Glengarry's Sunday ramblings of all things vinous, grain and glorious. The Sunday Sediment. Issue Eighty-Eight Sarah, Welcome to the Eighty-Eighth 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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SOUTH AMERICA | PINOT NOIR
Plantings have increased in maritime-influenced regions where moderate temperatures ensure slow, even ripening. Chilean Pinots offer well-defined berry, floral and earthy notes, while Argentinian expressions are less spicy, elegantly structured and fruit-driven. Read More..
CASA MARIN Located in the San Antonio Valley. Maria Lutz, who we met at the Marlborough celebration in Blenheim, is the owner and winemaker. Maria was always interested in the San Antonio Valley and felt she could make world class Sauvignon Blanc there. In Chile to own a winery, you either inherit it or you have investors. She could not convince anyone to invest in her project and didn’t come from money. Instead, Maria worked in the bulk wine market and was very good at it. She made enough to start her winery and has made a global name for her wines. Her son is now the winemaker and his wife, Jamie, the marketing manager. The wines are not cheap and are 2
very different to the rest of Chile. They are much cooler in nature due to the steepness, soil and proximity to the sea. The first woman to own a winery in Chile and she got there by herself, when everyone told her she couldn’t. Casa Marin are still the only winery in the San Antonio Valley, no one else is dedicated (read mad) enough to grow grapes here. Mind you, most of the great wines of the world don’t come from where it’s easy... Read More...
MONTES One of South America’s most highly-regarded producers. Wine Spectator refers to Montes as ‘the best all-round winery in South America’ while The Guardian’s Tim Atkin declared them Winemaker of the Year in 2006, and the lofty Decanter described their Alpha Cabernet as '‘one of the best for its price anywhere in the world'. Chairman and Head Winemaker Aurelio Montes takes all this in his globe-straddling stride. Together with the late Douglas Murray, Aurelio started the ball rolling in 1987 to showcase to the world Chile’s hitherto untapped potential for premium winemaking, and Montes continues to set the benchmark. Read More..
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SOUTH AMERICA | MERLOT
Merlot is widely planted in Chile and plantings are rapidly increasing in Argentina. The variety does particularly well in the cooler regions bordering the Andes foothills and valleys. The varietal wines are lushly textured with up front aromas and ripe spicy black fruit characters. In Bordeaux-style blends, the variety provides softness and fleshiness. Read More..
CASA LAPOSTOLLE Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle, greatgranddaughter of the creator of Grand Marnier, is the force behind Lapostolle, a spectacular winery overlooking Apalta Vineyards in the Colchagua Valley in Chile. The Marnier Lapostolle family, founders of the worldrenowned liqueur Grand Marnier, is famous for producing spirits and liqueurs, but the family has also been involved in winemaking for generations. The Chilean chapter of the family was founded by Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle and her husband Cyril de Bournet in 1994. Now managed by the 7th generation, CharlesHenri de Bournet. Their vineyards in Apalta are 4
now certified organic and bio, though the wines are not labelled that way, the grapes are certified, not the winery. These wines are very much Chilean terroir and French expertise. The consultant is Michel Rolland, known well in Bordeaux. These are wines that have been seen in NZ before, though not for many years. The top wine, Clos Apalta, is not in the latest shipment, as it has a different route to market, through Bordeaux. As well as making world glass wines, they also have a 5 star hotel and resort at the winery and make amazing Pisco. Read More...
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TASTE OF FRANCE
Gerard Bru, owner of the Puech-Haut estate, is
His habit is to think big! For him, half-measures
a man of great personal resources. An
will never do. He knows where he’s going and
industrialist who decided to go into wine
how to get there. From his years in industry, he
production, he returned to his oldest passion:
has honed the skills of management and
working on the land.
development. He is a man of the “land” and he has always been someone who insists on concrete results and not just talk. While some
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dream and plan, he is a doer. Starting with a land devoid of any grapes, he has built what is now one of the largest vineyards in the region, and at its heart was born the “Chateau PuechHaut”, built from the stones of the old Prefecture of Montpellier. This was originally a bourgeois residence built in Italian style between the 17th and 18th centuries, and it was slated for demolition. Grape varieties that were originally chosen for the vineyard were Grenache and Syrah. After
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that, Gerard Bru bought some neighbouring lands with old Carignans (50 to 60 years old) and planted some hectares with the three white varieties of the Rhone – Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne. Today the vineyard stretches across 184 hectares, including 92 in Saint Drezery and 19 in Pic Saint Loup. Their appellation area is Coteaux du Languedoc, Saint Drezery, which is the name of the community and the smallest of the “terroirs” of Languedoc. Read More..
TASTINGS AND EVENTS
TAKAPUNA WINE CLUB | VARIETIES IN FOCUS CHARDONNAY In March we are excited to host the first in a series of variety focused tasting events. The idea here is to gather round and hear all about the histories, winemaking processes and flavours of specific wine varieties, whilst tasting our way through an array of different
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expressions of each from different parts of the
WHEN: Wednesday 27 March
vinous world. We are getting things started with
WHERE: Glengarry Takapuna,
the darling of winemakers everywhere, that out
Cnr Hurstmere & Killarney Takapuna
of fashion then back in again, is it oaked or is it
TIME: 7.00pm
not conundrum: Chardonnay. If you have ever wanted to try and directly compare special examples of this versatile variety ranging from fresh and clean through to big and buttery this is the tasting for you! Read more....
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MALT CLUB - JAPANESE WHISKY WITH JAK | VICTORIA PARK WHEN: Thursday 28 March
From humble beginnings less than 100 years
WHERE: Glengarry Victoria Park,
ago, the Land of the Rising Sun started
118 Wellesley St West Auckland
brewing and distilling Single Malt Whisky.
TIME: 7:00pm
Adhering to the Scottish template of whiskymaking but with the aim to create their own style which reflects the beauty and simplicity of the Japanese culture. Today there are literally hundreds of Japanese distilleries, some old and some new. A style of whisky that is hard to get and are sought after worldwide. At Glengarry we have sourced some little gems to share with you so do come along and learn about them, and the history behind these drams that Jak has been able to put together alongside some other fresh offerings to cleanse our palates. Read more....
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IRISH WHISKEY EXPERIENCE | JERVOIS ROAD We are delighted to have Jameson & Premium Irish Whiskey Ambassador, Roisin Oates, at the Glengarry Spirits store to take us through the world of Irish Whiskey. We will be tasting our way through the new experimental whiskey series, Method and Madness, and Jameson's with the ever popular Redbreast and Mitchell &
WHEN: Tuesday 2 April
Sons "Spots" releases.
WHERE: Glengarry Jervois Rd, 54 Jervois Rd Ponsonby
Jameson 18 YO, Redbreast 15 YO,
TIME: 7.00pm
Redbreast 21 YO, Method & Madness Single Grain, Method & Madness Single Pot Still, Green Spot. Read more....
NZ PINOT NOIR ROAD TRIP | THORNDON As we are all about Pinot Noir this month we thought it only fitting that we taste some prime examples from around New Zealand. New Zealand Pinot Noir has gone from strength to strength as the vines here are starting to get some age on them. We have chosen two wines each from four different regions, and although WHEN: Friday 5 April
that is only a drop in the proverbial bucket, it
WHERE: Glengarry Thorndon,
should be enough to show the characteristics
53 Hutt Rd Thorndon
from each region. This will be a casual tasting,
TIME: 4:30pm
so you can pop in on your way home. We will start at 4.30pm and finish at 6.30pm. Read more....
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ONE GLASS FOR EVERY WINE?
WELLINGTON WHEN: Wednesday 10 April
THE JANCIS ROBINSON TASTING |
WHERE: Glengarry Thorndon,
THORNDON & VICTORIA PARK
53 Hutt Rd Thorndon TIME: 6.00pm
Pairing wine expertise and refined design this wine glass is a result of a collaboration
READ MORE...
between Richard Brendon and renowned wine expert Jancis Robinson. The 1 Wine glass is at the heart of the collection that was released here prior to Christmas. The 1 Wine glass is
AUCKLAND
designed to give you the best look at all wine
WHEN: Thursday 11 April
including Champagne and Port and Sherry and
WHERE: Glengarry Victoria Park,
beyond. This tasting will be unique in that we
118 Wellesley St West Auckland
have specially selected wines that vary
TIME: 7.00pm
tremendously in flavour and texture so we can put this glass through its paces. We will have
READ MORE...
David Nash the New Zealand importer here to guide us through the tasting.
BUNNAHABHAIN AND FRIENDS | THORNDON Bunnahabhain is not a typical, heavily peated, smoke-filled Islay. Instead it lets the sea and the islands nature speak naturally. This welcoming taste embodies the approachable side of Islay. For this tasting, Keith from Eurovintage will be taking us through the classic Bunnahabhain expression alongside a WHEN: Thursday 11 April
few independently bottle examples of
WHERE: Glengarry Thorndon,
Bunnahabhain. 9
53 Hutt Rd Thorndon Read more....
TIME: 6.00pm
LAPHROAIG VERTICAL TASTING WITH RORY DONNELLY | JERVOIS ROAD It is written that from the central courtyard of the distillery, one can see the surrounding buildings, some of which pre-date the 'official' beginning in 1815, when Laphroaig was still a farm with the distillery an illicit sideline. It seems that no one knows the full history of
WHEN: Tuesday 16 April
Laphroaig as it was lost in the mist of time. It's
WHERE: Glengarry Jervois Rd,
clear, however, that the Irish had been distilling
54 Jervois Rd Ponsonby
there for many years and that the locals picked
TIME: 7.00pm
up the skills when they left, but because it was illegal the small stills on the farms were rarely discussed - just a nod and a wink in the right direction! Read more....
WESTMERE WINE CLUB | ROCKBURN Rockburn's wines are hand-harvested off the company's Parkburn and Gibbston Valley vineyards. Each site contributes its own unique characteristics that provide chief winemaker Malcolm Rees-Francis with a palette of distinctive flavour profiles from which he masterfully produces the award-winning wines. As Malcolm puts it: “My philosophy is to
WHEN: Wednesday 17 April
respect the fruit, listen to what it is trying to say
WHERE: Glengarry Westmere,
and help it to do that. We don't manipulate or
164 Garnet Rd Westmere
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use finings; our aim is to produce harmonious
TIME: 7.00pm
wines that reflect their unique terroir.� Rockburn's outstanding record is not confined to their headlining Pinot Noir, but extends throughout the entire portfolio, with excellence across the board their primary objective. Read more....
WHISKY OF THE WORLD WITH RORY DONNELLY | JERVOIS ROAD Join us as we taste our way across the globe, through whisky! Enjoy the taste of American, Canadian, Irish, Scottish and Japanese Whisky as Rory, your guide, delves into the details. Read more....
WHEN: Tuesday 30 April WHERE: Glengarry Jervois Rd, 54 Jervois Rd Ponsonby TIME: 7.00pm
MILLTON & CASTAGNA - WITH JAMES MILLTON AND JULIAN CASTAGNA | THORNDON & VICTORIA PARK
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Millton and Castagna are Australasia's pioneering biodynamic wineries. James Millton
AUCKLAND
started New Zealand's first organic and
WHEN: Wednesday 1 May
biodynamic wine estate in 1984, on the banks
WHERE: Glengarry Victoria Park,
of the Te Arai river near Gisborne. His Clos de
118 Wellesley St West Auckland
Ste. Anne wines are some of the finest (and
TIME: 7.00pm
hardest to find) wines in New Zealand. Julian Castagna had a successful career in film and
READ MORE...
advertising, before planting his vineyards in 1996 at 500m altitude in Beechworth Victoria. James Millton was his early mentor, and was a
WELLINGTON
powerful influence on the possibility of
WHEN: Thursday 2 May
biodynamics. These are some of the most
WHERE: Glengarry Thorndon,
exciting (and un Australian) wines in Australia,
53 Hutt Rd Thorndon
with a style and precision all of their own. For
TIME: 6.00pm
the very first (and probably only) time , these two inspiring winemakers will be presenting a
READ MORE...
tasting together. This will be a fantastic evening of stunning wine and insights not to be missed.
WORLD WHISKY DAY | VICTORIA PARK One of our favourite days of the year! Join us for our 3rd edition of the massive World Whisky Day tasting. Our aim is to ensure we have as many new releases for you to experience. Single Malt, Bourbon, Irish, Kiwi, Japanese, Wood finishes, Old Malts and young, join us for what will be a fantastic day! Is there something you wish to sample, let us know! Last year
WHEN: Saturday 18 May WHERE: Glengarry Victoria Park
there were over 150 Single Malts to try, expect
118 Wellesley Street, Auckland
it to be bigger and better this time round. You'll even get a Glencairn glass to keep, plus the
TIME: 2.00pm-5.00pm
Jack Daniels grill will be there serving up some awesome BBQ. This event will run from 2-5pm. Read more....
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That's it for this week's Sunday Sediment. Issue Eighty-Nine will be winging its way to your inbox next Sunday. Cheers,
Jak Jakicevich
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