctus Apricot Ardennes Belgian Golden Ale
Tuatara Hopfinity
7.5% ABV, 500ml RRP $9.99
Normally, a 7% ABV craft beer crowing about its hops blows your head off with its bitterness and booze. Tuatara’s Hopfinity manages to walk the line well, producing a very drinkable ale given how bitter and alcoholic it is. Dangerously drinkable, you might say. The big pineapple nose signals the huge bouquet that is to follow – a member of the tasting panel nailed it by describing it as ‘a pineapple Fruju taste inside a beer’. Fresh-flavoured Thai dishes would pair well but the pineapple also suggests a companion in a sharp, mature Cheddar.
Pale Ale 4% ABV, 500ml RRP $7.99
Though Richard Emerson is regarded as the godfather of the New Zealand craft beer scene, he and his brewing team have never forgotten their roots. The Hop Wops Session Pale Ale is a nod to a beer of yesteryear – a stripped-back, grassroots drop that will have broad appeal. The Dunedin water is evident in the mossy, old-wood notes that suffuse this light golden amber brew. LION
Tuatara has pushed the boat out with this one, but come up trumps. Slightly cloudy in the Belgian style, this tastes like a wheat beer with spice and fruit notes, particularly the apricot indicated on the label, although it’s nicely integrated and doesn’t come across as gimmicky. The higher alcohol content is also very well orchestrated. Recommend with confidence to curious drinkers. TUATARA BREWING
GARY!
JUST ROLLING
Emerson’s A Beer Called Gary
Tuatara Coastin’ Session IPA
6.5% ABV, 500ml RRP $9.99
4.6% ABV, 330ml 6-pack RRP $19.99, 12-pack RRP $36.99
You know you’re a valued customer when they name a beer after you. Gary evidently likes a hoppy IPA and that’s what the team at Emerson’s have delivered him. Pouring a solid amber and with a fruitpacked nose, Gary is a beer that comes on strong and finishes good and bitter. The flavours come together much better as the beer warms in the glass, so avoid serving it too cold. It has a nice backstory to it, (the name is bound to prompt a few questions from punters) and it’s always good to have a beer that’s made for a yarn. LION
60 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
Here’s a classy little number that you could just drink and drink over the summer months. Pouring clear and bright, Coastin’ has a juicy fruit nose, but in the glass it’s a bit tart and very crisp. The hops are tangy but not overpowering and the bitterness is just right for return trips to the bar. Surf clubs and seaside venues are a natural fit for serving this. Ideal with a pizza or a seafood meal. TUATARA BREWING
7% ABV, 500ml RRP $5.99
TUATARA BREWING
NELSON’S FINEST Sprig & Fern Tasman Reserve 6.5% ABV, 1.3L RRP $12.29
Harking back to the grand old days of New Zealand beer, Sprig & Fern’s Tasman Reserve is a familiar drop that hits all the nostalgia notes. It’s a slightly musky, mid-brown beer that goes down a lot more easily than its 6.5% ABV suggests. Arriving in the 1.3-litre flagon (and under the new branding), this is a beer to take care with. SPRIG & FERN
CATEGORY REPORT B EER & CIDER
GET OUT THE BAGPIPES
YANKEE IN CHRISTCHURCH
CHOCOHOLIC
Sprig & Fern Scotch Ale
Kaiser Brothers APA
Moa Milk Chocolate Stout
6.5% ABV, 1.3L RRP $12.29
5.5%, 500ml RRP $6.99
5.8% ABV, 500ml RRP $9.99
As dark as a Scottish winter night, Sprig & Fern’s Scotch Ale is a welcome respite from the lagers and IPAs that seem to dominate the New Zealand craft scene. The malty nose promises what is to come: a homely, satisfying ale with hints of caramel and chocolate throughout. A generous and chewy flavour profile is balanced by a hint of well-rounded hops. For a cold beer it seemed to impart a great deal of warmth from the belly up. Watch the flavours rise as the beer warms in the glass.
The Kaisers have taken an often full-on American style and delivered it with some Canterbury restraint. This lovely APA holds aromas of slight mango on the nose and a soft bitterness that rounds out the flavour and leaves a very drinkable drop. The citrus notes could send this beer towards a pairing with light fish dishes.
Moa has teamed up with chocolate milk maestros Lewis Road Creamery to produce one of the most decadent beers you’ll have the pleasure of setting your lips upon. While the classic stout notes of coffee, caramel and leather are there, the overriding impression is of drinking a very refined chocolate milk. Indeed, chocolate nibs have been introduced into the brewing process. Chefs should be brought in for consultation on this one as it could be used in many innovative ways – a beer affogato (basically a beer spider) sounds extreme, but could just work.
SPRIG & FERN
RULE BRITANNIA Kaiser Brothers English Special Bitter 5% ABV, 500ml RRP $6.99
The Christchurch brothers have been making big in-roads into the New Zealand scene and it is innovative takes like this that seem to be doing it. Their English Special Bitter creates an entry point for New Zealand palates into what can be a formidable style of beer. The bitter is a drinkable, balanced drop with hints of kiwifruit skin and a loamy, earthiness. Enjoy with salt and vinegar crisps or a pie and mushy peas.
GIESEN
ALL WHEAT, NO CHAFF Kaiser Brothers Weizen Wheat Beer 5% ABV, 500ml RRP $6.99
With a name like Kaiser Brothers you’d expect them to have a crack at a wheat beer. They’ve taken all the usual wheat beer characteristics though, and funnelled them through a New Zealand sensibility that will draw in many who may have been put off by such a foreign-sounding concept. It’s not as cloudy as you might expect and the traditional wheat beer flavours are turned down a notch or two and given a bit more time to breathe. That wheat beer banana flavour remains, but is also restrained. This is what happens when skilled Kiwi brewers riff on a classic German style. Pair it with green-lipped mussels for a New Zealand symphony. GIESEN
MOA
SESSION STATION Moa Station IPA 5.1% ABV, 330ml 12 pack RRP $24.99
Moa has excelled with this superdrinkable IPA that hits all the buttons but doesn’t push any of them too far. It’s a perfect lunch-time beer – the flavours are crisp with a medium tartness – they get in there and get out again quickly with no messing around or fuss. Summery and clean, this is an IPA that many will turn into their session drop this season. Versatile and classy. MOA
GIESEN
DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017 61
BEER & CIDER CATEGORY REPORT
BARKING UP THE RIGHT TREE Black Dog Royal Mastiff 8.2% ABV, 500ml RRP $10.99
A big, bold Imperial IPA for connoisseurs of the style. Somewhat pungent on the nose, it drinks surprisingly easily due to its excellent balance, but beware the 8.2% bite. A collaboration between Black Dog and “Gypsy Brewer” Dan Lord of Lord Almighty Brewing, this is a beer to be savoured with cured meats or sharp, crumbly cheeses. BLACK DOG BREWERY
SLEEK AND DARK Black Dog Pango Black IPA 5.6% ABV, 500ml RRP $10.99
Leathery, hoppy, dark and bitter, this sleek brew stalks the tastebuds and growls around with a good dose of locker room musk thrown in for good measure. A feisty dark brew, enjoy Black Dog’s Pango when you want to come over all dark and brooding. BLACK DOG BREWERY
X MARKS THE SPOT Good George XPA 5% ABV, 946ml RRP $14.99
An absolutely delicious XPA from the team at Good George. Arriving in their attractive 946ml “squealer” bottles is a lager with a floral nose redolent with citrus and tropical notes. It pours exceedingly light and clear but retains a surprising amount of taste – balanced hops and bitterness with fresh citrus fruit 62 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
notes throughout. A gem of a day-time beer, the XPA is crisp but not sharp and demands returns to the bottle. Highly recommended. GOOD GEORGE BREWING
for punters who are too full for the dessert course. QUENCH COLLECTIVE
DANS LA CAMPAGNE
FRANKLY MY DEAR...
Peckham’s Sweet Serious Frenchie
Good George Scarlett Cider
Peckham’s has looked to France’s traditional cider-making ways for inspiration with this delicious new cider. Sweet Serious Frenchie has the flavour of baked apples with a perfumed spiciness tied together in the classic French style. For this cider, Peckham’s used a slow and skilled process called ‘keeving’, which involves the formation of a pectin gel within the cider that floats to the top and allows the fermentation and sweetening to occur beneath it. This is serious artisanal cider making and the results really bear that out.
4.5% ABV, 946ml RRP $14.49
Hitting a cider with a burst of peach sounds like you’d be upping the sweetness but in Good George’s case it brings a refreshing tartness to the affair. Good George’s Scarlett Cider is an amalgam of apple cider with Scarlett O’Hara peach juice. The peaches predominate with a seriously sweet, peachy onset. The apples come in later but the peach zing remains unmissable. A solid addition to the growing cider market and a good option for those who aren’t into bitter alcohols. GOOD GEORGE BREWING
4.8% ABV, 330ml RRP $4.99
PECKHAM’S
PUDDING ON THE RITZ
GO WEST
Zeffer Apple Crumble-Infused Cider
Peckham’s Taunton Challenge Somerset Cider Apples
5.4% ABV, 330ml 4-pack RRP $14.99
With Christmas looming, look no further than Zeffer’s Apple Crumble-infused Cider for a festive tipple. This dessertin-a-glass cider has a heavy nose of cinnamon and vanilla that really does suggest the third-course classic. In the glass, the medium-spiced brew has an earthiness associated with the oats in the crumble and the sweetness is more of the brown sugar variety than the usual cider fruit sugar flavour. Perfect
5.9% ABV, 330ml RRP $4.99
This West Country-style cider is a far cry from the sweet sippers many Kiwi cider drinkers are used to. Musky, and with low effervescence, this is an earthy take on a classic cider. Peckhams’s use two Somerset apples, Knotted Kernel and Major, and the cider is wild fermented. The complex brew that results is aromatic and lovers of true cider will be over the moon. PECKHAM’S
CATEGORY REPORT B EER & CIDER
The cool kids of Kingsland
MEAD MY DAY Peckham’s Kingston and Alford 6% ABV, 300ml, RRP $4.99
This cider won the night for the tasting panel and was a revelation. An exceptionally well-balanced brew of Kingston Black and Sweet Alford apples, it is neither too sweet, nor too tart or earthy. Peckham’s Kingston and Alfred is a lesson in refined brewing. The masterstroke of this cider is the addition of a touch of bush honey that imparts a mead-like quality and makes the whole brew sing. Like sitting in a summer field, you could hear the bees buzzing around you. Served with blue cheese, it was a triumph. Highly recommended. PECKHAM’S
SPARKLING EXCHANGE Monteith’s Sparkling Cider Brut Cuvee 8% ABV, 750ml RRP $12.99
Monteith’s has gone for something of a “champagne of cider” with its Brut Cuvee. Arriving in a champagne-style bottle with wire and popping cork, cider lovers will enjoy having a replacement for sparkling wines at special occasions. The look in the glass is also very champagne-like: almost clear, it has a sweet candy-floss nose and a convivial sweetness to match. At 8% it will stand up as a lighter alternative to Prosecco or other sparkling wines. DB BREWERIES
Hip CBD-fringe location? Check. Stylish cans with designer labels? Check. Brews named after cool neighbourhoods in cities around the world? Check. New kids on the block Urbanaut may have the hipster credentials down pat, but the other thing they have is a heap of brewing expertise and technique behind them and, crucially, some excellent beers. The creation of three school friends, Urbanaut is headquartered in Auckland’s Kingsland, a stone’s throw from Ponsonby’s Golden Mile. Head brewer Bruce Turner has spent over a decade honing his craft in the UK and at craft breweries in New Zealand and the time and effort has paid off.
Urbanaut Brixton Pale Ale An excellent sessionable drop at just 4.4%. The golden amber brew has a hint of brine and notes of tropical fruit balanced by a tart, dry finish. An exceptional introduction to the new lads.
Urbanaut Gastown Red IPA The Gastown Red IPA is a bit more imposing at 5.8% but is a perfect Sunday roast beer – particularly if the weather has packed in. Pouring a rusty redbrown but still packing the bitter and fruit notes of an IPA, this is like finding a welcoming pub after making it through a cold and foggy night. The toasty caramel notes will hold you close.
Urbanaut Kingsland Pilsner At the other end of the scale, Urbanaut’s Kingsland Pilsner is a beautiful beer for a sunny summer afternoon. A drinkable 4.5%, it is easy, light and refreshing. With a hint of lemon on the nose and delicious clean hop notes, this is a beer for enjoying after a game of tennis ball cricket at the park, or on the back deck over summer. Catch the train into Kingsland and see what all the fuss is about. URBANAUT BREWING CO
PINK LADY Monteith’s Sparkling Cider Rose Cuvee 8% ABV, 750ml RRP $12.99
The sister to the Brut Cuvee, the Rose Cuvee is a slightly pink, perfumed take on the cider-as-champagne from Monteith’s. Not as sweet as its sibling, the Rose version is a little tart and herbaceous. These two cuvees could be firm favourites over the upcoming wedding season and
provide an excellent lower alcohol option with a touch of ‘special’. Sweet and fun but not jazzed up to champagne levels, so everyone can keep their heads through the toasts. DB BREWERIES
For distributor details see Distributor Index page 88
DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017 63
OPINION – BEER
Neil Miller Neil Miller is an award-winning beer writer and an official supporter of the Beer: The Beautiful Truth campaign.
Kiwis far from drowning in a flood of beer
Beer writer Neil Miller examines how much beer Kiwis are drinking and finds it is not nearly as much as we are led to believe. FROM READING the newspapers, watching the news or scanning the internet, New Zealanders could be forgiven for believing our country is being swamped by an ever increasing, unprecedented and damaging amount of alcohol. When these articles appear, they tend to feature pictures and footage of beer, and beer alone. Public health advocates certainly take every opportunity to make those types of accusations in pursuit of even greater restrictions around alcohol. Councils have developed their Local Alcohol Plans (LAPs) on the explicit presumption that there is a significant alcohol problem and that it is worsening rapidly. That certainly is a compelling, even frightening, narrative – but one that is not backed up by the evidence. The fact is that alcohol consumption in New Zealand is historically low, beer consumption is historically low and internationally we are definitely not considered to be big drinkers (see below). Figures from the World Health Organisation (WHO) show that Kiwis drank around nine litres of pure alcohol per adult in 1960. By 1978, that had reached a peak of 14 litres. The most recent result records consumption of 10.1 litres of alcohol per capita in 2016. To put that in context, we are drinking far less than we did in the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s. Much was made of Statistics New Zealand reporting a 2.5 per cent increase in alcohol consumption for 2016. However, it should be noted that the new average of two standard drinks per day per person aged 18+ is still the second lowest figure since 2002. There is no tsunami of booze hitting our shores. While beer remains the most popular alcoholic drink in New Zealand (and rightly so), the fall in beer consumption 64 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
The fact is that alcohol consumption in New Zealand is historically low, beer consumption is historically low and internationally we are definitely not considered to be big drinkers has been particularly dramatic. From a peak in the mid-1970s, beer volumes have declined steadily overall. Statistics New Zealand reports that beer has gone from being 48 per cent of the alcohol available in 2001 to 37 per cent in 2016. The World Health Organisation publishes a table each year that ranks countries by pure alcohol consumption per person per year. In 2016, the top three nations were Lithuania (18.2 litres), Belarus (16.4) and Moldova (15.9). The top ten included Russia, the Czech Republic and Belgium. Ireland was surprisingly low on the list at number 30 on 10.9 litres, defying any number of stereotypes. New Zealand ranked number 37. Our figure of 10.1 litres of pure alcohol placed us behind such beer drinking
powerhouses as Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and the Seychelles. It is also 10-20 per cent less than the United Kingdom (12.3), South Africa (11.2) and Australia (11.2). Somewhat surprisingly we are ahead of the United States (9.3) and Canada (10). There is no doubt that alcohol misuse causes harm and as a nation we all have a part to play in minimising that misuse. At the same time, we should recognise that beer consumption in New Zealand is historically low and also low in terms of the international landscape. In my opinion, beer (being a lower alcohol, low sugar beverage) consumed in moderation has an ongoing and important role to play, as it remains a key part of our social fabric.
SINCE 2016, CANTERBURY, NZ
kaiserbrothersbrewery.co.nz • Pilsener | ESB | APA | Weizen Available in 50ltr keg and 500ml bottles. Contact your Giesen Group representative or phone (03) 344 6270
BEER & CIDER NEWS
Heineken brands cabs in new drink-driving campaign HEINEKEN® NEW Zealand has teamed up with Auckland Co-op Taxi and Wellington Combined Taxi to brand cabs with its new global responsible consumption ‘When You Drive, Never Drink’ campaign. “Our aim is to continue to change Kiwi attitudes and behaviours, further reduce drink driving and encourage moderation when it comes to drinking alcohol,” says Taylor Green, Heineken New Zealand Marketing Manager. “Partnering with two of New Zealand’s preeminent taxi companies will ensure that this important message reaches a large number of Kiwis, through a medium that offers them a solution to ensure they don’t drink and drive.” The activation, which features on 90 taxis during September and October, is supported by a TVC that features racing legend Sir Jackie Stewart, a safety campaigner and staunch advocate for never drinking and driving. Stewart is the ambassador for the moderation campaign.
As part of the campaign, Heineken also commissioned a global study aimed at identifying and understanding the behavioural triggers that cause people to drink and drive. Some of the key findings were:
‘Drivers set out with good intentions’ • 79% of drink drivers plan ahead before a night out • As the evening unfolds, these good intentions fail; 77% find at least one situation where it is acceptable to drink and drive
‘Cultural and societal norms override good intentions’ • 1 in 2 drink drivers would not describe
their behaviour as ‘drink driving’ • 1 in 4 think it is accepted by their culture to consume alcohol before driving • Only 43% globally are concerned about getting caught by the police • 64% find it acceptable to drink and drive if they have eaten a lot, alternated between alcoholic drinks, or taken a short nap • 50% believe they can drink more than non-drink drivers before their skills are impaired
‘Social pressures take over at the point of decision making’ • 49% of drink drivers get caught up in having fun • 27% of drink drivers say that when they are having a good time with their friends, sometimes they just choose to forget they are driving home • 1 in 4 drink drivers find it acceptable to drink drive after succumbing to social pressures DB BREWERIES
Craft brewers come to the party “EXPERIENCE TELLS us that pale ales are where it’s at for most Kiwi craft lovers,” says Tuatara Brewing Co. Sales Manager Blair Harley. “And within this style, many have moved up the craft continuum to hoppier styles like India Pale Ales”. The downside of these full-flavoured, aromatic ‘hoppy’ beers is a higher Alcohol By Volume (ABV), which traditionally sit in a range of 5.5-7.5%. “We are increasingly seeing craft drinkers laying down the challenge for brewers to create great tasting, yet more sessionable beers.” Master Brewer and Tuatara founder, Carl Vasta, says it’s not as easy as it sounds. “The challenge in creating a more approachable IPA is maintaining the balance between hoppy bitterness and malt sweetness. Otherwise you’re in danger of ending up with something like soda water at one extreme, or a bitter beer
66 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
that tastes like rusty nails at the other.” There is far less margin for error once key ingredients are reduced. While malts control the alcohol, it’s crucial to maintain body and mouthfeel. And, being a relatively bitter style, hops need to be added with great care to ensure balance between the two is maintained. Tuatara Brewing Co. has been busily toiling away over the winter months with an end goal of achieving the elusive
‘session IPA’. “Yep, it’s taken a few trial brews and lots of tastings, which isn’t a bad thing,” Harley laughs, “to get to what we hope is a great beer.” Just in time for summer, Tuatara Coastin’ Session IPA is brewed with a good dose of Trans-Tasman hops. It’s a beautifully refreshing ale with flavours and aromas of pine and tropical fruits, coming in at a healthy 4.6% alc/vol. See page 60 for more information TUATARA BREWING
BEER & CIDER NEWS
Rebrand for Sprig & Fern NELSON CRAFT brewery Sprig & Fern has undergone a major rebrand, unveiling a new brandmark, logos and packaging to emphasise its core philosophies of craft and beer. The new branding introduces colour to the black and white imagery previously used, but still pays tribute to the monotone heritage of Sprig & Fern’s brand. “After 10 years it was time for a change but it is also about introducing a new national audience to our brand,” says Tracy Banner, Sprig & Fern owner and Head Brewer. Each beer and cider now has a two-word descriptor as well, to give consumers a guide to the flavour profile. “While it was challenging to condense each
Sprig & Fern craft beer and cider down to two words, the process was ultimately rewarding and will assist both our experienced and new consumers in familiarising themselves with the palate expectations of each product,” said Banner. Alongside the rebrand, Sprig & Fern has also installed a new bottling plant, which will see the business capable of bottling up to 1000 litres of product each hour. Sprig & Fern offers 16 products in its core
range plus two limited release beers at any one time. The products are available through the nine Sprig & Fern Taverns in Nelson, Tasman and Wellington. The rollout of the new brand look started across the Sprig & Fern Taverns and retail stockists nationwide from September 1. SPRIG & FERN
WE’rE NOT THE FIrST TO DO A SIX PACK. BUT WE’rE THE FIrST TO PUT EMErSON’S IN IT.
BEER & CIDER NEWS
Perfect pour takes the title
Tom Blachford
FIFTEEN FINALISTS squared off in Auckland in late September to find the 2017 Stella Artois New Zealand Draught Master Champion. Held at Ponsonby’s Sapphire Room, bar workers from around the country went through quick fire knock out rounds to see who could master the unique Stella Artois 9-Step pouring ritual. Frankie McGuire from Mount Social Club in Tauranga was judged best, winning a trip for two to the Stella Artois brewery in Leuven, Belgium, and the opportunity to act as an ambassador for Stella Artois for the next year. The Stella Artois New Zealand Draught Master Championship is designed to highlight the level of skill that goes into making sure a Stella Artois poured from the tap is of the highest standard. Stella Artois’ Richard Goatcher says the judging came down to the wire. “We were looking for perfection at every level. We wanted perfect execution of the 9-Step pouring ritual, but we were also looking for a show, someone with charisma and great chat. Luckily for Frankie he ticked all of the boxes and he should be proud to call himself New Zealand Draught Master.”
After dark with Asahi ASAHI’S HOMETOWN of Tokyo is the subject of a new exhibition by Melbourne photographer Tom Blachford, which is now showing in Auckland, presented by Asahi Super Dry. The Tokyo By Night photographic exhibition is on show at Pineapple Bar in Parnell 68 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
until 19 October. Blachford is renowned for his work in Wired, Vogue and Wallpaper and has created a striking photography collection by taking to the streets of Tokyo to unlock the nightlife of Japan. Asahi Super Dry is described as “the catalyst for nocturnal exploration”.
“Tom Blachford seeks to unlock the transient beauty of Tokyo, a city constantly moving and evolving. His imagery evokes a sense of wonder and mystique - the buildings, the lights and the darkness merge to create a unique neon beauty. By capturing his journey we can begin to unlock the secrets of Tokyo By Night, a world only Asahi Super Dry can bring to you,” says Jade Clark, Marketing Manager, Asahi New Zealand. Blachford’s photographs capture landmark Japanese architecture including The Asahi Beer Hall (a.k.a the Golden Flame, designed by Philippe Starck), the Fuji TV Headquarters designed by Kenzo Tange and a cherry picker view of the Nagakin Capsule Tower designed by Kisho Kurokawa. “Tokyo has an amazing sci-fi aesthetic,” says Blachford, “and by photographing late after dark I wanted to capture a side of it that is rarely seen. I wanted to capture the feeling that struck me when I first visited the city, that you have been somehow transported to another dimension. I wanted people to ask not where they were taken, but when.”
Unique taste of US from Stellare Stellare is a New Zealand distributor that partners with premium international and domestic brands to offer the New Zealand market a wide range of beverage products. Stellare is the exclusive importer of Oskar Blues and Firestone Walker beers from the US. FIRESTONE WALKER BREWING COMPANY Owned by brothers-in-law David Walker and Adam Firestone, this brewery is based in California and offers a wide range of classic style and more experimental beers.
Firestone Easy Jack A different kind of IPA; one brewed and dry hopped with a globetrotting selection of new hop varieties from Europe, New Zealand and North America. A beer that delivers massive hop aromas and a signature malt balance. 4.5% ABV
Firestone Pivo Hoppy Pils Pivo Hoppy Pils is a classically rendered pilsner with a West Coast dry-hopping twist, showcasing stylistic influences from Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic. Lighter beer styles like pilsner have been hijacked by industrial lager beer in the United States, and it’s time for craft brewers to take it back. Pivo Hoppy Pils offers impeccable balance with floral aromatics, spicy herbal nuances, and bergamot zest and lemongrass notes from dry hopping with German Saphir hops. 5.3% ABV
Firestone Luponic Distortion An ever-evolving mix of experimental hops, designed to deliver mindblowing flavours that break the rules with each new release. The unique revolution number on the label tells you which release you have in hand.. Luponic Distortion Revolution 007: Now in rotation, Revolution No. 007, features yet another trailblazing blend
led by three hop varieties from Australia. 5.9% ABV
OSKAR BLUES BREWERY This Colorado brewery launched in 2002 with its “huge, voluminously hopped” Dale’s Pale Ale in a can and has since grown its range and its locations to North Carolina and Texas – all the while keeping its craft brews in cans.
Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale The original from Oskar Blues, this beer delivers a hoppy nose and assertive-but-balanced flavors of pale malts and citrusy floral hops from start to finish. 6.5% ABV
Oskar Blues IPA A Metamodern IPA conceived of hand-selected hops from Downunder. Malt barley and red wheat combine to create a clean malt backbone with foolproof flavour and mouthfeel to support the main act of Enigma, Vic Secret, Ella, Topaz and Galaxy hops. The hops strum juicy and sweet aromas with headline notes of passion fruit, raspberries, pineapple and citrus. 6.43% ABV
Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella Pils A small-batch version of the beer that made Pilsen, Czech Republic, famous. Unlike mass market‚ “pilsners‚” diluted with corn and rice, Mama’s is built with 100% pale malt, German specialty malts, and Saaz hops. 5.3% ABV STOCK AVAILABLE 1ST WEEK DECEMBER, PLACE ORDERS WITH YOUR LOCAL ACCOUNT MANAGER.
Exclusive Importers of Oskar Blues and Firestone Walker
www.stellare.co.nz FIND US: Stellare New Zealand Limited, 2-8 Manukau Road, Newmarket, Auckland Office +649-9720237 Orders@stellare.co.nz
AUCKLAND, 1ST - 5TH NOVEMBER 2017
GIN CATEGORY REPORT
From ruin to riches Forget Mother’s Ruin – gin is going from strength to strength and a stream of new local offerings is adding to the diverse line-up on shelves, as Victoria Wells discovers DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017 71
GIN CATEGORY REPORT
New Zealand Ariki Ultra Premium Gin 45% ABV, 700ml RRP $97
There’s a Pacific twist to this New Zealand-made gin, with Rarotongan vanilla and Tongan coconut featuring alongside native manuka and classic gin botanicals. It is delicately floral and citrusy on the nose, with a full-bodied, warming flavour and a rich, smooth finish. BEVERAGE BROTHERS
Karven Dry Gin 40.8% ABV, 700ml RRP $70
Lifted lemon and grapefruit give a fresh flavour to this small-batch gin produced in Puhoi, north of Auckland. It combines classic botanicals with native manuka flowers and lemon myrtle to create a smooth, citrus-forward gin with slight sweetness and a warming undertone of cinnamon. QUENCH COLLECTIVE
ing the juniper on the nose, while in the mouth the gin is delicate, clean and refreshing with notes of lemon, lemongrass, cardamom and coriander. MINERAL
HIDDEN WORLD This local gin brand is a joint venture between Epic Brewing’s Luke Nicholas and distiller Anthony Sexton. They launched with Guardian Gin in late 2016 and have since added six new limited edition varietals to the range. Packaged in an almost apothecary style, it would give any bar a great ‘library’ of flavours on which to draw.
Hidden World Guardian Gin 44% ABV, 750ml RRP $55
Guardian Gin has intense earthy and resinous juniper on the nose, with a flush of peppery horopito and kawakawa on the palate, a burst of fresh lemon and lime, and subtle underlying spice of coriander and cardamom. Co-creator Luke Nicholas’ beer links are referenced
Victor Gin 42% ABV, 700ml RRP $69
This is the first gin from New Zealand craft distillers Thomson, who have up until now focused on whisky. It launched in August this year and has already won a Silver Outstanding medal at the 2017 International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC). Head Distiller Mat Thomson describes the gin as “stripped back”. There is a citrus freshness accompany-
72 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
Hidden World is a local gin brand formed from a joint venture between Epic Brewing’s Luke Nicholas and distiller Anthony Sexton. Launching in 2016 with Guardian Gin, they have just added six new varietals to the range.
in the packaging: he says the circular label reflects a beer tap badge, while the mythical style artwork is reminiscent of craft beer labels.
Hidden World Feijoa/Citra Hop 44% ABV, 500ml RRP $60
Punchy tropical aroma with a citrus undertone from the distinctive Citra hop. The feijoa is reasonably subtle on the palate so won’t deter those who aren’t fans of the wintery fruit. Solid juniper backbone with fruity flavours. IPA fans should seek this out.
Hidden World Floral 44% ABV, 500ml RRP $60
Heady aroma of lavender balanced with spice from the cubeb (Indonesian pepper) and lemongrass. Big and fruity, this gin sits on the bold side of floral, as opposed to delicate.
Hidden World Citrus 44% ABV, 500ml RRP $55
This full-bodied citrus-forward gin has aromas of lemon and orange peel that continue on the palate with a spicy, piney finish.
Hidden World Oriental Spice 44% ABV, 500ml RRP $60
Heady spices abound in the aroma and flavour of this gin, which uses sumac, coriander, sichuan pepper and cardamom in its blend. Bold complex spice flavours with a hint of freshness from the orange.
CATEGORY REPORT G IN
Hidden World Navy
Sacred Spring Saffron Gin
60% ABV, 500ml RRP $70
46% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99
Thyme, sage, horopito and black pepper combine to give an instant savoury hit to this higher strength gin. The complex spice on the nose continues in the flavour with lime adding a burst of freshness.
Rare and expensive saffron gives this gin its vibrant colour and unique aroma and flavour. The prized spice is a natural complement to the cardamom profile of the original Sacred Spring Dry Gin. The gin is blended with rosebud-infused water and then infused with thousands of saffron threads, which create its golden hay hue. It has a warm spiced aroma, with exotic spicy flavours underlaid by a subtle sweetness. Smooth finish with a warming note of cardamom.
HIDDEN WORLD
SACRED SPRING Sacred Spring is the gin brand from award-winning Dancing Sands Distillery in Nelson’s Golden Bay. Its spirits (Dancing Sands also produces vodka and rum) are made using water from an aquifer that feeds the famed Te Waikoropupu Springs (“The Place of the Dancing Sands”) which is regarded as the clearest spring in the world. Owner Ben Bonoma describes the water in their gin as “the ninth botanical”.
Sacred Spring Dry Gin 44% ABV, 700ml, RRP $74.99
This was the first gin from Sacred Spring. It has fresh aromas of green manuka leaves and juniper, and is creamy on the palate with warming spice flavours of cardamom, pepper and a long liquorice finish.
Sacred Spring Barrel Aged Gin
Sacred Spring Chocolate Gin 44% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99 (limited release)
This is the first in a planned series of collaborative projects with mixologists. The Chocolate Gin was created with Wellington mixology bar CGR Merchant Co, over a six-month period, in which cocoa husks and rooibos (red bush) tea were infused in Sacred Spring Dry Gin. A deep caramel colour, the gin has a rich and intense cocoa aroma. It is smooth on the palate with a rounded cocoa flavour, hint of caramel sweetness and freshness from the rooibos tea. FEDERAL MERCHANTS
48% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99
Time in charred French oak gives this pale golden gin a bold oak aroma and flavour, with a hint of sweetness (from three months in 14-year-old rum barrels) sitting alongside notes of juniper, manuka and spice.
Black Robin Rare Gin 43% ABV, 750ml RRP $79.95
This is a fresh, citrus-forward gin with undertones of spice. The zing of the citrus sits alongside a peppery heat from the addition of native horopito, and spicy
Sacred Spring Chocolate Gin is the first in a planned series of collaborative projects with mixologists and uses cocoa husks and rooibos (red bush) tea in its creation.
warmth of star anise and liquorice. It’s a gin with a cause too: a percentage of profits from the sale of Black Robin Rare Gin goes to Forest & Bird, which works to protect wildlife like the rare and endangered Chatham Island black robin featured on the bottle. NEGOCIANTS
Reid + Reid Dry Gin 42% ABV, 700ml RRP $65
Kiwi brothers Chris and Stewart Reid were inspired by the thriving UK craft distilling scene when they decided to launch their own distillery. They launched Reid + Reid Dry Gin in 2016, with the aim of creating a gin that spoke to its New Zealand origins with native botanicals in the blend. This dry gin has a fresh, peppery aroma thanks to its use of kawakawa (also known as ‘bush basil’) and horopito. It has a rounded, smooth mouthfeel and a warming finish. REID + REID
DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017 73
GIN CATEGORY REPORT
BROKEN HEART SPIRITS Master Distiller Joerg Henkenhaf first released Broken Heart gin several years ago following the death of the close friend and fellow Master Distiller with whom he had first created it. The pair, both from Germany, had wanted to create a gin that captured the essence of their new homeland. Since then, Broken Heart Spirits has grown to include new gins, as well as a spiced rum, and vodka.
Broken Heart Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $70
A blend of 11 botanicals, the piney juniper leads on the nose with floral notes from South Island lavender, earthiness from Nelson-grown hops and malt, and spicier notes from pimento and ginger, alongside angelica. An award-winning gin that has just won Silver for the second consecutive year at the IWSC. Also available in a bolshier 57% ABV Navy Strength version at $74.99
Broken Heart Quince Gin 30% ABV, 500ml RRP $70
This is the gin to serve with dessert. There is 20kg of quince macerated in every 100 litres of Broken Heart Quince Gin, with no additional sugar or other additives. The gorgeous golden hue hints at the rich fruit aroma and smooth flavour within. Ideal served neat with cheese and fruit, or would make an adventurous cocktail match for pork dishes.
Broken Heart Barrel Aged Gin 40% ABV, 500ml RRP $70
The original Broken Heart gin spends six months in French Chardonnay oak to create this mellow barrel-aged version, which has pronounced oak aromas and flavour, with a smooth, slippery mouthfeel. Serve neat or over ice. BROKEN HEART SPIRITS
RIOT & ROSE One of the newest additions to New Zealand’s gin scene, Riot & Rose is the creation of Jane Walkenhorst. The brand includes two separate signature gins The Riot, and The Rose, and each references an era in which gin was at the fore: the passion of the 1740s in the midst of the London gin riots, and the glamour and elegance of the 1920s.
The Riot
Despite launching just three years ago, Rogue Society has risen fast to become a firm favourite with local bartenders and consumers and has garnered its fair share of international accolades for its gins.
Rogue Society Classic 42.2% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99
Using 12 botanicals and Southern Alps water, this gin has intense aromas of juniper, orange peel and deep spice. Juniper and citrus lead on the palate, which is crisp but smooth.
Rogue Society Goldi Locks 57% ABV, 750ml RRP $124.99
Three layers of citrus (orange, lemon and tangerine) create a sweetness in this gin, although it is still juniper-forward. A unique, complex gin that has won several gold medals internationally. HANCOCKS
42% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99
The bolder of the two gins, The Riot has a heady aroma of spice accompanying the juniper. On the palate the citrus comes to the fore with mandarin and orange, and an underlying spicy heat from star anise and cardamom. Smooth yet robust.
The Rose 42% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99
A soft, lifted aroma of citrus and florals. Smooth on the palate with flavours of rose and delicate spice. Light with a gently warming finish. RIOT & ROSE SPIRITS
74 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
ROGUE SOCIETY
Lighthouse Gin 42% ABV, 750ml RRP $75
Established more than a decade ago, Lighthouse Gin was one of the first distillers on New Zealand’s now burgeoning craft distillery scene. Taking its name from the Cape Palliser lighthouse on the southernmost tip of the North Island, Lighthouse uses a blend of 10 botanicals with spring water from Palliser Bay. The gin is smooth and fresh, with notable citrus characteristics from Yen Ben lemon. EUROVINTAGE
CATEGORY REPORT G IN
CARDRONA DISTILLERY After opening just two years ago, Cardrona Distillery is fast making a name for itself in artisan spirits, both locally and internationally. Its range comprises a vodka, orange liqueur and two gins, the first of which – The Source – won Gold at the 2016 New York World Wine & Spirits Competition and was also one of the top picks in the recent global gin tasting by New York-based The Fifty Best.
The Source Rosehip Gin 47% ABV, 750ml RRP $120
Aromas of juniper and citrus are balanced with an almost perfumed note. On the palate, this vapour-distilled gin is delicate, fresh and zesty, with the addition of seasonal rosehip (first brought to the Cardrona Valley by the Chinese) adding a local quality.
The Source Barrel Aged Gin 46.9% ABV, 750ml RRP $150
This is a special Single Cask release, which was limited to just under 400 bottles when released in August this year. The next release is due in October. The Source Gin is given added complexity from six months in French oak (namely Mt Difficulty Chardonnay refill barrels). The time in barrel gives it a light amber hue and buttery characters.
England SEAGERS Seagers Dry Gin 37.2% ABV, 1L RRP $33.99
A good value pour made in a London Dry style. Aromas of juniper and citrus at the fore, Seagers has a light, slightly sweet flavour and a hint of warming spice.
Seagars Lime Twisted 37.2% ABV, 1L RRP $33.99
This is Seagers Dry Gin infused with fresh lime. The citrus addition makes this an excellent value pour for mixed drinks or for consumers looking to offer something different that won’t break the budget as party season approaches. INDEPENDENT LIQUOR
Beefeater 24 45% ABV, 700ml RRP $62.99
Beefeater Master Distiller, Desmond Payne, was inspired by the Orient and tea’s potential as a botanical when he created this gin after visiting Japan. Sencha tea and Chinese green tea give clean, green notes to this gin, which also features grapefruit peel to retain Beef-
eater’s classic citrus qualities, alongside coriander, orris root and angelica. The ‘24’ in the name refers to the fact the botanicals are steeped in the spirit for 24 hours before distillation. PERNOD RICARD
Thomas Dakin Gin 42% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99 One of the more recent gin offerings from London, this gin is named after one of England’s 18th century gin pioneers. The gin, which uses 11 botanicals, is a juniperled classic style with sweet orange and citrus notes, English coriander and a peppery, savoury finish from the unique botanical addition of red cole (horseradish). FEDERAL MERCHANTS
Bombay Sapphire 40% ABV, 1L RRP $52.99, 700ml RRP $38.99
A premium classic London Dry gin that is a staple on shelves around the world. The qualities of its 10 botanicals are captured using vapour infusion (as opposed to boiling or steeping). Flavours of juniper and citrus lead, with spice from liquorice and coriander and underlying light woody notes. LION
CARDRONA DISTILLERY
The Source Barrel Aged Gin gains its complexity from six months in French oak (namely Mt Difficulty Chardonnay refill barrels). DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017 75
GIN CATEGORY REPORT
Martin Miller’s 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99
This small-batch English gin is blended in Iceland, to take advantage of that country’s pure spring water. It is pot distilled using two separate distillations, giving a balance of citrus and juniper to the gin. It has delicate floral aromas alongside juniper and a hint of citrus, with spice from cardamom and peppercorn emerging on the palate. TICKETY-BOO
Boodles Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $54.99
Unlike many other gins, Boodles contains no citrus botanicals, as the original distillers expected a “proper drink” to include a slice of lemon or lime. Distilled, manufactured and bottled in the UK, Boodles is named after an exclusive 250-year-old private London gentleman’s club in St James Street, which can claim Winston Churchill and Ian Fleming as past members. It is made from a spirit distilled from British wheat, with nutmeg, sage and rosemary balancing out the juniper. EUROVINTAGE
modern England. Bulldog’s subtle juniper sits alongside delicate floral and citrus aromas and flavour. A smooth gin with a clean finish that is ideal for mixed drinks or sipping straight. EUROVINTAGE
Portobello Road No. 171 Gin 42% ABV, 700ml RRP $64.99
The botanical selection behind Portobello Road No. 171 relies on classics like orris, lemon and bitter orange peels, nutmeg and cassia blended with a base spirit distilled from English wheat to create what the trio behind the brand calls a salute to “London’s distillers of the past”. The result is a versatile gin with solid flavours of juniper, citrus and coriander that make it elegant enough for a Martini, but with the depth of character and intensity for more complex mixed drinks too. EUROVINTAGE
Boodles contains no citrus botanicals, as the original distillers expected a “proper drink” to include a slice of lemon or lime
This London Dry gin was designed to capture the spirit of the original British bulldog, Winston Churchill, while its distinctive heavy glass bottle with spiked collar references the punk rock era of
76 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
40% ABV, 700ml RRP $39.99
A classic gin using 10 botanicals steeped in English wheat spirit prior to distillation. Fresh, crisp and with a lively citrus finish.
Hayman’s Old Tom 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $49.99
Old Tom was the gin of choice in 19th century England, featuring in classic cocktails of the time such as the Martinez and Tom Collins. In 2007, after inquiries from bartenders and gin enthusiasts, Hayman’s revived Old Tom, using a family recipe from the 1870s. Rounded and full-flavoured, this gin has hints of citrus alongside the juniper, with a subtle sweetness that keeps it true to the original style of English Victorian gin.
Hayman’s Sloe Gin 26% ABV, 700ml RRP $39.99
Hayman’s version of this British classic has intense plummy aromas, a hint of almond and delicious fruit flavours. A complex, warming finish. HANCOCKS
Whitley Neill 42% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99
Bulldog 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $59.99
Hayman’s London Dry
HAYMAN’S This family-owned gin distilling business traces its roots back to London in the 1860s and makes the Hayman’s the only family of original English gin makers still distilling today.
A smooth, citrusy gin with a distinct floral aroma. Whitley Neill is made in England, yet draws inspiration from Africa, with its signature botanical the baobab fruit, which has a grapefruit-like taste. Aromatic Cape gooseberries give the gin its golden hue and citrus flavour. A soft,
CATEGORY REPORT G IN
smooth gin with notes of exotic spice, herbs and citrus. HANCOCKS
Ireland Glendalough Wild Botanical Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $67.99
Fresh botanicals are foraged from the mountains in Ireland’s County Wicklow to create this seasonally-inspired gin by Glendalough Distillery. The label features Saint Kevin of Glendalough, a holy man who founded a monastic settlement in the area in the 6th century. The botanicals are gathered and then distilled the next day to create a gin that is designed to capture the seasons. Fresh floral aromas lead to flavours of juniper, citrus and pine, summer flowers and hints of autumn fruit, with a warming spice-driven finish. TICKETY-BOO
Scotland Hendrick’s 41.4% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99
Hendrick’s is known for its use of cucumber and rose petal infusions, yet the juniper-led aroma holds just a hint of floral delicacy. On the palate the gin is deep and rounded with a wave of rose; an almost Turkish Delight quality, and freshness from the cucumber. Complex, smooth and refreshing. The heavy dark glass apothecary-style bottle belies the
delicate lifted gin within. (See more about Hendrick’s Master Distiller on page 81). FEDERAL MERCHANTS
Caorunn 41.8% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99
Ingredients foraged in the Scottish Highlands are added to traditional botanicals to create Caorunn (pronounced cahROON). It takes its name from the Gaelic for ‘rowan berry’, which is one of the local botanicals, along with bog myrtle, heather, Coul Blush apple and dandelion leaf. Caorunn has a fresh, floral, slightly spicy aroma, and is crisp and dry on the palate with a long, dry finish. HANCOCKS
The Botanist 46% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99
Made on Islay, the southernmost island of Scotland’s Inner Hebrides, The Botanist is described as an exploration of Islay’s botanical heritage. No fewer than 22 local botanicals (among them tansy, hawthorn and bog myrtle) are added to nine classic gin aromatics to create a gin that is rich, intense and full-bodied yet smooth, with complex floral aromas. HANCOCKS
Pickering’s Gin 42% ABV, 700ml RRP $69.99
Pickering’s hails from Edinburgh, where it is hand-crafted at Summerhall Distillery, the first exclusive gin distillery to
The label of Glendalough Wild Botanical Gin features Saint Kevin of Glendalough, a holy man who founded a monastic settlement in the area in the 6th century.
be established in the city in more than 150 years. Based on an original Bombay recipe, Pickering’s has strong aromas of juniper and citrus, with underlying notes of spice. In the mouth it is fresh and clean – the flavours of juniper and citrus giving way to warming spice of cardamom, coriander seed and clove. Also available in Pickering’s 1947 Gin (RRP $69.99) and Pickering’s Navy Strength Gin (RRP $99.99). EUROVINTAGE
Italy Malfy Gin 41% ABV, 750ml RRP $59.99
A citrus-forward gin that is distilled in the Piedmontese town of Moncalieri in Italy, using lemons sourced from the nearby coast. The peels are steeped in alcohol and pressed, and the resulting infusion is then blended with the juniper and remaining botanicals. The flavour is of zesty citrus with subtle juniper. Ideal for refreshing summer mixed drinks. EUROVINTAGE DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017 77
GIN CATEGORY REPORT
Australia FOUR PILLARS This small Australian distillery is based in Victoria’s Yarra Valley, in the heart of wine country. Just four years old, it has already won gold across its gin range in international spirits competitions. Their aim is to bring modern Australia flavours to gin-making.
Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin 41.8% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99
Described as “a truly modern Australian gin”, this is a classic dry gin that combines spice and citrus. Cinnamon and star anise add rich fruitcake tones, Tasmanian pepperberry leaf creates warmth and lemon myrtle is a delicate alternative to lemon peel. Whole oranges used in the blend offer a highly aromatic nose and palate that supports the spicy botanicals.
Four Pillars Navy Strength 58.8% ABV, 700ml RRP $99.99
A navy strength gin with a classic SouthEast Asian flair. Fresh Australian finger limes highlight the coriander, star anise and fresh ginger. Aromas of lime curd, pine needles, and fragrant spice with a vanilla character lead to a sweet, juicy palate that is intense but clean. Turmeric adds weight and earthiness.
Four Pillars Spiced Negroni Gin 43.8% ABV, 700ml RRP $89.99
As the name suggests, this gin is designed specifically for the Negroni – 78 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
something to cut through the Campari and Vermouth. Created in collaboration with one of Australia’s leading bartenders, it is the first offering in Four Pillars’ planned Bartender Series. It uses the base botanicals of the Rare Dry Gin, with the West African spice Grains of Paradise, which has clove and Sichuan characters. Organic blood oranges and fresh ginger add fragrant freshness.
Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin 37.8% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99
Taking advantage of its location in wine-producing Yarra Valley, Four Pillars steeped Shiraz grapes in their Rare Dry Gin to create this unique variation. It has aromas of fresh pine needles and spice, and a clear peppery, dense raspberry character. The palate is lovely and sweet, with long juniper and spice characters to finish. It is unfiltered and bottled a deep purple that turns iridescent pink when mixed with tonic or soda. This 2017 vintage is lighter in colour, due to a cool vintage in the Yarra Valley. TICKETY-BOO
Melbourne Gin Company 42% ABV, 700ml RRP $74.99
This classic dry gin was designed to capture the essence of Melbourne and as such it uses locally grown grapefruit and rosemary along with macadamia, sandalwood, honey lemon myrtle and organic navel orange in its blend of 11 botanicals, with water from the Yarra Ranges. HANCOCKS
Germany ELEPHANT This range of gins is inspired by Africa – particularly the tradition of a ‘sundowner’, the South African term for a sunset cocktail after a hard day’s work – yet it is made in Germany. Amongst its botanical line-up, Elephant Gin uses some ingredients unique to Africa, such as Buchu, which imparts a blackcurrant flavour and baobab. Since the first bottle sold in 2013, Elephant Gin has been giving 15 per cent of all proceeds to two African elephant foundations to support the preservation of African wildlife.
Elephant Dry Gin 45% ABV, 500ml RRP $79.99
Four Pillars Navy Strength has a classic South East Asian flair with fresh finger limes highlighting the coriander, star anise and fresh ginger.
Subtle juniper with herbaceous notes on the nose. It has a complex but smooth palate of floral, fruit and spice flavours. The small-batch production is evident in the hand-written labels on each bottle.
CATEGORY REPORT G IN
Elephant Sloe Gin 35% ABV, 500ml RRP $79.99
The Dry Gin is combined with fresh sloe berries to create a rounded, lightly sweet and fruity gin with a warm red hue. It has a rich fruit aroma with a slight note of marzipan, while on the palate it is slightly sweet with intense fruit flavours. Its relatively low sugar content paired with a higher alcohol volume makes it ideal for cocktails, as well as serving neat.
Elephant Strength Gin 57% ABV, 500ml RRP $89.99
A variation on the award-winning Elephant London Dry Gin, this is stronger and mightier than the original, amplifying the aroma and fragrance of the botanical blend. FEDERAL MERCHANTS
Monkey 47 47% ABV, 500ml RRP $89.99
A veritable cornucopia of botanicals is behind this gin (47, in fact), which hails from southern Germany’s Black Forest region. Almost as complex is the gin’s back-story, in which a British commander in the Royal Air Force (Monty Collins) finds himself living in Berlin post-WW2 and sponsoring an egret monkey while he helps with the rebuilding of Berlin Zoo. He later moves to the northern Black Forest (keeping up?) where juniper, pure water and an abundance of herbs are available. A gin fan, Collins develops his own gin recipe, which is unearthed years
later alongside a bottle labelled ‘Max the Monkey – Schwarzwald Dry Gin’. Monkey 47 has aromas of freshly crushed forest floor herbs alongside the juniper. On the palate there are herbaceous flavours with rounded warmth from the spices. PERNOD RICARD
Spain Gin Mare 42.7% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99
Spain’s famous citrus and sun-drenched herbs are at the heart of this gin that is distilled in a small fishing village south of Barcelona. The citrus sits alongside Arbequina olives, thyme, basil and rosemary, all of which combine to give depth. It has rich aromas of citrus, fennel and juniper, with a soft, rounded juniper-led flavour and a finish of intense botanicals and spice. EUROVINTAGE
France
handpicked, macerated in the grape spirit and then distilled before being blended with the remaining nine botanicals of juniper berries, green cardamom, cubeb berries, liquorice, lime, coriander, quassia amara, nutmeg, ginger root. Its floral aroma has an almost vanilla sweetness, with a flavour that is rounded and smooth, leading to a warming finish of liquorice, ginger and nutmeg. EUROVINTAGE
Holland Rutte Celery Dry Gin 43% ABV, 700ml RRP $84.99
The Rutte family has been distilling in the Netherlands since 1872 and has used celery in its gins since the beginning. This is a light, citrusy gin distilled from seven classic gin botanicals, including its signature celery. It is dry, with a hint of lemon and fresh celery note. Rutte Old Simon Genever is also available (RRP $76.99). HANCOCKS
G’Vine Floraison Gin 40% ABV, 700ml RRP $79.99
Made with grape spirit, this gin from France is made at Maison Villevert, a 16th century family estate in the heart of Cognac country. G’Vine Floraison is designed to capture springtime in the vineyard, and as such its signature botanical is the flower of the grapevine, which exists for just a few days before maturing into a grape berry. These flowers are
For distributor details see Distributor Index page 88
DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017 79
MIXERS
Mixing it up The diversity of gins on the market means more scope for flavour pairing. We’ve rounded up a few bottled mixers to inspire some combinations.
Fentiman’s Rose Lemonade RRP $3.99 (275ml), RRP $5.99 (500ml)
Yes, we know, gin and lemonade isn’t the ‘proper’ way to enjoy gin – but this is no ordinary lemonade. With just the barest hint of sweetness, it has a deep base of tart lemon with a wash of rose petals over the top. It’s sublime with more citrusforward and floral gins. And it makes a dreamily coloured drink in palest pink. HANCOCKS
Fentiman’s Wild English Elderflower RRP $3.99 (275ml)
This quintessentially English drink has a sweet aroma with distinctive elderflower notes. Delicate floral flavours sit with a hint of ginger and deliver a rounded taste. A refreshing partner for lighter gin-styles. Lightly sparkling, it would make an interesting alternative to tonic when creating summer drinks. HANCOCKS
East Imperial Burma RRP $9.99 4-pack (150ml)
Bold and bitter – this is the tonic to partner with more traditional London Dry style gins. East Imperial says it was designed to recreate the century-old tradition of Long Pink Gins at the Pegu Club in Rangoon, Burma. (Created by adding 2-4 dashes of bitters to a long G&T). Burma has double the sugar of East Imperial’s classic Tonic Water, added citric acid and high quinine levels, giving it a distinctively gutsy taste. HANCOCKS
80 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water RRP$ 9.99 4-pack (200ml)
Essential oils from Mediterranean flowers, fruits and herbs are blended with quinine to create this delicate, slightly floral tonic. Although created to accompany vodka, it would also work well with the more citrusforward gins around now. EUROVINTAGE
Fever Tree Elderflower Tonic Water RRP$ 9.99 4-pack (200ml)
This tonic has a subtle elderflower aroma and flavour with a hint of citrus. On the palate it has only slight sweetness and a soft bitterness from the quinine. A dry finish, it would be a fresh, summery addition to a classic gin and tonic.
available individually for on-premise) the range includes Blood Orange, Classic, Cucumber, Pink Grapefruit, and Elderflower. All are made with Bootleggers commitment to natural and organic ingredients and come with a recommended gin match on the back label. Blood Orange has slightly sweet citrus on the nose but punchy bitterness on the palate and is rich and rounded. The Cucumber bursts out of the bottle with a light, delicate aroma and backs it up with refreshing flavour. The Pink Grapefruit has a bitter intensely citrus aroma with a zesty grapefruit taste. The Elderflower is delicate and sweet on the nose but packs a good dose of bitterness with a hint of floral. BOOTLEGGERS
EUROVINTAGE
Bickford’s Bitter Lemon with Quassia Essence RRP $7.99 4-pack (275ml)
Lemon dominates the nose on this blend with natural essence of quassia – a plant whose wood is used medicinally and which has a bitter flavour. The combination of lemon tang and sharply bitter quassia makes this a great pairing for a classic London Dry style gin. STELLARE
Bootleggers The Gin Collection
Keeping it classic No clever business – just pure tonic punch • Quina Fina • Soda Press • Phoenix • Schweppes • Fever-Tree • Fentiman’s • East Imperial
$2.20 ex GST, 250ml (on-premise)
Wellington craft drinks company Bootleggers has just released its collection of tonics for gin drinkers. Packaged in a sleek black and white box for retail (also
For distributor details see Distributor Index page 88
PROFILE – LESLEY GRACIE
Mistress of her domain
Hendrick’s gin is an iconic bottle on bar shelves – Victoria Wells reports on a master class with its Master Distiller
PICTURE A Master Distiller of gin in your mind’s eye and chances are (generalisation though it may be) it’ll be a slightly stooped, elderly chap lovingly tending to his stills. For the millions around the world who enjoy Hendrick’s, they likely have no idea that the person behind their favourite tipple is a woman with steel grey hair pulled back into a long ponytail that ripples down her back, a twinkle in her eye, and a near encyclopaedic knowledge of botanicals. Lesley Gracie – Master Distiller at Hendrick’s – is more like the cool chemistry teacher you wish you’d had at school. Working initially in pharmaceutical R&D, she has been with William Grant & Sons (Hendrick’s parent company) for 30 years where she heads up New Liquid Development and was the person who developed the recipe for Hendrick’s back in 1999 and maintains the quality and consistency of every bottle made today. A keen gardener too, her knowledge of plants is put to good use on a daily basis. In September, she and Hendrick’s Global Ambassador Duncan McRae travelled from Hendrick’s seaside home of Girvan in Scotland to New Zealand, to present two exclusive masterclasses in Auckland and Wellington with distributor Federal Merchants, before heading to Australia.
McRae was quick to point out it was the furthest south anyone from Hendrick’s has ever come. The reason? To “re-introduce” bartenders to Hendrick’s. McRae says many in the industry think of the gin as overtly light and floral, which isn’t the case, particularly when compared with more recent gin styles. “Hendrick’s is a lot closer to the centre now than it was back when it launched. It’s why we want to explain the distillates, so people can understand more accurately what is in the bottle.”
“Hendrick’s is a lot closer to the centre now than it was back when it launched.” The key to Hendrick’s, and what made it “groundbreaking”, says McRae, is that it is two very different distillates blended together – not just a single spirit with botanicals. The infusions of rose and cucumber added afterwards are also special, but the magic starts in the stills (known as The Bennett and The CarterHead), which Lesley Gracie speaks of as fondly as if they were family. The stills have very different roles: the Bennett is a copper pot still in which the botanicals are steeped, while the Carter-Head bathes them in alcohol vapour.
The New Zealand audiences were treated to the unique experience of trying the two distillates virtually straight from the Girvan stills (aviation law meant Gracie had to reduce the alcohol content slightly before flying with them) to see the flavour profiles they each offer. The Bennett distillate is deeper and more complex, while the Carter-Head was lighter and more floral. The success of their combination is evident when trying Hendrick’s neat. “You pick up the depth and complexity from the Bennett,” says Gracie. “The juniper, coriander and angelica; the nice deep, round character. Then the floral citrus elements from the Carter-Head. Then right across it you get the rose and cucumber and it leaves you with that intense flavour that is everything altogether. It’s really smooth.” Along with her daily guardianship of Hendrick’s, part of Gracie’s role is to constantly research, experiment and innovate, so she has a wealth of flavours on which to draw for new projects, which bodes well for Hendrick’s lovers. She says the late Charles Gordon, [former chairman of William Grant & Sons] who tasked her with creating Hendrick’s, drove imagination and innovation in everybody at the company. “He’d say ‘Yes, that’s where we are, but where could we be?’” she grins. DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017 81
OPINION – SPIRITS
Dominic Roskrow Drinksbiz UK-based world spirits expert d.roskrow@aol.co.uk www.worldwhisky.co.uk
Pushing gin’s boundaries While welcoming gin’s resurgence with open arms, Dominic Roskrow asks: where to from here? WHEN IS a gin not a gin? That is a very good question, because as gin takes over the world, it seems it’s also morphing into an attempt to be all things to all people. (Apparently, they’re remaking The Life Of Brian and including a scene when a bloke on a cross says ‘I’m a gin, and so is my wife.”) The gin revolution is huge, unprecedented, and very welcome. The emergence of a new premium gin sector appealing to a broader (and in some cases, new) audience benefits everybody. But gin has an identity crisis and it needs to get its act together. If it wants to consolidate its position as a major spirit with proper provenance and heritage it needs to make sure its back story stacks up. While researching my recent Collins Little Book on gin, I was amazed by the Jekyll and Hyde nature of my subject matter. ‘What’s your name?’ I would ask the gin distillers. ‘Whatever you want it to be?’ would come the reply. Let me explain. If we’re brutally honest, at its most primitive, gin is base spirit with some botanicals added to it to make it taste nicer. And then it’s drowned in tonic. I’m being facetious – it’s the whisky snob in me – but think about it: this is the spirit that was known as ‘mother’s ruin’ and was to 18th century London what heroin is today to much of inner-city America. The poverty-stricken English non-working class lived for gin, and it was so deadly that the French smuggled it over the Channel to undermine the war efforts of their fiercest enemy. Turning that lot around takes some doing, but the new wave of craft gin distillers have managed it. The question is, is it sustainable? Part of the problem is that unlike Scotch single malt whisky, tequila or Cognac, the rules governing what gin is are vague. They refer to a predominant juniper 82 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
Juniperus communis, the common juniper
Part of the problem is, that unlike Scotch single malt whisky, tequila or Cognac, the rules governing what gin is are vague. flavour, but there are gins made with 30 or more botanicals where juniper is very low on the register, and others again that taste predominantly of aniseed, chilli, seaweed (really) or coconut. Then there is the production method. Some distillers distill from scratch and make their own base spirit. But many buy in grain neutral spirit and add to it. So, aren’t these really just flavoured vodkas? Some macerate their botanicals, some infuse them, some blend them
all together, and some distill each one separately. The production process is, to say the least, loose. Finally, we get to the marketing. Half of the new producers boast proudly of their dedication to the juniper berry, and the other half revel in obscure but local botanicals hand-picked from the cliffs and coasts of their region. Some lay claim to old recipes dating back hundreds of years, while others proudly claim to be the first gin distillery in their area EVER. I’m thinking of making a gin that will be the first one ever distilled on our road. It’s confusing, is all I’m saying. And our discerning consumers will ask questions. We need some order. Will the real gin please stand up?
Say hello to four of our favourite gins. Internationally recognised. Uniquely Australian.
RARE DRY GIN Double Gold: New York WWSC 2017 Double Gold: San Francisco WSC 2016 Double Gold: San Francisco WSC 2014 5/5 stars: Difford’s Guide
SPICED NEGRONI GIN Master: Global Gin Masters 2017 Gold: Hong Kong IWSC 2015 Silver: IWSC 2016 5/5 stars: Difford’s Guide
NAVY STRENGTH GIN Trophy/Best Gin: Hong Kong IWSC 2016 Master: Global Gin Masters 2017 Master: Global Gin Masters 2016 Master: Global Gin Masters 2015
BLOODY SHIRAZ GIN “The Australian answer to sloe gin” Difford’s Guide, 4.5/5 stars “Part gin, part wine, all delicious” Broadsheet.com.au
NEW ZEALAND TRADE DISTRIBUTOR: Tickety-Boo Liquor Limited +64 9377 7597 | sales@tickety-boo.co.nz www.tickety-boo.co.nz
fourpillarsgin.com.au @fourpillarsgin
SPIRITS NEWS
Quench Collective adds Karven
New boutique bitters for bartenders
NEW ZEALAND craft distiller Karven has become the first spirits producer to join the growing Quench Collective portfolio. Established in 2016, Karven uses native botanicals in its Dry Gin, Starka Vodka, and Bianco Vermouth.
A PASSION for boutique spirits, fuelled by time in the UK and European drinks industries, has seen Kiwi Ben Leggett set up Elemental Distillers in Marlborough. Following his successful launch of a range of bitters in the UK, he’s come home with the aim of helping to put New Zealand’s craft spirits on the global map. Leggett’s first launch under the Elemental brand is a range of three aromatic cocktail bitters, and there is a gin in the works too. Elemental Bitters are made by hand from 100% natural ingredients sourced from locally owned and operated farms, in batches of no more than 250 bottles. The bitters are made with cocktail bartenders in mind and come in three versions designed to enhance three styles of cocktail: Grapefruit & Hops (for ‘The Citrus Refresher’); Blackberry & Balsamic (for ‘The Rich Berry’) and Coffee & Pimento (for ‘The Mature Digestif’).
QUENCH COLLECTIVE
FIND OUT MORE AT ELEMENTALDISTILLERS.COM
Jim Beam goes premium with new RTD JIM BEAM has released a new RTD using its extra aged Jim Beam Black Bourbon, aimed at bringing premiumisation to the growing Bourbon category. While Jim Beam White is aged for four years, Jim Beam Black is the Kentucky bourbon house’s extra aged bourbon – its extended time in charred white oak giving it a heavier, full-bodied flavour with rich smooth caramel and notes of warm oak. This is then combined with a premium cola to create Jim Beam Black RTD, which has nutmeg notes from the aged bourbon, alongside flavours of vanilla and cinnamon. Ben Andrews of Beam Suntory NZ says recent significant growth of Jim Beam Black is an example
RTD category and helping to drive higher shopper basket spend. “Current RTD category conventions equate ‘premium’ with a high ABV,” says Andrews. “Jim Beam Black RTD is about reeducating on the role of ABV and liquid credentials – Jim Beam Black RTD is premium because it contains quality, extra-aged Bourbon, which adds a fuller, more
intense flavour.” The new Jim Beam Black RTD is available in a 330ml can 10-pack, 5% ABV. Jim Beam is also launching a new Jim Beam Black 700ml format into New Zealand (previously only available in 1L) to provide an “easy step-up” pack format at a more affordable price point for consumers. BEAM SUNTORY
of the premiumisation of the Bourbon category. The extra aged bourbon won the Bourbon Trophy at the 2016 International Wine and Spirit Competition, and Andrews says that by launching Jim Beam Black RTD, Beam Suntory is bringing that premiumisation to the Bourbon
DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017 85
SPIRITS NEWS
Tradition of Vodka Zubrovka The roots of the Vodka Zubrovka story reach to the Bialowieza Forest, located in the remote and mysterious land of Belarus and North East Poland. Here grows the precious Bison grass, the natural ingredient so unique to Zubrovka. Here also roam the rare and protected Bison from which Zubrovka takes its name. Bison grass is picked by hand at the height of summer, carefully dried and then added as an extract to a luxury rye spirit, distilled in the time honoured way at the Belalko distillery. Floral, herbaceous, vanilla and spring flowers are just a few of the many descriptions for Zubrovka. For over 600 years, bison grass handharvested from Europe’s last primeval forest has infused smooth Zubrovka vodka with aromas of vanilla and almond.
EuroVintage amps up spirits NEW WHISKEY and gin are among some of the latest additions at EuroVintage, which is now distributing Writer’s Tears, and The Irishman ranges from Ireland’s Walsh Whiskey Distillery. New gins in the portfolio include Portobello Road (England) and Pickering’s Gin (Scotland), as well as the more unusual and floral-influenced G’Vine Floraison Gin from France. (More on these in the Gin Report from pg 71). Just in time for summer, there is an Aperol Spritz Pack, comprising a 700ml bottle of traditional Italian aperitif Aperol and a 750ml bottle of Cinzano Prosecco. ‘Aperitivo’ – the Italian tradition of pre-dinner drinks and snacks – was named one of the key upcoming trends at cocktail trade event Tales of the Cocktail 2017, held in New Orleans in July. EUROVINTAGE
DISTRIBUTED BY Q LIQUID. PHONE 09 636 7730 OR VISIT QLL.CO.NZ
A bit of black magic NEW TO the Hancocks portfolio is a black spiced rum called (fittingly) Black Magic. Made in the Caribbean, it is a blend of light and dark rum with notes of mixed spice, notably cinnamon and clove, and a long finish of brown sugar and vanilla with a slight oakiness. Ideal for mixed drinks. 40% ABV, 700ml RRP$44.99 HANCOCKS
Must-have for Ardbeg fans THE FIRST new permanent expression from Ardbeg in nearly a decade is now available in New Zealand, with the release of Ardbeg An Oa (pronounced “an oh”). It is inspired by the wildest part of Ardbeg’s remote Scottish island home of Islay: the rocky Mull of Oa headland in the southwest. Ardbeg An Oa (46.6% ABV, RRP $122) is a golden colour with a rounded, subtly smoky aroma with creamy toffee, aniseed, treacle and dates. A smooth, creamy texture leads into a huge syrupy sweetness with flavours of chocolate, toffee, aniseed, orange and smoky tea leaves along with sweet spices and cigar smoke. It has a long finish with flavours of aniseed, hickory and subtle smoke. Ardbeg An Oa follows the distillery’s release of Ardbeg Corryvreckan in 2009, Ardbeg Uigeadail in 2003 and Ardbeg Ten Years Old in 2000. MOËT HENNESSEY
86 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
Contact Whisky Galore, sole agents in New Zealand for Benromach Single Malt Scotch Whisky, www.whiskytrade.co.nz BENROMACH.COM
DISTRIBUTOR INDEX
Distributors Accolade Wines
Giesen
Pernod Ricard
The Boneline
03 520 6011 accolade-wines.com
03 344 6270 giesen.co.nz
0800 655 550 pernod-ricard-nz.com
03 314 8699 theboneline.co.nz
Beam Suntory
Good George Brewing
Q Liquid
Thomson Whisky
09 915 8440 beamsuntory.com
07 846 9364 goodgeorge.co.nz
09 636 7730 qll.co.nz
09 828 7271 thomsonwhisky.com
Beverage Brothers
Hancocks
Quench Collective
Tickety-Boo Liquor
03 390 1377 beveragebrothers.co.nz
0800 699 463 hancocks.co.nz
0800 946 326 quenchcollective.co.nz
09 377 7597 tickety-boo.co.nz
Black Dog Brewery Co.
Hidden World
Reid + Reid
Tony Bish Wines
04 801 8491 blackdogbrewery.co.nz
0800 212 337 hiddenworldgin.com
admin@reidbrothersdistilling.com
reidbrothersdistilling.com
06 835 9147 tonybishwines.co.nz
Bootleggers
Independent Liquor
Riedel
Tuatara Brewing
021 507 230 bootleggers.nz
0800 420 001 independentliquor.co.nz
0800 77 66 95 riedelglass.co.nz/contacts
0508 TUATARA tuatarabrewing.co.nz
Broken Heart Spirits
Lion
Riot & Rose
Villa Maria
03 442 0819 brokenheartspirits.com
0800 107 272 lionco.com
jane@riotandrose.com riotandrose.com
0800 505 656 villamaria.co.nz
Cardrona Distillery
Mahana Wines
River-T Estate
Vintage Distribution
03 443 1393 cardronadistillery.com
03 543 2817 mahana.nz
021 190 8875 rivertestate.co.nz
021 247 6683 vintagedistribution.co.nz
DB Breweries
Mineral Ltd
SOHO Wines
Vintners NZ
0800 746 432 db.co.nz
027 580 7325 mineralwine.co.nz
021 687 646 sohowineco.com
0800 687 9463 vintners.co.nz
Desert Heart Vineyard
Moa Brewing
Sprig & Fern
Whitehaven
03 445 3258 desertheart.co.nz
09 367 9492 moabeer.com
03 544 8675 sprigandfern.co.nz
021 738 315 whitehaven.co.nz
Dog Point Vineyard
Moët Hennessey
Stellare NZ
Whisky Galore
03 572 8294 dogpoint.co.nz
0800 226 650 moethennessey.com
09 972 0235 stellarenz.com
0800 944 759 whiskytrade.co.nz
EuroVintage
Negociants
Sur Ltd
Wine2Trade
0800 388 766 eurovintage.co.nz
0800 634 624 negociantsnz.com
021 44 9596 sur.co.nz
021 180 0253 sue@wine2trade.co.nz
Federal Merchants & Co
Peckham’s Cider
Taylor Brown
Yealands
0800 846 824 federalmerchants.co.nz
03 543 2959 peckhams.co.nz
09 447 3801 taylorbrown.co.nz
09 920 2880 yealandsestate.co.nz
88 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
Available now. Contact your Independent Liquor Area Sales Manager or call 0800 420 001 for further information.
LAST REQUESTS
Of people, land and sea
Kono CEO Rachel Taulelei on heading a Māori business, the rise of their wines and the fact nothing is off the table when it comes to looking ahead On Kono’s origins We’re a family business. Wakatū [Kono’s parent company] traces its roots back to the 1820s/1830s when our families made their way from Kawhia down through Taranaki to Wellington then to the Marlborough Sounds. There were 254 families who made that final pilgrimage over to Te Tau Ihu at the top of the South Island. The original land owners in and around Nelson, those families and their descendants pooled their interests and that resulted in Wakatū. All of our around 4000 owners affiliate with one or more of four iwi from the top of the South: Ngāti Koa, Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Tama and Te Ātiawa. There are 254 names on a wall in our office – including that of my own great-great-grandfather.
On being a Māori business We have a rich and deep value system; more than words on a page. It manifests in everything that we do – from the way we start our seasons with dawn blessings and induct our staff with mihi whakatau all the way through to branding our wines with stories special to us. Where we’re situated, at the top of the south, that’s our turangawaewae – that’s where we’re from and where we’re staying and where we produce our products so that gives us a really deep connection to our place.
On their wines At the top of the pyramid is our Kaumātua reserve range. They’re interesting, funky wines that we love and name after our kaumātua. That’s on-premise and specialty retail. In that space we also have our Rewa bubbles. Aronui are our Nelson wines and they’re also on-premise and specialty retail. Then Tohū Wines, which is 20 years old next year. It was the first Māori brand in that space. And we’re not a small winery now, we’re playing in the mid-size space. When Tohū started no one locally wanted a Māori-branded wine so we had to go offshore first… then bring it back into the domestic market when there was a different perspective. Tohū is on- and off-premise but probably more readily found off-premise. Our Kono wines are what we do the most of and at 90 DRINKSBIZ OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017
“We do what we do and it’s not a gimmick, it’s not a platform, it’s not anything other than who we are but it does resonate with people around the world.” this moment are only exported, but will be sold here in the next six months. Offshore, they’re really highly regarded.
On cider and other projects Tutū cider has got rave reviews. There’s some work to do on distribution to make sure it’s more readily available. I think the cider market in New Zealand will probably be what the craft beer market is, but not for another two to four years. Initially, I found it frustrating but now I think it gives us time to work on the format, offerings and flavours. We might look at beer. We’re really good at growing hops so we’re just looking at whether we could transfer those skills over into other crop options. They were all tobacco farms around Motueka and now it’s hop gardens. Nothing is off the table.
On telling the Kono story overseas Export is about 65% of what we do. We spend a lot of time in our markets
understanding what’s important to our customers. Our demographic in the States wanted to buy something they wanted in their lives, but didn’t want it to have an adverse effect on anyone else in the world. And if it could be good for someone else, then even better. They wanted to know there was a degree of authenticity in what they were buying, that they knew who was creating it, that there was a heritage in that. We have all these things and the rich story that goes with it, so that was fantastic. You’d be naïve to think that every single person who buys a bottle of Kono wine in Trader Joes in San Jose understands what’s happening, but that’s the challenge and that’s the journey: to be smart enough with your marketing and presentation to the world that they understand what they’re participating in. We do what we do and it’s not a gimmick, it’s not a platform, it’s not anything other than who we are, but it does resonate with people around the world.
On the importance of guardianship Kaitiatikanga is the heart of the organisation. We’re an intergenerational business and unless you’re very mindful of how you do your work or farm the land or work with your people then it’ll all fall flat very quickly. It’s about wise and enduring use of the resources we have under our guardianship. We rebranded recently – we were ‘pure taste of New Zealand’ – it’s true, but wasn’t necessarily to the heart of who we were, so now we say we have a love for the land and respect for the sea, because that’s more in keeping with who we are as kaitiaki.
On future plans Our focus at the moment is on land and water wellness so we have committed ourselves to the next few years to not necessarily doubling in size but to take a pulse check and make sure we’re doing things in the right way... that what we’re doing with the land is good for the land, that our people are happy and well – because once that’s in check then we’re sprinting.
Distributed by Federal Merchants & Co E: info@federalmerchants.co.nz | P: 0800 846 824
NEW