Newsy snippets

Hastings Distillery release two new Vermouths

Have you ever had a Martini cocktail that is made with 100% organic ingredients? Me neither till just recently when Hastings Distillers released two organically certified vermouths. One is labelled Aubyn Orange Dry and the other Aubyn Extra Dry. The company had already released the Rubis red vermouth in 2021 so these new beverages including a white version are excellent additions to the portfolio. Both are dry and can be enjoyed on their own over ice. The base wine, a chardonnay, is fermented with wild yeast then infused with 21 botanicals. Released with no fining or preservative these two products are a fantastic addition to any quality driven bar. RRP $65 for the Orange and $75.00 for the Extra Dry.

An Icon Wine is released

There are myriad excellent wines to be discovered from our wine neighbours in Australia. There are wines of exceptional quality to discover as well including the newly released The Caley Cabernet Sauvignon & Shiraz 2018. Australia’s oldest family-owned winery Yalumba released this 2018 vintage of its icon wine in early June and it’s outstanding. This release marks the 6th time only that Yalumba have released a Caley, the first was in 2012, it is a wine of investment and should head straight to the cellar (not the pool-room) for a few more years development time. That said a wine of this quality is drinking well now too. The Caley wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon from the Coonawarra and Shiraz out of the Barossa, this is a wine of immense concentration and power, complexity, structure, and length. Described by some as a ‘super-claret’, and I have to agree. RRP from AU $365.00

Together for good

Wine and art are both deeply sensory, both can evoke emotions and memories that connect us in different ways. Using art on a wine label is nothing new yet must be executed in a tasteful, attractive, and complete way. Foxes Island wine has done just that with the release of their Artist Series wines, a Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc blending the emotional and visual art of Kirsty Black with the aromatic and tactile fine wine. “Having worked with Kirsty previously, it was a pleasure to collaborate with her again on the Artist Series”, says Kelly Brown from Foxes Island. Each label highlights a section of the artwork connecting soft lines, layers of texture and a rich colour palette with an integrated 2014 Pinot Noir or the 2014 La Lapine Sauvignon Blanc. At auction in early May the original artwork along with bottles of the Foxes Island artist series were sold at the Milford Foundation Burgers, Beers, Foxes Island wine and sports personalities event contributing $200K raised for cyclone Gabrielle relief.