Glengarry's Sunday ramblings of all things vinous, grain and glorious. The Sunday Sediment. Issue Sixty-Three
Welcome to the Sixty-Third edition of The Sunday Sediment, a collection of what’s new, what’s on and what’s happening instore at Glengarry and within the world of wine. Sip away.
ITALY ABRUZZO
The Romans observed that ‘Bacchus loves hills’, and no other zone fits the bill better than the Abruzzo DOC wine region. Its rolling vineyards stretch from the Adriatic to the Apennines, providing a wide variety of soils and microclimates capable of producing distinctive wines championing the Montepulciano variety. The best Montepulciano d’Abruzzo are robust wines with an ample tannin structure softened by a supple mouthfeel.
ILLUMINATI Illuminati was established in 1890 by Nico Illuminati, who handed on his passion for winemaking to his grandson, Dino Illuminati, himself now a grandfather to yet another Nico. Not short of a little Latin vitality, Dino’s enthusiasm for his wines bubbles over like some frothy prosecco. Acknowledged as one of Italy’s finest vinous craftsmen, Dino’s drive
The Illuminati Family
has taken Illuminati to great heights, and with 150 acres of the finest terrain in the whole region now in his Montepulciano-stained hands, he’ll soon be needing a new medal cupboard for his numerous accolades, amongst them Italian Winemaker of the Year. Read more ....
ITALY VENETO
Veneto is home to the glorious sinking city of Venice and the romantic jewel that is Verona. Here, you’ll find great value Soave, Valpolicella and Bardolino wines. Less than half of the wine produced in Veneto is able to be labelled with the Italian quality mark of DOC, with large quantities of IGT (table wine) produced there, making it an important region for quantity. It is
also home to the superstar Amarone, and to the sparkling Prosecco wines made in Conegliano-Valdobbiadene. Read More..
CECILIA PASQUA - A FAMILY PASSION | TAKAPUNA One household, most famed in dignity. In fair Verona, where we lay our scene. No, no we aren't talking about any Montagues or Capulets this time. We are of course referencing Pasqua, a producer of many wines beloved by Glengarry patrons over the years. Founded in 1925 and based in the heart of Verona, Pasqua have dedicated themselves to
WHEN: Wednesday 24th October
producing some of the best value wines from
WHERE: Glengarry Thorndon,
Veneto, as well as some seriously good
53 Hutt Rd, Thorndon
Amarone. Nearly a century on from their
TIME: 6.00pm
inception the company continues to be lovingly owned and operated by the family from which it takes it's name. Glengarry Takapuna are honoured to host a new generation family scion
WELLINGTON
as Cecilia joins us to take us on a tour by tasting of some of the superb Pasqua range. Join us for a night that is sure to be as informative as it is delicious!
WHEN: Thursday 25th October WHERE: Glengarry Takapuna, Cnr Hurstmere & Killarney, Takapuna
Read more....
TIME: 7.00pm
AUCKLAND
ITALY SICILIA
The largest island in the Mediterranean, Sicily is home to more wineries than any other Italian region. Leading light on the island is the fortified DOC wine, Marsala, so brilliant for cooking, and superb when served with a hard cheese like Pecorino. While there are some impressive DOC wines, there is also great value offered by top-quality producers making very good IGT wines from indigenous varieties. Read More..
TERRELIADE Part of the Santa Margherita empire, Terreliade is located in a sun-drenched valley replete with almond and olive trees and a jealousy-inducing landscape. The vineyards extend over 285 hectares and contain a high portion of clay, along with a dash or two of limestone. Crafted from native varieties, the Terreliade range pays tribute to Sicilian tradition, employing low impact, organic and sustainable viticultural methods combined with modern technology in the winery. The wines are IGT quality, and with the resources of the Santa
Margherita group behind them, they pay a huge quality dividend for a relatively paltry sum. Read more ....
FLORIO Deep within the heart of Sicily lies the Marsala region, a place of mineral-rich soils, warm temperatures and an abundance of sunshine. The Florio family began their winemaking activities there back in 1832, producing Italy’s fortified equivalent of sherry and port, light and refined Marsala wines that function beautifully as both aperitif and after-dinner drink. Marsala wines have a very long shelf life and can go 100 years or more. Drunk cold, they are DOC wines, subject to severe restrictions, and can only be produced in Marsala from the three traditional varieties: White Grillo, Inzolia, and Cataratto. One of the world’s top Marsala producers, Florio are verging on an impressive 200 years in the business. Read more ....
TERRAZZE DELL ETNA Nestled into the slopes of Mt Etna, Terrazze dell’Etna has a distinctive mineral aspect to its wines. The indigenous red variety is Nerello Mascalese, its wines generally light in colour with vibrant acidity. The terraces were established in the 1800s, with current owner, Nino Bevilacqua, purchasing the property in 2006 and transforming it into one of the area’s
most sought-after producers. Everything is done by hand, with no irrigation other than what drains down off the mountain itself. Thanks to the harsh volcanic ground, the viticulturalist needs to cut the roots of the sometimes century-old vines to stop them growing sideways. Read more ....
FOUR PILLARS HEROES OF HANDCRAFTED
Draped in accolades, Four Pillars is a small outfit in Victoria’s Yarra Valley dedicated to elevating the craft of distilling to new heights. Their strategy to achieve this involves state-of-the-art German copper pot stills (named Wilma, Jude and Eileen), triple-filtered Yarra Valley water and a range of carefully selected local and exotic botanicals. Have they succeeded? Given the Double Gold, Gold and Master status their mainstay gins have picked up, it’s highly likely they have. Judge for yourself. Read more...
OPUS ONE TASTING ABOUTWINE
Monday was all about Opus One, The first
class Bordeaux blend of 1st growth quality,
ultra-premium American cult wine. Opus One
based around Napa Valley Cabernet
was the superlative creation of two of the wine
Sauvignon. This is a grand collision of Old
world’s greatest personalities in 1979. Chateau
World and New World styles, from the
Mouton Rothschild’s Baron Phillipe de
fashioning of the incredible winery through to
Rothschild, and American wine pioneer Robert
the masterful wine itself.
Mondavi. Their goal was to create a world
This very special vertical tasting was presented
We then embarked upon 5 vintages of Opus
by their Vice President of International
One itself, an incredible line-up given the price
Marketing Laurent Delassus, who came direct
of these wines. Working from oldest to
from Bordeaux. Opus One has an office based
youngest we tasted 2005, 2010, 2013, 2014
there as the majority of their sales are now
and the 2015 which has just been released this
outside the USA. These are done directly
month. The 2005 is a lovely wine and ready to
through the Bordeaux negociant system to
start drinking, with lots of secondary complexity
ensure that the wine can reach as many
coming through. 2010 was a very challenging
markets and wine lovers as possible.
vintage in the region, but you wouldn’t know it from the superb quality of this wine. Although
We started with Overture by Opus One. This
only 3 years older, the 2013 is a very young
wine was only available at the cellar door up
wine, Laurent remarked that it is perhaps the
until 2014. It is a special second wine that only
greatest ever made at the estate, a perfectly
makes up 10-15% of the production. Designed
balanced example. 2014 and 2015 are also
to be an Opus ready to drink upon release and
great examples that will require lots of time in
to provide maximum drinking pleasure, this is a
the cellar. The style of Opus is like a more
multi-vintage wine. It is made up from usually
refined and elegant version of other top Napa
three of the more recent vintages that have
Cabernets, they pick on average two weeks
spent longer in wood to soften them.
earlier than their neighbours to maintain
Absolutely delicious and a much more
freshness. If you were comparing it to
affordable look at the Opus style.
Bordeaux, it’s a more exuberant version of Mouton Rothschild. Whichever way you look at it, this is one of the world’s great wines that deserves to be tasted by every wine lover... Read more...
TASTINGS AND EVENTS
IWSC TASTING WITH JO BURZYNSKA | VICTORIA PARK The annual IWSC (International Wine & Spirit Competition) was not only the first, but has also been also the world's premier Wine & Spirit event for over 45 years. What sets the IWSC apart is the formidable reputation of its judging process. Their panels of carefully selected industry experts comprise Masters of WHEN: Friday 2nd November WHERE: Glengarry Victoria Park, 118 Wellesley St West, Auckland TIME: 7.00pm
Wine, buyers, sommeliers, WSET qualified educators and respected wine journalists. Join us and Judge Jo Burzynska (Wine Editor of Wine NZ, Viva & NZ Herald) to taste the fantastic New Zealand Winners. A great night of great wine! Read more....
ANNUAL NV TASTING | WELLINGTON Even though there is a cold southerly blowing through as we write this, it does cheer us up to know that the warm weather and Christmas is just around the corner. It has become the tradition here that when we do the NV Champagne tasting, we taste them blind and we will continue that tradition this year. This process allows you to taste with no
WHEN: Wednesday 31st October
preconceptions, a great way to figure out what
WHERE: Glengarry Thorndon,
you like. This is always the most relaxed of all
53 Hutt Rd, Thorndon
the Champagne tastings, so if you are looking
TIME: 6.00pm
for a fun night drinking Champagne this is it! Read more....
PREMIUM NEW ARRIVALS FROM SOUTH AMERICA | WELLINGTON Chile and Argentina have long provided some of the greatest value in the world of wine, but now drinkers are waking up to just how high the quality is at the premium end. Our GM Liz Wheadon has recently visited the regions, and hand selected some of the finest boutique wineries to import. Tonight she will be coming WHEN: Wednesday 17th October
down to Wellington to present 8 different
WHERE: Glengarry Thorndon,
wineries, and some of their most exciting wines
53 Hutt Rd, Thorndon
from $40 to over $200 a bottle.
TIME: 6.00pm Read more....
NZ WHISKY CO MALT CLUB | KHYBER PASS In 1997 the last Whisky Distillery in New Zealand was closed down, and the hundreds of barrels of Cask Strength whisky auctioned off or mothballed. More than a decade later in 2010, The NZ Whisky Company bought the last 80,000 litres in 443 barrels from what had previously been stored in an old airplane hangar. This Whisky now resides near the shores of the picturesque Historic Oamaru harbour. These are exceptionally rare drams
WHEN: Thursday 11th October WHERE: Glengarry Khyber Pass,
from what was once the world’s southern-most
409 Khyber Pass Road, Auckland
distillery. Join us at Khyber Pass as we explore
TIME: 7.00pm
a range of bottlings from this unique Kiwi company. We'll learn a bit about how they do what they do and their respective plans for the future of New Zealand made spirits! Read more....
MALT CLUB - INDEPENDENT BOTTLERS WITH MICHAEL FRASER MILNES FROM WHISKY GALORE | VICTORIA PARK Accompany us as we unearth an exciting selection from Gordon & MacPhail and Benromach. One of Scotland’s oldest and most respected independent bottlers, Gordon & MacPhail has been distilling since 1998 carrying alongside it four generations of the WHEN: Thursday 11th October WHERE: Glengarry Victoria Park, 118 Wellesley St West, Auckland TIME: 7.00pm
Urquhart family. Benromach distillery dates back to the turn of the 19th century. The independently family-owned distillery is continuing to uphold an older style of Speyside malt. Come along to our October Malt Club to see for yourself! We have Michael Fraser-Milne from Whisky Galore joining us to take us through this range of exceptional whiskies.
WESTMERE WINE CLUB | LAKE CHALICE WITH CHLOE GABRIELSEN Forged in 1989 on a stony paddock in the heart of the Wairau Valley, the pioneering Lake Chalice boast a dedicated following for their vinous output. Under the oversight of Head Winemaker, Chloe Gabrielsen, they draw upon Marlborough's singular regional diversity via their four unique vineyard sites to produce several tiers of quality varietal wines. Mainstay of the portfolio is the Black Label series. The Nest wines offer classic Marlborough varieties at affordable prices, while The Raptor wines are made from selected small parcels of standout fruit. The top-tier Platinum wines are only produced in exceptional years. Lake Chalice are also longtime sponsors of the Wingspan Birds of Prey Trust, dedicated to preserving New Zealand’s raptors. Read more....
That's it for this week's Sunday Sediment. Issue Sixty-Four will be winging its way to your inbox next Sunday. Cheers,
Jak Jakicevich
WHEN: Tuesday 2nd October WHERE: Glengarry Westmere, 164 Garnet Rd, Westmere TIME: 7.00pm