BEER SNIPS Sir Douglas Myers, the longtime chief executive of Lion Breweries and Lion Nathan, has passed away, aged 78 Wanaka bartender Ricky Barbara (29) will wing his way to Amsterdam in September to compete for an international title after being named one of New Zealand’s top beer pourers The Lions rugby team want to turn the clock back and revive the old cherished rugby tradition of having a beer with their opposition after each match on the tour of New Zealand Invercargill Brewery and Catlins Brewery flew the flag for Southland at the recent inaugural Hop’n’Vine beer festival in the town New Zealand’s first taste of beer yoga is a smashing success at Auckland’s Master & Apprentice. NEW $2M BOTTLING PLANT A new bottling plant sourced from the Czech Republic at Cassels & Sons’ brewery in Christchurch will see the company beef up production into the Asian market. Managing director Alasdair Cassells says the plant will fill special 888ml beer bottles designed to appeal to Asian drinkers, and will open the way for supermarket sales and exports. In two years’ time, Cassells plans to sell a million litres of beer annually, and says the Chinese beer market is twice as big as its American counterpart. The 888ml bottles were chosen because of the number’s lucky connotations for Asian consumers, and the new plant will fill 7000 bottles per hour – more than six million litres per year. Sophisticated technology extracting as much oxygen as possible from bottles during the filling process expands the shelf life of the product. www.foodtechnology.co.nz 45 Matheson, located on 41ha about 12km from Havelock North, is planted in merlot, Malbec, syrah, cabernet sauvignon, sauvignon blanc and chardonnay, with total tonnage at 340 tonnes last year almost tripled since 2013. Dartmoor Vineyard on the outskirts of Napier is a 33ha parcel, most of which is planted in sauvignon blanc grapes. Bayleys Napier viticulture expert Glynn Rees-Jones says the vineyards are being sold without ongoing supply contracts and will likely face vastly different futures. “Dartmoor Valley is renown among viticulturalists for being virtually frost-free – meaning the land is prime for replanting into pip fruit production or other crop land usage,” Rees-Jones says. “Surrounding properties within the valley are extensively utilised for orcharding and cropping purposes, and given the high dollar values currently being derived for apples and kiwifruit on the export market, there is every potential the vineyard could be repurposed to produce an apple or kiwifruit crop. Conversely, located within the highly fertile Ngatarawa sub-region, the quality of grapes harvested from Matheson Vineyard are primarily used for award-winning single block wines, with consequential premium prices being achieved on the retail shelves.” Treasury Wine Estates produces wine in New Zealand under labels including Matua, Shingle Peak and Squealing Pig. Grapes from the Hawke’s Bay vineyards have been crushed locally in the region, before being transported to the Matua Marlborough Winery for winemaking. Matheson Vineyard has a rateable capital valuation of $4.38 million, while Dartmoor Vineyard has a rateable capital valuation of $2.2 million, although both will likely attract higher tender offers because of their current tonnage production. Bayleys Auckland winery sales specialist Mike Peterson says production levels at both properties were sustained by excellent irrigation programmes – with both vineyards accredited under the Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand programme. VINEYARDS FOR SALE Dartmoor Vineyard and Matheson Vineyard, owned by Treasury Wine Estates, have been offered for sale. top restaurants, five-star hotels and premium wine retailers around the world, as well as in New Zealand. We’ve won many fans along the way so now we have a place we can host them and thank them for their support, as well as the opportunity of winning some new fans,” the Wilkinsons say. The sundrenched north-west facing terraces of the estate provide the optimal conditions for producing worldclass Pinot Noir and a range of aromatic white varieties. The ‘no compromise’ philosophy behind Misha’s Vineyard wines requires an exacting sustainable viticulture regime, hand-picking of the estate-grown fruit and considerate as well as minimalist winemaking methodologies. Under internationally renowned winemaker Olly Masters, the range of Misha’s Vineyard wines have won critical acclaim since their launch. Named as one of New Zealand’s Top 20 Producers by the prestigious Decanter (UK) magazine, the wines are now exported to more than 20 countries around the world. SEE THE IMAGE GALLERY IN THE DIGITAL EDITION Misha Vineyard’s taste hosts Ceri Richardson and Keeley Gillan. was chosen as the perfect backdrop for the pale blue and gold of the Misha’s Vineyard brand, with the interiors and furniture being custombuilt. The Wilkinsons also wanted to bring the atmosphere of the vineyard into the tasting room, so three walls have large-scale photographic murals showcasing the work of renowned local photographer Tim Hawkins, who has been photographing Misha’s Vineyard since the ground-breaking ceremony in 2004. Local artist Kerry Lanauze has also created a couple of special art pieces that have become talking points for guests. The facility includes a private tasting room for members of the newly launched Misha’s Vineyard Vine Club. With a range of single-vineyard Pinot Noir and aromatic white wines including Pinot Gris, Riesling, Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc and Gewürztraminer, as well as a late-harvest dessert wine, Misha’s Vineyard is looking forward to its new phase of growth. “From the outset, the strategy for Misha’s Vineyard has been to build a premium brand working primarily with HAWKE’S BAY
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