Thinking People, Thoughtful Wines

August 2011

Winter 2011 Newsletter

The vintage

It was a harvest this season distinguished by quality over quantity as premium quality fruit offset a lower yield.

Winemakers and viticulturists are in agreement that it is a fine vintage coming out Martinborough on the back of a unique and near perfect growing season.

Ata Rangi winemaker Helen Masters said the conditions could not have been better for producing some exciting wines.

Bud burst had started wonderfully with a warmer than average September.

“The warmer temperatures continued right through the vital months of November and December when the vines were flowering.

This made for a much more relaxed spring, with wind machines hardly used at all.”

The warm flowering lead to an extremely good bunch set, which meant extra work was put in to drop the crop level back to ensure even, complete ripeness, she said.

“January certainly gave some amazing summer days, which were tempered by cool nights. The warm weather and high level of sunlight hours cemented tannin ripeness in seeds and skins. March and April cooled off with some rain showers that were much needed by the dry soils.”

The 2011 wines are looking exciting - ripe tannins, vibrant acids and remarkably balanced, says Helen.

The brilliant conditions and the outcome for Martinborough wines has been echoed by Wines From Martinborough chairwoman Kaye McAulay.

“While much of the country had too much rain with consequent disease pressure, Martinborough had an ideal spring with no frosts and a dry summer. The Pinot Noir grapes ripened before the autumn rains, whereas the Riesling and some other whites were picked in between the autumn rains, which are very like in the Alsace region {in northeastern France.}”

Expect Martinborough 2011 wines to be very exciting with a very high quality, she said.

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Martinborough glows under bloggers reviews

The successful visit of eight Asian and Australian wine writing influences has further helped to fuel the sales of Martinborough's vintage.

Internet blogs and columns attracting thousands of hits emerged in the weeks after the select group of media movers and shakers returned from their Wines From Martinborough hosted two-day wine and culinary experience.

They were nothing short of glowing reviews reaching worldwide audiences.

“The visit by the bloggers has really thrown open a lot more opportunity to promoting Martinborough wines on the world stage. A lot of those writers are now helping us organise Martinborough wine tasting events in their respective countries. In the past we have done it through the New Zealand Wine Growers' group, but now it is happening through our own initiatives,” said WFM chair Kaye McAulay.

It was Martinborough's Pinot Noir that caught the attention of Tersina Shieh, who services the Greater China market from Hong Kong; describing the varietal coming out of the boutique wine village as, “A thoughtful intellectual with depth.”

Click here to read the post visit blog

New team at Wines From Martinborough

The Wines From Martinborough Executive Committee is presently made up of; Kaye McAulay, Vynfields; Larry McKenna, Escarpment Vineyard; Neil McCallum, Dry River Wines; Helen Masters, Ata Rangi and Paul Mason, Martinborough Vineyard.

Kaye McAulay, joint owner of Vynfields has the role of Chair of the Executive Committee. Kaye can be contacted on 021 891 431 and info@vynfields.com. The WFM office can be contacted on 022 0988275 or info@winesfrommartinborough.com.

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Awards, accolades and in the media

Martinborough Vineyard

Following the success of Martinborough Vineyard's 1998 Reserve Pinot Noir being ranked 1st in the “World's Top 20 Pinot Noirs”, a campaign was launched to buy-back bottles for $500. The media took hold of the story and as a result Martinborough Vineyard were a news item on radio and in press both in New Zealand and also internationally…even making the Sydney Morning Herald. Coverage online really sent the story global and demand for the 1998 Reserve came from Australia, the USA, UK and Hong Kong. Click here to read more.

Sales are up in the air

Not only is Qantas serving Martinborough Vineyard's Pinot Noir and Te Tera Pinot Noir in their trans-Tasman business class flights but now Air New Zealand are pouring Manu Riesling for their business class customers and Russian Jack Pinot Noir for their economy class.

Vynfields

Vynfields has maintained its five star and gold medal winning streak, with their 2010 Pinot Noir receiving two prestigious international awards. The Reserve Pinot Noir won Gold and Best in Class in the London Wine and Spirits show while their Estate Pinot Noir received Gold in Decanter.

Ata Rangi

Ata Rangi scored a vinous ‘hat trick' in a recent issue of Australia Gourmet Traveller Wine magazine: 95 points for Ata Rangi Petrie Chardonnay, 96 points for Ata Rangi Pinot Noir “truly seductive” and 97 points for Ata Rangi Craighall Chardonnay. All three are from the superb 2009 vintage, and all have serious cellaring potential. The Pinot Noir was rated Best New Zealand Pinot in the 2011 edition of the Australia Good Wine Guide, and has also received 5 stars in the July issue of UK Decanter.

With vintage tucked away, June is (always) travel time for the team. Clive's been in the UK playing cricket on author and friend John Saker's Kelburn Park XII team of very fit (mostly) 50-somethings. Legend has it that Clive put in a couple of star performances with Jamie Goode's wineanorak.com blog reporting, “It was great to catch up with Clive Paton who was on the opposing team. He batted very well, scoring 22 not out and saving his side.”

And Phyll's just back from two weeks in the US with a dozen other Kiwi wine producers, all committed to sharing the New Zealand fine wine and regional story to key trade and wine-lovers. We're definitely making headway collectively, and Ata Rangi wines in particular can be found on the lists of a number of fabulous restaurants - Boulevard in San Francisco, Charlie Trotter's in Chicago and Aureole and Public in New York are absolute MUST visits.

Palliser

Palliser has more to celebrate with the following awards from Australia's prestigious Winestate awards.

Palliser Estate Pinot Noir 2008 and Pencarrow Pinot Noir 2009 win “Equal Top in Class” with 5stars. Palliser Estate Methode Traditionnelle 2006 wins “Top in Class” with 4stars.

Schubert

At the “Perfect Pairings Awards.com 2011” Schubert's 2008 Pinot Noir Marion's Vineyard was judged as a perfect pairing with Cantonese Roast Goose in Hong Kong. The award presentations were made at the Vinexpo 2011 in Bordeaux.

The Wandering Palate's Curtis Marsh had only good things to say when he handed Schubert his Winery of the Year accolade. Click here to read more

Biodynamic achievement

Vynfields, which has been leading Martinborough's green charge, has become even greener.

The latest achievement sees Vynfields become the first vineyard in the Wairarapa to become certified as Biodynamic to the very rigorous Demeter standard.

Vynfields was the first Vineyard in the Wairarapa to be certified as organic, when in 2005 they were certified to BioGro standard. Owners Dr John Bell and Dr Kaye McAulay said that Vynfields had been biodynamic for some years but had not bothered with the costs of becoming certified till now.

International demand for biodynamic wine is growing and legislation in most countries does not allow a claim of "biodynamic" to be used unless the vineyard is certified to an international organic standard, they say.

There is a growing interest in "green certification" in Martinborough with several other vineyards being in the conversion process to become organically certified. These include Schubert, Martinborough and Ata Rangi Vineyards. Vynfields is a good example of how being organic and biodynamic is in no way detrimental (and some may claim assist) in producing high quality wine, the owners say.

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Toast Martinborough 2011 - Toasting Twenty Years of Fine Wine, Food and Music

Toast Martinborough began 20 years ago as an accidental success and with the way its founders tell it, the festival could easily have failed in its first year. Preparations for the 20th anniversary celebration of Toast Martinborough on Sunday 20 November 2011 are well underway.

“When people arrived for that first festival, we just laughed with relief and delight. Two hours later we knew we had a winner,” recall inaugural Toast Martinborough organisers Richard Riddiford and Dawn McCallum.

“We originally thought if the first one worked we might try it again in a couple of years. But, with a clear success on our hands, we created an annual event which has become arguably New Zealand's leading wine festival,” believes Richard Riddiford. Managing Director of Palliser Estate, Riddiford was inaugural Toast chairman and has returned to the role for the 2011 festival.

Festival-goers are unanimous: what makes Toast Martinborough special is the individual flair and personality each of the 11 winery sites brings to the party through their choice of food and music to complement their wine. The unique wine village setting means people can walk between nearby wineries or jump on a free non-stop shuttle buses.

Fast forwarding to 2011, what is happening to mark this 20 year achievement?

Rachael Fletcher promises “a true carnival atmosphere, full of fun and celebration.

“Toast Martinborough wouldn't be 20 years old without our faithful fans, and we don't take them for granted.

“Over the next two months we are searching for our ‘Ultimate Fan' – someone who has attended many times and for whom Toast Martinborough is something special. There are fantastic prizes to reward that dedicated support. So everyone with a great story to tell should email us at theultimatefan@toastmartinborough.co.nz

The boutique Martinborough wine village pulses with people enjoying themselves for Toast Martinborough; as evidenced by so many ‘regulars'. The 2011 festival will continue its trademark combination of sophisticated fun, with more added flair to celebrate Toast's 20th anniversary.

“20 years on, we are very confident we will well and truly deliver the Toast experience, with the style Martinborough fans value,” concluded chair Richard Riddiford.

“We look forward to welcoming our guests again in November 2011. Many original participants are planning to return, and re-create that original 'fun day, with great wine, fabulous food and some of New Zealand's best live entertainment'.”

Martinborough during September & October

The Martinborough township will be a hub of activity during the rugby. Most cellar door and restaurants will be open for their summer hours and there will be many events happening at vineyards. Access the Wines from Martinborough website to see what is on at individual vineyards or ask at the Martinborough i-SITE.

When you visit Martinborough drop into the Martinborough Wine Cente where Amanda and her team act as Martinborough's unofficial wine visitors centre. This should be the first stop for information on what is on at cellar doors when arriving in Martinborough. During September and October The Martinborough Wine Centre is teaming up with local producers to present a wide range of products to visitors through some events and tastings. They will be emphasising wineries that are not open for cellar door. Information will be posted on the website www.martinboroughwinecentre.co.nz.