SUNDAY SEDIMENT | ISSUE 77

Glengarry's Sunday ramblings of all things vinous, grain and glorious.

The Sunday Sediment. Issue Seventy-Seven

Sarah, Welcome to the Seventy-Seventh 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.

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ITALIANI ROSA PINK SPARKLERS FROM THE LAND OF PASTA & PROSECCO

Ciao. Are you Italian? No? We thought not. In

Of interest here is Prosecco. Produced largely

that case you’re probably more than a little

in the north, this inherently Italian style is the

confused by the proliferation of uniquely-

current high-flier (popularity-wise) of that

monikered sparkling wines that emanate from

country’s sparkling wine. When it comes to

Italy’s shores. Prosecco, Lambrusco, Asti,

pink, however, the Prosecco Powers That Be

Franciacorta – it’s all a little murky if you don’t

hold fiercely to their traditional white-wine

quite know what’s going on. The ancient

identity; i.e. no red varieties permitted. This is

Greeks, who had a word for everything, called

not to say that rose Proseccos don’t exist; they

Italy Oenotria, or Land of Vines. It was true

just can’t be labelled as such.

then and it is still so today, because no other country produces such a remarkably diverse range of wine styles.

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Want to know what such a thing would taste like? The rather lovely and delicate sparkling rose from Santa Margherita fits that bill. Made from Prosecco’s Glera variety with some red input via a kiss of Malbec, it is elegantly fresh, florally fragrant, delivering that same refreshing, easy-drinking quality that makes Prosecco so popular.

There are few Italian winemakers who do not produce a spumante style (spumante being Italian for sparkling wine). The finest are crafted in the most northerly regions of Piedmont, Lombardy, Trentino-Alto Adige and Veneto. The most fashionably successful is Prosecco. Italy produces more sparkling wine styles than any other country, including an impressive selection of sparkling roses.

Prosecco aces Mionetto produce a refined and fragrant sparkling extra-dry rose. Aromatic notes of grapefruit, blackcurrent and rose enhance its raspberry and strawberry characters. Just the thing for a little casual sipping in the sun.

Made the same way as champagne, the

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thoroughbred Franciacorta is its Italian equivalent and includes some very fine rose expressions. Fashioned for early consumption, the historically sweet Lambrusco is a red variety that is these days used to make an increasingly dry and refreshing sparkling rose.

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WHISTLING SISTERS

If you have been to Ghuznee Street in the last

Continuing on the theme of “Red�, the new Red

year or two you might have noticed it has

Pils also pushes established boundaries,

begun to rival Cuba Street in the Cool stakes.

combining old world and new world hop

With a rash of brew pubs, eateries, trendy

varieties to create a refreshing beer that has a

clothing stores, and coffee shops this is

decent malt base, yet maintains balanced and

certainly an area to make a point of visiting.

subtle flavours.

Perched on the corner of Ghuznee St and Taranaki St, in what used to be the Salvation

For the stout drinkers the recent variation is

Army Op shop, is Whistling Sisters

Orange Blossom. Using the hopback system

Fermentary. The passion project of hospitality

once again, 10kg of fresh oranges were

heavy weight Russell Scott (Leuven Bar, The

introduced into the brew to add a subtle citrus

Featherston City Tavern, Avida Bar) and Bede

twist. This nicely rounds off the toasted aromas

Roe, began when they opened doors in March

and flavours into a smooth finish.

of this year. Bede and head brewer Dale Gould produce craft beer that cater to all types of beer drinkers.

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For the conservative beer drinker there is the

So far all of these beers have sat at sub 5.5%

core range XPA or Golden Lager. These are

ABV. For the more adventurous drinkers there

session-able beers that won’t strip your taste

are a series of one-off beers. Using only the

buds. The seasonal range consists of beers

freshest ingredients, these beers push the

purpose-built for events, festivals, or climate;

boundaries of that beer can be. Long Live

new and exciting riffs on classic beer styles.

Livia; an Italian Imperial Pilsner, uses single origin Eraclea, and Slovenian hops with bay

Whistling Sisters gained notoriety at Beervana

leaves and chestnuts to create a powerful (8%

2018 with their Sipping Duck: Thai Red Curry

abv) yet well balanced beer. With malty sweet

Ale. This beer earned them a place in the top

aromas and hints of honey this beer has subtle

15 People’s Choice Awards. Using a hopback

floral notes and a touch of citrus.

(a sealed chamber into which you would usually put whole leaf hops) they imbue the flavours of your favourite red duck Thai curry into a beer. Using real roast duck to achieve this, some people might have second thoughts, but with a lot of care this brew walks the tightrope of familiar while also maintaining the exotic.

If beer alone isn’t enough to get you down to Whistling Sisters, then maybe the charcuterie treats of award winning chef John Allred (Osteria del Toro) will entice you. Or perhaps you just want to see why the ‘loo’ was featured among the top ten in www.wellingtonnz.nz.

Or perhaps you want to do the Brewery tour to find out more. There is certainly more than one good reason to visit Whistling Sisters.

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DOMAINE PAUL JABOULET AINE

Long one of the Rhone’s most recognisable brands, replete with well-tended vineyards, careful vinification, and diligent aging practices (right down to employing their own cooper, who makes and maintains their stock of barrels).

There has been much change at Paul Jaboulet Aine in recent times, all of it for the better with the Frey family, of Bordeaux’ Chateau La Lagune and Champagne’s Billecart-Salmon, taking over the reins. The change in ownership has introduced a welcome shot in the arm, one that has enabled a perhaps tiring Jaboulet to

While there is an indelible Jaboulet character

regain significant ground and capture once

to all of the wines, the key to them - whether

again the glories of their past. After all, when

you're looking at the rustic Cotes du Ventoux,

you manage some of the most significant

the lusciously rich Beaumes de Venise dessert

pieces of wine real estate in the world, you'd

wines, or the brooding, earthy flavours of the

want that to show in the bottle, wouldn’t you?

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other reds - is that they are an accurate and authentic reflection of where they're grown.

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TASTINGS AND EVENTS

WINEMAKERS DINNER | JERVOIS What better in mid January than a winemakers dinner? Guillermo Beltramín from Emiliana in Casablanca, Chile is coming to NZ and will host a beautiful dinner in our wine lounge. Our Chilean Head Chef Loreto will match these Biodynamic wines with a selection Tapas that she’s creating just for this dinner. The dinner will feature six of the Emiliana wines.

WHEN: Wednesday 16th January

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WHERE: Glengarry Jervois Rd, 54 Jervois Rd Ponsonby TIME: 7.00pm

MEET MICHEL DRAPPIER | VICTORIA PARK 7

We are delighted to be hosting Michel Drappier in Auckland in January 2019. A wonderful opportunity to meet Michel and taste the range.

Drappier is based in the Urville region of Champagne. The house, founded in 1808, produces both vintage and non-vintage cuvee as well as a prestige wine known as Grande Sendree Drappier is considered one of the finest boutique champagne producers in the world. We will taste the entire range available WHEN: Thursday 17th January

to us! Carte Blanche NV, Rose de Saignee, Blanc de Blanc Signature Brut, Quattour Blanc

WHERE: Glengarry Victoria Park,

de Blanc, Millesime Exception 2012 and 2013,

118 Wellesley St West Auckland TIME: 7.00pm

Grand Sendree 2008 and Grand Sendree Rose 2008.

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PRESTIGE CHAMPAGNE TASTING | THORNDON For a strictly controlled region such as Champagne it is surprising that there very few regulations regarding Prestige Champagne.

However, it is clearly in the best interest of each House to make sure that these wines are the very best that they can produce. A typical Prestige Champagne is made entirely from Grand Cru grapes from the oldest vines. These

WHEN: Wednesday 30th January

wines are also aged a lot longer in the cellars

WHERE: Glengarry Thorndon,

and there are numerous examples of late

53 Hutt Rd, Thorndon

disgorged wines. There is also more thought

TIME: 6.00pm

put in to the bottle and the presentation to make it as luxurious and special as possible.

We have a stellar line up and look forward to trying them with you.

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That's it for this week's Sunday Sediment.

Issue Seventy-Eight will be winging its way to your inbox next Sunday.

Cheers,

Jak Jakicevich

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