Glengarry's Sunday ramblings of all things vinous, grain and glorious. The Sunday Sediment. Issue Ninety Sarah, Welcome to the Ninetieth 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.
WINELETTER 250 APRIL 2019 PINOT NOIR Pinot Noir, the grape variety behind the great wines of Burgundy, is a somewhat fickle friend to its protagonists. Temperamental, notoriously difficult to grow and known for driving more than one winemaker to the edge, at its very best, Pinot Noir is responsible for some of the most sublime wines in the world. Light of hue and body, it is nonetheless rich in flavour and character, with an innate ability to extract the most intricate subtleties from the region and the site in which it’s grown. Very much the New Zealand wine industry’s Great Red Hope, second only in plantings and pickings to
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Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir responds well to New Zealand’s cool climate. As we sashay our way through this country’s primary Pinot regions, we take the time to check in as well on what the rest of the world is doing with this most intriguing of grapes, tipping our hats to Pinot Noir Central, aka Burgundy, before sampling a touch of the Teutonic and immersing ourselves in the various stylings of the New World. Happy travels. Read More..
PINOT NOIR | CENTRAL OTAGO
Central Otago’s landscape is what you’d call geographically uncompromising and its winemakers can lean towards the flamboyant, but in spite of that (or perhaps because of it) some breathtaking Pinot Noir is being created. The key to Central’s significance lies in its subregions, which have, over time, found their feet, revealing the breadth of their diversity and the importance of their individual terroirs. Read More...
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PINOT NOIR | CANTERBURY
There is something in Canterbury’s limestonederived soils that Pinot Noir really responds to. While this is one of our older wine regions, with its vineyards first established in 1978, Canterbury remains one of New Zealand’s unsung heroes. Nonetheless, glory is surely imminent, with an immense amount of talent in the region and a raft of new boutique wineries springing up. Read More..
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PINOT NOIR | MARLBOROUGH
Once standing somewhat in Central Otago’s lengthy shadow, we have been opining for some time now how good Marlborough’s Pinot Noir has become. With the variety once planted on the plains as a base for Marlborough’s sparkling wines, sites have now sprung up on the hillsides, utilizing the appropriate clones and making some of the best Pinot Noir wines in NZ. Read More..
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MAVERICK | BREAKING THE MOULD
Established in 2004 by Ron Brown, Maverick is a relative newcomer to Australian wine, though the vineyards themselves are anything but young, with half the vines over a hundred years old. Brown’s goal has been to position Maverick as one of the top premium boutique wineries in Australia. The wines are handcrafted from 100% biodynamically-farmed vineyards, with Maverick’s Vine Vale winery certified biodynamic. These are exceptional offerings that may prompt you to review any preconceptions you might be harbouring about the nature of Australian wine. Elegant and restrained, beautiful. Read More..
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LAKE CHALICE | RAPTOR ON THE RISE
Established in 1989, Lake Chalice has been a class Marlborough act from the get-go. There have been a host of changes there recently, with Chloe Gabrielsen now at the helm of the winemaking. Chloe has wasted no time in channelling Lake Chalice’s unique terroir from the vineyard into the glass. The Raptor range consists of small parcels of unique fruit, sometimes (though not always) from a single vineyard, that stand out as superior examples of a particular variety in a given year. Read More..
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BANNOCKBURN BENCHMARCH | AKARUA
Akarua boasts the largest privately-owned estate in Central Otago, with five vineyards across Bannockburn and Pisa. Wines are ‘hard won’ from soils that are mostly broken schist and sand. There are extremes of hot and cold with frosts in winter, and dry nor’westers that devigorate the vines. At Akarua, they put a lot of focus on the quality of the fruit, and in the winery employ minimalist, gentle techniques that allow the wines to express the purity of fruit and terroir. Their consistency is impressive, and is reflected by their considerable collection of trophies and gold medals. Read More..
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TASTINGS AND EVENTS
BLIND TASTING QUIZ | JERVOIS RD Come and join us for our first tasting of the year with our sommelier Grant Dingwall. Grant will host a blind tasting with some of his favourite wines from around the world. This will be a fun tasting with some interesting, weird and wonderful wines from of all styles and a chance to test your tasting skills. As always the wines will be accomanied by a selection of WHEN: Wednesday 10 April
dishes from Dida's Wine Lounge. Book now as
WHERE: Glengarry Jervois Rd,
there are only 12 seats available.
54 Jervois Rd Ponsonby TIME: 7.00pm
Read more....
ONE GLASS FOR EVERY WINE? THE JANCIS ROBINSON TASTING | THORNDON Pairing wine expertise and refined design this wine glass is a result of a collaboration between Richard Brendon and renowned wine expert Jancis Robinson. The 1 Wine glass is at 8
the heart of the collection that was released
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here prior to Christmas. The 1 Wine glass is
WHEN: Wednesday 10 April
designed to give you the best look at all wine
WHERE: Glengarry Thorndon,
including Champagne and Port and Sherry and
53 Hutt Rd Thorndon
beyond. This tasting will be unique in that we
TIME: 6.00pm
have specially selected wines that vary tremendously in flavour and texture so we can put this glass through its paces. We will have David Nash the New Zealand importer here to guide us through the tasting. Read More...
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.
53 Hutt Rd Thorndon TIME: 6.00pm
Read more....
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.
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WHEN: Tuesday 16 April It seems that no one knows the full history of
WHERE: Glengarry Jervois Rd,
Laphroaig as it was lost in the mist of time. It's
54 Jervois Rd Ponsonby
clear, however, that the Irish had been distilling
TIME: 7.00pm
there for many years and that the locals picked 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, 164 Garnet Rd Westmere
and help it to do that. We don't manipulate or
TIME: 7.00pm
use finings; our aim is to produce harmonious 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....
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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 Millton and Castagna are Australasia's pioneering biodynamic wineries. James Millton
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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
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powerful influence on the possibility of
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biodynamics. These are some of the most
WHEN: Thursday 2 May
exciting (and un Australian) wines in Australia,
WHERE: Glengarry Thorndon,
with a style and precision all of their own. For
53 Hutt Rd Thorndon
the very first (and probably only) time , these
TIME: 6.00pm
two inspiring winemakers will be presenting a tasting together. This will be a fantastic
READ MORE...
evening of stunning wine and insights not to be missed.
MEZCAL MASTERCLASS GRACIAS A DIOS | JERVOIS ROAD Join in on the Mezcal revolution at Glengarry Spirits with Xaime Niembro, owner of Gracias a Dios Mezcal. We will begin the evening with a Mezcal cocktail, seeing why bartenders across the globe have fallen in love with this spirit, before tasting through the range by Gracias a Dios which includes the very limited Pechuga Mezcal.
WHEN: Tuesday 7th My WHERE: Glengarry Jervois Rd,
Read more....
54 Jervois Rd Ponsonby TIME: 7.00pm
VEGA SICILIA MASTERCLASS | VICTORIA PARK Do not miss this very special tasting. Few wineries have a history as distinguished as that of Vega Sicilia. Founded in the 1860’s in Ribera del Duero, its top cuvée ÚNICO was the first great wine of Spain, with an almost unlimited cellaring potential. Until recent decades it was the only Spanish wine collected and coveted throughout the world.
WHEN: Thursday 16 May WHERE: Glengarry Victoria Park
Read more....
118 Wellesley Street, Auckland
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TIME: 7.00pm
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
there were over 150 Single Malts to try, expect
WHERE: Glengarry Victoria Park
it to be bigger and better this time round. You'll
118 Wellesley Street, Auckland
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....
BOLLINGER LA GRANDE ANNÉE 2008 RELEASE WITH GUY DE RIVOIRE | VICTORIA PARK The new release of a La Grande Année (The great year) from Champagne Bollinger is always an occasion. This year is something very special indeed. The 2008 vintage is one of the finest in history for the region, and possibly the greatest vintage Bollinger ever made. A WHEN: Tuesday 21 May
truely artistan product, each bottle is touched
WHERE: Glengarry Victoria Park
around 40 times in this incredibly costly and
118 Wellesley Street, Auckland
complex process. Read more....
TIME: 7.00pm
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That's it for this week's Sunday Sediment. Issue Ninety-One will be winging its way to your inbox next Sunday. Cheers,
Jak Jakicevich
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