Highfield Newsletters

Kia ora from Marlborough   We hope all you Kiwis are gearing up for summer and Christmas festivities which are just around the corner. That may seem a little strange for some of you Northerners who probably struggle to associate Christmas with beaches and barbeques as we do. But in what seems like perfect timing, we are releasing two great wines for our New Zealand mail order customers to enjoy on lazy summer afternoons and for Christmas festivities. We are delighted to offer you a sneak preview of our freshly bottled Sauvignon Blanc 2005 and our just disgorged Elstree Cuvee 1999. Both these wines are not yet in the wider New Zealand market so please refer to the order form for our new, exclusive mail order pricing.   Do not worry if you are out of New Zealand because both wines will be released to our export countries very soon and in fact the Sauvignon Blanc 2005 is currently on the water making its way to the United Kingdom.   Sauvignon Blanc 2005 Bottled from the 4th of October, this sensational Sauvignon Blanc promises to be another stunner, from a very good season in Marlborough. Our 2004 Sauvignon Blanc won five gold medals and Winemaker Alistair Soper believes this year is an enhancement on last, being super tropical and pungent.

Alistair’s wine making notes: Made in the traditional Highfield style. Meticulous fruit selection and cold fermentation contribute an abundant spectrum of tropical and herbal aromas. This wine received six months extended lees contact contributing depth, texture and balance to the palate. A classic match with flavoursome dishes, summer salads and seafood cuisine.

Winemaking team, Mike and Alistair, celebrate the first bottling of the 2005.   Elstree Cuvee 1999 This is quite a special wine for us here at Highfield because it is Alistair’s first ever Cuvee.  He has had to patiently wait six years before seeing the rewards of his first vintage Cuvee and it is looking great. Alistair’s Winemaking notes: In the same brut/dry style as the 1998, this wine is fresh and crisp with citrus flavours of lemon and lime. It has complexity with the lovely yeasty, bready character that Highfield Elstree Cuvee is famous for. Enjoy with the finest moments in life.   Botrytised Riesling 2003 We still have a small amount of the Botrytised Riesling left for New Zealand only, so if you have not ordered your two bottle allocation, feel free to add them to your Christmas order. Perfect as a gift and all bottles are personally signed and numbered by Alistair.      Chardonnay Gold The 2005 Air New Zealand Wine Awards graced us with a gold medal for the Chardonnay 2002. This accolade is the Chardonnay’s second gold medal for the year, so we are delighted it has again been recognized.   Frost Fighting November is a critical time for Marlborough vineyards, with vineyard managers and winemakers being awoken by frost alarms in the small hours of the morning to protect their vines from the cold. Late frosts have the potential to burn young shoots and therefore reducing crop levels for the following vintage/harvest. Highfield now has a wind machine on site which works in conjunction with frost pots by stirring up the air and dispersing warm air from the pots over the vineyard. Luckily we have not had a harmful late frost this season and the danger period is nearly over. Fingers crossed.   Kiwi News The Highfield Restaurant is now experiencing its usual, crazy summer activity. We have a new Chef and revamped summer menu so come up and enjoy lunch at Highfield next time you are in town. Our fully self-contained, one-bedroom apartment has stunning balcony views over the Wairau Valley and is perfect for a relaxing nights stay.   Christmas Gifts World Wide and Highfield Availability We can arrange Christmas gifts throughout New Zealand, the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom. Please indicate on order forms. The Highfield website www.highfield.co.nz is now quite dynamic so please check it out. You can also order on-line if you prefer. We have a very cool search tool where you can look for a town/city in your country and it will display restaurants and outlets that list Highfield wines.   United States Trip    Sales and Marketing Manager, Russell Hooper seems to have the best job ever, as he has just returned from perhaps his fourth overseas trip of the year. He spent two weeks in two of our most active markets, New York and Boston, holding tastings, visiting restaurants and no doubt enjoying some very good wine and food along the way. What a life!    We hope our great new release wines will enhance you and your family’s time over Christmas and into the New Year.   All the best Christmas wishes and we look forward to hearing from you soon   Naomi and the team @ Highfield

Mail Order:

Within New Zealand:
To order wines from our latest vintage fill out our ONLINE ORDER FORM and submit your order or PRINT out our lastest ORDER FORM and send to HIGHFIELD ESTATE via the options offered below:

• 1) Post: Highfield Estate Winery, Brookby Rd, RD2, Blenheim
• 2) Fax: (03) 572 9257

Please Note: Delivery free anywhere in New Zealand for six bottles or more.

Rest of World:
Contact Highfield Estate at naomi@highfield.co.nz

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