Glengarry's Sunday ramblings of all things vinous, grain and glorious. The Sunday Sediment. Issue Sixty-Eight
Rowena, Welcome to the Sixty-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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WINNERS OF THE NEW ZEALAND WINE OF THE YEAR AWARDS
Last night in Wellington the big awards were handed out in the New Zealand Wine of the Year competition. The New Zealand Wine of the Year Awards is the official national wine competition of the New Zealand Wine Industry, run by New Zealand Wine Growers. The name and the format of this competition is new for 2018. New Zealand Wine Growers have for many years run two wine competitions, the larger of the two being the Wine Awards sponsored by Air New Zealand, you'll know them as the Air New Zealand Wine Awards, and smaller being the Bragato Wine Awards. The Bragato show a competition that championed the grower and single vineyard wines. These two shows have been merged together to make one pinnacle competition for the New Zealand Wine Industry.
Big congratulations to all the Gold Medal winners and to the Trophy winners announced last night;
Best Organic White Wine, Carrick Bannockburn Riesling Central Otago 2017
Best Organic Red Wine, Carrick Bannockburn Pinot Noir Central Otago 2015
Best Single Vineyard White Wine, Richard Smart Trophy, Isabel Estate Wild Barrique Chardonnay Marlborough 2017
Best Single Vineyard Red Wine, Romeo Bragato Trophy, Craggy Range Pinot Noir Te Muna Road Vineyard Martinborough 2016
Best Open White Wine, Dashwood Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2018
Best Open Red Wine, Waipara Hills Pinot Noir Rosé Waipara Valley 2018
Best Wine of Provenance, Auntsfield Cob Cottage Chardonnay Marlborough 2016, 2010, 2006
New Zealand Wine of the Year™ Champion presented by O-I New Zealand, Maude Pinot Noir Central Otago 2017
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GREATEST HITS NOVEMBER WINELETTER 246
Are we there yet? We’re talking about summer, of course, which officially starts... soon. Mind you, the weather isn’t quite what it used to be, so who knows what we’re going to get. Whatever, we have it covered for all eventualities. Within is a parade of this year’s Greatest Hits, our annual round-up of our most popular sellers. These are the wines that jumped off the shelf and high-tailed it out the door through popular demand; therefore they constitute an excellent buying guide as we dive into the summer festivities. Our latest Gift Catalogue is now out and full of good stuff to pique your interest. Stay safe.
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EVELYNE DAUVERGNE
CHAMPAGNE PAUL BARA
To the east of Epernay in Bouzy, Paul Bara have been producing superb grapes off the same 11 hectares for seven generations, the strength of their wines riding on the purity of that A-lister, grand cru-rated fruit and its deep chalky soils. The company falls under the category of grower champagnes, the fascinating set of producers who sit outside the big-name brands but often equal, sometimes even surpass, the flair and the quality equated with those brands. These producers do the whole thing from go to whoa, growing their own
Paul Bara, the man, is a legend within the
grapes, vinifying the champagne themselves
borders of Champagne, his star inextricably
and marketing the finished product under their
tied to the village of Bouzy. When Bara retired,
own labels.
he passed the reins to his daughter, Chantale, with Chantale’s sister, Evelyne Dauvergne, taking over management of the House in 2018.
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Only the first pressing is used, the wines aged
One of the secrets to Paul Bara’s complex and
for at least four years in the 9m-deep chalk
opulent style is their use of reserve wines. This
cellars and the vine yield maintained at very
in itself is uncommon for a grower champagne,
low levels. The vine mix is 9.5 hectares Pinot
where the cash tends to be a little more
Noir and 1.5 hectares Chardonnay, the vine
strapped, and the wines consequently have
age between 35 and 40 years. There is no oak
lower quantities of reserves blended in. The
here, just stainless steel and enamel tanks. In
jewel in the Paul Bara crown is the Comtesse
a region where the majority of producers put
Marie de France. If you have a thing for good
their wines through a malolactic fermentation,
champagne and you like the idea of the
Paul Bara do not. Preserving acidity in a region
personal touch over large corporate, check out
that is cool and on the brink of being unable to
these wines.
ripen the grapes is not the norm, however, it’s working well for the Baras; their wines are rich and complex, not at all aggressive or unapproachable.
JULES TAYLOR 5
HEART OF MARLBOROUGH JULES TAYLOR
Jules Taylor is one of Marlborough’s premier
The road ever since has travelled an upward
winemakers. She was born, serendipitously, in
trajectory. Jules has an intimate understanding
the same year that the first vines were planted
of Marlborough’s soil diversity and
there, and has witnessed, first-hand, the
microclimates, and how the unique conditions
transformation that the wine industry has
influence each variety. The singular nature and
brought to the region.
quality of these boutique expressions has garnered many awards, and a following that spans the globe. These days Jules manages to juggle motherhood with winemaking, and she continues to do things in her own inimitable fashion.
Although she calls Marlborough home, Jules spent much time wandering the world’s other wine producing areas, working several vintages in Italy along the way. On returning home, she undertook winemaking duties alongside Kim Crawford, Simon Waghorn and Matt Thompson. They encouraged her to create her own label, and in 2001, Jules and husband George Elworthy launched the first small batch of Jules Taylor wines.
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TASTINGS AND EVENTS
NZ METHODE - A WALK AROUND TASTING CELEBRATION | TAKAPUNA Hot weather and cold bubbly. Name a more iconic duo, we will wait. The Pohutukawas are blossoming, partners of cricket lovers are sighing at being reminded exactly how long a Test Match can go for, the ocean is becoming bearable for more than just the dedicated WHEN: Friday 9th November
spearfishing and surfboarding set. In short -
WHERE: Glengarry Takapuna,
summer is on the way, let's celebrate it! To do
Cnr Hurstmere & Killarney Takapuna
just that, this month at Glengarry Takapuna we
TIME: 5.00pm
are delighted to pay host to some of the best methode producers in the country (and just quietly - maybe even the world). So slip on your boardies, slap on your sunscreen and come in for a walk around tasting to try these amazing expressions of Kiwi bubbly.
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TAKAPUNA MALT CLUB - SPIORAD NA HEIREANN This tasting explores the wide range of flavours and styles in Irish Whiskey! The spiritual home of Whiskey, it was the Irish Monks returning from pilgrimage that first produced what was then called Uisce Beatha or the ‘Water of Life’. Join us at our Takapuna store as we try our way through Blended, Single Malt, Single Pot Still and Peated expressions to see which you
WHEN: Wednesday 14th November
like most!
WHERE: Glengarry Takapuna, Cnr Hurstmere & Killarney Takapuna TIME: 7.00pm
PRESTIGE CHAMPAGNE TASTING | THORNDON The third tasting in our lead up to Christmas Champagne tastings is of course the best of the best. 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
WHEN: Wednesday 14th November
Prestige Champagne is made entirely from
WHERE: Glengarry Thorndon,
Grand Cru grapes from the oldest vines. These
53 Hutt Rd, Thorndon
wines are also aged a lot longer in the cellars
TIME: 6.00pm
and there are numerous examples of late disgorged wines. There is also more thought 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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WESTMERE WINE CLUB: CELEBRATION WITH VIRGINIE OF NO. 1 FAMILY ESTATE It's almost that time of year again, it's getting warmer and we're starting to see more sun. Who doesn't want to sit down in the afternoon with a nice glass of bubbles? We certainly do! At this month's Westmere Wine Club we are excited to host Virginie of No. 1 Family Estate who is bringing in their best bubbles specially
WHEN: Thursday 15th November
for you to try. Who knows, they may even be
WHERE: Glengarry Westmere,
your Christmas favourite this year!
164 Garnet Rd Westmere TIME: 7.00pm
KHYBER PASS WINE CLUB - MILLS REEF ELSPETH RELEASE Mills Reef Winery was established in 1989 by the Preston family. Through commitment and dedication to excellence, the Mills Reef brand has established itself as one of New Zealand's premium labels with a particular reputation for outstanding Bordeaux varietal reds and Syrah. Mills Reef Winery is one of New Zealand's leading Gimblett Gravels producers, having
WHEN: Thursday 15th November
won over 500 medals and 16 trophies in
WHERE: Glengarry Khyber Pass,
national and international competitions, along
409 Khyber Pass Rd Newmarket
with being twice recipient of the prestigious
TIME: 7.00pm
New Zealand Winemaker of the Year Award. Join us at Glengarry Khyber Pass as we taste through the new Elspeth release, along with a few other treats.
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CHATEAU LEOUBE COTES DE PROVENCE - WITH WILFRIED SENTEX | AUCKLAND For centuries, dry rosé wine has been a staple in the south of France, where it has long been considered the best wine to enjoy day and night beside the sea. Provence is the heart of the world’s rose production, and also home to one of its finest examples in Château Léoube. Their organic and biodynamic vineyard is set
WHEN: Tuesday 20th November
by the sea, and the wines are made by 4th
WHERE: Glengarry Victoria Park
generation rosé winemaker Romain Ott. The
118 Wellesley St West Auckland
Domaine and Château are owned by Lord and
TIME: 7.00pm
Lady Bamford who famously founded Daylesford Organic – one of the UK’s most sustainable farms – over forty years ago. These are some of the finest pink wines in the world, and we are very proud to represent them here in New Zealand.
ACHAVAL-FERRER - MENDOZA, ARGENTINA - WITH JULIO LASMARTRES | DEVONPORT For many serious wine loves, the top Malbec in the world is made by Achaval-Ferrer. Situated in the best hilltop vineyards of Mendoza, they are very much the first family of Argentinean wine. Their vines are pre-phylloxera with an average age of 107 years! Very high density WHEN: Wednesday 28th November
planting with very low yields.The vineyard is
WHERE: Glengarry Devonport,
irrigated the traditional way, with water
Cnr Clarence & Wynyard Devonport
channels. In the winery there are no additions
TIME: 7.00pm
or interventions, these are extremely pure. The style of Achaval-Ferrer wines is a balance of ripeness and natural acidity for freshness. These are much more elegant and refined Malbecs than you might have tried previously, a bridge between the old world and the new world. We have their director Julio Lasmartres here to present these incredible wines. 10
That's it for this week's Sunday Sediment. Issue Sixty-Nine will be winging its way to your inbox next Sunday. Cheers,
Jak Jakicevich
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