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TAYLOR, Richard Hugh, on Thursday, 29th February 2024.
Dearly loved husband of Mary, much loved father and father-in-law of Jason, Simon and Kelly, proud granddad of Dylan.
Messages may be left here in Richard’s tribute book.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Richard to Mary Potter Hospice would be appreciated.
A Service for Richard will be held at the Guardian Funeral Home 4 Moorefield Road, Johnsonville, Wellington on Friday 8th of March 2024 at 11:00 am and followed by private cremation.
Service Information
Date: 8/03/2024 Time: 11:00 a.m. Location: Guardian Funeral Home Chapel 4 Moorefield Road Johnsonville, Wellington Map of location
In 2018 we contacted Gordon Russell to see if he could present a tasting some time, and he said yes, he would be delighted, but it would need to be 2021!
Roll onto 2021 when sadly, the Covid levels meant that our Esk Valley tasting had to be postponed to that year. So, imagine your committee’s disbelief when Gordon contacted us in the week of our tasting to say sadly that his wife had COVID-19 and that he was having to isolate himself. He said he was disappointed but then offered to fast courier the tasting notes and wine to us so the meeting could continue. Thankfully, Richard Taylor then stepped up to the plate and, using the tasting notes, entertained us with an interactive evening that went down well and was much appreciated.
The club’s appreciation of the wines presented was subsequently reflected in the 141 bottles ordered by members.
The wines for the evening were:
Hawkes Bay 2022 Rose’ – was our mix and mingle wine and a beautiful shade of almost metallic pink, gentle on the nose, smooth in the mouth
Hawkes Bay 2021 Pinot Gris had a slightly pinkish colour with greengage on the tongue – it was a lovely extra tasty Pinot Gris which comes from free-draining terraces with the grapes themselves approaching 20 years old! Interestingly it has some oak barrel fermentation too
Artisanal Hawkes Bay 2021 Chenin Blanc – this is a new brand that has only been on the market for 12-18 months; it was a pale shade and, at the moment, has baked apple/citrus/peach on the tongue
Great Dirt Seabed Chardonnay 2020 – this is their premium label and was buttery on the nose and white peach on the tongue. The terrain where these grapes grow was tidal river territory before the 1930s Napier earthquake.
Artisanal Gimblett Gravels Grenache 2021 – nice dark red colour; this is a low-yield crop and is 100% Grenache, fermented in open-topped concrete carrels
Artisanal Gimblet Gravels Tempranillo 2021 – almost purple in colour, dry on the nose, dark berries with a hint of vanilla on the nose – has been in American and French oak and comes from a single block in Te Awa planted in 2018
Artisanal Gimblett Gravels Malbec, Cav Sauv, Merlot 2000 – again almost purple in colour, blackberry/currents on the tongue. This would go well with Venison. Again this is a low-yield crop, fermented with wild yeast in concrete open-topped barrels and kept until 2032!
Of the above, the most ordered was the Chenin Blanc. This reflected both the quality of this wine and likely the fact of how starved we are of this variety in New Zealand. Thanks again, Richard, for arranging this tasting and then stepping in to deliver it for Gordon. I am told that Gordon has already offered to do this again in 2024. You would be most welcome, Gordon.
There was some discussion at the AGM about the need for the Club to have a liquor licence and the associated high annual cost. Suggestions were made that approaches should be made to City Councillors and politicians, especially in light of the upcoming elections.
Richard Taylor, who has managed the licencing process for the Club for several years, has made the following comments in order to inform members of his experience of the current position with regard to the licence. He advised he has already spoken to Councillors who have advised that the District Licensing Committee, which is administered by WCC, is only applying current law, so there appears to be no opportunity for change at that level. Local MPs he has spoken to have said trying to make a change by way of a Member’s Bill is extremely unlikely to succeed.
That leaves, as the only avenue, submissions at the time of the next review of the Sale of Liquor Act. Richard said he continues to keep a watch on the situation so that any favourable shifts can be seized upon straight away
The Club’s Sound System
Thanks go to Jan Sammons for providing feedback to the committee post the AGM that reaffirmed that the use of the Community Centre sound system would mean over a 50% increase in the cost of us hiring the hall for each tasting. Rather than incur this cost, the committee has resolved to first try using a suitable lapel microphone and use that with the boom box/speaker at the back of the room. Also, they will ask the presenter to try and stay behind the table.
Ability to purchase wines if unable to attend a tasting
The committee was asked to consider ways that absent members might be able to order wines. Several logistical issues were identified and after discussing these, the committee resolved not to pursue this idea any further. Instead, the committee preferred an informal arrangement where an absent member could ask a friend attending or one of the committee before the tasting to order the wine for them.
Not much to be said about the AGM. I wasn’t there but I am reliably informed that it was completed in record time.
Clearly allowing for more time to be spent on enjoying the wines from the Club’s cellar. On one level, we see this as confirmation that the committee is on the right track and that members generally approve of the programme we arrange.
We would like to welcome Richard Taylor onto the committee. We are sure he will make a valuable contribution to our work.
