John Loughlin from Askerne Vineyard presented to us last month, and he was very pleasantly surprised to find 45 members and guests attending. We have to go way back to 2010 to find that number exceeded, so thank you, everyone, for supporting us with your presence.
John explained that Askerne now has 32ha to grow the 17 varieties of grapes that he and his wife now cultivate, and whilst Askerne is right beside the Tukituki River, they were spared the full force of Cyclone Gabrielle. It could easily have been much worse, as the water rose to 30cm below the top of their stop bank!
Their cellar door is now open 24/7, and John said please visit if you are up in Hawkes Bay for some tastings, He went on to explain that whilst we weren’t tasting these on the night, he felt their Pinot Gris was looking really smart, and their Pinot Noir really good too.
The wines tasted on the night were:
- 2022 Sérieux Rosé – the welcome wine
- 2020 Semillon
- 2022 Reserve Chardonnay
- 2021 Gewurztraminer
- Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc
- 2021 Cabernet Franc
- 2019 Late Harvest Semillon
And it was pleasing to note that the quality of these wines was reflected in the excellent number of wines orders received on the night.
So, thanks again to everyone for your support and a special thanks for John for his well delivered tasting presentation.
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