Having angered the whisky gods with a lineup of no age statement single malts at the previous tasting, it was time to atone, and thus we found ourselves, once again, before the sacrificial altar at the chapel of Bruce McLaren, with seven single casks from BenRiach.
For $110 you'd probably expect a platter of haggis, neeps and tatties to accompany your whisky tasting, but on this occasion, it was the price that secured a seat at the table with the brown and gold Gods of whisky - whisky that most of us mere mortals will never get to taste.
Dry River then and now - a tasting at Regional Wines
It’s not every day you get to taste older vintages from one of New Zealand’s most iconic and pioneering wineries, but last month, twenty lucky Regional Wines customers were given a real treat courtesy of chief winemaker Wilco Lam from Dry River, who took us through five varietal flights comparing older and current vintages.
Adelphis old and rare - whisky tasting at Regional Wines
Do you remember the first time you watched Casablanca or Citizen Kane? The sultry femme fatale, the sympathetic yet downtrodden hero... all those strong characters with their sophisticated dialogue. Well, this tasting was a bit like that…
The Wines of Samuel’s Gorge with Winemaker Justin McNamee
As the rain hit hard against the roof of the Regional Wines tasting room, the blue skies of McLaren Vale opened above us causing the opulent red gems of Grenache, Tempranillo and Shiraz from Samuel's Gorge winery to glisten.
Tap badge design for Mean Doses brewery
Part of a series of tap badges, design and branding work for Mean Doses generated working closely with the client.
Tap badge design for Mean Doses brewery
Part of a series of tap badges, design and branding work for Mean Doses generated working closely with the client.
There’s a lot of buzz about North Canterbury at the moment, and when the wines taste as good as this, it’s easy to see why.
It's not often one gets to taste a 2001 Barolo at a whisky tasting, but this was Finish with a Flourish with Daniel McLaren Moon, with a theme of wine cask finishes, and things were about to get serious.
Archibald Monks and the Case of Claret
He grabbed a large crystal Bordeaux glass from the draining board. It was like a speech bubble ready to be populated, and he poured enough Rioja to fill only its bottom fifth...
When the Willowbank distillery was bought by Fosters in 1997 and subsequently mothballed, a large volume of fine, aged whisky was moved into storage and left to its own devices, quietly ageing and improving in the unexpected confines of an airport hangar.
Seresin Wine - Living off the Land
As gannets dove majestically into the turmoil of a dolphin fuelled feeding frenzy, a horde of hungry Wellingtonians sailed by, soon to arrive at Waterfall Bay and the home of Michael Seresin...
There is an untold truth in wine, that for exceptional wine to be made, man or woman must first enter into an agreement with the vines...
Empire Films Animated Logo
An animated logo for a local Wellington film production company.
Naturally Different - Wine Tasting Event Poster
A poster designed for a Natural Wine tasting at Regional Wines. Pastel tones were used to convey a feeling of natural, and the bottle of grapes was used to imply the sense of minimal human intervention on the wines.
Blades & Moses - Tap Badge Design
Concept work for Eldergaarden beer produced by the independent Wellington brewers Blades & Moses. Negative space, a reference to a gardens and a hint of skull were the brief...
Based in the Waipara Valley of North Canterbury, the artisan wine making ethos of Bellbird Spring utilises an array of traditional techniques; must oxidation, indigenous yeast ferments, natural neutral fermenting vessels and minimal additives to name but a few. The results are deep, lively wines, made to pair with food, often offering styles seldom seen in NZ.