New releases tasting chance to get away

FEELING like a winefocused weekend away? Then the Alexandra Basin Winegrowers Annual New Releases Tasting might be just the push you need. This year is the 12th edition and it will be held on Labour Weekend Sunday (October 25) in the gardens of Olivers in Clyde. This year’s special guest is Candice Chow.

Your $30 ticket allows you to meet the owners and sample the wines from more than 15 local producers, with cheese, crackers and bread. There is also live music.

Tickets always sell out fast, so visit info@alexandrabasin wines.co.nz for more information. (There will be a full refund in the unlikely event of a Covid level change.)

Tonnellerie de Mercurey Central Otago Young Winemaker Competition

The Otago regional finals of the Tonnellerie de Mercurey Young Winemaker Competition were held in midSeptember. Eight young men and women convened

at Vinpro in Cromwell for a series of Covid Alert Level 2influenced challenges.

Congratulations to Ben Tombs (Peregrine Wines), who successfully defended his title, making it a double for Peregrine following Annabel Angland’s win in the young viticulturist competition. He will represent Otago in the national finals in Hawke’s Bay next month.

Congratulations also to Jordan Moores (Felton Road Wines) and Rachel Bradley (Burn Cottage), who were second and third respectively.

New World Wine Awards 2020

Covid restrictions provided some extra challenges for the New World Wine Awards judging panels this year, but they successfully sniffed, sipped and

spat their way through more than 1200 wines to compile their Top 50, which New World has now made available for sale.

With a $25 or less entry requirement, and candidates for the Top 50 required to have 4000 bottles available for purchase, this makes the NWWA gold medal winners truly accessible and affordable. Here are three from the Top 50.