Latest news with #Syrah
Scoop
6 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
GIMBLETT GRAVELS® 2023 Annual Vintage Selection Revealed
Kudos to the Gimblett Gravels® reds chosen for the 2023 Annual Vintage Selection. On announcing the selection, Andrew Caillard MW declared, 'it is extremely moving to taste wines of this quality and impact.' The sixteenth year of the release, the top six were selected blind by Sydney based Master of Wine Andrew Caillard. Sent to wine influencers around the world, the wines tell the story of the 2023 vintage. When Cyclone Gabrielle hit Hawke's Bay in February 2023, the free draining soils of the Gimblett Gravels Wine Growing District® revealed their worth. Coupled with the fortitude and skill of the vignerons, the wines are a tribute to the producers. Andrew applauded the wineries, noting, 'the 2023 Gimblett Gravels Selection highlights the resilience of the district while showing the creative strength of winemakers and the exceptional calibre of vineyard managers and their teams.' Chairman of the Gimblett Gravels Winegrowers Association, Cameron Price, commented, 'vintage 2023 was a powerful reminder of nature's hand in winemaking, but that the skill and passion of the vigneron can prevail. These wines continue the Gimblett Gravels® story of excellence, a testament to the enduring partnership between nature and nurture.' The 2023 Annual Vintage Selection comprises the following wines: Blended reds (Bordeaux varieties) Church Road Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Cabernet Franc Čuvar Guardians Cabernet Merlot Malbec Mission Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Squawking Magpie The Chatterer Merlot Malbec Syrah Elephant Hill Stone Syrah Stonecroft Organic Reserve Syrah Notes: The sixteenth year of this initiative from the Gimblett Gravels Winegrowers Association, the Annual Vintage Selection provides a snapshot of each vintage and helps to chart the evolution of GIMBLETT GRAVELS® wines. GIMBLETT GRAVELS® is a fully registered trademark owned by the Gimblett Gravels Winegrowers Association, established in 2001. Only members of the Association are entitled to brand their qualifying wines as GIMBLETT GRAVELS® where such wines comprise a minimum of 95% fruit grown on specific free draining gravel soils deposited by the Ngaruroro River in inland Hawke's Bay, North Island. The combination of these deeply layered gravels - of which there are only 800 hectares (2000 acres) by area - and warm maritime climate has served to produce blended (Bordeaux varietal) red and Syrah wines that have achieved critical acclaim around the globe.
Mint
6 days ago
- Mint
Water sommeliers say the simplest drink is the future of luxury
SIX ESTEEMED sommeliers sit silently behind a judging table. A waiter tops up their glasses one by one and they appraise the stuff: sniff, hold it to the light, sometimes swirl, sip, swish between cheeks, dump the extras and give it a score. But the liquid is no Zinfandel or Syrah. Instead the bon viveurs are tasting high-end waters. The competition launched this year's Fine Water Summit in the swanky Buckhead neighbourhood of Atlanta, Georgia. With 1,100 bottles imported from 35 countries, it is the biggest event of its sort. The assembled connoisseurs—from Hong Kong to France and California—have paid $975 each for a weekend of talks and tastings co-ordinated by Michael Mascha, the group's Austrian founder, who lives in Texas. Most are middle-aged, very foodie and unusually fit. Many are among the 250 water sommeliers ordained by Mr Mascha's academy. Months of training have taught them to appreciate how minerality changes water's flavour, how silica affects its mouth-feel and the size of bubbles its acidity. The waters taste as different from each other as wines do. One, from the glaciers of the Lofoten Islands in Norway, does indeed taste like melted snow. Another, from the highest volcano in the Peruvian Andes, is bitter and salty—not your correspondent's favourite. Nico Pieterse, a sommelier who runs a tasting room on South Africa's Western Cape, likes to pair the first with sashimi and the second with fried foods or anchovy pizza. As the attendees sample still and sparkling varieties, Mr Mascha comes by with a spectacular bottle. The 'Fromin" is 15,000-year-old Ice Age water from what is now the Czech Republic. Floating in it are flakes of gold. 'I don't bring wine to parties, I bring this," he says. 'For the rest of the evening no one wants champagne any more." Mr Mascha is a food anthropologist who collected wine before his doctor told him to ditch it. For ten years afterwards he switched to fine water. He was mercilessly mocked: at a live television event in Las Vegas he was given toilet water to taste. Now nearly 40 restaurants, some with Michelin stars, offer full 'water menus", thanks to his evangelising. Youngsters less keen on booze are taking notice. Doran Binder, an effusive blonde-bearded sommelier, has gone viral on TikTok. After buying a failing pub in the English countryside he discovered that his land produced some of the world's 'creamiest" water. He now sells trendy cans of it by subscription. He reckons corporate water companies are scamming people into drinking poison-infused water; restaurants too often ruin the good stuff by serving it with 'chlorinated ice cubes and a slice of fucking lemon". The summit is sponsored by Lake, a cryptocurrency firm that wants to decentralise the water industry. The aqua enthusiasts are eager for more people to invest. Elena Berg, a sommelier who doubles as an environmental scientist at a Parisian college, sees the movement as a way to talk about how precious clean water is as climate change threatens access to it. But to many in Atlanta this weekend it is more about enjoying life's small pleasures. Mr Pieterse, the South African, wants to put scannable barcodes on the bottles so you can listen to the water trickling at its source while sipping it. Doing so would allow customers to simply revel in the fact that they are drinking something that a mammoth once drank, too. Stay on top of American politics with The US in brief, our daily newsletter with fast analysis of the most important political news, and Checks and Balance, a weekly note from our Lexington columnist that examines the state of American democracy and the issues that matter to voters.
Straits Times
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
St Bernards romp at unique Swiss theme park
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox A St Bernard dog exercises in a pool in the Barryland museum and theme park in Martigny, in the Swiss Alps. MARTIGNY, Switzerland – Syrah walks slowly and deliberately on a treadmill submerged in a large water tank, as two therapists help keep her steady, and a crowd looks on in awe. The eight-year-old St Bernard is receiving her regular hydrotherapy session, while visitors to the newly reopened Barryland theme park in the Swiss Alpine valley town of Martigny follow every move. 'We give hydrotherapy to older dogs or dogs that have undergone surgery,' said Barryland director Melanie Glassey-Roth. 'Everything here is conceived for the well-being of our dogs.' Revamped from a smaller, 'living museum' focused on St Bernards and after two years of work, Barryland has morphed into a large, interactive theme park fully dedicated to Switzerland's national dog. Built in the shape of a paw print, the main building offers interactive experiences and virtual-reality tours of the history and myths that surround the St Bernard, as well as the chance to interact with the big dogs themselves. The park is hoping to see its visitor numbers soar to potentially 200,000 a year, up from 83,000 before the renovation. Emblematic dog representing entire region The St Bernard breed, which reached a new level of stardom when it was featured in the 1992 blockbuster Hollywood comedy film Beethoven, was cross-bred into existence centuries ago in the Swiss Alps, not too far from where today's theme park lies. It was originally bred from farm dogs indigenous to the region by a hospice monastery – perched 2,500m above sea level – to use for rescue work in the perilous Great St Bernard Pass between Switzerland and Italy. 'This is an emblematic dog that represents the entire region,' said Mr Jean-Maurice Tornay, head of the Barry Foundation, which runs Barryland. Barryland got its name from the most famous and heroic St Bernard of all. Local lore holds that Barry, who lived from 1800 to 1814 and was credited with more than 40 rescues in his lifetime, carried a little barrel of alcohol around his collar, a welcome drink for weary travellers. A St Bernard dog receives care in the Barryland museum and theme park in Martigny, in the Swiss Alps. PHOTO: AFP In his honour, the monastery always had one dog named Barry – a tradition that continues at Barryland today. The park's current Barry, a towering 7½-year-old male weighing around 80kg, is the largest and most decorated of its dogs. The Barry Foundation has 36 St Bernards in all, who live at a nearby kennel in Martigny. Some dogs spend whole summers up at the Great St Bernard Pass. But with the reopening of Barryland, 16 dogs from the Martigny kennel will crowd into a large van each morning and be driven across to the theme park, ready to play stars. New mission Head of the breeding programme Manuel Gaillard holds two St Bernard puppies at Barryland museum and theme park. PHOTO: AFP At Barryland, the giant dogs, with their dark-ringed eyes and fur covered in reddish-brown patches, run around in spacious, grassy parks, lounge in large indoor enclosures and submit to grooming, massages and treatments. For the reopening, the park presented two new puppies, Xcell and Xaver, who tumbled enthusiastically around their mother Lio, nudging her until she sat down to let them nurse. Nearby, dog handler Sahel Robette encouraged Tosca, an eight-year-old female, to climb onto a large weighing scale. 'Sixty-five kilos!' he exclaimed, as he began brushing her down, searching her fur for tics and inspecting her ears and nails. Once the heroes of the Swiss Alps, St Bernards today are doing heroic work in other settings, Mr Tornay said. With helicopters having taken over their rescue role, the St Bernard has found a new social mission, he told AFP. The foundation's dogs make hundreds of visits each year to hospitals, nursing homes and prisons, where they are used for therapy and social training, 'sharing a little bit of kindness', he said. The St Bernard is perfect for these missions, Ms Glassey-Roth said, as one of the dogs laid its giant head on her lap. 'It has a quiet force; it is calm and very social.' AFP
AU Financial Review
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- AU Financial Review
Tesla extends deadline for Australian battery material deal
Elon Musk's Tesla has agreed to extend a key deadline for AustralianSuper-backed Syrah Resources, offering the ASX-listed graphite producer a reprieve to supply a key battery material to the US electric car maker. The agreement, which originally required Syrah to deliver all its test batches of battery-grade material from its Louisiana processing plant to Tesla by May 31, has been extended to February 9.
Time Business News
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Business News
Wine Tasting 101: Mastering the Art of Notes, Aromas, and Flavors
Wine tasting is more than just sipping and swirling. It's an experience that combines the senses, balances art and science, and takes you on a voyage through vineyards around the world. Whether you're a seasoned sommelier or someone who enjoys an occasional glass with dinner, learning how to appreciate wine tasting notes, aromas, and flavors will elevate your enjoyment of wine to a whole new level. This guide will help you: Decode the essential elements of wine tasting notes. Learn how to identify wine aromas and flavors like the professionals. Boost your confidence at tastings, wine clubs, or vineyards with simple tips. Get ready to refine your palate and deepen your understanding of wine. Wine tasting notes are essentially descriptive terms used to articulate the characteristics of a wine. They offer insights into what you can expect from a bottle at the sensory level. Key elements of wine tasting notes: Appearance : The wine's color, clarity, and viscosity (often called 'legs'). For example, a vibrant ruby-red signifies youth in red wines, whereas an amber tone points to age. : The wine's color, clarity, and viscosity (often called 'legs'). For example, a vibrant ruby-red signifies youth in red wines, whereas an amber tone points to age. Aroma : The scents or 'nose' of the wine, which range from fruits and flowers to herbs and spices. : The scents or 'nose' of the wine, which range from fruits and flowers to herbs and spices. Palate (Taste): The flavors you experience when you take a sip, as well as its body, acidity, sweetness, tannins, and finish. (Taste): The flavors you experience when you take a sip, as well as its body, acidity, sweetness, tannins, and finish. Finish: Refers to how long the wine's flavors linger after swallowing. A longer finish often indicates higher quality. Example of a wine note: 'A medium-bodied Sauvignon Blanc showing bright citrus aromas, grassy herbaceous notes, and a crisp, refreshing finish.' To fully appreciate a glass of wine, you need to engage three main senses: Sight – Analyze the color, clarity, and viscosity. Smell – Identify different aromas. The nose is critical to understanding the wine's bouquet. Taste – The ultimate test of a wine lies in its balance of flavors and acidity, alongside unique characteristics like tannins or oakiness. By practicing these steps, you'll start recognizing the individuality of every bottle. A wine's aroma is influenced by grape variety, terroir (the environment where the grapes are grown), and the winemaking process. Whether it's a Riesling offering a burst of floral notes or a smoky Syrah, a wine's aroma gives invaluable clues about its origin and age. Wine aromas are often broken into three categories: Primary Aromas (Grape Origin) Derived from the grapes themselves. Common examples: Fruits (berries, stone fruits, citrus) Floral scents (rose, violet, honeysuckle) Herbs (mint, sage, bell pepper) Secondary Aromas (Winemaking Process) Result from fermentation and other production techniques. Common examples: Yeasty notes (bread dough, biscuit) Dairy notes (butter, cream) Developed during aging, either in barrels or bottles. Common examples: Spices (vanilla, clove, nutmeg) Earthy tones (leather, tobacco, mushroom) Oxidative notes (nuts, caramel, honey) Smelling wine might sound simple, but it's a skill that improves with practice. Here's how: Start with a swirl: Swirl the wine in your glass to release volatile compounds that create the aroma. Swirl the wine in your glass to release volatile compounds that create the aroma. Take a deep sniff: Use short, concentrated breaths to capture the wine's core bouquet. Use short, concentrated breaths to capture the wine's core bouquet. Focus on familiar scents: Break down what you smell into recognizable elements, such as blackberry, oak, or fresh-cut grass. Fun fact: Humans can detect over 10,000 scents, making your nose the most powerful tool in wine tasting. Several factors dictate the flavors you'll experience in a wine, from the type of grape to the soil and climate where it was grown. Understanding these influences will deepen your appreciation. Key influencers include: Grape Variety: Each grape has its unique flavor profile. For example, a Chardonnay often carries buttery or tropical flavors, while a Pinot Noir might lean toward ripe cherry and earthiness. Terroir: The environment where the grapes are cultivated, including soil composition, weather, and altitude. Winemaking Techniques: Oak-aging, malolactic fermentation, and blending all contribute to a wine's taste. Here's what to look for when tasting: Fruit-Focused Wines: Examples include strawberry in rosé or green apple in Pinot Grigio. These are typically found in younger wines. Examples include strawberry in rosé or green apple in Pinot Grigio. These are typically found in younger wines. Earthy Wines: Think terroir-driven flavors, such as mushroom and tobacco in aged reds. Think terroir-driven flavors, such as mushroom and tobacco in aged reds. Sweet or Dessert Wines: Examples include honeyed tones in Sauternes or apricots in Riesling. Examples include honeyed tones in Sauternes or apricots in Riesling. Sparkling Wines: Citrus, brioche, and mineral flavors are typical. Pairing your favorite flavors with complimentary foods can take your experience to the next level. Maintain a record of your impressions for every wine you try. Include appearance, aroma, and taste to compare over time. Believe it or not, the shape of a wine glass can enhance aromas and direct flavors to the right parts of your palate. Don't limit yourself to one type of wine. Explore everything from dry whites to bold reds to broaden your horizons and refine your palate. Challenge your taste buds by trying wines without knowing the label or origin. This helps you focus entirely on the flavors and aromas. Match the wine you're tasting with complementary dishes. For example, pair a Cabernet Sauvignon with a juicy steak or a light Sauvignon Blanc with a fresh summer salad. Wine tasting is about exploration. Each bottle tells a story—from the sun-soaked vineyards of France to the rugged Australian outback, you'll uncover rich narratives that make wine more than just a drink. By mastering the art of wine tasting notes, aromas, and flavors, you're equipping yourself with lifelong skills to savor every sip, choose better bottles, and even impress fellow wine enthusiasts. Now that you're equipped with everything you need to elevate your Wine Tasting game, why not put your skills to the test? Pick up a bottle from your local shop or visit a vineyard near you. Remember, the more you practice, the better you'll get at identifying and appreciating the subtleties every wine has to offer. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
