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New Zealand Wine: Benchmarks and Beyond

Wednesday, February 8, 2023
6:00 PM 8:00 PM 18:00 20:00

Wine Sentience Hub, Level 1 104 Vivian Street Wellington, Wellington, 6011 New Zealand (map)

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Posted in Short Course
Tagged Wine education, NZ Wine

Wine Sentience - The Exchange, 17A Allen Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011, New Zealand

This week was the Selection Blinds for Sommit 2025. Orchestrated by Felicity, Madison and Tanji, Cameron Douglas MS and I considered 170+ wines. We tasted, retasted, discussed and presented our cases to each other on which sets of wines should be shown. It is both humbling and reassuring in equal measure when the identities of the wines are revealed after we have done our judging. Some changes have to be made, inevitably, to meet representation restrictions as we invariably end up selecting the same producer more than once when tasting blind! The standout this year was the tasting on day 2 which showed the undeniable rise of our special cru sites like Wrekin, Clayvin, Two Terraces, Churton and others. The high level of quality across multiple producers and often different varieties highlighted just how good some of these vineyards have become. In the first day, it was also very reaffirming to witness the superb performance of Chardonnay from our more limestone-influenced sites. #nzwine #blindtasting #masterofwine #sommit #singlevineyard #cru

At the end of August, I was in Wiesbaden for the annual 3-day VDP Grosses Gewächs Vorpremiere tasting as a reviewer (my first time attending in that role). A full set of Spätburgunder from the excellent, ripe 2022, a varied set of Chardonnay and very nervy, tense Riesling from 2023 (I reviewed the Mosel and Nahe). As always, the organisation and logistics were impeccable from the world-class team at the Vorpremiere. There is other way to manage a tasting of 500 wines in such a short time frame. I am now working on the report for The Real Review on my way back to New Zealand for Spring. There was also the chance to sneak a preview of the legendary Auction wines from the Mosel, Nahe and Rheingau and a short visit to Villa im Tal. #masterofwine #winereview #grossesgewächs #vdp

In mid-August, we bid farewell to our shining star of natural wine and queen of wine lists, Caitlin Perlman, who has departed our shores for an exciting life in Burgundy. I (Stephen) - now a lone wolf - am away in Germany and Hungary for wine travel and reviews, so Wine Sentience will be on hiatus for a while. In mid-September you can find me if you’re in Hawke’s Bay for the Aotearoa Chardonnay Symposium and subsequently in Canberra for the Intl. Riesling Challenge early October. There are tasting plans, WSET and classes being developed for later this year and in between my trips, so don’t worry about the currently empty calendar. See you in Spring!

Umber Ground- An Ode to Orange Wine; the wine which tastes like red but looks like white. This is the most Aotearoa orange wine you’ll see in one place. We’re getting our small community of vignerons and artisans together for one day at The Exchange Atrium on Blair Street. Taste 44+ wines from more than 25 wineries for a single entry price. Ask questions, learn, discover, meet winemakers, sit in on Hot Seat talks and enjoy delicious food from Glou Glou. Tickets selling now! Book 4 or more tickets online and use the code colourcurious for 25% off. #orangewine #winefestival #nzwine #skinfermented

A warm welcome to @umber_ground 🧡 Our move from the Hub earlier this year changed quite a few things about our approach to our events calendar (as many have noted 😅). In the gentler schedule, however, there has been more room to let bigger events evolve. And so, we introduce Umber Ground. Umber Ground is an ode to orange wine; a festival putting skin fermented white wines up front and centre. It was born of conversations over the years about the evolution of these wines in our culture - wines simultaneously discussed as direct descendants of antiquity and the forefront of modern. It is incredibly exciting to welcome such a vast array of wineries from across Aotearoa, as well as importers of global examples, to Wellington. The line-up spans region as well as philosophy. What binds the wines of Umber Ground together is simply the technique of fermenting white grapes on the skins. As in any other colour defined category, the choices extend far beyond one thing, so it is unsurprising how diverse these wines are. More information will be rolling out in the coming days, so stay tuned 🧡🏺🥂🎉 #umberground #orangewine #amberwine #nzwine #wineeducation #winecelebration

Very thankful to @highwatereatery for hosting us for Burgundy Passport tonight as we explored the vineyards of the Côte Chalonnaise’s village and 1er Crus in light of changes to style in Burgundy and the influences of modernity, pricing and recent vintages of climate change. The space was beautiful, inspiring deep conversation and discussion across the room from enthusiasts, sommeliers, collectors and winemakers. #masterclass #burgundy

With vintage winding down around the country and winemakers reemerging from the rigours of the winery, samples and tastings have recommenced. Spirits seem noticeable lifted - despite some low yields in parts of the country, most seem very optimistic about the juice fermenting or ageing in the cellars from 2024. With @therealrvw Top Wineries New Zealand list revealed, there is one last dash of blind tastings to be done too before Stephen heads away for @vievinum 2024 in Vienna. To those who managed to nab seats to Burgundy Passport this coming Monday @highwatereatery, we look forward to seeing you again after a two month hiatus! 🙏

On Monday, we held the last Burgundy Passport to be hosted on Vivian St. and it was fitting that the journey returned to Morgon, the Beaujolais Cru where the quality revolution (and the natural wine movement) began. With both horizontals and verticals of iconic natural wine producers, Lapierre, Thévenet, Jean Foillard and classicist Louis & Claude Desvignes; the thread of Morgon was clearly on display. Winemakers @serbansphere of @giants_shoulders_wine and @lobsterthief88 of @cambridgeroad summed it up best - driving energetic acidity with very mineral tannins yet not brutalist. Lance was very interested in the influence of manganese in the soils and the similarities that could have to Martinborough. Although notable Brettanomyces and VA was clearly present in some wines, it only became problematic in one wine (and only to some in the room) - most importantly, both the youthful-looking 2017 Lapierre and the 2013 Jean Foillard Côte du Py were in excellent shape. The 2013 was so deliciously at ease in its skin - proving how age-worthy these can be. #masterclass #burgundy #beaujolais #crubeaujolais #morgon #masterofwine #naturalwine #vinnaturel

Right, that’s it! We are done for 2023 and this will be the last Summer we are here at the Production Shed. Come autumn 2024, will be looking for a new location to call home and create a new way to provide sustainable wine education, events and workshops for our community. Wishing everyone a gentle landing into the New Year and a wonderful summer break. Thank you for everything we have done together this year. Ngā mihi & arohanui. Stephen & Caitlin

12 years ago, Sylvaine and Stephen started working together at what was then the most comprehensive wine cellar in Wellington, Arbitrageur Wine Bar. From there the pair continued their work at Ancestral, then Whitebait and Charley Noble before Sylvaine took on the daunting task of helping Wellington restaurants make sense of Maison Vauron’s immense French portfolio. It was therefore bittersweet, at the start of December, that we bid her farewell, at least for now, from the Wine Sentience co-op. She is taking her talents to Government House. Her distinctly Gallic flair, humour and standard of care (from years of training as a sommeliere at some of the UK’s top fine dining icons) will be greatly missed. Until we meet again, Sylvaine, in this mad mad world of wine - a bientôt! #andthenthereweretwo

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New Zealand Wine: Benchmarks and Beyond