Looking Back – Peregrine, Oct ’24

It was great to have a Central Otago winery present to us by Justin, the North Island and Australian sales manager presenting. We had 32 people attend, with lively and enquiring discussions and somewhat very different tastings to experience.

We found out that the owners of Peregrine are heavily into bird conservation, hence the name of the vineyard, although it’s not a NZ Hawk. Their prime focus in this area is the Saddleback [Tieke], with injured birds being housed, recuperated and released back into the wild.

Nadine Cross is their wine maker and focusses on balance in the wines she produces. While the whole team help with vintage, from picking by hand usually, to processing and finally bottling, so everyone gets an all-round experience with the vineyard.

Peregrine are situated in a mountainous wine growing area, with their vineyard sites in Bendigo, Pisa and Gibbston areas. They were certified as organic from their 2017 vintage and have now been certified as Biodynamic recently. Congratulations!

A reminder of the wines we tasted during the evening:

  • 2023 Saddleback Riesling
  • 2023 Peregrine Sauvignon Blanc
  • 2023 Saddleback Rosé
  • 2023 Peregrine Pinot Gris
  • 2023 Peregrine Chardonnay
  • 2022 Saddleback Pinot Noir
  • 2022 Peregrine Pinot Noir

 

Looking Back – Misty Cove, Marlborough, Aug’ 24

What a brilliant evening! For those that couldn’t attend, you missed a good evening. We had 22 in attendance.

The evening’s presenter was Manu, Misty Cove’s South African born, and French trained Chief Winemaker. He spoke with us, answering questions and explaining why they use mainly Acacia wood barrels or rather ‘puncheons‘, which are smaller-sized barrels; as well as oak, and the effects of both woods on the various wines they make. These are imported from France and Italy. He explained how they do their harvest and where grapes come from, from the different plots they have and sometimes, where grapes they use come from outside of their district, i.e. Gisborne!

Emmanuel 'Manu' Bolliger
Emmanuel ‘Manu’ Bolliger

The wines are made to be on the slightly dry side, rather than the sweet side and were very interesting to taste, with sometimes surprising results.

Misty Cove has previously focused on the export market to date but have now begun focussing on the New Zealand market to introduce their wines to.

A reminder of the wines we tasted during the evening:

  • 2022 Misty Cove Waihopai – this is their Rosé, this year the blend is Chardonnay/Pinot Noir, made with a slight fizz, and yes, it’s the champagne mixture! Their Rosé is not necessarily made with the same grapes every season.
  • 2024 Misty Cove Estate Sauvignon Blanc – this was a surprise to non-white drinkers, whilst it smelt like a Sauv Blanc, it was smooth in the mouth!
  • 2023 Misty Cove Estate Pinot Gris – this has 2% Gertz within in, and Manu said that over time this could get more dominant within the mixture.
  • 2024 Misty Cove Landmark Albarino – a Spanish grape that it gaining in popularity, the grapes for this vintage come from the Gisborne area
  • 2024 Misty Cove Landmark Riesling – again, 10 ton of grapes were brought from contract growers for this vintage, and while this wine is young it will get the kerosene people are used to with age
  • 2022 Misty Cove Landmark Chardonnay – smooth and light in the mouth
  • 2023 Misty Cove Estate Pinot Noir – this is their entry-level label, but with lots of fruit flavour in the mouth, this tipple was popular with those at the table.

Tasting – Peregrine with Justin Hart, Oct’24

Wine with Altitude | Peregrine Wines
Wednesday 9th October, 8 pm Start
Door Price: Members $14 / Guests $18

Taking a ‘hands on’ approach to winemaking since 1998 the McLachlan family strive to produce wines that embody the absolute best of Central Otago.

This passion for the land runs in their family and is a hallmark of Peregrine as a business.

Organic farming is fundamental to every aspect of Peregrine Vineyard Estates, with an holistic approach that integrates crop and livestock farming with vineyard management.

The talented estate farming team are as adept at nurturing wines, as they are developing new land, or working with livestock.

Cellar door & Barrel hall tasting rooms.
Cellar door & Barrel hall tasting rooms.

Peregrine’s quest for outstanding Central Otago wine begins in the three distinct sub-regions from which they draw their fruit: Bendigo, Pisa and Gibbston, where their landmark winery rises up amongst rugged rock reefs and ancient hills.

In each of these locations, their commitment to the organic farming and viticulture guarantees fruit of the highest quality, imparting the clearest expression of character to every vintage.

A natural extension of their passion for the land, Peregrine are dedicated to helping protect some of NZ’s rarest native birds. As well as taking part personally in some of this country’s most successful preservation  programmes, Peregrine is proud to have worked with the Wingspan Birds of Prey Trust, DoC and the Fiordland Conservation Trust.

Peregrine wines spectacular, architecturally designed Winery and Cellar Door are open Mon-Sat 11 am-4 pm for wine sales and experiences.

Our wines for the evening:

  • 2023 Saddleback Riesling
  • 2023 Peregrine Sauvignon Blanc
  • 2023 Saddleback Rosé
  • 2023 Peregrine Pinot Gris
  • 2022 Saddleback Pinot Noir
  • 2022 Peregrine Pinot Noir

We look forward to seeing you Wednesday, 9th October.

Churton Wines on Country Calendar

Those of you who watch Country Calendar may have seen Churton Wines on Sunday 28th July 2024.

PRODUCING SOULFUL, ORGANICALLY CERTIFIED WINES FROM OUR DISTINCTIVE HILLSIDE VINEYARD IN MARLBOROUGH, NEW ZEALAND

For the past 30 years Sam and Mandy Weaver have farmed the land with a delicate hand, long before it was fashionable, and approached the vineyard with strong ecological values, a focus on biodiversity and adopted biodynamic principles. The wonderful diversity of the property from its mature trees and native bush to the riverbed and pastureland first attracted them to this special place. This is a family farm with three generations living and working on it, a herd of Red Devon cattle, that get let into the vines after harvest at Autumn, beehives, chickens and the family dogs.

Sam Weaver looked at an overview of their property and decided it looked like a side of beef, so all the different blocks are named after cuts of meat!

The reins have now been handed over to the second generation, Ben and Jack, who bring youth and innovation to the Churton vineyard and cellar.

Biodynamic farming allows them to truly express their unique hillside vineyard site and its soil. They learn daily from the farm and are always seeking ways to challenge themselves and convention, experimenting with a traditional approach to winemaking to bring out the best from their vines. They firmly believe that the source of exceptional wines lies in the vineyard.

Their biodynamics involves Microbiology, Macro-biology, Cosmic biology and Spiritual biology, and their wines cover 22ha of their 51ha farm.

They focus on four grape varieties, which they believe are best suited to the undulating hillside vineyard with its north-east aspect, clay soils and specific micro-climate. They are:

  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Viognier
  • Petit Manseng – they are NZs main producer of this wine, a native to France’s Jurancon area
  • Pinot Noir

Churton also has a Wine Club if you would like to join.

Tasting – Misty Cove w/ Emmanuel ‘Manu’ Bolliger, Sept ’24

Emmanuel 'Manu' Bolliger

Wednesday 11th September, 8 pm Start
Door Price: Members $12 / Guests $16

This evening is to be presented by Misty Cove’s South African and French-trained Chief Winemaker, Emmanuel ‘Manu’ Bolliger. Manu’s philosophy is simple: get the grapes right and do very little in the winery. When he is not getting his hands dirty in the vineyard innovating their wine program with Acacia wood puncheons, working with new varietals or just getting all-round creative with new styles of wines – you’ll find Manu off the grid, hunting somewhere in the wilderness, or creating his own cheese, cured meats and olive oil at his piece of paradise in Rarangi.

Emmanuel 'Manu' Bolliger
Emmanuel ‘Manu’ Bolliger

Misty Cove isn’t your typical wine brand. Founded in 2008 by New Zealander Andrew Bailey, it’s a story of breaking conventions. Now led by a tight-knit crew team, who blend traditional winemaking with Kiwi ingenuity, crafting bold wines that defy expectations. With vineyards across Marlborough and New Zealand, their wines travel worldwide, embodying their motto, “Wine for Good Times.” They celebrate individuality, encouraging people to forge their own paths and share memorable moments over a glass of Misty Cove Wines.

Our wines for the evening are:

  • 2022 Misty Cove Waihopai
  • 2024 Misty Cove Estate Sauvignon Blanc
  • 2023 Misty Cove Estate Pinot Gris
  • 2024 Misty Cove Landmark Albarino
  • 2024 Misty Cove Landmark Riesling
  • 2022 Misty Cove Landmark Chardonnay
  • 2023 Misty Cove Estate Pinot Noir

Misty Cove Wine Group Limited offers more than just quality wines. The company also boasts cellar door accommodation located in the heart of the Marlborough wine country, away from it all, while still being close to all the good stuff. The accommodation comes complete with a private pool, garden, barbecue facilities, free WIFI, and free private parking.

From the Misty Cove website

Ask any winemaker and they’ll tell you that the flavour and characteristics of a wine shouldn’t be overly influenced by the wood during fermentation. Instead, the wood is intended to support the wine – and merely add a little ‘spice’. It’s a balancing act between the flavours of the wood and the fruit.

Lately, a few winemakers have been questioning the dominating role that oak has played in winemaking. There is the view that by adding something to the wine – that ‘woodiness’ in oak – you’re merely masking or adding too much to the fruit and fermentation.

In walks acacia wood to the scene, who is now unquestionably the new player in town. Winemakers have discovered that judicious use of acacia barrels during production adds floral notes, improved texture and less of a “woody” taste. Thus, the appeal of acacia barrels lies not so much in the flavours they impart but rather the lack of flavours. Compared with oak, acacia’s contribution is mostly textural.

Firstly, it’s native to America and it was brought over to Europe in the 17th century. Its common name is Black Locust tree. And it’s actually a family of the legume, so it’s a legume. Acacia, which comes from forests in northern France, is sawed rather than split into saves, and is now used by a handful of wineries worldwide.

Looking Back – Pegasus Bay Wines, Mar ’24

We had Pegasus Bay wines presented to us by Ed Donaldson, Marketing Manager, who was informative and entertaining throughout the evening. Our club ordered 109 bottles from Pegasus.

Some of the information he imparted to us was:

  • Their venture started as a curiosity by Ed’s father, a surgeon 40 years ago.
  • That they have 40ha now planted in vines.
  • Their vines are not grafted from root stock.
  • They used to get grapes for their Main Divide range strictly from other growers/friends, this has now changed as they planted vines in 2008 to cover half this load.
  • There is seven family members involved in the day to day running of the business.
  • They export half of the wine they make to approx. 20 countries, including the UK, Belgium, Holland and Australia.
  • They will be 40 years old next year.

As a reminder of the wines we tasted during the evening:

Looking Back – Riverby Estate w/ Kevin Courtenay ‘Feb 24

Kevin presented to us, with his views on the Marlborough history of wine growing, supplying and the present, as well as his predictions for the future of the area. All very informative and well received, leading to more than a bit of discussion by the members present. An intriguing evening of information and wine tasting.

A reminder of the tastings we had during the evening:

  • Riverby Rosé 2023 – Welcome wine – gold medal winner at NZ International Wine Show
  • Cicada Gewurztraminer 2023 – gold medal winner at NZ International Wine Show
  • Riverby Reserve Chardonnay 2022
  • Riverby Sauvignon Blanc 2023 – gold medal winner at NZ International Wine Show
  • Riverby Gruner Veltliner 2022
  • Riverby OVB 2021
  • Riverby Reserve Pinot Noir 2020
  • Riverby Noble Riesling 2019 – multiple award winner.

As well as the above, we were offered a small tasting of two of Riverby’s Rieslings:

  • Sal’s Block Riesling 2023 – this was a dri-ish tipple with 20gm of sugar
  • Eliza Riesling 2023 [blend of Riesling and sweet grapes] with 40gm of sugar

Both well received, depending on how sweet you like your wines. Kevin mentioned that most of his Rieslings go to the Scandinavian countries in Europe.

This tasting was clearly enjoyed, as evidenced by the 141 bottles ordered from Kevin. Well done.

Pegasus Bay, Waipara Valley w/ Ed Donaldson ‘Mar 24

www.pegasusbay.com
Wednesday 13 March, 8 pm
Door Price: Members $16 / Guests $20
PLEASE REMEMBER YOUR GLASSES

The Family, mmersed in the wine industry since the early 1970s and were pioneers of local grape growing and wine making.
The Family, mmersed in the wine industry since the early 1970s and were pioneers of local grape growing and wine making.

The Donaldson family have been seriously involved in wine since the early 1970’s and were pioneers of local grape growing and wine making.

Associate Professor and Consultant Neurologist, Ivan Donaldson, first became interested in wine when his girlfriend at the time, Christine, gave him a book simply called ‘Wine’, penned by English industry legend, Hugh Johnson.

After travelling to explore the wine regions of Europe, Ivan return home to plant one of the first vineyards of modern times in Canterbury, and to marry Christine, who has been an integral part of the Pegasus Bay story.

The first vineyard was a hobby with Ivan making wine in the garage at home on the weekends. In-between seeing patients at his private practice in the evening and after his shifts at the public hospital. He also started writing a wine column in the local newspaper and was a judge in numerous wine shows around the globe.

By the mid-1980s Ivan and Chris had decided there was definitely a future for wine making in Canterbury. They went on to plant Pegasus Bay with the help of their four sons, who have all ended up working in key role within the business.

Ed will be presenting a selection of wines from their premium Pegasus Bay label as well as some from their Main Divide collection:

  • Main Divide Rosé 2023
  • Pegasus Bay 2021 Sauvignon Blanc
  • Pegasus Bay 2020 Chardonnay
  • Pegasus Bay 2023 Bel Canto ‘Dry Riesling’
  • Main Divide 2021 Te Hau Pinot Noir
  • Pegasus Bay 2020 Merlot Cabernet
  • Pegasus Bay 2021 Finale ‘Noble Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

Tasting – Riverby Estate, Feb ’24

Wednesday 14th February 8 pm start
Door Price:  Members $10 / Guests $14

We have lined up for your February Club Monthly meeting an evening with Kevin Courtney of Riverby Estate from Blenheim.

Riverby are a boutique, family owned and run wine producer in Marlborough’s Jackson Road heartland. All grapes are grown on the estate vineyard by descendants of the Matthews family, who have been farming the property for over 100 years.  The Matthews farm was called Riverby and the original homestead, depicted on the Sauvignon Blanc back label, is still in use.

On their approximately 70ha vineyard they have three different soil types that allow the family to grow a variety of grapes, and their range of award-winning wines come from individual parcels on that single vineyard. Although not all their wines are made every year, as this depends on the quality of grapes for vintage.

The Riverby name originated from the Opawa River and its tributaries, which meandered through the property. This river was diverted in the 1930s to stop Blenheim from flooding, creating what was eventually to become ideal grape growing land. The rainbow trout on the Riverby label is symbolic of the fish that used to swim where grapes are now grown.

Old Vines Reserve Chardonnay 2020 - Silver Medal NZIWS 2022
Old Vines Reserve Chardonnay 2020 – Silver Medal NZIWS 2022

They are proud to practice sustainable grape-growing techniques throughout the whole grape-growing and winemaking cycle and are also pleased to be eligible to be members of Appellation Wine Marlborough (AWM) because of their vineyard practices and restricted yields.

In a throw-back to past glories, sheep are used extensively throughout the vineyard to control weeds and grasses.

Wines for the evening: 

  • Riverby Rose’ 2023 – Welcome wine – gold medal winner at NZ International Wine Show
  • Cicada Gewurztraminer 2023 – gold medal winner at NZ International Wine Show
  • Riverby Reserve Chardonnay 2022
  • Riverby Sauvignon Blanc 2023 – gold medal winner at NZ International Wine Show
  • Riverby Gruner Veltliner 2022
  • Riverby OVB 2021
  • Riverby Reserve Pinot Noir 2020
  • Riverby Noble Riesling 2019 – multiple award winner

Sauvignon blanc land in Marlborough sells for over $400,000 per hectare, a 60% increase on previous highs

Gerhard Uys, Stuff | Jul 31 2023

Sauvignon blanc grapes at Alapa Vineyard Services in Blenheim.
Sauvignon blanc grapes at Alapa Vineyard Services in Blenheim.

Prices for sauvignon blanc vineyards in Marlborough have topped $400,000 per hectare this year, up by almost 60% on past record, the Real Estate Institute says.

Andy Poswillo​, director for Colliers in Marlborough said it was a big jump from the $270,000 per hectare that the best vineyards fetched for a long time.

A number of factors influenced the price, he said.

The best vineyards delivered consistent high-quality yields, Poswillo said.

The land that attracted the most interest was not under any contractual obligations and buyers could “do what they wanted with the fruit,” he said.

Investors looked at the rate of return and the value of a vineyard came down to yield and location, he said.

Water availability and security was a major contributor to the value of land.

The price per tonnes of grapes made land attractive, he said.

Sauvignon blanc grapes harvested recently sold for up to $2200 per tonne, Poswillo said.

Real Estate Institute rural spokesperson Shane O’Brien said these sales were the only “bright spot” in the rural property market as sales continued to decline compared to last year.

The institute’s data showed there were 166 fewer farm sales for the three months ended May than for the same three months ended May 2022.

“The reduced number of sales is impacted by buyers continuing to take a wait-and-see approach to buying amidst the backdrop of higher interest rates, farm expenses increasing and lower farm incomes off the back of adverse weather and challenging economic conditions,” O’Brien said.

O’Brien said the sale of two established vineyards was at a price per hectare never seen before.

“In Marlborough sales are now being reported at record levels for good quality sauvignon blanc land and more land is being acquired for further development in grapes,” he said.

The recent uptick in wine exports and free-trade agreement with the UK gave the industry “renewed confidence,” O’Brien said.

Chief executive of New Zealand Winegrowers Philip Gregan said earlier this month wine exports for the year to May were worth $2.4 billion, up 25% on last year.

Sarah Wilson, general manager for advocacy at New Zealand Winegrowers, said under the UK free-trade agreement technical barriers to trade would be removed, and certification and labelling requirements minimised.

Marcus Pickens, general manager for Wine Marlborough, said the phenomenon of good sales for sauvignon blanc vineyards was not new, with ongoing growth in the industry for the last 30 years.

“It’s a continuation of the growth trajectory.

“There could have been an uptick and land conversion into viticulture. The world discovered sauvignon blanc in the 1980s and there’s been growing demand ever since. Other varieties grow very well, but sauvignon blanc gets all the attention,” Pickens said.

Marlborough had “nice warm days” in the growing season and “quite cold nights which was good for flavour development,” he said.

Marcus Pickens says sauvignon blanc gets all the attention in New Zealand.
Marcus Pickens says sauvignon blanc gets all the attention in New Zealand.

Of Marlborough’s about 30,000 hectares of vineyards, about 24,000ha was planted to Sauvignon Blanc, Pickens said.

The vineyard area grew by 29% in the last 10 years, but it was hard to say if this trend would continue, he said.

Marlborough had a record harvest last year, after a small harvest in 2021 brought about by poor fruit set, he said.

This year’s harvest was marginally less than last year because of an abnormal summer, Pickens said.

“As a wine industry we have been careful to map planting planning with consumption demand as we do not want to oversupply the market, just grow our premium offering at the same pace as demand grows,” Pickens said.

The median price per hectare for dairy farms for the three months ended June this year was up 3.1% compared to last year, for finishing farms it was down 4.8%, up 5.3% for grazing farms and down by 25% for horticulture, Real Estate Institute data showed.

Wine sector gets climate ‘message’

NZ Herald | 5 Jun, 2023 12:00 AM

Industry thinking about the future as big changes loom.

Experimental vineyard. Photo / Jerram Tocker Barron
Experimental vineyard. Photo / Jerram Tocker Barron.

An experimental vineyard is one of the ways that science will ensure the world will still be able to enjoy New Zealand wine as the climate changes.

With the ability to fine-tune the environmental conditions, scientists at the Plant & Food Research Experimental Future Vineyard at the New Zealand Wine Centre -Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa – will be able to mimic expected climate scenarios of the future.

Plants grown in the new 600sqm facility which is due for completion in 2024, will help scientists understand how different temperatures, soil types and water availability may impact grape production in the future, and provide the industry with key knowledge to help it adapt.

The experiment comes as a Plant & Food Research study suggests areas of the North Island suitable for growing Sauvignon blanc vines are likely to substantially reduce this century as climate change brings rising temperatures.

Dr Jill Stanley, Plant & Food Research Science Group Leader, Fruit Crops Physiology. Photo / Supplied
Dr Jill Stanley, Plant & Food Research Science Group Leader, Fruit Crops Physiology. Photo / Supplied

However, Plant & Food Research Science Group Leader, Fruit Crops Physiology, Dr Jill Stanley, says it is not all bad news for connoisseurs of the wine – one of New Zealand’s most popular varieties – as modelling under both low and high temperature rise scenarios also shows areas of the South Island are likely to increase in growing suitability.

“Moderate gains are predicted in Marlborough, Canterbury and central Otago under low rise scenarios, but substantial gains under higher temperatures,” she says. “By mid-century, there may be an opportunity for Canterbury and parts of Otago to become global Sauvignon blanc powerhouses, alongside Marlborough (New Zealand’s current prime Sauvignon blanc producing region, accounting for 72 per cent of output).

“So, if you like a drop of New Zealand Sauvignon blanc, you’re probably going to be okay.”

Chief Sustainability Officer, Dr Roger Robson-Williams, says Plant & Food Research is working with a variety of industry sectors, to understand what and where crops can be grown in the future. By using computers to jump in a ‘virtual time machine’, scientists can see what rainfall patterns and temperatures are going to look like in different parts of Aotearoa.

“Climate change is going to affect what we eat over time,” he says. “For wealthy nations, the impact may seem quite small at first, as they will generally have the resources to secure more-or-less whatever foods they want for the time being.

“For less developed countries, climate change will produce real issues in terms of food security; not just impacting the type of foods available but, more worryingly, it will lead to absolute scarcity of food with ever-increasing risks of crop failures around the globe. We want to make sure that New Zealand can continue to grow good, nutritious food, for ourselves and for others.”

Robson-Williams says the first step is to get a picture of what crops will grow well and where; these may be crops we already have, or new crops.

“We’re also looking at improving our current crops so they can cope better with the impacts of climate change – be it drought tolerance, resistance to different pests and diseases, or just the ability to grow in hotter conditions,” he says.

Stanley says the research contains a key message for growers and the industry: “It’s increasingly important growers start thinking about what the future holds and the adaptations they can take to mitigate and reduce the effects of climate change.

“While we don’t know for certain what is ahead as many different factors affect how crops are grown, the research is designed to give the sector some idea of what could occur,” she says.

Dr Zac Hanley, General Manager Science New Cultivar Innovation, Plant & Food Research. Photo / Supplied
Dr Zac Hanley, General Manager Science New Cultivar Innovation, Plant & Food Research. Photo / Supplied

As well as changing to varieties that are more suited to the changing climate, Stanley says growers could adapt the way they grow crops, such as using covers to protect them from increasing risk of rain and hail. They could change the crops they grow (for example growing avocados or apples instead of grapes) or consider expanding into different regions.

Dr Zac Hanley, General Manager Science New Cultivar Innovation, says that the changing climate might also create new opportunities for New Zealand’s horticulture sector.

“We’re bringing new crops into New Zealand, testing things that might be able to cope with future conditions. For example, New Zealand might be able to successfully grow sub-tropical plants like dragon fruit as our climate changes, and that could be a potential new industry for growers in these warmer regions.”

New Zealand-Viet Nam dragon fruit breeding programme. Photo / Supplied
New Zealand-Viet Nam dragon fruit breeding programme. Photo / Supplied

A joint New Zealand-Viet Nam dragon fruit breeding programme has resulted in the development of the first varieties of dragon fruit that could form the basis of a New Zealand sector.

Supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the New Premium Fruit Variety Development project has bred three new varieties of dragon fruit which will be commercialised globally by VentureFruit, a T&G Company. Initial testing and evaluation is underway to determine how these new varieties could be commercially grown in Northland.

Plant & Food Research is also looking at the viability of commercial production of other non-traditional crops, such as peanuts in Northland and almonds in the Hawke’s Bay, that may do well in New Zealand’s future climate.

Dr Samantha Baldwin, a Science Group Leader at Plant & Food Research. Photo / Supplied
Dr Samantha Baldwin, a Science Group Leader at Plant & Food Research. Photo / Supplied

Growing indoors, away from the weather, is also an option. Dr Samantha Baldwin, a Science Group Leader at Plant & Food Research, says their research is attempting to make sure New Zealand can deliver food than can be grown long into the future, despite the climate issues being experienced.

She says indoor growing could help food security “because we can basically recreate the entire environment within a controlled area so we can take out the risk not only of erratic weather but also seasonal weather. We can create all seasons in one day if we really want.”

Stanley says that climate change will potentially have major impacts on New Zealand and growers are already thinking about how they will respond.

“The horticulture sector needs to weigh the costs of adaptations or mitigations to climate change against the economic impact of doing nothing,” she says. “It is great to see industry bodies starting to think about what these changes might mean and to plan accordingly.”

For more information: www.plantandfood.co.nz

Mermaidary tackles the tricky topic of what wines to chill and by how much

Wine News – Imbibe from NZ House & Garden April 2023

Sparkling and sweet wines such as champagne and late harvests - 6-10C
Sparkling and sweet wines such as champagne
and late harvests – 6-10C

Mermaidary tackles the tricky topic of what wines to chill and by how much.

What temperature should you serve wine? The topic can be controversial. I have heard gasps of horror when pulling a bottle of chardonnay from the rack, opening and pouring it – bypassing the fridge. I prefer medium to full-bodied white wines at room temperature. And you can imagine the horror when I take a red wine from the fridge because I like reds slightly chilled, flying in the face of ‘the rules for how wine should be served.

The accepted serving temperatures are listed below, but I regularly flout those rules. I like my sparkling whites colder than 6C, which is a cardinal wine sin, but I find it gives the bubbles more vigour. I also enjoy reds when they are well below 13C, as it gives the wine more structure and definition.

In fact, in hotter climates such as in Australia, drinking red chilled is standard practice. Australian wine icon Taylors recently put a wine temperature sensor on its bottles which changes colour when the bottle reaches its optimum level of chill.

One place that always seems to get it wrong is your local bar or restaurant. Bar fridges are set to a standard temperature so juice, wine, beer and even milk are all stored in the same fridge at the same temperature. This means medium-bodied wines, in particular, can be served much too cold, which deadens the wonderful aromatics present in the wine. Red wines are invariably stored on a shelf in direct sunlight or near the warm kitchen. So, the best expression of your favourite wine might not be from your local eatery.

While there are guidelines, the perfect temperature is simply the one that you enjoy best. So open a bottle and you do you.

Agreed serving temperatures

Sparkling and sweet wines such as champagne and late harvests – 6-10C

Roses and light-bodied whites such as Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris – 8-10C

Medium full-bodied whites such as Chardonnay and Albarino – 10-13C

Light-bodied reds such as Pinot Noir – 10-13C

Medium to full-bodied reds such as Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon – 10-13C