Days of wine arriving soon

Amisfield Wine Company marketing manager Celeste Collie and general manager Fleur Caulton say...
Amisfield Wine Company marketing manager Celeste Collie and general manager Fleur Caulton say they are excited about the imminent launch of the 2008 vintage. Photo by James Beech.
Amisfield Wine Company is preparing to release its 2008 vintage rosé, sauvignon blanc, dry riesling and Lake Hayes pinot gris on September 1, after the Lake Hayes vineyard and other Central Otago vintners enjoyed an excellent summer.

Marketing manager Celeste Collie said the rosé would be the wine generating the most anticipation among wine lovers.

"People will be pleased to see it back, because it sold out last year. It's a pure pinot noir rosé, so it's still a serious wine but very drinkable."

Ms Collie said pinot noir would continue to be Amisfield's main focus and the variety made up half of the production.

It specialises in three labels.

"Lakes Hayes pinot noir has a young, fresh fruity style and retails at $30. Amisfield pinot noir is our signature wine with deep fruit characters and retails for $45.

"Amisfield Rocky Knoll pinot noir is our grand cru, a super premium and block designate wine, and retails for $110."

This year Australia overtook the United Kingdom to become the largest export market for New Zealand wine by value to $247 million, an increase of 37% on 2007.

General Manager Fleur Caulton said the proximity of New Zealand and Australia, the quality of Kiwi wines and the drying up of the wine glut across the Tasman were some reasons for the surge in popularity.

Amisfield exports 40% of its products to the United States and its other markets included Australia, UK, Canada, Singapore and Hong Kong.

However, China was not an easy market for the New Zealand industry, Ms Caulton said.

"About 90% of the wine drunk in China is Chinese and the rest is top-end French, so it's very difficult for New World wine to enter the market."

Amisfield Wine Company was formerly known as Lake Hayes Vineyard Ltd and was founded in 1988.

The company is owned by Queenstown developer John Darby, George Kerr, a Kiwi living in Australia, American Tom Tusher, who is also an owner of Blanket Bay Lodge, and Nelson business consultant David Hogg.

The first Amisfield plantings were made in 1999 and the winery and the first vintage were launched in 2002.

The company employs 60 staff and works 60ha of vineyards, mostly in Lowburn, which opened a winery itself in 2006.

The Amisfield Bistro opened in 2005 and it won the winery section prizes in the Cuisine Restaurant of the Year awards in 2006 and 2007.

The bistro did not enter this year because Ms Caulton was one of the judges.

The vineyard continues to earn critical acclaim, winning its fourth consecutive Blue-Gold medal at the annual Sydney International Wine competition this year.

The medal recognised Amisfield's pinot noir as one of the top 10 of more than 2000 wines judged.

The vineyard has a cellar door for tasting, tours and sales, and enjoys a strong Otago following as well as Auckland and overseas patronage.

Jeff Sinnott, who has been Amisfield's winemaker since 2002, has taken on a new role as the company's consultant winemaker.

Otago-raised Claire Mulholland has brought her award winning affinity for pinot noir and experience in the Yarra Valley, Burgundy and Oregon, to become Amisfield's latest winemaker.

 

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