Auckland Offline: Stonyridge Larose Vertical

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Wed May 13, 2009 6:02 am

While I can't do leg work (as I'm still down in Blenheim), I do have plenty of time on my hands so if you need someone to phone around places, then I'm game. Just let me know who to call.

Really looking forward to this and keen for it not to fall at the last hurdle.

Nothing will fall over. Its as easy as organising xmas dinner with the relatives. Um na, hang on thats a bad comparison

Its as easy as booking a BYO, even my kids could do that :lol:

The Aussies will be interested to follow whether we can organise an offline in New Zealand in less than 100 posts so lets not do an Anzac test on this one

Bick · Post by **Bick** » Wed May 13, 2009 7:01 am

FWDC is a pretty good idea. I'll do my best to sort something today one way or another. Stay tuned. We have to get this done in less than a further 38 posts to stay under Craig's 100 post limit afterall!

[Edit/Update: Checked with FWDC this morning - the guy who sorts out the tasting room is not availabale until tomorrow - if we don't have something else sorted today, I'll follow up then.]

SueNZ · Post by **SueNZ** » Wed May 13, 2009 7:38 am

Craig(NZ) wrote:Sue, where do the glasses for wine shows come from? would you have access to them? Could we go private with glasses supplied from outside??

Craig, I can get XL5's - but I know you don't like XL5's. Still it provides a level playing field for all the wines and you can transfer to a bigger glass to taste, after they have been poured, if you want.
Let me know if you want to pursue this.

I may also have another option for a venue. Will know later today or tomorrow.

Cheers,
Sue

Bick · Post by **Bick** » Wed May 13, 2009 11:00 am

Ok, panic over, I think the venue is sorted - I'll edit/update this post later today once I have it finally confirmed. We would need to provide our own glasses.

I may also have another two attendees (work colleague and her husband)who are long-standing en premeur buyers who would plug another couple vintage gaps for us... I'll update the list of attendees and their vintages later too.

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Wed May 13, 2009 11:34 am

awesome! approx 15 people/vintages is perfect!

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Wed May 13, 2009 11:41 am

So, we may have (confirmed in bold): 89, 90, 91, 94, 95, 96, 99, 00, 02, 04, 07

I guess on top of these 05, 87 are the top vintage holes + 08 pre release would be a a trump card if the stonyridge guys would oblige

then 93,97 as average to good vintages

98 was a dud. 01 and 03 difficult

Bick · Post by **Bick** » Wed May 13, 2009 11:46 am

what about 06 Craig - thought to be ok?

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Wed May 13, 2009 11:50 am

opps yes forgot about 06! :shock:

I havent tried the 06, but yes its supposed to be a pretty good vintage up there with 05 and 07

So yes a good option too

SueNZ · Post by **SueNZ** » Wed May 13, 2009 1:11 pm

Craig(NZ) wrote:opps yes forgot about 06!

I havent tried the 06, but yes its supposed to be a pretty good vintage up there with 05 and 07

So yes a good option too

Would be good to taste the 2006 again. The one I had a few weeks ago was disappointing.

SueNZ · Post by **SueNZ** » Wed May 13, 2009 1:14 pm

Craig(NZ) wrote:awesome! approx 15 people/vintages is perfect!

I think that 16 people should be the absolute maximum - for a variety of reasons.
Cheers,
Sue

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Wed May 13, 2009 1:35 pm

I think that 16 people should be the absolute maximum - for a variety of reasons.

yeah agree. more than that and samples get a bit small. 16 allows for the odd bit of over pouring, a revisit of one or two

Curt · Post by **Curt** » Wed May 13, 2009 2:09 pm

I have the 89 if someone wants to buy in. Had the 1993 recently and it was superb, close to the 87 in quality terms
Might be able to organise better glasses than XL5... how many would we need as a minimum.

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Wed May 13, 2009 2:49 pm

I have the 89 if someone wants to buy in. Had the 1993 recently and it was superb, close to the 87 in quality terms
Might be able to organise better glasses than XL5... how many would we need as a minimum.

Yeah 93 was pretty good. A bit grainier than most other vintages though, not as seamless. Has simialrities to the 00 in ways I think (as a recall from my foggy memory banks)

Bick · Post by **Bick** » Wed May 13, 2009 3:03 pm

Ok, a venue has confirmed that our date/time are ok. But - they've come back and provided a price that's much higher than was intimated to me when I visited this lunchtime - rather annoying. The other co-owner obviously pushed the price up from the women I spoke with.

Potential venue is The Chiller - a deli cafe that is usually shut on saturdays, just down from Caro's. They would open up especially for two hours for us. Its a nice venue, as it has natural light, no other patrons, a long broad table in the middle of the room. Ideal for tasting. I indicated 12:00 to 2:00 pm.

The bad news: they will charge, and it would come to about $35 each ($400 total!). i.e. for couples coming along, you're looking at $70, and that's without food (they wont cater for that, just open up the store for us). I think this is very steep, but as I'm losing the will to live trying to find somewhere, I'd go with it. If others don't like this can you please come up with something else asap, otherwise please indicate its ok. I don't think we could ask the guys from Stonyridge to pay, so we're looking at a 12 way split on the $400.

SueNZ · Post by **SueNZ** » Wed May 13, 2009 3:33 pm

I have another venue to be considered. It is in Northcote, opp. Sausalito and Bridgeway Theatre - so very handy to the motorway (first exit off harbour bridge) for those coming from the other side and Sausalito would be a good place to carry on afterwards.

My friend is the caretaker for the venue, and there has just been a cancellation for the 23rd.

Hire costs of the venue are minimal as hire charge is by the hour - $5 a person would easy cover this as well as providing minimal finger food for the tasting.

I have it pencilled in until I hear back from you guys.

Cheers,
Sue

SueNZ · Post by **SueNZ** » Wed May 13, 2009 4:06 pm

Curt wrote:I have the 89 if someone wants to buy in. Had the 1993 recently and it was superb, close to the 87 in quality terms
Might be able to organise better glasses than XL5... how many would we need as a minimum.

Depends how many flights we want to break the tasting into. Ideally, a complete line-up on the table in front of us would be best - so if 12 people = 12 wines then 144 glasses. If 16 people, then 16 wines = 256 glasses.

Would need to factor glass hire into how much we pay if you guys go with the villa in Northcote.

Cheers,
Sue

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Wed May 13, 2009 5:19 pm

Think about it, managing 250 glasses in one room, notepads, pens, jackets, next it will be spitoons - - God help us. We will be needing to hire stewards to pour and set glassware!!! arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh is just plain stooooooopid!!

Make it managable, 4 glasses each or something. 3-4 flights. You could make it simpler still by everyone bringing 4 glasses each from home (for Nayan someone bring extras), take em home and clean em yourself afterwards. Simple. That may mean we can sit close enough together to talk to each other and discuss why people buy Grange, cops and robbers in the Hawkes Bay, 'snow' on papamoa beach or other such topics!!

Im sure we can stomp down that supressed secret desire to be a wine judge for a day spellbound by flights of wines like opossums in the headlights, standing 6 feet away from each other.

Just seems so impersonal, most of us are doing this for enjoyment not to make it a logistical nightmare?

Sorry if that sounds heavy, just thoughts from 2x here

As for venue, im easy. Sues option sounds as good as any though does complicate the public transport option for those planning to drink and train but you we get around that??

Im happy to pay for somewhere too if its ideal. I justify it that I hardly pay to taste wine these days so hey. it is srl after all, not some crappy penfolds tasting or something hehe

Bick, you are the man with the can this time. your decision. im happy to fit in. its the only way to run these things. committees are over rated. dictatorship gets things done :lol:

Bick · Post by **Bick** » Wed May 13, 2009 9:00 pm

OK, I'll look into a couple other options this (city) side of the bridge that were recommended to me tonight by John MacFarlane in St Heliers (NZWinePro tours). But if these don't pan out tomorrow, we'll go with Sue's option, which sounds ideal except for getting there and back (we wont be driving). It looks much better value than The Chiller.

BTW: the suggestions given to me were:
Landreth & Co. in Ponsonby
The Wine Loft in High Street - anyone know either of these?
& lastly, John said he could host in his wine business offices above Miller Bros Wine Store in St Heliers overlooking Rangitoto - it wouldn't be flash, but it would be cheaper than many - he'd do it for $75-$100 or so.

Oh - and I concur with Craigs idea of 4 wine glasses each in flights.

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Thu May 14, 2009 6:49 am

wine loft i thought of but its a big bad business, i bet they would want big $$$ for a byo. its is a pretty dark place too from memory

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Thu May 14, 2009 7:06 am

st heliers has the advantage of cafes everywhere for afterwards and there is easy public transport to city, and its a nice spot (no doubt it will rain though!!!). you would just have to ensure there is room i guess for 15 odd

rooman · Post by **rooman** » Thu May 14, 2009 8:19 am

guys why not you just call Stephen and go out to the winery for the tasting. I am sure he can organise a bus to pick you up from the ferry and drop you back at the end of the evening. plus if you do it out there, heavens know what else he may throw in.

SueNZ · Post by **SueNZ** » Thu May 14, 2009 8:28 am

rooman wrote:guys why not you just call Stephen and go out to the winery for the tasting. I am sure he can organise a bus to pick you up from the ferry and drop you back at the end of the evening. plus if you do it out there, heavens know what else he may throw in.

I like your idea!

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Thu May 14, 2009 9:06 am

rooman wrote:
guys why not you just call Stephen and go out to the winery for the tasting. I am sure he can organise a bus to pick you up from the ferry and drop you back at the end of the evening. plus if you do it out there, heavens know what else he may throw in.

I like your idea!

Nice idea. I cant commit 100% to a day trip sorry (which is what it would end up being). Have kids/ sport etc. I would be in definite danger of being a 1x instead of 2x at best. I have already twisted mels arm quite a bit to have her pull out of a senior netball game for this so id be pushing my luck for more.

Also it would end up costing more the "The Chiller" with Ferry tickets/ bus??

Bick · Post by **Bick** » Thu May 14, 2009 10:49 am

I thought of Waiheke myself briefly - but it just wouldn't fly for me either, so I'm afraid I'm going to veto it. Apparently I can do that :wink:

But we can all relax. After phoning 15 venues this morning with no luck, I had a brain wave and I've now arranged a nice little room, with good lighting, a large enough table, sufficient chairs, and all for free. My office board room at work! It nice and central (Freemans Bay, just up the way from Victoria Park market). We can have our tasting here then nip up to Ponsonby for something to eat for those that want to do that.

So the final arrangement is as follows:

Midday Saturday 23rd May - meet up outside 57 Wellington Street, Freemans Bay. I can let people in as they arrive and show them up to the board room on Level 2.

Please bring 4 glasses each, and your wine (don't forget that!). Attendees are looking like this:

Mike/Claire +2 (02, 07 + 2 vintages yet to be determined - but not 05, 06 it transpires)
Craig/Mel (96, 00)
Nayan (94)
Curt +2 (90, 91, 95)
Sue/Neil (99, 04)
Stonyridge director David Jackson? (vintage?)
Stonyridge winemaker Summer Bell? (vintage?)
Rob - unsure but we're hopeful (possibly 89)

So, we have confirmed: 90, 91, 94, 95, 96, 99, 00, 02, 04, 07

My friends can bring two vintages prior to 04 (01, 03 perhaps, but they are going to check 93 for me). We are still missing 05, 06 therefore from recent vintages. If David and Summer can come, perhaps they could plug these gaps?

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Thu May 14, 2009 11:08 am

Brilliant solution Bick. I actually had similar thoughts for Mels work but she is away at the mo so couldnt really suggest it without consulting!!

If the 05 hole is not filled I might just be a nice guy and bring it as well and invite a friend to fill the seat it buys if poss. No promises though.

First thought is get someone from SRL to bring (I only have one bottle)

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Thu May 14, 2009 11:40 am

Another option, We could always fill a hole by each investing $10 to purchase a missing significant vintage (ex retail or someones collection), especially given the venue is free and we wont be dishing out for that.

see how the dust settles with attendees and vintages and can go from there.

i can bring a bit of bread/ cheese along to the tasting too to help soften the blow of all them tannins

Nayan · Post by **Nayan** » Fri May 15, 2009 7:24 am

OK, so they have sold out of the 94, but still have the 98 and 05.

Any preferences?

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Fri May 15, 2009 7:28 am

Lets reshuffle

Sue has access to 94, can you bring a 94 sue?? its an important vintage to include I think, one of the tidiest. we could all contribute $10 to sue for the 94 as an extra bottle??

Nayan, get the 05, then we wouldnt need to buy that in.

98 is a dud

Curt · Post by **Curt** » Fri May 15, 2009 7:40 am

Venue sounds perfect. Bringing our own glasses is also fine with me. With everyone using different glasses, we will probably need some form of measure. Also, if someone has a wine thief type opener that could be very handy for the older bottles. I would like to keep the numbers down so that we get a decent size sample. I am keen to see the 89 included and I do have 1. Also have the 2003 and 1987 available !

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Fri May 15, 2009 7:45 am

Ok

Nayan to simplify

I have just spoken to my favourite retail contact

I can get 1994 vintage for $134 if you want me to buy that in and you just give me cash if you havent bought the 05 yet??

Also can get for between $110 and $133 vintages 00,02,04,07,99

All from great storage since release too

Best way to pour, ive done it before, is pre measure a glass (or 2) before the event. (750mls/ attendees less a little) pre pour this ml of water into the glass and mark it with a permanent marker. At the even pour to the line in this glass and then into attenddes glass. works well with the events ive had with around 14-16 people which is the ideal number i think.