Welcome to the January 2010 issue of the Gladstone Vineyard Newsletter.

In this Issue

	Happy New Year!
	What's happening
	Christine's chatter
	Leo recommends...
	Hello and goodbye...

In Other News

Don't forget the Wairarapa Wines Harvest Festival - at the Cliffs at Gladstone's Dakins Road on Saturday 20 March.  Tickets available now from Ticketek.

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Happy New Year!

I hope you are well and rested after the silly season. We have lots happening here at the winery, and it's a good time to catch up.  Music, wines, Pinot 2010, Shakespeare in the Vines and more...

What's happening

Live music - this Friday night

As we've mentioned before, the Gladstone Vineyard Café is now open for Friday night drinks and fabulous food.  What better place to spend a summer's evening? And this Friday 22 January, catch the last rays of sunshine to some live music - Hannah McGrail will be playing 5.30-8.30.  Bookings recommended.  Keep an eye on our website for more Friday night music in the future.

Summer Shakespeare

 We welcome back the talented troupe from VUW next month with one of Shakespeare's most ridiculous and accessible comedies - the Merry Wives of Windsor.  Playing outdoors at the Vineyard on Thursday 4, Friday 5 and Saturday 6 February at 5.30pm, tickets are $20 adults/$15 students and are selling fast!  For more information and to book, click here.

Pinot 2010

Held every three years, Pinot 2010 is hitting Wellington this year, from 1-4 February.  A world-class celebration of Pinot, this year's event will feature grand tastings, panel presentations and a tasting hall with 100 plus of New Zealand's best winemakers (including Gladstone Vineyard of course!), complemented by a world-class culinary programme. For more information and to secure your place, check out www.pinot2010.co.nz.

More live music - Barry Saunders

Wairarapa's finest, Barry Saunders will be kicking off our Long Lazy Lunches for 2010, playing from 1-3pm on Sunday 28 February.  Book your table now - call 06 379 8563 or email us.

Christine's chatter

I'm writing this newsletter from the UK.  I've been over here for about a week, on a sales trip.  Thankfully the snow was melting by the time I got here, and the weather was definitely on the improve.  (Not that the New Zealand summer has been anything magical at the moment!)

Last week we had the annual New Zealand Wine Fair, held at Lords in London.  About 70 New Zealand wineries were there, and we had a very good turn out of trade, media and public at the event.  The Gladstone Vineyard Pinot Noir was very well received. 

We followed up the tasting with some trade lunches in both London and the south west of England.  Our importer, Great Western Wine also imports wines from Carrick in Otago and River Farm in Marlborough.  We all presented our wines together and talked to customers about the state of the New Zealand wine industry, particularly the recent oversupply (largely from the 2008 vintage) and how New Zealand is focusing on better managing supply to meet demand and ensure New Zealand continues to produce top quality wine.  There is definitely some consolidation happening in the wine industry as a result of the recession and the rationalisation following the better management of supply and demand, but we are convinced that this is strengthening the industry for the coming decade.

Leo recommends...

Leo Donworth is our cellar door manager.  She is passionate about our wines, and has a great knack of working out what wine you really need when you come to visit us!  So be prepared to walk away with a 3 pack or more...

We have a great range of wines at cellar door at the moment, with a wine to suit every occasion.  Especially popular this summer is our 2009 Gladstone Vineyard Rosé.  Made, as usual, from our cabernet franc, merlot and malbec, it has a soft sweetness with a rich, creamy mid palate. Good acidity gives the wine good length on the finish. You can enjoy it now, or cellar for 2-3 years (if you can keep it that long!)  At only $21 it is a steal and one of the best rosés around this summer. 

The 2009 Gladstone Vineyard Viognier is a rich wine, with great varietal characteristics.  There are still only a few viogniers made in New Zealand, and very few in the Wairarapa.  This is a worthy successor to our 2008 5 star wine.  It is a rich and velvety wine - if you haven't tried viognier, why not start with this one!  Viognier is a tricky grape, that needs careful management, and good ripening to get the flavours that we need.  The hot 2009 was perfect for it, and this wine is a star!

At cellar door just now, we are doing a special on our 12,000 Miles Pinot Gris 2008.  Till the end of February we are selling three bottles for only $45, a saving of $18.  This Pinot Gris was highly commended in the Sydney International Wine Competition and is a pleasure to drink.

Also in top form is our Gladstone Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2008.  It is a nice alternative to the Marlborough style, with good palate weight and a rich minerality.  A great food wine. And there is a nice range of reds, with two pinots, the 12,000 Miles Cabernet Franc Merlot Malbec for everyday drinking and the Gladstone Vineyard Auld Alliance 2006 for that special occasion.

All these wines are available here at cellar door when you visit us, on our website or call us on 06 379 8563.

Hello and goodbye...

Some of you will have met Annie Morrison (another Scottish accent here at Gladstone Vineyard!).  Annie has just started as our café manager, and will be responsible for making sure the whole place runs smoothly as well as pulling together a great range of events at the winery.   It's great to have her on board.

And farewell to Hayley - who first came to work with us about seven years ago.  She had some time out when her son Liam was born, and then went off and worked at the Westpac bank for a short while.  But the lure of Gladstone Vineyard was too great(!), and she came back.  Sadly (for us) she is leaving again.  Hayley is expecting another baby, so she is leaving at the end of this month.  We will miss her cheery smile, her very efficient contribution to the business in administration and sales, not to mention the home cooking that she brings here from time to time.  We wish her well, and hope to see her popping back in for coffees from time to time.