in the news – Page 5 – The Cellar Club

6 April, 20205 December, 2020

Distilleries pause alcohol production to make hand sanitizer

Michael Rubikam and Lisa Rathke | Mar 17 2020 | stuff.co.nz

A US distillery owner who grew increasingly angry as he saw the skyrocketing price of hand sanitiser has decided to do something about it: He’s temporarily converting his operation into a production line for the suddenly hard-to-find, gooey, alcohol-based disinfectant.

Eight Oaks Farm Distillery is temporarily converting its operation into a production line for hand sanitister. [MATT ROURKE/AP]

Eight Oaks Farm Distillery filled its first 20 bottles this week, a batch destined for charitable groups that need hand sanitiser but haven’t been able to get it due to the coronavirus pandemic. The family-owned distillery plans to dramatically boost production this week and distribute the bottles to charities as well as offer them at farmers’ markets where it sells its spirits and through its website.

The price: whatever people decide to donate.

“We are in a national emergency,” said brewery founder Chad Butters. “What’s the right thing to do? The right thing to do is support this community by providing something that is in desperate need. We’ll flood the valley with hand sanitiser and drive that price right down.”

Chad Butters, founder of Eight Oaks Farm Distillery, at his facility in Pennsylvania. [MATT ROURKE/AP]

Other distilleries are also putting their spirits to work to help fill the shortage of hand sanitisers. Green Mountain Distillers in Morrisville, Vermont, is giving away a hand sanitising solution and Durham Distillery in Durham, North Carolina, is donating one to hospitality colleagues, using high-proof alcohol and other ingredients. Patrons must bring their own containers.

“We wanted to do something that would be as positive as possible,” said Harold Faircloth, an owner of Green Mountain Distillers.

Smugglers’ Notch Distillery, also in Vermont, plans to launch a hand sanitiser later this week at its Waterbury and Jeffersonville sites. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Vermont’s efforts to respond to the virus outbreak.

“I know I have a unique opportunity to help out a little bit and keep my staff employed,” said co-owner Jeremy Elliott, who said 40 per cent of his business comes from bars and restaurants, which are closing in some other parts of the country.

The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, a trade group, has been in touch with federal regulatory agencies as well as the Trump administration’s coronavirus task force to clear red tape and “make sure we can be quick and nimble and fill a need in the marketplace”, said chief executive Chris Swonger. “We all want to do our part.”

Swonger said government agencies have been very receptive.

Customers can decide how much to donate for a bottle of hand sanitiser. [MATT ROURKE/AP]

At Eight Oaks Farm Distillery, about 115 kilometres north of Philadelphia, workers experimented with high-proof alcohol, aloe and glycerine to get just the right consistency. The recipe is based on one published by the World Health Organization.

As word got out about what Eight Oaks was up to, the distillery began hearing from people and groups in need, including a pediatric cancer organisation and a woman whose 12-year-old son has heart disease and was desperate for hand sanitiser to help keep him safe.

“I cannot find it anywhere and this virus is especially dangerous to him,” she wrote to the distillery.

Stories like that are why Butters was so disgusted with price gougers who were selling sanitiser online for more than US$300 an ounce – and why he decided to shift his company’s focus.

“We’re trying to make sure we continue to provide a paycheck for our employees and support our community however way we can do that,” he said.

The family-owned distillery plans to dramatically boost production of hand sanitiser this week and distribute the bottles to charities. [MATT ROURKE/AP]

For most people, the new virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death. The vast majority of people recover.

Beyond the humanitarian impulses of individual distillers, the liquor industry also has a vested interest in seeing the virus threat dissipate quickly, given its economic reliance on bars, restaurants and other hospitality and entertainment venues that have been shuttered by the outbreak.

Brad Plummer, spokesman for the American Distilling Institute and editor of Distiller Magazine, said he’s been seeing a lot of talk among distillers interested in converting part of their operations to hand sanitiser.

“The hospitality industry is going to be decimated by this and they are our primary clients. We’re looking for ways to help in the response to this, but also to find other ways to look for revenue streams,” he said.

4 April, 202016 September, 2023

Coronavirus: New documents show strict wine industry protocols during lockdown

Maia Hart | Mar 29, 2020 | Stuff.co.nz

Strict vintage rules include workers living off-site having to send a photo to their COVID-19 manager of their “daily-routine” to show they are staying socially isolated.

If wineries are in doubt about the best practice during the COVID-19 lockdown, they must “assume everyone has the virus”.

Documents posted to the New Zealand Winegrowers website on March 26, shows the advice given to wineries during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Wineries with more than 20 staff must have a dedicated COVID-19 manager, who had “absolute authority over any procedures involving staff or potential staff interactions”.

Records are to be kept for each person working in the winery, which includes living arrangements and who they are in contact with.

Workers living off-site must send a photo to their COVID-19 manager of their “daily-routine” to show they are staying socially isolated. In some cases, workers had been moved into isolated accommodation, which included caravans on site.

As the production and processing of beverages are considered an essential service, the wine industry has been cleared to work through the lockdown.

Start and finish times in the wineries were to be staggered to ensure different teams did not cross paths.

“Rest breaks” also needed to be staggered to reduce the number of people in one place. Workers were encouraged to take breaks outside, while “observing distancing rules”.

NZ Winegrowers chief executive Philip Gregan said last week the increased safety protocols had meant harvest was slower than previous years.

“If they are going to continue operating then there will be some slow down. At the end of the day that’s what the industry has to expect if they want to continue to operate,” Gregan said.

National MP for Kaikōura Stuart Smith said he understood why people were concerned at this time, but wineries had to meet the standard set, or they would shut.

Machine harvest in the Awatere Valley, Marlborough on March 24.

He said the message to wineries had been “very clear”.

“This is a privilege. But it comes with responsibility, and that responsibility is to not spread the disease.

“I think people are trying to do the right thing, across all of the essential businesses, they’re doing their best.”

Smith said he understood MPI had already visited wineries and other essential businesses in Marlborough.

A spokesperson from Pernot Ricard Winemakers said the health and wellbeing of team members and the community continued to be “the number one priority” through the evolving COVID-19 situation.

With more safety procedures in place, the harvest is happening slower than normal.

“In addition to the extensive cleaning, hygiene and social distancing measures we already had in place; we have implemented additional health and safety requirements at all of our sites that are currently operating to ensure that we meet the Government’s standard, with immediate effect,” the spokesperson said.

“We are committed to doing everything we can to keep our employees, their families and friends, and our community safe and stop the spread.”

By 5 pm on March 27, businesses should have registered with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) on the “Register for Safe-Practice”.

New Zealand Food Safety deputy director-general Bryan Wilson said MPI then verified if safe practices were in place.

COVID-19: NZW response

4 April, 20203 July, 2020

Dog helps winery deliver orders during Covid-19

31st March 2020 by Phoebe French | thedrinksbusiness.com

For Stone House Urban Winery, coronavirus means all hands, and paws, to the pump. The winery, which is located in Hagerstown and was founded last year, has closed its tasting room but is offering curb-side orders from Wednesday through to Sunday, from 2 pm to 6 pm.

A winery in Maryland has taken a creative approach to social distancing, enlisting the help of an 11-year-old boxer called Soda to deliver bottles to customers.

Co-owner of the winery, Lori Yata, came up with the alternative delivery option, according to Herald-Mail.

In a Facebook post, the winery said that business had “remained steady” since Soda’s enrolment and that partly thanks to his popularity, first-time sales had actually increased.

Soda is equipped with a saddle bag with space for two bottles and walks out to customers waiting in the car park to deliver the wine.

‘Soda’ posted on Facebook: “Hi all, Soda here again. So, mom has been filling me in on this COVID-19 virus thing and she says that it is REALLY affecting small businesses like our little winery. Mom says that we all have to pitch in and pull our weight, that includes me as well. So, if you are out shopping and have kids in the car, or just want to keep your distance from other folks, give us a call and place your order, I’ll try to personally deliver your wine in my nifty new wine saddlebag.”

In subsequent posts, the winery wrote that Soda is “getting quite good” at his new job.

The World Health Organisation has said there is no evidence that pets can be either a source of infection or become infected with COVID-19.

11 March, 20205 December, 2020

Marlborough concert celebrates ‘artistic connection’ of music and wine

Sophie Trigger | The Marlborough Express, 4 Mar 2020

Everything goes better with wine does it not?

Every time Marlborough cellist Elgee Leung drinks a gran reserva or gran arzuaga he gets to thinking about a Spanish cellist composer’s music, Cassado, and he will literally play the music in his head when he drinks the wine from his favourite winery in Spain. Music and wine is purely an artistic connection.”Sometimes when I drink a bottle of wine I think of a particular piece of music,” Leung said.

At a concert titled ‘Die Innere Stimme‘, which translates to ‘the inner voice’, he will feature three traditional German musical works performed by a cello and piano duo, with a wine tasting from Clark Estate served in the intermission. Leung will play the cello alongside world-class pianist Dr Michael Tsalka, who has 23 CD records and tours the world as a solo musician.

He said Clark Estate winemaker Simon Clark had chosen a selection of wines from the reserve range that captured the “tension” of the three German pieces of music being played. They hoped the concert would spark the same love of music and wine that Leung and Clark both share.

“I am from a musical background and Simon’s been an amateur trumpeter, and now he plays the french horn in my orchestra. We met because of music and we developed our friendship because of wine and music. “People will love the connection between wine and music so they can enjoy both sides of this event.” Elgee Leung conducts the Marlborough Civic Orchestra and works at Clark Estate.

14 February, 202025 November, 2020

Forty years enjoyment of fine wines

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12 September, 20193 July, 2020

Celebrating 200 Years of New Zealand Wine

September 25, 2019, marks 200 years since the first planting of grapevines in New Zealand. From the humble beginnings of a vine planted in Northland, the New Zealand wine industry has grown to become a $1.83 billion export earner, with an international reputation for premium, diverse and sustainable wines.

Reverend Samuel Marsden, Chaplain to New South Wales (1765-1838), records September 25, 1819, as
the day he planted a vine in the rich grounds of the Stone Store, Kerikeri in the Bay of Islands. These
pioneering vines were the very first to be planted into New Zealand soils, with New Zealand being one
of very few countries in the world where the exact date of the planting of the first vines is known,
making our story unique on the world stage.

Throughout the 19th and early 20th century, a significant number of European immigrants came to New
Zealand and set up vineyards in different regions. They each contributed to the early establishment of
the diverse wine regions of New Zealand. The New Zealand wine industry today consists of over 700
wineries and more than 600 grape growers, with the growing success of this industry depending
strongly on the commitment and passion of the people behind it.

Since the 1990s, there has been an evolution in the grape varieties that we see planted throughout our
regions. Sauvignon Blanc is now the most widely planted variety, accounting for 76% of total production,
followed by Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

As we raise a toast to the past, we also look ahead to the future. The New Zealand wine industry is
dedicated to ensuring that we celebrate another 200 years, through a commitment to sustainability and
innovation that will protect the places that make our famous wines. Over 98% of New Zealand’s
vineyard producing area is now Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) certified – and this is
unmatched by any voluntary scheme around the world.

New Zealand Winegrowers will be marking the 200 year anniversary with an industry event in
Northland, including a ceremonial re-planting at the historic Stone Store, followed by a regional wine
tasting and dinner on the Waitangi Treaty Grounds.

In his diary, Marsden prophesied, “New Zealand promises to be very favourable to the vine, as far as I
can judge at present of the nature of the soil and climate. Should the vine succeed, it will prove of vast
importance in this part of the globe.” His prediction has been brilliantly fulfilled.

For further information contact:
Amber Silvester
Communications Manager, New Zealand Winegrowers
021 794 381

Editors notes:

The first recorded wine was from James Busby in 1830s. Busby, the Crown’s Resident in New
Zealand lived in what is now called the Treaty House at the Treaty Grounds in Waitangi. James
Busby was the architect of the Treaty of Waitangi and is regarded as the first winemaker in New
Zealand.
In 1840, naval officer and explorer Jules Dumont D’Urville visited and was disappointed to find
Busby not in residence, but tasted a wine made by Busby. Onboard his ship, Astrolabe, Dumont
D’Urville wrote the first New Zealand wine review in his journal, “with great pleasure I agreed to
taste the product of the vineyard that I had just seen. I was given a light white wine, very
sparkling, and delicious to taste, which I enjoyed very much”.

12 September, 201916 September, 2023

International demand for New Zealand wine at an all-time high

International demand for New Zealand wine shows no sign of slowing, with total export value reaching a record $1.83 billion according to the 2019 Annual Report of New Zealand Winegrowers.

Export value has risen by 6% in June year-end 2019, and at a retail level, this translates to over $7 billion dollars of New Zealand wine sold around the world annually. The UK and USA led the growth, with the USA continuing to be New Zealand wine’s largest market with over $550 million in exports.

The premium reputation of New Zealand wine has translated to real value in its major markets where the country remains either the highest or second-highest priced wine category in the USA, UK, Canada, and China. “This year’s export results again reflect the New Zealand wine industry’s strengths, and reinforce our international reputation for premium, diverse and sustainable wines.” said John Clarke, Chair of New Zealand Winegrowers.

The report highlights the completion of the 2018 PwC Strategic Review, the first within the industry since 2011, which provided a wealth of usable insights into the state of the New Zealand wine sector, challenges and opportunities. “The Strategic Review report noted the continued steady growth of the industry, and identified a range of challenges and risks that need to be addressed to maintain that trajectory and ensure all members have the opportunity to benefit” said Mr Clarke.

Mr Clarke noted the Strategic Review underscored how important all aspects of sustainability were in order to maintain the New Zealand wine industry’s social license to operate. “As an industry, we need to ensure our key focus is on enhancing sustainability initiatives. Sustainability is a cornerstone of the reputation of New Zealand wine, and is vital to the ongoing success of our industry.”

Highlights over the last year include the completion of the first phase of the Bragato Research Institute’s climate change programme, the commencement of a new research winery facility, and the International Sauvignon Blanc Celebration, which saw over 100 international wine producers, experts and key influencers visit Marlborough to experience New Zealand’s diverse Sauvignon Blanc offerings.

The 2019 Annual Report can be accessed here.

For further information contact:
Philip Gregan
CEO, New Zealand Winegrowers
021964564

Editor’s note:
• Wine is New Zealand’s sixth-largest export good.
• New Zealand wine is exported to more than 100 countries.

11 August, 20195 December, 2020

Francesca Menzies 80th birthday

Francesca Menzies celebrated her 80th birthday a wee while back. Francesca doesn’t attend Club events very often these days, (a bit difficult now that she lives in the Nelson region) but she has been a member of our club since the very early days and is one of our valued life members. She has served on our committee as well as having terms as Vice President and President of the Club. A somewhat belated congratulations Francesca.

Best wishes and keep well.

8 July, 20195 December, 2020

Congratulations Derek, 80

Every once in a while the Club creates its own news, or at least things happen to members that are newsworthy. This month I have opted against searching out a New Zealand wine story in favour of a little celebration of our own. Back in May Derek Thompson (a foundation Member of our club) turned 80. He had a small celebration to mark the occasion at which the birthday cake pictured below was a feature. There are three things worthy of mention about the cake. Obviously the first is Derek’s achievement at reaching 80, the second is that the prints on the cake represent his dedicated companion, Hershey the cat, and thirdly, but by no means lastly, the cake was provided by Adeline Porter, a fellow member. I knew there was a good reason why Derek surrounds himself with women at the top table.

8 June, 20193 July, 2020

Tuku Māori Winemakers Collective

nzwine.com | 26 Apr 2019

Tuku is the world’s first Māori Winemakers Collective, bringing together awarded Māori wine companies based on their shared values of land, family and hospitality.

The collective is made up of majority Māori-owned, NZ-owned wine companies: Kuru Kuru, Ostler, Steve Bird, te Pā and Tiki Wines, offering a wide range of premium varietals from the most famous wine-growing regions of Aotearoa.

The name Tuku comes from the Māori art of Tukutuku weavings, which are decorative wall panels. These panels were lashed or stitched together by people working in pairs from either side, passing the stalks back and forth. The members all share the same values of the land, family and hospitality and by working together, hope to strengthen indigenous winemaking as a whole. There are very few companies that work collectively in this industry that will share ideas, share market resources and share a meal together.

The Tuku collective is united by a common ethos to winemaking, business and life. At the heart are the Māori values of:

KAITIAKITANGA – guardianship of the land and people
Like the majority of New Zealand winemakers, TUKU is all certified sustainable, but they take it a few steps further than that. The collective is all about family, and they want to ensure that they look after our land and people, to make sure future generations get to experience Aotearoa in the same way we have.

The collective supports several organisations dedicated to Kaitiakitanga. In the vineyards, they use various methods to enrich vineyard soils, such as compost, liquid seaweed, molasses and beneficial bacteria and fungi for ground drenching and lambs to graze in the winter. They have a strong focus on re-using and maximise recycling opportunities wherever possible. They all strive to ensure all their actions have the long-term interest of our land at heart.

WHAKAPAPA – our family, our heritage
Whakapapa links people to all other living things, the earth and the sky, and traces the universe back to its origins. TUKU are all extremely proud of their heritage and where they come from and they have many generations working within the companies. They embrace the past, live in the present and look to the future.

WHĀNAUNGATANGA – a sense of family connection
It is a big part of Maori culture to create a sense of belonging and to embrace people into their whānau. It is important for the collective to create meaningful relationships through shared experiences and by working together. They respect and foster relationships within their organisations, within their iwi and within the community. We may not be born of the same parents, but you are still very much part of our whānau.

MANAAKITANGA – hospitality/generosity
TUKU thrives on this. Wine is a great thing to share with friends and family and that is what TUKU is all about. Enhancing that special moment, showing generosity, sharing a slice of New Zealand and embracing you into our whānau.

Māori business are unique because of our culture, our values and our approach.

TUKU believes the future for Māori businesses is bright and there are already many key Māori businesses on the world stage who contribute greatly to the New Zealand economy.

When you buy from local people and their families, you are enabling growth and success for future generations. When buying TUKU wines, you are supporting indigenous producers who are connected to the land and to their wines.

8 May, 20193 July, 2020

2019 President’s Annual Report

8 May 2019

It is indeed my privilege to present to club members the Cellar Club’s annual report for the year 2018 – 2019.

I want to stress that the club is first and foremost about you. It is you as active members who make the club as vibrant as it is. Maintaining membership at a sound level is the key. Thank you for your support for events and meetings during the year and attending tonight’s AGM. Our monthly meetings continue to be well attended, in fact the average number of members attending monthly meetings relative to the club’s subscription membership has perhaps never been better. Total numbers attending tastings again exceeded 300 during this last year (at 9 meetings) but we have noted that guest numbers were a little down and this may need to be addressed if we are looking to build on our membership.

In particular the numbers attending the two club dinners in July and December 2018 were also at a high (the 2 dinners were collectively over 90) and as these dinners are highlight events for members we will continue to prioritise efforts to choose the right venue, creating a chance for you to share good wines with your table and to enjoy some of the first class cuisine that Wellington restaurants do provide.

May I add that this report, rather than being printed, is posted for your interest on the club’s website.

Keeping the membership levels up and ensuring meetings are well attended is a prime objective to ensure the club remains viable and we can sustain the costs that running the club incurs. You will see from the financial report prepared for the AGM that the club’s finances are in very good shape thanks particularly to the diligence and astute budget management of our long serving treasurer.

These club’s finances and fixed costs are manageable but do require active attention. Venue hire, licenses for the club website and the council’s liquor requirements, presenter gifts and the costs of the wines are the key points of focus. With healthy finances we are able to subsidise the annual BBQ and dinners, sustain a club cellar and provide those cellared wines at dinners and the AGM tonight. We are fortunate that occasionally the wine presenters either heavily discount the wine or are prepared to donate their wines. This can be unpredictable but where it eventuates we are grateful and it allows the benefits to flow back to members.

This is often a function of the size scale of the wineries or their subsequent response to your level of orders. It is worth noting that the presenters cover their own travel, visiting and accommodation costs and for some this is substantial. In those terms I want to thank members most sincerely for their preparedness to order on the night and many of the presenters particularly comment on both their orders and naturally express a willingness to return to the club. I know that is not always true of some other wine clubs where they have different arrangements and expectations. Our club’s operating model is not unique, but where other styles of club operations put some pressure on presenters and wineries, our model ensures good relations are maintained with wineries, our financial viability is ensured and door charges and subscriptions remain affordable.

Therefore, the level of support from members suggests the formula may be right but I want to stress that meeting your interests is paramount. We would want to hear both suggestions for meetings and ideas and options for events that are planned. Each member of the committee is only too willing to talk with you to seek and explore ideas to ensure the club remains in good heart and is delivering what members want in terms of wine education, quality wine experiences and a good social atmosphere at meetings and amongst members.

As members you have excelled with the help you provide with meeting logistics. Looking after the glassware, setting the venue hall up and helping stack tables and chairs away, assisting with pouring when requested, being inclusive at tables and helping with distribution of wine orders does ease the pressures involved in meetings and covering the necessary tasks and it is appreciated.

It is pleasing to reflect that the club continues to thrive as Wellington’s pre-eminent wine society established and operating since 1980 expanding from a local suburban focus to a membership residing from across the city, the Hutt Valley to the Kapiti Coast. Your continuing involvement has ensured this longevity into our 40^th year.

The programme over the last year was varied and well received. We visited Hawkes Bay [Unison Vineyard, Clearview Estate and Askerne Wines], tasted internationally from France [Maison Vauron with cheeses], Portugal [Confidant Wines] and Australia [Yalumba with Negociants], tasted Marlborough [with Villa Maria], looked at quality wines under $25 with Joelle Thomson and dined at Saigon Van, at Juniper and the traditional January BBQ (courtesy of life member Derek Thompson).

My thanks go also to an outstandingly willing committee. This is a group that is dedicated, reliable and affable. The portfolios are well shared and the committee’s focus is sustained membership, managing costs, providing publicity and information, and promoting wine education. It is pleasing for me to note that the current committee members have all expressed a willingness to continue in their involvement.

This is a group notable for their collective efforts and backing each other up. The committee deals with a plethora of issues, with finances and organising the annual tasting programme being a focus. There certainly is an extensive timely email flow amongst the committee and we always have a quorum at monthly committee meetings. Planning and being flexible are the keys, although occasionally there is pressure on the scheduled monthly programme. Invariably we manage to come through and frequently achieve stellar presentations. Our secretarial support, the newsletter and our website as our “shop windows”, licensing and venue realities, catering and balancing our books all require dedication and effort. For this collective endeavour I am grateful to committee members.

The club is about sociability, extending wine experiences and broadening horizons. We are always looking for the means to increase our membership. It is always a pleasure when you bring along guests to meetings and functions as prospective members and we are happy to make incentives for you to do so. With guest numbers a little down of late there is a real interest to encourage your friends and acquaintances who may wish experience a tasting evening and perhaps to join the club. Specifically, how we can increase younger membership is one of the challenges going forward.

Thank you for your support and active involvement and hence I raise a glass to you one and all and trust we will continue to do so for the year ahead and to mark the club’s 40^th year.

Murray Jaspers
President
The Cellar Club Inc

20 March, 20193 July, 2020

Raymond Chan: a wine critic without pretension

Raymond Chan, wine critic; b July 21, 1956; d February 10, 2019

Raymond Chan won a strong fan base of winemakers and marketers alike.
[Image Andrew Gorrie]

Raymond Chan, who has died aged 62, was a great wine communicator and for spearheading dynamic tastings in Wellington in the early days of the modern New Zealand wine industry.

He will also be remembered by family and friends (of whom more than 300 turned up to celebrate his life at a wake in Martinborough) as a man of incredible courage and determination.

Chan died at home in Wellington last month with his partner, Sue Davies, by his side.

It had been a long journey with cancer, and he was constantly praising Davies for the incredible support she provided during that time.

He lived with cancer for 10 years. During this time, he led a new style of wine communication – paid wine reviews online. He swiftly won a strong fan base of winemakers and marketers alike who wanted and needed written independent wine reviews.

He wasn’t without his detractors, but this did not deter Chan from his meticulous detailing of viticulture and winemaking information on his website, which was an invaluable resource tool for the New Zealand wine industry.

He and his work will be sorely missed because of his great ability to communicate about wine to both newcomers and experts alike. Despite his battle with debilitating cancer, he ploughed on with daily life, cycling down the hill from his home in Hataitai to Newtown each morning, working on his website each afternoon.

Chan wasn’t without his detractors but this did not deter him from his meticulous detailing of viticulture and winemaking information on his website.
[Image Andrew Gorrie]

His sunny disposition and love of wine came through in both the tastings programme he spearheaded in Wellington in the 1980s and 1990s, and on his website.

His desire was to democratise wine for all. He succeeded.

Wine never appeared on the family dining table when he was growing up. It became important to him when he graduated from the University of Otago in 1978 and worked at Chan’s Garden Restaurant, owned by his family in Dunedin.

Raymond was one of five children. He was the eldest of the four born in New Zealand to immigrant Chinese parents who were separated for seven years between his father’s arrival in New Zealand and the emigration of his wife and eldest daughter.

The family owned a fruit shop and later a fish and chip shop and, eventually, Chan’s Garden Restaurant in South Dunedin.

When the family opened the restaurant, they all became interested in wine.

“I was amazed by the early New Zealand wines of the day, and our whole family got keen on wine through the restaurant,” he said.

Chan’s sunny disposition and love of wine came through in both the tastings programme that he spearheaded in Wellington in the 1980s and 1990s and on his website.
[Image Stuff]

He became friends with wine reps from different companies and developed close relationships with wine industry people, such as Malcolm McIntyre and Chris Staynes, with whom he formed the Wine Federation of Otago and entered wine options, a guessing game in the wine industry.

The 1980s were pivotal years in Chan’s early career. He became a judge at the Royal Easter Wine Show in 1988 when Master of Wine Bob Campbell was expanding the judging system. Then he moved to Wellington in 1989 to work at Wilson Neill as a wine adviser for the late Jose Hernandez and, later, when Wilson Neill was taken over by Dominion Breweries (DB), he went to O’Reilly’s on Thorndon Quay, where he worked for Zuke Marinkovich from 1991 to 1994.

This role saw him establish Wellington wine tasting programmes, most influentially at Regional Wines & Spirits, working for the store’s late founder, Grant Jones, whom Chan described as a visionary.

After Chan’s death, one friend wrote on social media: “He opened my eyes to wine.”

Chan’s desire was to democratise wine for all. He succeeded.
[Image Maarten Holl]

Another said: “Without him, I can’t imagine how I would have gotten into a wine career and he was super supportive even when I knew nothing – he always had time to answer my questions, no matter how trivial I imagine they may have seemed to him.”

I can echo those comments. The first time I met him was at an upstairs tasting at Regional Wines & Spirits in 1995. I was a young wine writer with very little knowledge at the time and, realising I needed to learn, the tastings beckoned.

Chan’s passion for wine was infectious. He was warm and welcoming. He lacked pretension and exuded an openness to teach, which is sorely needed in wine circles today.

I owe him a lot. Like many Wellingtonians in the 1990s, I learnt more about wine from Chan than from anyone else in wine circles. He encouraged me as a young writer, happy to see a newcomer and help them on their path.

Raymond Chan won a strong fan base of winemakers and marketers alike.
[Image ]

He was a breath of fresh air. His support for my writing career will always give him a special place in my heart. His encouragement and support for many others in the New Zealand industry means that they, too, can echo this thought.

His funeral was a small family affair in Wellington, followed by food at his favourite yum cha restaurant. The wake to celebrate his life was another matter. It was held at Ata Rangi, one of the first four wineries to establish itself in Martinborough.

The catering was by Ruth Pretty and more than 300 people turned up to pay their tributes to the man who most described as having a ground-breaking influence on their journey into winemaking, viticulture, marketing, sales and writing.

It has been my great privilege to know, admire and learn from the man who inspired one of my personal greatest wine passions – German riesling. It was a passion that he and Davies also shared.

He will be very deeply missed and very highly revered, as he deserved to be, for the role he played in championing wine and its producers at a formative time in the modern history of New Zealand wine.

Joelle Thomson 16 Mar 2019
Joelle Thomson is a writer and published author of 15 books about wine.

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