What Cuisine has to say...
December 2008

Our tasting showed the 2008 vintage to be good for Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blanc and truly outstanding for one winery in particular.

Four 2008 labels made at the Vavasour winery by Stu Marfell finished in our top 5 wines – Dashwood, Clifford Bay, Vavasour, and Redwood Pass. Another, Boatshed Bay by Goldwater (last year’s top wine) fell just short of 5 stars.

“Because it wasn’t the easiest year” Stu says, “experience was a big factor. With Glenn Thomas (consultant) and Allan Croker (viticulturist) we have two very seasoned Marlborough hands who know when to pick”.

Stu was also pleased that the Cuisine panel attached close equal merit to each of his “quite different” wines despite the stylistic variance.

Cuisine War of the Rosés - NZ Rosés

No.2 **** Squawking Magpie Rose 2007 (and Best Buy)

What Cuisine had to say...

Top 5 NZ Rosés No 2 (Issue 132 January 2009) This wine fascinated the panel. With its biscuity, slightly herbal, berryfruit complexity, it was Rosé Champagne without the bubbles”. The product of no less than six grape varieties – primarily Malbec, with touches of Merlot, Chambourcin and Chardonnay.

Air NZ Wine Awards - 2008
November 2008

Trophy Winners

Guala Closures New Zealand Champion Sauvignon Blanc Trophy
AND
New World Champion Open White Wine Trophy

Goldwater Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Trophy for Best Gewurztraminer

Hunter's Gewurztraminer 2008

 

Gold Medal Winners

Hunter's Gewurztraminer 2008

Clayridge Pinot Gris 2008

Hunter's Riesling 2006 - Elite Gold Medal

Goldwater Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Hunter's Hukapapa Dessert Riesling 2007

Bannock Brae Estate Barrel Selection Pinot Noir 2006

November is Hunter's Month

  

Oram's Marine Reception Lounge, overlooking the Auckland Harbour was the venue on November 5th for a Luncheon gathering to celebrate the launch of the Jane Hunter biography 'Jane Hunter- Growing a Legacy'.

Michael Cooper, accomplished winewriter and Philip Gregan, CEO of Winegrowers NZ paid tribute to Jane and her 25 years in the industry. Jane's gracious and sometimes humorous reply capped of a great lunch accompanied by a selection of fabulous Hunter's wines.

Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2008

Hunter's Gewurztraminer 2008 - Trophy for Best Gewurztraminer

Hunter's Riesling 2006 - Elite Gold Medal

Hunter's Hukapapa Dessert Riesling 2007 – Gold Medal

2008 Wrest Point Royal Hobart International Wine of Australia – Trophy for Best Varietal White Other Than Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay

Hunter's Gewurztraminer 2008

Vintage Cellars National Wine Show of Australia - The ACTEW Trophy Best Dry White Table Wine – Sauvignon Blanc

Hunter's Sauvignon Blanc 2008
 

Winestate Special Edition 2008 - NEW RELEASE TASTING RESULTS

Hunter's Marlborough Chardonnay 2007

4 Stars and equal top in category

Hunter's Marlborough Pinot Noir 2007

4 Stars and equal top in category

BannockBrae Goldfields Pinot Noir 2006 sweeps the floor

  

Winestate Magazine has announced that the BannockBrae Goldfields Pinot Noir 2006 will feature in the Winestate Annual 2008/9 5 stars – Best of the Best in which only 20% of the top wines already judged 4 or 5 stars throughout the year are chosen.

This tops of a stunning year of awards including Gold Medal Air New Zealand 2008, Gold Medal Liquorland Top 100 2008, Gold Medal NZ International Wine Show 2008, Gold Medal Royal Easter Show 2008 and 5 Stars Winestate magazine 2008.

Winemaker Matt Connell has to be congratulated for the consistent results.

Vintage takes 2 trophies at the Liquorland Top 100 awards - 2008
October 2008

Trophy Winners

  
Champion Varietal

Sandalford Margaret River Classic Dry White 2008

Champion Cabernet Sauvignon

Shingleback McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

   

Gold Medal Winners

  

Champagne

Louis Roederer Cristal Brut 2002

Sauvignon Blanc

Goldwater Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Vavasour Awatere Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Varietal White - Other

Sandalford Margaret River Range Classic Dry White 2008

Pinot Noir

Hunter's Pinot Noir 2007

Merlot

Goldwater Gimblett Gravels Merlot 2006
Squawking Magpie SQM Merlot Cabernet 2005

Cabernet Sauvignon

Shingleback D Block Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Shingleback McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Thorn-Clarke Shotfire Quartage 2006

Other Reds

Serafino Tempranillo 2007

Vintage takes 3 trophies including 'Wine Company of the Show' at the NZ International Wine Show awards - 2008
September 2008

Trophy Winners

  

First Glass Champion Wine Company of the Show
Vintage Wines & Spirits

Vino Fino Champion Shiraz
Thorn-Clarke William Randell Barossa Shiraz 2005

Winestate Champion Commercial Red Wine
Thorn-Clarke Sandpiper Barossa Shiraz 2007
   

Gold Medal Winners

  

Sauvignon Blanc

Goldwater Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Champagne and Sparkling

H. Lanvin & Fils Brut NV
Louis Roederer Brut Premier NV

Sauvignon Blanc

Goldwater Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Pinot Noir

Bannock Brae Estate Barrel Selection Pinot Noir 2007
Vavasour Pinot Noir 2007

Shiraz/Syrah and Shiraz/Syrah Predominant blends

Sandalford Estate Reserve Shiraz 2004
Serafino Sharktooth Shiraz 2007
Serafino Shiraz 2007
Shingleback The Gate McLaren Vale Shiraz 2005
Thorn-Clarke Sandpiper Barossa Shiraz 2007
Thorn-Clarke Shotfire Shiraz 2007
Thorn-Clarke William Randell Barossa Shiraz 2005

 

B52's Bar Causes a stir at the Bar Show - 2008
August 2008

More than 200 budding and not so budding mixologists attempted the classic B52 shooter with an African twist over 2 days at the recent Bar Show 2008.

The 'B52's Bar' sponsored by Amarula Cream and Grand Marnier, rocked to 'Love Shack' and other B52's tunes while the mixologists had their time under the spotlight and a mark out of 20 to show off their layering skills!

Finally, we couldn't separate out Matt Whiteman from Clooney and James Williams - recently ex GPK who both scored a credible 19/20 and jointly walked away with the $300 and a bottle of each of Amarula Cream and Grand Marnier for their sins.