Evening of Bubbles Fun, Nov 2022

There was a good turnout for the evening, although numbers were down due to illness, and in one case, nearly the whole table was absent due to Covid. We hope everyone is feeling much better at this stage.

Wayne had organised this evening on his own and had a bit of a shortbread competition with his wife – not mentioning who won!

The first half of the evening was simply tasting some of the wines and discussing the different grapes and countries these came from.

The second half of the evening was a taste and tipple scenario. We had shortbread, strawberries, cheese & crackers, and Christmas cake to sample after we had had our first taste of each wine. This was to see if our taste buds registered any meaningful changes to the taste and texture of the wines.

The wines we sampled were:

First half

  • Lindauer Free ‘non-alcohol’ Brut was our surprise starter. It was made from Chardonnay and Pinot noir grapes and was poured blind. Whist some thought it was closer to a cider in taste and style, nobody guessed what this was correctly!
  • Tosti Prosecco DOC form the Piedmont region in Italy
  • Perelada Brut Reserva Carva NV –Spain
  • Morton Estate Premium Brut – NZ

Second half

  • Grant Burge Petite Bubbles Dry Sparkling – Australian
  • Louis Bouillot Perle De Vigne Cremant De Bourgogne – French

Two more mysteries to go with the Christmas Cake to finish off – these were also both poured blind:

  • Charles de Casnova Champagne – Reims, France
  • 2017 Lindauer Vintage Series Brut Cuvee – NZ

Check out  the Complete Guide to Sparkling Wines.

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I’m back, Events & subscription renewal

I’m back

You can breathe a sigh of relief. The real Editor is back.

Mind you as I sit here preparing this newsletter it is 4.50 pm yet almost dark, the rain is lashing on the roof and pouring over the side of the spouting outside the door, and the temperature is a balmy 8°, and to top it all off the Golf course was closed because of flooding. Where are the deserts of the UAE when you need them.

Just to answer Wayne’s question from the last month, yes we did have the opportunity to sample a couple of wines while we travelled. The cruise ship did not have a particularly good selection. We had a Grant Burge early in the cruise but it quickly disappeared off the wine list as did a number of others, and the selection became quite limited. We were able to sample a couple of Maltese wines, and two from Spain when we stopped in Barcelona. These were OK without being special. After paying between 9 and 12 $US for a glass (and not a particularly generous one) on the ship, we were probably overwhelmed by the significantly lesser price for bottles purchased onshore.

Events & subscription renewal

It’s that time of year again when we have several issues to deal with associated with the two upcoming tastings and renewal of subscriptions. Attached to the June dinner event you will find an attached payment advice form and the menu from Trade Kitchen.

Please complete the form and bring it to the June tasting or send to Wayne. Note that we are asking that you complete details of your requirements for the July dinner. This will make it easier for the restaurant on the night. And please check out the survey question. Of course, we are also asking you to part with some of your hard earned money but that is sort of normal for us.

See you next week, with another great tasting in store.

Cheers Robin Semmens, Editor

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From the Editor: Dec 2013

2013 – what a great year we have had.

Following on from the regular BBQ in January we had the Mission Estate in February, a fantastic start to the tasting year.

March saw Lansdowne and Bijou with a look at developing producers in the northern part of Masterton.

April covered Easter Gold medal wines presented by committee members, while the AGM was in May, allowing members to enjoy a selection from the club cellar, after the formalities.

June saw the trivia evening and July the mid-year dinner at La Cloche.

August re-acquainted club members with Peter Robinson from Brookfields, while September was an aromatics evening with MacVine.

We followed this with a great Grant Burge evening in October and Advintage last month with Festive wines.

Dinner this month at Cuba Street Bistro will see off the year nicely.

2014 is looking settled already and we hope members will enjoy the calendar of tastings we are preparing. Compliments of the season to all.

Cheers
Robin Semmens, Editor

Glancing Back: Grant Burge Wines

grant-burgeThe presentation was arranged by Eurovintage and what an evening it was.

The wines were great and the presentation lively and informative.

Great attendance with 36 members and 7 guests.

Keith thoroughly enjoyed the evening and was very pleased with the orders he received.

The selection included:

  • 2007 Te Mata Sauvignon Blanc
  • 2012 Grant Burge Benchmark Shiraz
  • 2010 Grant Burge Miamba Shiraz
  • 2011 Grant Burge Filsell (Shiraz)
  • 2010 Grant Burge Cameron Vale (Cabernet Sauvignon)
  • 2010 Grant Burge The Holy Trinity G.S.M (Grenache, Shiraz, Mourvedre)
  • Grant Burge Aged Tawny

It’s amazing how well it works when we can get iconic NZ or Australian producers.

October with Grant Burge

grant-burgeWednesday 9 September 2013, 7.45 for 8 pm start.

Johnsonville Community Centre Hall, 30 Moorefield Rd, Johnsonville, Wellington 6037 – Directions.

Members: $12, Guests: $16

Presenter: Keith Tibble, Eurovintage Account Manager, Wellington

Not even Hawaii will keep me from this tasting. The presentation is arranged by Eurovintage. Independent and privately owned, they have been in the wine distribution business for over 20 years, and are extremely proud of their premium portfolio which includes some of the most exciting brands and estates from New Zealand and around the world. Keith Tibble is not unknown to the Cellar Club having presented in the past, albeit not recently. He has been in the Liquor Industry for over 25 years having worked for Penfolds New Zealand, New Zealand Wines & Spirits, Hancocks, Burleigh Trading, Vintage Wines and Spirits and now EuroVintage since its inception in 2010.

Tonight Keith will be presenting some of the iconic Grant Burge brand wines and a port. Over five generations Grant Burge Wines have brought together the finest vineyards and hands-on techniques with modern winemaking to express the classic Barossa Valley. Share their passion for great wine. A Grant Burge label is your guarantee of quality and integrity. An all red night but what reds.

The selection will include:

  • Quaffer – something light and elegant arranged by Eurovintage
  • 2012 Grant Burge Benchmark Shiraz
  • 2010 Grant Burge Miamba Shiraz
  • 2011 Grant Burge Filsell (Shiraz)
  • 2010 Grant Burge Cameron Vale (Cabernet Sauvignon)
  • 2010 Grant Burge The Holy Trinity G.S.M (Grenache, Shiraz, Mourvedre)
  • Grant Burge Aged Tawny

Looking Forward: Grant Burge, Oct 2013

grant-burgeWe are still sorting out the line-up for this evening so more next month. Suffice it to say this is a quality Australian producer who won’t let us down. The first wines your editor ever purchased through the Cellar Club, many years ago, were the Grant Burge Holy Trinity. I kept them for many years but temptation got the better of me in the end. Looking forward to a great night.