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MANAAKITANGA AWARDS

WE ARE A FINALIST

VOTE FOR US!

We are pleased to announce that we are a finalist in this year's Manaakitanga Awards in the "Outstanding Winery Experience" category.

The awards aim to showcase and reward those who deliver excellence in hospitality and tourism.

If you have enjoyed your experience at Ransom Wines please vote for us.

Voting runs from 1 July - 31 August 2010.

We appreciate your support.

You can vote at www.hospitalityawards.co.nz

or by text to

WIN 144 to 244

You can text as many times as you like, every vote gets counted towards our final score.  Texts cost $0.20 each.

 

 

     

Harvest 2010

Quite simply 2010 has been the best of the 15 vintages we have had to date. The fruit from all of our grape varieties were picked in excellent condition due to the extraordinarily dry summer and autumn we have had. We were able to "hang" the fruit for as long as we liked to get optimal ripeness, and having no pressure from the weather made for a very relaxed and enjoyable vintage. All of which means that the red wines from 2010 should have great depth of colour and flavour, ripe tannins, full mouthfeel, and long silky finishes. The whites should be fruity with intense aromas and flavours. For wines from the Matakana region and more generally from the Auckland region and further north, 2010 will be a year to watch out for.

 

Hello Albarino

Don't be alarmed if you notice some rather ill-looking vines or an empty area in the vineyard next time you visit. We are removing some sections of the existing vineyard to make way for an exciting new grape variety - ALBARINO, pronounced al-bar-een-yo.

Albarino is a white grape from Galicia, the Atlantic coastal province of Spain just north of the border with Portugal. Wines made from the Albarino grape have been establishing a big presence in Europe in recent years. It makes full-bodied wine, which can have the richness of chardonnay but with a great balancing act in the form of a very nice acid structure. All of which makes for a great seafood wine. The Spanish reckon it is the world's best shellfish and crustacea wine, but the rest of Europe seems to consider it pretty splendid with any form of seafood.

Well now the grape has arrived in New Zealand. Albarino vines have been planted at the end of 2009 for the first time - just a handful of vineyards have been allocated some vines, including Ransom Wines. In fact we are the only vineyard north of Gisborne to have planted the grape, and we expect that along with two or three other wineries, we will be producing New Zealand's first ever Albarino wine, possibly in 2011 but definitely in 2012. We have planted a small block so far, but in order to make space in the vineyard for the main plantings of Albarino next spring, we will be culling some of the lesser performing clones and varieties.

Ransom Wines Cellar Club
Cellar Club members receive news of new releases, events and special offers as well as an additional discount which acknowledges loyalty.

To find out about this, contact us.

Random Ransom Ramblings
Read selected items from past newsletters and wine articles written by Robin -

Ransom Wines K Syrah Release and Sponsorship of TOSSI

The Season for Reds - June 2009

Living the Dream - May 2009

Coming up Rosés - April 2009

The global economic recession - It's not all bad - March 2009

Sunny Skies, Black Clouds, Silver Linings - Februay 2009

Pinot Gris - January 2009

Syrah - November 2008

Wine Competitions - October 2008

Compliance Issues - September 2008

Art, thought and wine - Sublime Inspiration - August 2008

Health and Pleasure - is wine good for you? - July 2008

Looking back at Vintage 2008 - June 2008

Ever wondered how we decide when to pick? April 2008

Protecting ourselves from Bird Burglars - February 2008

Early Summer in the Vineyard - The Promise of Things to Come - December 2007

Compliance Fatigue - November 2007

Matakana Terroirists - September 2007

From Noah to Matakana - A 6000 Year Wine Trail - August 2007

Wine and the New Zealand Economy - July 2007

Vintage in Matakana - May 2007

Wine Exports - Matakana Wines to the World - March 2007

Sustainable Practice - Winegrowing with Integrity

- February 2007

"The Wither Hills Debacle" - Wine Scandal - January 2007

Busting a Few Myths - November 2006

Spring - Here We Go Again - October 2006

Strong Support for Local Wines - September 2006

 


     
       

WE WON!!!!!

TEN - A CELEBRATION OF TASTES

Degustation Brunch

held on Sunday, 20th June 2010

Hyatt Regency Hotel, Auckland

Fundraising for Mercy Hospice, Auckland

Ten of Auckland’s most prestigious restaurants joined together to produce a wide selection of entrée sized meals in a host of different flavours. Each dish was expertly matched to fine wines from the cellars of 10 top NZ Wineries - and our very own Ransom Wines Dark Summit 2005, paired with Prime Bistro's Osso Bucco with thyme tortellini was judged by NZ Masterchef winner, Brett McGregor, John Hawkesby and Lauraine Jacobs to be the best matching of the day..

Here's what Lauraine had to say -

" The winning dish on the day, as judged by the Masterchef, the wine buff and the MC (me) was a tender, flavour-filled osso bucco with light as air truffle potato tortellini and gremolata, from Prime Bistro, that super little lunchtime restaurant in the PWC tower opposite the Ferry building. We loved it and we loved the wine match. Ransom Dark Summit 2005 Cabernet blend was moody, with an intensity of flavour. Unusual, for the blend includes some Carmenère, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Merlot, all grown in Matakana wine region".

Read more about the event on Lauraine's blog

 

Recent Releases

Ransom Mahurangi 2007

Ransom Barrique Chardonnay 2007

Ransom Reserve Carmenère 2006

 

NEW WINE RELEASES

Ransom Barrique Chardonnay 2007

Released in February 2010, the 2007 Barrique comprises about 90% barrel fermented and barrel aged wine, and 10% tank fermented and aged. We decided to blend some of the latter into the wine to lift its crispness and freshen it a little. Half of the barrels were permitted to go through malolactic fermentation, which has given the wine an element of complexity, while the non-malo barrels and the tank portion ensure that some primary fruit characters remain in the wine. This is a full flavoured, full bodied, rich chardonnay, but with enough acidity to give it a lively palate and a long, satisfying finish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tel/Fax +64 9 425 8862 | Valerie Close, Warkworth, New Zealand | wine@ransomwines.co.nz

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