Justin Knock MW, one of the partners behind the recent acquisition of wine merchant Philglas & Swiggot, and a consulting winemaker for Encirc Wines, sees wine brands making a comeback with consumers, Italy facing potential supply problems and questions whether New Zealand can keep its momentum going as hot topics to watch in 2015.
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First impressions count for much and so it was this week at the 2015 Annual Wines of New Zealand Trade Tasting. The unremarkable, ever so slightly claustrophobic Lindley Hall - which seems to host almost all generic tastings these days - was absolutely packed; within seconds of grabbing my glass I found myself firmly wedged into a crowd that reminded me of my student days of catching public transport in India.
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New Zealand is launching an international conference celebrating its flagship grape variety - Sauvignon Blanc - which will take place in Marlborough in February 2016.
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Sauvignon Blanc continues to be the most popular variety in the UK and no other region is more synonymous with the aromatic grape variety than New Zealand, which continues to make inroads in the UK market.
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New Zealand maintains a privileged, premium position in the UK market and is working hard to shake its over-reliance on Sauvignon Blanc by introducing new styles. Anne Krebiehl MW reports
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New Zealand's Yealands Wine Group is looking at funding options in order to fast-track expansion plans and increase its vineyard holdings.
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Spanish wines are the fastest growing in the UK on-trade - listings are up 25% in the last year - at the expense of French wines, whose listings have fallen by 11%.
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Sadly my time in New Zealand has come to an end, however, amongst all the highlights and amazing experiences, including flying a plane, one common theme kept coming up, besides the quality of the wines, and that is the word sustainability.
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If there was one area in New Zealand which defines the whole ethos of its wine industry it must be Central Otago.
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The car journey from Blenheim Airport to Waipara is one of the most beautiful drives you could envisage, with a wild coastline that is picture perfect.
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As mini bars go they don't get much more impressive than this.
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Concerns have been rumbling in the UK that Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc may have reached its fashion peak and is going the same way as Australian Chardonnay did a decade ago, where the industry were guided by the supermarket dinosaurs to produce a product that consumers no longer wanted, but price and flash instant big flavour hit was the defining factor.
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Overshadowed by New Zealand's flagship 'Marlborough' region just two hours scenic drive to the East, sunny Nelson is a truly boutique region offering a range of impressive quality and world class wines.
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A Burgundian Grand Cru style village community saturated with prestigious vineyards squeezed into a very small area with just one prime green site not attributed to vines, the rugby ground!
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For 10 days in November Hawkes Bay is transformed into a food and wine Mecca attracting thousands of people from all over the world to divulge and celebrate the bounty that the area produces as part of the Food and Wine Classic. Wineries, local restaurants, scenic parks and historical buildings are used to offer an array of tastings, gourmet meals, art, voyages, celebrity chefs, and wine challenges, all packed out from free to enter events to ticketed events up to $300 per person.
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An innocent question by the young pilot may possibly have confused both of us, 'what are you like flying in small planes Mr Jones?' I answered no problem thinking he was asking if I was comfortable travelling in a 2 seater plane, but alas as soon as we took off he said 'you can take over now', so for the next 30 minutes Wales' equivalent to the Red Arrows was weaving down the coast from Gisborne to Hawkes Bay.
Read more...Roger Jones continues his wine and gastronomic tour of New Zealand with a trip to Gisborne:
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Based in the Kumeu wine region some 30 minutes from Auckland, this world renown Chardonnay producer was hit by frost over the weekend which destroyed part of one of their vineyards. A freak overnight change in temperature gave no warning so it had not hired the usual helicopters to protect the vines (see footnote).
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In the first of a series of articles for Harpers.co.uk, as he travels across New Zealand hosting culinary and wine events and visiting many of the country's top wineries, Roger Jones of the Michelin-starred Harrow at Little Bedwyn attended a New Zealand tasting in London to get his palate in to gear.
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Smaller Australian, South African and New Zealand wineries are now selling more than half of their wines direct to consumer.
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