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The Campbeltown tasting at Regional Wines

Posted by John Shearlock on

The Campbeltown tasting at Regional Wines

There’s just something about Campbeltown isn't there. Sandwiched between the Lowlands and Islay, it seemingly brings together something from both these regions whilst still retaining an individuality and personality that you seldom meet in the world of whisky.Typically it takes us on a maritime journey of subtle salt and peat that speaks of the Islands - only then to deliver back to earth with notes of dunnage and floor-malted barley. At Springbank, long ferments and a complex distillation regime involving partial triple distillation and a worm tub complete the puzzle, bringing us into the contradictory realms of light yet heavy malt...

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Art and wine from Central Otago

Posted by Joelle Thomson on

Art and wine from Central Otago

Join the Regional Wine & Spirits team and Simon Lemaire from Nockie’s Palette winery on Saturday 6 May from 1pm to 4pm to taste a delicious trio of wines from an innovative Central Otago brand.  "Nockie’s Palette Wines was created with a vision to combine Michael Nock’s love of wine with his passion for art," says Lemaire, who flies up from Central for the day to host this interesting in store tasting of these superb wines - with their drop dead gorgeous artwork. Nockie’s Palette is associated with the NockArt Foundation which sponsors artist residency programmes in Central Otago. The designers of Nockie’s Palette wines use original artworks on the...

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Great wines from old vines

Posted by Joelle Thomson on

If you were asked which country has the greatest number of old vines in the world, where would it be? Italy? France? Spain? All of the above had a massive number of old vines wiped out in the second half of the 1800s when the phylloxera epidemic wreaked its devastation throughout Europe, which left wine regions such as California and South Australia to pick up the slack. These two vast wine regions have, arguably (and it is unfortunately a bit of a sticking point and debate) the oldest vines in the world. Our nearest neighbour also makes an understandable marketing...

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Something old, something new this April

Posted by Joelle Thomson on

Something old, something new this April

New producer with a long history... Giesen is one of this country's oldest and most successful family owned wineries and it is a privilege to have them as our winery of the month.  * This innovative company has also diversified into spirits production and importing, so Giesen is also our spirits producer of the month.  Pop in to try and buy the great drinks from Giesen This April's winery of the month is a new-ish brand with a long history.  When we say 'new', we are talking in the global sense. The winery is Giesen and it was founded four decades ago by...

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Uiltje Hoppy Hieroglyphs Black IPA and the art of beer escapism...

Posted by John Shearlock on

Uiltje Hoppy Hieroglyphs Black IPA and the art of beer escapism...

I’m a sucker for a decent concept! Boneface’s planet Hoptron in a galaxy not so far away and the Chouffe gnomes from the valley of the fairies spring to mind, and it’s fair to say that concepts pop up in the beer world on a fairly regular basis.Often they incorporate an element of sci-fi, fantasy or escapism, with a nod to the inner child that still remains in us all. This in itself is an extension of the drink after work on a Friday night theme - when you want to forget about the world and, well - loosen up a bit.Ideally, for a...

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