On the Grapevine April 2011

Vintage 2011

Most grapes will now be in wineries around the country and the quality of the product should be apparent, at least to the winemakers. The first wines will be released around August and September when the critics will make their judgments.
Despite warm dry conditions for most of the summer the La Nina weather pattern of damp easterlies has made the end of the vintage a race against time to pick grapes in between wet weather events.
All regions have had to contend with intermittent rain showers for most of the past six weeks of picking. Not a major problem if crops have been well looked after, spraying programs adhered to and vines not overloaded with berries.
Inevitably some vineyards will not be in good shape and hopefully no wine will be produced from these inferior grapes. Some regions will be down on quantity, which should help get prices up a little later in the year.
Expect a mixed bag of very good and ordinary wines from the 2011 vintage.

Hot Hawkes Bay Reds + Whites

Hawkes Bays showcase of premium wines is on again with tastings in both Wellington and Auckland in June.
Over 20 wineries and more than 100 wines will be available for tasting, and this year white wines will also be included. This is a great opportunity to taste and talk to the winemakers while indulging in some of our top drops.
The Wellington venue is Chaffers Dock Function Centre on Wednesday 22nd June and in Auckland at The Floating Pavilion at the Viaduct Basin on Thursday 23rd June. Trade and Media can register with Hawkes Bay Winegrowers through their website www.winehawkesbay.co.nz. public tickets are available from www.eventfinder.co.nz.

Toast Martinborough

On Sunday November 20th Toast Martinborough will be held for the 20th time. Always a great occasion this immensely popular wine food and music festival is always an instant sell-out. To help secure tickets you can join Friends of Martinborough for priority access, go to www.toastmartinborough.co.nz for more info.
At a recent blind tasting of Pinot Noir in the in the US Martinborough Reserve Pinot Noir 2008 beat 19 other top quality Pinot’s from France, Australia and United States including a $7000.00 bottle of 1990 Domaine de la Romanée Conti La Tache, a great result for this top Martinborough Winery.