Welcome to the January issue of the Gladstone Vineyard Newsletter.

In this Issue

	Great wines, great events, great weather!
	Something for everyone!
	Summer Shakespeare - finally back again...
	Our Wines
	Gladstone Wine Dinners in the UK

In Other News

Wings over Wairarapa

Zane is cooking up a treat.  Enjoy his rabbit pies and mussel fritters at Wings Over Wairarapa this weekend.  The fritters are a great match for the 12,000 Miles Savvy and the Rabbit Pies are fabulous with our 12,000 Miles PN.  Eat drink and be merry watching the Baron and Snoopy fight it out over the Wairarapa skies this weekend!... See you there Sat 17 and Sun 18th Jan! 

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Great wines, great events, great weather!

Happy New Year and I wish you all good times for the coming year.  Let's forget the gloom in the papers!  I hope you had a chance to have an enjoyable time over the holiday with your loved ones.  We were lucky enough to have some family time at Lake Taupo with our daughters and their families.

We've also had a busy time here at Gladstone.  We have some fantastic wines for sale and we have great events coming in the next few weeks and months which will keep us all out of mischief!

Something for everyone!

• Tickled Pink – An afternoon with Tess O’Hara this Sunday 18th January starting at 12.30.  A great way to spend the Sunday of the holiday weekend.  Relax with great food, wine and music!  Bookings essential.  Call us on 06 379 8563.
   
• Henry V – Summer Shakespeare at Gladstone Vineyard.  Thursday-Saturday 5-7th February  at 5.30pm.  More details later in the newsletter or see http://gladstone.co.nz/shakespeare.html 
   
• Life of Riley performing for our Long Lazy Lunch on Sunday 15th February 
   
• Bowmore performing for our Long Lazy Lunch Sunday 15th March 
   
• Wairarapa Wines Harvest Festival  Celebrating the beginning of the grape harvest season on Saturday March 21 2009 this is fast becoming recognized as a high quality, event showcasing sensational wines and food from throughout the Wairarapa region.  It will be held at the beautiful, sheltered riverside setting locally known as ‘The Cliffs’ on the banks of the Ruamahunga River at the end of Dakins Road in rural Wairarapa.   See www.wairarapawines.co.nz/harvestindex.html for more information  

Summer Shakespeare - finally back again...

We welcome back Victoria University Summer Shakespeare's Henry V, 

It’s the story of a newly crowned king waging war on an ‘enemy’ to promote nationalism in his disparate state…ring any bells? In our times of soaring oil prices and crunching credit, any diversion is welcome and this pertinent new production examines the motives behind Henry’s patriotism.

With a cast of 35 assembled, the famous battle scenes promise to pack a punch. Internationally acclaimed fight choreographer Allan Henry (who also stars as The Constable) is on board to give the armies grace and guts! 

Tickets are available at various locations around the Wairarapa or on our website gladstone.co.nz/shakespeare.html

The show will be performed at 5.30 on Thursday 5th, Friday 6th and Saturday 7th of February in front of the house at Gladstone Vineyard.  Bring your rug or picnic chair, buy a bottle of wine and a picnic tea and avoid the show.  It's a holiday weekend, so stay over and enjoy the Wairarapa.

And what better place to watch the start of the year-long Compleate  Workes Festival, than at Gladstone Vineyard.  The Compleate Workes Festival is a nation-wide event that will see all of Shakespeare’s cannon produced in some form throughout the year of 2009 under the aegis of Shakespeare Globe Centre NZ.

With thanks to our ongoing sponsors for their support, Accent Architects, RadioWorks and AMP Insurance
 

Our Wines

We've got a fabulous range of wines available now, at cellar door and on our web site.  We have now released our 2008 Sauvignon Blanc.  More intense than its predecessor, this wine is drinking very well, with great minerality and wonderul tropical fruit it is one to enjoy.

Meantime, the last of our 2007 Gladstone Sauvignon Blanc is available as a 3 for 2 special for our cellar door or mail order customers.  (3 bottles for the price of 2, or 3 cases for the price of 2 - your choice!)

Newly released and available for tasting are our Gladstone Pinot Gris and Viognier.  We are one of only a few Wairarapa wineries producing Viognier.  This is not available every year, and we are delighted with the quality of the 2008 wine.  Varietal orange and almond characteristics with an oily character, this wine is to be enjoyed now or for the next 2 years. 

And don't forget the star turn of the summer, the Gladstone Rose.  Perfect for summer lunches and barbecues, this wonderful rose won gold in Asia this year.  Try it now!

To buy these wines now, see www.gladstone.co.nz./buyourwine.html

Gladstone Wine Dinners in the UK

For those overseas, David and I are very privileged finally to be taking our wines "home' to Glasgow and other spots in the UK.

We are delighted (in conjunction with Great Western Wines from Bath), to be hosting wine dinners at the fabulous Michael Caines Restaurant at ABode Glasgow (16th Feb) and ABode Manchester (18th Feb).

It is a real coup to be hosting wine dinners at these Michael Caines ABode locations. Michael Caines is one of Britain's most acclaimed chefs. AA Chef's Chef of the Year in 2007, and awarded an MBE in 2006 for services to the hospitality industry, Michael is in overall charge of all food and beverage operations throughout the fast-growing group. He is also Executive Chef at Gidleigh Park, the acclaimed and prestigious country house hotel on the edge of Dartmoor at Chagford, Devon, where he has earned his reputation - as well as two Michelin stars - serving distinctive modern European cuisine utilising the finest local and regional produce and ingredients. These will be truly special evenings.

For more information, or to book go to (for Glasgow) http://www.michaelcaines.com/events-and-special-offers/gladstone-vineyard-wine-dinner-at-abode-glasgow-monday-16th-february-2009 or (for Manchester)http://www.michaelcaines.com/events-and-special-offers/gladstone-vineyard-wine-dinner-at-abode-manchester-wednesday-18th-february.