At the recent Just Add…Bibendum tasting, the recent hard work of our Buying team came to the fore as we launched 23 new producers from 8 different countries to the UK Trade. One of these exciting new producers is the Soho Wine Co from New Zealand. Soho is a winery with an interesting winemaking concept and striking branding, so we thought we would give you a quick lowdown on what they are all about.

The Soho Wine Co caught the eye of our buyers as the company do things a little differently down in New Zealand, with a philosophy which stands out from the winemaking crowd that we really love. The Soho Wine Co is a family run operation with vineyards in three of New Zealand’s leading wine regions; Marlborough, Central Otago and Waiheke Island. Within these regions the Carter family create wines in consultation with three of New Zealand’s leading winemakers.

With this approach the Soho Wine Co is able to create wines which really speak of the individual region’s terroir, made with all the technical know-how of their highly acclaimed winemakers. Award-winning winemaker Grant Taylor, of Valli Vineyards works with the team in Central Otago. Born and bred Marlborough winemaker Dave Coulston of Two Rivers has helped create the Marlborough range. While in Waiheke Island, legendary Waiheke winemaker Pete Turner of Pleasant Valley Vineyards creates stunning wines in one of New Zealand’s emerging wine regions.

Over and above the winemaking, the Carter family wanted to create a brand that showcased a passion for life, style, quality and fun and this all comes across through Soho’s contemporary branding. With a nod to the Soho regions of the world and their strong link with culture, music, fashion and socialising, Soho’s wines are named after figures that embody this image. We expect the Stella Sauvignon Blanc, Jagger Pinot Gris, Westwood Rose and McQueen Pinot Noir to be at home on the wine lists ofour very own Soho in London’s west end.

3 Regions and 3 Winemakers -

Dave Coulston & Marlborough -

In Marlborough, Dave Clouston produces wines that are a true expression of Marlborough’s terrior. Dave’s wines are clean and pure examples of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir, with a strong focus on expressing the vibrancy, balance and texture that Marlborough can create in these varietals.

Pete Turner & Waiheke Island -

Pete’s Soho wines have a definite French flair from his time spent at wineries in the Rhone |Valley &s outhern France, and this is evident within his three wines – The Soho Carter Chardonnay, Soho Revolver Bordeaux Blend & Soho Rosé. Waiheke Island’s climate is heavily influenced by the surrounding sea, and its maritime climate is slightly warmer than nearby Auckland, it also benefits from a long warm growing season and cooling sea breezes. With climatic similarities to winemaking greats such as Coonawarra in Oz, Napa in California and Hermitage in the Northern Rhone, Waiheke Island is ideal for growing ripe, vibrant wines from classic varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay and Merlot.

Grant Taylor & Central Otago -

Within the Central Otago operation, Soho and Grant Taylor focus all their attention on Pinot Noir. Grant knows his Pinots, and has twice won the award for Best Pinot Noir at The International Wine Challenge. This wine showcases the classy Pinot fruit that can be produced in this part of the world, and offers up a full bodied Pinot, with sleek silky tannins, ripe plum and cherry fruit and fantastic acidity. A blend of fruit from both the Gibbston and Bendigo regions, it uses some of the best fruit from the region to create the The McQueen Pinot Noir.

Check out the video below of Soho’s Amber Mepsted talking about the ideas behind the Soho branding  -

To read more about the Soho Wine Co, check out their website, facebook and twitter pages.

As one of the leading names in New Zealand winemaking, most wine fans have tried the delights of the Wither Hills stable, with fine examples of Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay on offer here in the UK. With Bibendum’s Just Add…Bibendum tasting taking place last week, it was no surprise to see the Wither Hills table jam packed with eager tasters from the UK trade.

With a large selection of the range on offer, it was the Wither Hills Single Vineyard wines which received a lot of interest, in particular the Single Vineyard Rarangi Sauvignon Blanc 2011.  A real stand out wine, it hails from an impressive site situated a couple of hundred metres from the sea, surrounded by native wetlands and at the end of the Wairau Valley. Wither Hills grow a range of grapes on the Rarangi site, including Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris, but is the Sauvignon Blanc that is most at home here.

An interesting little corner of the Marlborough Valley, the vineyard was planted in 2002 and its soils are a combination of what was the coastal waters edge and natural wetland waterways. Over the centuries this has slowly been uplifted by the movement of tectonic plates that form the main fault line up the east coast of New Zealand. Today this heady mix of different soil components with the uplifted seabed, pea gravels and pockets of silt and clay, has created a fantastic environment to produce fresh, vibrant whites.

Alongside the Rarangi’s interesting soil structure, the climate is also very kind to the winemaker with the Rarangi vineyard blessed with an extremely warm climate moderated by a cooling easterly wind. This maritime influence coupled with these soils, produces wine which encapsulates this particular site, and tasted alongside other Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs, the Rarangi terroir really stands out proud.

The 2011 vintage was characterised by the long warm days and cool nights which is so common in this area of the world, and alongside a long warm growing season this all enables the Marlborough growers to create the ripe fruit, fresh aromatic flavours and great acidity found in the best Sauvignon Blanc.

With Rarangi’s already warm microclimate, the grapes here offer rich, ripe citrus and tropical fruits, but being so close to the ocean and benefitting from the cool sea breezes, the acidity and structure found within the wine is top notch.  All in all, the elements of the unique site create a killer Sauvignon Blanc!

Check out the video below to see Wither Hills’ Winemaker Sally Williams talking about the Single Vineyard projects at Wither Hills -

Every year the Bibendum Annual Tasting seems to come and go in a flash, blink and you’ll miss it! So we like to cover all the action from the day wherever possible, and each year we make every effort to get out amongst the tasting crowds and see what you guys have to say. Just Add…Bibendum was no exception, and off we went armed with our Flip video and a question for all the wine fans roaming The Brewery.

Just Add…Bibendum, Just Add Training, Just Add Market Insights, Just Add Vivid…We know what we would add, but what would this year’s guests want to add?

Keep a check on B Times over the next few weeks, as we continue to post video coverage from Just Add…Bibendum.

All the photos are now in from the big day, check them all out on Bibendum’s facebook or Flickr page.

The end of January is a pretty quiet time of the year for many people, with most either recovering from an over indulgent festive period, off skiing on the slopes or counting the pennies whilst enduring some half-hearted detox. For Bibendum, January is without doubt one of the busiest months of the year, and it’s all down to a certain tasting that happened this week.

With preparations starting back in spring 2011, Just Add…Bibendum was a big project that brought together hundreds of wine lovers and some of the best wines in the world, all under one roof in the heart of London. Every year this event is all about showcasing our portfolio in a fun and engaging environment, and this year was no exception.

In addition to the great wines, Just Add…Bibendum 2012 was also about the different ways we try and help our customers to sell more wine and we focused subjects such as  staff training, market and consumer insights, wine list design, and Taste Test by Bibendum. Put it all together and the tasting was a window on to the way Bibendum sees the world: our wines, spirits, people, opinions and ideas.

If you made it along to Just Add…Bibendum, we hope you really enjoyed the tasting. Here’s a selection of photos as a reminder of the big day:

Grab yourself a Tasting Book -

Brights ideas from our Vivid team -

Marketing and Design -

The magical world of Market Insights -

The Bibendum Taste Test -

The Spirits boys -

Social Media at Just Add…Bibendum -

The Cinema Room and its star attractions…Hugh Johnson and Niki Segnit -

Two key aspects of a Bibendum tasting…Ben Collins and Taxidermy -

A celebration of 30 years of Bibendum –

Just Add…Cake -

A few happy customers –

And lots and lots of great wine –

A big thank you to Rory Lindsay for the fantastic photographs from the tasting.

To see more photos from the Tasting and the previous day’s set up, take a look at Bibendum’s Flickr page. (This will be continually updated as we compile all the photos, keep checking back next week).

Thanks to all those who got snapped in the Bibendum photo booth, we will be announcing our favourite on Monday and the lucky person will be sent a case of wine.  Check out all the hilarious photo booth pictures on Bibendum’s Facebook wall.

Also our Twitter competition from the day, which asked all guests to tweet their photos from the tasting, will also be announced on Monday.  Take a look at all the twitter pics that came through on our Flickr page.

It only feels like yesterday that we were here at The Brewery for Bibendum EC1. With a whole new theme, and lots of new wines and producers, we are back once again for the Just Add…Bibendum Annual Tasting. 

As hundreds of wine lovers decend on today’s tasting, this year is all about the added value services  Bibendum offers its customers.  Alongside six rooms full of brilliant wines, our creative Marketing and Design team is out in force talking about their search for the perfect wine list, we are bringing the magical world of Market Insights to life, and Taste Test by Bibendum gets a room all to itself. Plus our green team Vivid, the latest great ideas from our wine and spirits training department, and a party to celebrate our 30th birthday.

Most of team Bibendum are now on site and we are eager to get going. If you’re joining us today you’re in for a treat.  If not, you can keep a check on all today’s action by following the Twitter hastag #justaddbib. Plus we have a 80’s themed photo booth set up within The Bibendum Birthday Party, so keep a track of all the hilarious photos on Bibendum’s facebook wall.

Here are a few photos from a manic set up day at The Brewery -

From data crunching, polls and stats, to consumer trends and taste profiles; Bibendum’s Market Insights team are armed to the teeth with wine market information and data.  Some say they never sleep, spending their time trawling through consumer polls and market research, with endless hours of competition on who can create the most mind boggling Excel formula.  All we know is they understand the UK wine market and consumer trends better than anyone else, they are experts on who buys what and where, and how much they spend.

It’s simple really, but a vital tool we use as a company to help our customers understand who their customers are, where they are coming from, what they like to drink and the budgets they have available. Market Insights at Bibendum is all about bringing the data to life, crunching all the sources of information to provide an indepth look at people and their behaviour. Data can often mean very little to us mere mortals, but the team can bring this all together to form an accesible set of info that relates to your local area and customer base….it’s about understading people.

So with Just Add…Bibendum taking place on Wednesday, Room 1 at the tasting will be home to our Market Insights room. One of the largest rooms at the tasting, it will not only be full to the brim with Bibendum’s Australia and New Zealand portfolio, but will include lots of vital information on the UK wine market, and how you can take advantage of the opportunities available in 2012.

We’re all aware that this year will be heavily affected by a certain sporting event, which will have a huge impact on business within the UK. However, further to this, UK consumers are more demanding than ever, so to really succeed in 2012 understanding your customers is more important than ever. So this Wednesday the visual wonders of the Market Insights room will be dedicated to the size of the prize in 2012 and helping you understand your customers and what they want.

Future Trends -

With endless hours of research, the team have a pretty good idea of what to expect in the not too distant future. So whether it’s Bibendum’s top 10 trends for 2012, or a look at the changing costs of wine over the last few decades. We will have all the information on show to explain these trends and look at how changing consumer behaviour will impact on both the on and off trade wine and spirit sales. We will also be wanting your help on the day, and will ask all guests to vote on the next big grape variety…be sure to have your say.

The Olympics -

Summer 2012 will be like no other, and according to our research the big event will inject £323 million into the London on trade, with food and beverage spending in the capital set to rise by more than 35%! Our Market Insights team have all the info on these new customers, where they’ll spend and on what!

During the summer if you want to capitalise on the extra visitors to our little island, the detailed information available at the tasting will help us all sell more wines and spirits more profitably!

The Olympics is going to be big, but let’s not forget the importance of EVERY DAY – the Olympics will be here for just one Summer. The Market Insights team have the Olympics covered, but our bread and butter is helping our customers with their everyday business, with consumer driven, actionable insight, specific to you, the consumers in your area and your businesses needs.

The Taste Test -

Alongside the vast Market Insights room, you will find Room 2, our Taste Test room.  Bibendum’s Taste Test aims to demystify the culture of wine, helping newcomers to the world of wine dicover a wine style they like and introduce new styles to those looking for something new and interesting.

Essentially the Taste Test will take you through a short series of questions, which helps us determine your sensitivity to different flavours. Everyone has their own personal sensitivity but in broad terms we all fit into one of four flavour profiles – Luscious/Sweet, Crisp, Smooth or Intense. By calculating a person’s sensitivity we can match you to wines that are more suited to your flavour profile. So amongst Bibendum’s South African range, come and take the test and see what wine styles suit your flavour profile.

Click here to find out more about Market Insights at Bibendum and Bibendum’s Taste Test.

Keep a check on all the action from Just Add…Bibendum by following the hashtag #justaddbib on Twitter.

So with Just Add…Bibendum just around the corner, here is another quick lowdown on what to expect at this year’s tasting.  Following a look at what our Training team will be up to on the day, here is some info from the green fingered part of Bibendum, Vivid.

Amongst all the fun and games, and hundreds of wines, Room 3 at Just Add…Bibendum will not only hold our entire Italian portfolio but will also be home to our Vivid themed room. What is ‘Vivid’ I hear some of you cry?

Well, Vivid is the name given to our ongoing work seeking out and implementing the most energy efficient and environmentally sustainable practices possible in all areas of our business. In our quest to be ever greener, we aim to use the most environmentally friendly and sustainable methods in all the sourcing, packaging and distribution of our wine, as well as the running of our Primrose Hill office.

Room 3 at Just Add…Bibendum will display a little bit about how we go about achieving all this and will hopefully inspire our customers to be greener too!

Living Wall -

They can function for urban agriculture, urban gardening or for its beauty as art, though when built indoors it usually helps to alleviate ‘sick building syndrome’ – when a building has poor air quality or flaws in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and so on. A green living wall can help improve the atmosphere within a building…especially for its air breathing occupants. Check out our living wall on the day, whilst sampling some of Italy’s finest.

From Seed to Sale -

An informative display of the wine making process will greet everyone on the day, and we hope this will act as an interesting reminder that wine making is an agricultural process. Involving everything from the farming of the land and working amongst nature, to the art of wine blending and the bottling process, as the juice continues its long journey to your glass.

Ride2Work -

A selection of bicycles…Why? With a certain sporting event happening in London this year, chances are the tubes are going to be a tad busy. So we decided to give our office staff no excuses for being late by helping them to an ‘almost’ tax free bike as part of the Government’s Green Transport Plan.

Stop by and chat with one of the Vivid team about getting your staff out of their cars and on a bike.

Amongst all the foliage we will also be shouting about how we’ve reduced customer printed invoices from 45% in 2008 to 9% today, our recent ISO14001 accreditation – which is an internationally recognised Environmental Management System. Plus all the info on lightweight glass, and how moving to lightweight bottles has saved the equivalent carbon emissions of 196 cars! Last, but by no means least, we will be handing out seed bags for all the green fingered amongst you…so grab a bag of seeds to take home and nurture throughout the year!

More work and initiatives will follow so to keep up to date with what we’re doing check out the Vivid section on our website.

Click here to find out more about Just Add…Bibendum.

For all you Twitter users out there. During Wednesday’s tasting, keep a check on all the chat from the day by following the Just Add…Bibendum hashtag #justaddbib.

Take 10 tables of some of the biggest names in the wine industry at Australia House for Stonier’s International Pinot Noir Tasting (SIPNOT) and pour 12 Pinot Noirs from around the world. All tasted blind. Then ask each table to tell you what they think the wines are….and you will find two types of Pinot Noir lover.

This is what happens.

In the one corner, the Purist.

Often a Burgundy fanatic, the Purist likes to drill down to the vineyard details with as much zeal as a forensic scientist on CSI. Deadly serious, they want to talk about terroir and region and whether this wine has closed down or whether the vintage is showing well. On the upside, you can rely on these types to give you the facts quickly, just in case your cellar is flooding and you have to grab something fast: “Get the Chambolle Les Gruenchers. The 1985. It was a great year…”

In the other corner? The Hedonist.

These sensualists melt to the very mention of velvety textures and perfumed pleasures found from Pinot Noir and Burgundy. They love the poetry of the “heartbreak grape”. The Hedonist is definitely someone you want sitting next to you at a party, someone who will pass around the bottle with abandon (Pinot Noir is perfect for long, decadent dinner parties). They are more likely to tell you a sordid joke about funky barnyards rather than explain the technical reasons for reduction.

Sitting under the chandeliers at Australia House in London as a guest of Stonier from Mornington Peninsula and organisers of the SIPNOT event the two approaches to understanding Pinot Noir became apparent.

On my table: Jane Parkinson (The Wine Gang), Neal Martin (Robert Parker), Guy Woodward (Decanter Magazine), Gabby Savage (Drinks Business), Katie Exton (Sommelier, Chez Bruce), Colin Thorne (Vagabond Wines). After tasting a flight of 6 wines we discussed each wine amongst the tables, refereed by a panel lead by Willie Lebus (hedonist extraordinaire with a very good knowledge of Burgundy, Director at Bibendum).

First up, most people were keen to work out whether it was a “New World” or “Old World” Pinot Noir (and not just at our table).

Guy Woodward quipped, “It seems as if we can’t guess where a wine is from then it must be Oregon.”

An uncanny insight into what was to come…

Generally, wines believed to be from the New World were described as “clean” and all about the fruit. Old world wines may have had more complexity but they had “faults”.

We only knew the wine was either from Burgundy in 2008 or from the “New World” in 2009, which could mean New Zealand, Oregon or Australia (including a Stonier Pinot Noir – a very brave move for a winery). It all seemed very obvious at the time.

Then you taste the 2008 Cristom Jessie Vineyard Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley, Oregon. One of the favourites at SIPNOT. It had a lot of the “wet forest” characters I associate with Vosne-Romanee (having just come back from Burgundy tasting the 2010 from barrel). Velvety on the palate with depth and complexity. Not flavours everyone associates with Oregon. However, Australian winemaker, Brian Croser of Tapanappa, who has also worked in Eola Valley, suggested a lot of what is seen in the UK is not representative of the quality found in Oregon.

And the quality is deeply impressive.

Thankfully two producers I love were also in my top 3: Domaine Confuron-Cotetidot and Domaine Tollot-Beaut, which I have tasted recently and recognised their slightly wackier characters in 2008 than 2010.

Tasmania showed very well. Also, the Fleurieu Peninsula on the coast of South Australia. The 2009 Tapanappa Foggy Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir had a lovely mouth-watering freshness, I did not expect from South Australia.

There were a few prejudices that needed to be re-thought.

One, in particular: I had wine critic Steven Spurrier down to be a technical Purist.

Yet, after Spurrier perfunctorily listed all the good things about a wine like reading out a shopping list (good wine, good definition, good fruit…) he punctuated his note with a telling sentence:

“I don’t care where it comes from! It’s a good wine.”

A Hedonist! No terroir speak here. In fact, it was Steven who organised a similar style of event called the Judgement of Paris in 1976, where unknown Californian wines beat some of the great French wines.

The Judgement of Paris shook up a few prejudices in 1976. Just as the organisers of SIPNOT want to happen in 2012.

Although I don’t think I will become a “Purist” anytime soon (although I am obsessed with Burgundy vineyards), this tasting proved there are just too many great Pinot Noir wines made all over the world. And all the more enjoyable for their differences!

The list of wines tasted at SIPNOT -

1.       2009 Tamar Ridge Kayena Vineyard, Tamar Valley, Tasmania, Australia

2.       2008 Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaut Saint-Jacques 1er, Domaine Confuron-Cotetidot, Burgundy, France

3.       2009 Martinborough Vineyard Pinot Noir, Martinborough, New Zealand

4.       2008 Corton Bressandes Grand Cru, Domaine Tollot-Beaut, Aloxe-Corton, Burgundy, France

5.       2009 Bay of Fires Pinot Noir, Pipers River, Tasmania, Australia

6.       2008 Cristom Jessie Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA

7.       2008 Chehalem Ridgecrest Vineyard Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA

8.       2009 Stonier Windmill Vineyard Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia

9.       2008 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru Domaine Armand Rousseau, Morey-St-Denis, Burgundy, France

10.   2009 Tapanappa Foggy Hill Vineyard, Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia

11.   2009 Escarpment Kupe Pinot Noir, Martinborough, New Zealand

12.   2008 Les Suchots 1 er Vosne-Romanée Domaine de l’Arlot, Burgundy, France

Below are a few videos from some of the evening’s guests. Listen to their thoughts on Pinot Noir and this fantastic event -

* Stephen Spurrier was talking about No 8: 2009 Stonier Windmill Vineyard Pinot Noir.

Steven Spurrier on the Stonier International Pinot Noir Tasting 2012  -

Oz Clarke talking about Pinot Noir at SIPNOT 2012 -

Richard Hemming and his thoughts on the SIPNOT tasting -

Visit Bibendum’s YouTube channel to see more videos from this year’s Stonier International Pinot Noir Tasting.

Check out Bibendum’s Flickr page to see more photos from the evening.

As Bibendum’s Annual Tasting, Just Add…Bibendum, creeps ever closer (January 25th, check your diary), the training team are busying themselves with a showcase for the kind of activities we get up to for the other 365 days of the year (2012 is a leap year, don’t ya know).

Our Training Team comprises five people on a mission: to improve the quality and understanding of wine service throughout the country. With so few of us, you might think this a thankless task, but we work smart: small team, big impact. Our workshops are cleverly designed to engage with the people who influence the others they work with, enabling the good word to travel far and wide.

So what’s on offer from Bibendum’s Training Team at Just Add…Bibendum.

One of our exhibits this year involves a large, magnetic back bar display, upon which you will be invited to apply the design which allows the greatest attention to be paid (by your customers) to those items which make you the most profit. Simple application of well-known psychology can enable you to increase the profitability of your venue, just by making some basic adjustments to layout, and we’ll show you how.

We will also be taking the time to talk people through the basics of food and wine pairing. This is another subject where getting a grasp of the basic principles can unlock enormous potential. Rather than just talking through the details – there are plenty of books and websites you can turn to for that kind of advice – we will be walking you through the various steps (what you should be considering when pairing wine and food) and putting them into practice. The training team have selected some of their favourite wines for you to experiment with, and see for yourself how the theory is put into practice.

As well as being able to talk with members of the training team, we will be inviting you to embark on a treasure trail of discovery in the form of our treasure hunt. For this activity you will be unleashed to taste wines around the venue, and find out about them by talking with the producers. This represents a unique opportunity for you to speak with the people who not only sell the wines, but are involved in everything from the planting of the vines right through to bottling.

So, if you would like to take part in any of our activities, or simply come and have a chat about what we can do to help you improve wine service in your venue, come and find us in the Mezzanine floor of Room 1 at any point during the day. We look forward to seeing you there.

Click here to find out more about what’s on offer at Just Add…Bibendum.

Over the years Huia have taken quite a bit of blog space here on B Times. They’ve always got a story to tell and whether it’s their involvement with MANA and natural winemaking, a cheeky Pinot Noir wine of the week or harvest news from the team in Marlborough, we love to tell you all about what’s going on at one of New Zealand’s most exciting wineries.

What makes the winery one of the most interesting and exciting in New Zealand is their approach to winemaking. Not only are they a very small outfit, so there’s not much to go around. The team operate with an artisan approach to producing wine, with all their grapes biodynamically grown, and from 2012 onwards all their hand crafted wines will also be certified organic. Not stopping there, last year Huia were officially awarded Carbon Neutral status by the CaroNZero programme. All good stuff, but this wouldn’t be half as interesting unless their wines were top class. Producing some of the finest Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer to come out of New Zealand, alongside a fantastic sparkling, their wines are awesome examples of boutique winemaking in Marlborough.

So as we enter a New Year, we thought we would give you an update on what’s going on at Huia vineyards -

Seriously Buzzing! -

We recently caught up with the team from Huia, who were all rather excited about a new and unusual initiative they have up and running amongst the vines.  Within any winery that focuses on growing grapes with biodynamic practices firmly in the mind, the winemaking philosophy is always closely linked to the earth and nature.  One of their new vineyard practices fits this philosophy perfectly, and aims to increase the number of bees in and around the vines.

The reason for this lies within that fact that Bees in New Zealand are very much in danger, due largely to a lack of food and increased numbers of predators.  This is very much the case in Marlborough, with its widespread vine plantings. As grape vines are self pollinating, they do not require bees for pollination, and this has meant wild bees find it hard to survive in a landscape where flowers are only formed for a short period once a year.

To support a healthy bee population, Huia’s vineyards need to be full of flowers nearly all year round, calling for more diverse plants such as clover, buckwheat, blue tansy, alfalfa, tagasate, dandelion and yarrow. These plants not only feed the bees, but also protect and feed the soils, while also attracting further benefits such as other insects, bacteria and fungi that protct against diseases and pests that can attack the vines.

The Huia team believes bringing more bees to the vineyards creates a virtuous circle and leads to better soils, healthier vines and ultimately better wines. Interesting stuff…here’s to the humble honey bee!

Riddle me this….

Huia has recently finished hand-riddling their 2006 Brut, which was then disgorged and labelled in December. A labour of love for the team, riddling is the process by which the dead yeast and deposits from fermentation are gently brought from the bottom of the bottle into the neck to be disgorged. A slow and pain-staking job!

This ancient technique devised within the cavernous cellars of Champagne, involves turning the bottles of fizz a quarter of a turn at a time, repeatedly every other day. At Huia, riddling 6000 bottles takes around 5-6 weeks, and they hand riddle each of the 12,000 bottles produced every year.

Owner and Winemaker Mike Allen learnt these skills while working at Veuve Cliquot and the A frames used for the riddling are all from the Champagne region.  For Huia, making their fizz is all about authenticity, taking the time and doing things with the greatest of care to make the best wines.

Keep up the good work Mike…we all are big fans of the Huia fizz!

If you want to try Huia’s fantastic fizz and all their other great wines, as well as chat to the guys about what they are up to in the vineyard, check them out at Just Add Bibendum later this month.