REGISTER WITH THE TEAM BY 30 NOVEMBER 2011 & GO IN THE DRAW TO WIN A $350 INTERNATIONAL CYCLES GIFT VOUCHER

The Childhood Cancer Association and Sturt Football Club are once again joining forces to enter a team in next year’s Santos Tour Down Under, to raise vital funds for SA children living with cancer, and their families.  This year’s target is to raise $80,000 to provide important educational support via home tutoring, for children with cancer.

ADULTS

Bupa Challenge Tour – Friday 20th January 2012
Choice of distance: 33km/79km/102km/138km
Register on line at http://www.tourdownunder.com.au/getinvolved/bupa-challenge-tour
Team Code is BCT040    /    Team Captain – Duane Massey
Following registration, please email your BZ reference number, together with your nominated distance to dmassey@sturtfc.com.au
Team entries close 31 October 2011 (participants can still join the team following this, but won’t have the team name printed on the back of their jersey)

FOR THE KIDS!

Bupa Mini Tour for Kids – Sunday 22nd January 2012
This year, we are encouraging children aged 6-12yrs to join the ‘Sturt 4 Childhood Cancer’ team, by participating in the Mini Tour for Kids!  Ride along the start/finish straight of the street circuit just a few hours before the world’s elite cyclists race the final stage of the Santos Tour Down Under.
Register on line at http://www.tourdownunder.com.au/getinvolved/mini-tour-for-kids
Following registration, please email your name, age and BZ reference number to dmassey@sturtfc.com.au
Limited to 600 participants only – all children raising $200 or more will go into the draw to win an  Apollo kids bike thanks to International Cycles

Participants/families are encouraged to fundraise $500 each as part of their involvement in this event, to provide vital support to SA children living with cancer, and their families.

Further information about this event and the Childhood Cancer Association, please visit www.childhoodcancer.asn.au/events

So…  would you like food friendly and approachable wines at your next dinner or BBQ?
First Cut is the new brand for you!

Discover Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc & Pinot Grigio…
Discover McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon & Shiraz…
Discover lower alcohol wines that match many meals – we even have recipe suggestions!

Like to know more?

Like to hear to story from the grape growers?
Simply click on the link below which will transport you to our first Virtual Wine Room Tasting.

It’s a 45 minute tasting held by our Winemaker, Greg Clack, the Pinot Grigio grower – Damien Harris and our Sauvignon Blanc grower – Simon Berry.
Here, the guys take you through the new First Cut whites and talk about their flavour profile, how the grapes are grown and the difference a vintage can make!

If you’d like to learn more about the Adelaide Hills Virtual Wine Room and how you can join in, simply click here.

Like to taste them for yourselves?

Pop into the Adelaide Central Markets on Friday the 2nd December and they’re all there for you.
It’s a mini wine event designed just for you!

Try something different – ‘Alexandrina Cheese Company’ Fleurieu Peninsula Cheeses matched to the First Cut Wines.
Participation is free of charge.
4:30pm – 8:30pm
South Western Corner of the markets next to Zuma’s.

Receive a complete personal cheese and winemaking experience by the people in the know.  We’d love you to join us.

Tony Love – National Wine Editor for taste.com.au and The Advertiser Newspaper, SA.

Wholesome Flavour $12
H by Haselgrove 2009 Cabernet Merlot

With a winery based in McLaren Vale, most of the fruit for this crackingly good wine comes from around the same region, with a decent splash also from the Adelaide Hills and Padthaway.  It’s worth noting its great fruit too, beautifully blackcurranty with a satisfyiung wholeness, good structure and backbone to develop for a few years yet.  A brilliant bargain.

Rating:  4 glasses – A cut above
Value:  Sensational
Food:  Black olive braised beef

Ross Noble – Wine Writer for The Courier Newspaper, Adelaide Hills, SA.

Eighteen top wines for Father’s Day
Salute:  Bella Vigna Shiraz

Haselgrove was acquired by four Italian Australians in 2008.  Greg Clack is chief winemaker.  The Haselgrove Bella Vigna Beautiful Vineyard Shiraz 2009 is sourced from some of McLaren Vale’s best vineayrds and it shows in the depth of flavour.  There are ripe raspberry and blackberry aromas and falvours and well intergrated oak.  It is a rich, and rewarding wine that deserves prime beef or game, or maybe full flavoured cheeses.
$25 – Mail Order

In 2008 the business was acquired by four Italian-Australian wine stalwarts:  Don Totino, Don Luca, Tony Carrocci and Steve Maglieri.  The wines are released in four ranges:  at the top, the Il Padrone The Boss Series; next the Bella Vigna (Beautiful Vineyard) Series; then the Primo Taglio First Cut Series; and at the entry level, the ‘H’ by Haselgrove Series.  Exports to Europe and Asia.

Four Glasses out of Five

Bella Vigna McLaren Vale Shiraz 2008

Right in the mainstream of McLaren Vale style; sumptuous blackfruits, dark chocolate and cedar are intertwined with ripe tannins; good length and balance.  Screwcap.  14.5% alc.  Rating 93.  To 2020.  $25

Il Padrone The Boss McLaren Vale Shiraz 2007

Some colour development; the complex bouquet of blackfruits, mocha oak and dark chocolate leads into a medium- to full-bodied palate with more of the same; a barrel selection, but all new French oak, made only in exceptional vintages – curious, because ‘07 was certainly not exceptional, rather the reverse.  However, hyperbole to one side, this is a very good wine.  Screwcap.  14.5% alc.  Rating 93.  To 2027.  $48

Bella Vigna Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Light straw-green; a thoroughly appealing mix of citrus/lime and tropical fruits; the finish lingering and long in the mouth.  Screwcap.  12% alc.  Rating 90.  To 2012.  $20

Rusty-coloured leaves have mostly fallen from the vines in the Barossa Valley but, at many vineyards, great dark masses of shrivelled fruit remain. Most grapes are probably Grenache because it was a shocker year for this variety in the Barossa. Even those vignerons able to harvest clean, rot-free grapes found the flavour so dilute it was doubtful even for making rose´. That’s the bad news. Not much Grenache dry red from the Barossa in 2011. The good news is there are more great Grenache dry reds being produced in South Australia than ever, writes Huon Hooke in The Sydney Morning Herald.

Go to http://www.smh.com.au/executive-style/top-drop/growing-appeal-of-grenache-20110625-1gk88.html to read more about the Grenache styles of South Australia and click http://www.haselgrove.com.au/2010/10/bella-vigna-grenache/ to read about our Single Vineyard McLaren Vale Grenache

Heather Mitchell, Pinnacle Creative

‘When Gordon Grant and his team came to Pinnacle Creative his brief was clear:  he wanted to reshape the brand back to its original glory.  Gordon commissioned Pinnacle Creative to develop a number of different sub-brands within the Haselgrove premium wine portfolio. 

The rebirth of Haselgrove was to draw on their Italian heritage with the brief encompassing three distinctive sub-brnads.  Il Padrone (The Boss) previously marketed as the ‘Limelight’ is made from the very best Shiraz available from a single vintage and only released upon reaching gold medal standard.  It is the flagship of the range.

Bella Vigna (Beautiful Vineyard) is the premium range in the Haselgrove portfolio and was traditionally marketed under the ‘Reserve’ range, and finally the Primo Taglio range (First Cut) which is the quality range produced predominantly from free-run juice – the ‘first cut’ of juice.

Gordon also wanted a clearly defined connection between all the ranges, but also differentiation between price points.

Taking a vine image, this was dissected and different parts of the vine were used on the various ranges creating this connection, but each label was designed to reflect its particular price point.

Each range has its own distinctive typeface to reflect the meaning of the name and the colours were refined and kept to a neutral palette.

A decorative branded screwcap was developed that could be used across the range with the labels using foil and texture and grain to reflect the quality cues of the brand.

The Haselgrove branding remained consistent across the different tiers.  The end result is a stunning range of wines that even the mafia would be proud of!’

www.pinnaclecreative.com.au

Haselgrove First Cut Pinot Grigio 2010
$15 – $17

The savoury, underplayed personality of pinot grigio finds good expression in the reasonably priced Adelaide Hills wine.  Pale with a tinge of gas, its subtle nashi pear, almond and white peach aromas have a slightly earthy edge.  The palate is light and dry, clean-tasting with a soft, dry, pear-like finish.  (11 percent alcohol, screw cap.)

Ageing?  No.
Food ideas:  Pasta with shellfish; grilled vegetable salad.
Stockists include:  Lower Plenty Cellars;  Red Bluff Cellars;  Black Rock

4 stars, $$

Best McLaren Vale Shiraz + James Rogers trophy for Best Wine in its 1st Year of Production

Due to a huge response from the International Wine Challenge trophies, the Bella Vigna 2008 McLaren Vale Shiraz has now sold out. 

Be sure to look for it in your local outlet (see information below) and we look forward to the release of the 2009 Bella Vigna Shiraz and Cabernet in November – they’re sure to be crackers!

NSW Outlets
IGA Supermarket, BALGOWLAH HEIGHTS
Copacabana Cellar, COPACABANA
North Epping Cellars, EPPING
Wine Haven, KILLARNEY HEIGHTS
IGA Supermarket, LINDFIELD
Harris Cellars, PYRMONT
Callaghan Street Liquor Store, RYDE
Clareville Cellars, SYDNEY
Toongabbie Plaza Cellars, TOONGABBIE

VIC Outlets
Tica Teras, CARLTON
Casavini Restaurant, DONCASTER EAST
Il Duca Restaurant, EAST MELBOURNE
Barrio Cafe, IVANHOE EAST
Chillipadi, MELBOURNE CBD
Randalls, the Wine Merchant, NEWTOWN
Toorak Thai, SOUTH YARRA

Haselgrove is pleased to announce the major wine sponsorship of the South Australian Childhood Cancer Association -  a very worthy cause. 

The Childhood Cancer Association is South Australia’s key organisation, dedicated to providing emotional, practical and financial support to families in need.  Formed in 1982, this commited group was originally run by a group of volunteer parents with children with cancer, but by 1992 the demands on their services outweighed the capacity of the volunteers.  With the support of our many donors and corporate sponsors, the decision was made to embrace a new era of professional operations.  The Association now employs 5 full time and 2 part time staff.

Haselgrove now supplies all wine for their Annual Ball, held this year on 31st July, the fundraising events of the Childhood Cancer Association during the year, along with special prices available to their members.  In addition to the wine sponsorship, Clear Image Labels have donated Primo Taglio Sparkling Wine Labels and OI Glass have donated bottles for the centrepieces at Annual Ball.

We thank our suppliers for their contribution and look forward to a long, happy and successful relationship with CCA in the future.

To make a donation or for further information, please check out - Childhood Cancer Association or contact them on: 08 8239 1444.

NEWS FLASH

The Haselgrove Bella Vigna 2008 McLaren Vale Shiraz has surpassed all expectations and has taken out the title of…

BEST McLAREN VALE SHIRAZ in the LONDON INTERNATIONAL WINE CHALLENGE for 2010.

The Bella Vigna Shiraz was blind tasted by over 350 judges and as a result, Haselgrove was judged as the producer of the best Shiraz McLaren Vale has to offer.  Only 12 Australian producers won trophies at the competition this year, so it is a huge accolade.

Congratulations to Greg, Matt and the whole company on this fantastic achievement.  May there be many more.
Things are looking up for the 2010 Winestate Shiraz of the Year…