Respected wine writer, Sam Kim, has just released his latest endorsements on Wine Orbit. Both the Farmgate Pinot Gris 2009 and Gewurztraminer 2010 have rated 4 Stars. The Farmgate Pinot Gris scored 86/100. The review describes this wine as opulent and generously flavoured, showing tropical fruit, peach and a hint of beeswax characters on the nose. The palate is full and rounded with silky texture and a succulent finish. An impressively weighted wine showing a broad mouthfeel. The Farmgate Gewurztraminer scored 87/100. The review describes this wine as just lovely on the nose displaying ripe and perfumed aromas of floral, spice and tropical fruit. The palate is vibrant and refreshing with fine texture and nicely pitched acidity. It finishes appealing and crisp.
Farmgate 4 Star ratings from Sam Kim
FARMGATE new releases
Winemaker Peter Gough, has released four new vintages - 2010 Gewurztraminer, 2010 Viognier, 2009 Merlot and 2009 Merlot Cabernet. All worthy successors and available online, weekly at the Hawke's Bay Farmers market and at the cellar door.
Sachies Kitchen opens with FARMGATE exclusively
Sachie's Kitchen has secured Farmgate Wines as their exclusive wine partner for their new purpose-built, state-of-the-art cooking school in Parnell. On offer are Japanese cooking lessons, corporate events themed around Japanese cooking, televised cooking events and product demonstrations. Sachie Nomura-Siu and her husband Nick expect to expand the cuisine to include other Asian cultures and countries.The Farmgate family are delighted their handcrafted Hawke's Bay wines will make an exciting accompaniement to Japanese cuisine.
SILVER MEDAL Farmgate Chenin Blanc 2008
Farmgate Chenin Blanc 2008 was awarded a SILVER MEDAL at the 2010 Air New Zealand Wine Awards. The lost child of the NZ wine industry is a worthy champion. Well grown and crafted into a fine wine, Chenin Blanc is versatile. Styles include a dry wine, a 'Champagne' and a dessert wine. Farmgate Chenin Blanc is ageing gracefully and will benefit from further bottle maturation through to 2018. You can buy direct online - a great summer wine with fresh seafood and salads. Also try our Farmgate Chenin Blanc with pork.
HB Farmers Market 10 Year Celebrations
The Hawke's Farmers Market, the largest and oldest in New Zealand, celebrated 10 years at the weekend. Farmgate marked 12 months as a stallholder and winemaker, Peter Gough, joined the celebrations. Huge crowds were reported as the sun shone and the day got hotter. After the crowds had gone - stall holders sat down to a birthday long lunch - a rare occurence to share food, wine and conviviality.
Hawke's Bay Farmers Market sheltered indoors
It's been a long wet winter and spring is well underway in the Bay. Farmgate along with all the other 'foodies' continues to shelter indoors at the Hastings showgrounds. It's a great morning's outing for families and friends - the sizzle of bacon, gourmet pizza, fresh organic produce, fabulous coffee selection and of course Farmgate wine to top it off. Drop in and say hello to Frank, Peter and Jo. We're in the Exhibition Hall every Sunday morning 8.30am to 12.30pm
Congratulations to Donna in Auckland
Donna visited our Farmgate stand at the recent Auckland Food Show at the ASB Showgrounds in Greenlane. A presentation box of Farmgate wines has been sent to her as the lucky winner of our visitor business card draw.
Congratulations to Anne in Wellington
Anne visited our Farmgate stand at the Wellington Food Show and is the lucky winner of a presentation box of wine.
Vintage well underway
Vintage is well underway in the winery. All of the Hawke's Bay whites are harvested as is the Pinot Noir. The grapes have come in with nice ripe flavours. We've quite a team processing and there's a lot of coffee being consumed at all hours. The weather up to and including most of Easter has been fantastic. Misty mornings open to sublime, warm Autumn days. A wee cold snap with rain has come at the right time. The weather report looks pretty good for the next few days - may it last.
Vintage is coming!
I have never seen Hawkes Bay looking so green at the end of February. With regular rain and warm, humid conditions during January / early February many vineyards are looking likely candidates for dairy conversions. These conditions make grape growers and winemakers nervous as fungal disease pressure ramps up.
Air NZ Wine Awards Trophy for Farmgate Sticky
Farmgate Noble Harvest Riesling 2007 was judged the best in the country. At the black tie dinner for New Zealand's pre-eminent wine show, the Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2009, the TROPHY for Champion Dessert Wine went to Farmgate Noble Harvest Riesling 2007. It has also received a GOLD MEDAL at the New Zealand International Wine Show 2009 and 5 STARS in Winestate Magazine.
Another Gold Medal
Farmgate Noble Harvest Riesling 2007 another GOLD MEDAL at Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2009.
We're now at the Hawke's Bay Farmers Market
Every Sunday morning, rain hail or sunshine, Farmgate Wines is now tasting and selling the current range available at the Hawke’s Bay Farmers Market.
Good as Gold Farmgate Noble Harvest Riesling 2007
Just announced is another accolade for Farmgate Noble Harvest Riesling. Gold medal at the New Zealand International Wine Show 2009.
FARMGATE at the New Zealand Wine Centre
In the heart of Napier city you can have an amazing sensory experience at Big Picture Wines – part of the New Zealand Wine Centre
Winestate results for FARMGATE
5 STARS Farmgate Noble Harvest Riesling 2007
4 STARS Farmgate Sauvignon Blanc 2008
4 STARS Farmgate Syrah 2007
FARMGATE at Hawke's Bay Olive Festival 2009
Hawke's Bay Olive Festival 2009
Saturday 19th September
10am - 4pm
A one day festival celebrating all things olive. FARMGATE Syrah is the chosen varietal for Telegraph Hill Olives and grower Rose Gresson. Recently awarded 4 STARS by Cuisine magazine, we will be onsite with the full range. This is the second olive festival.
New Release - FARMGATE Chenin Blanc
Now I remember Chenin Blanc from my very early formative years of wine drinking as being one of the workhorse grapes of the New Zealand wine industry. Made into everything from cheap and nasty bubblies, to Chateau Cardboard and a bewildering array of non descript table wines it seemed impossible that other parts of the world considered this variety highly.
FARMGATE a magnet at Auckland Food Show
The FARMGATE labels are an absolute magnet. It is amazing how in a cheek-to-cheek, shoulder-to-shoulder crowd, consumer eyes are drawn to Derek Henderson's fantastic photos on the labels.
FARMGATE at Auckland Food Show
Four days of food and wine at the Auckland Food Show will see 50,000 people explore what's on offer. Farmgate will be there in the Hawke's Bay Wine Country exhibition area in Hall 3.
FARMGATE at Hawke's Bay Farmers Market
We're set to light up the Hawke's Bay Farmers Market in spring. Come September, Frank Heuser and Farmgate winemaker, Peter Gough, will be at the Hawke's Bay Showgrounds with FARMGATE in all its glory.
Best United Travel Win FARMGATE National Franchise Award
Best United Travel of Hastings won the Farmgate National Franchise category at the HBS Hastings Business Awards 2009. Hearty congratulations to Bill and Christine Shepherd and their team at Best Travel.
FARMGATE to shine at Hastings Business Awards
For the second year running, FARMGATE wines will grace the dinner table at the 2009 HBS Hastings City Business Awards. A perfect partnership where we both recognise excellence in the community at a celebratory black-tie dinner and ball. What better way to celebrate the Hawke's Bay artisan food producers than among their peers.
Tickets are limited and snapped up very quickly. Enquiries can be made to Jodine at Hastings City Marketing. Phone 06 876 9092. Tickets are $80pp.
FARMGATE Merlot 2007 Silver Medal
Farmgate Merlot 2007 has been awarded a SILVER MEDAL at the Royal Easter Show Wine Awards 2009.
FARMGATE foodie in Cuisine Top 10 NZ Artisan Producers
Noel Crawford is in an elite group of New Zealand artisan food producers. Cuisine magazine announced their inaugural Artisan Food 2009 winners on TV1 breakfast television. Noel has created a chef's delight with Aromatics Wine Barrel Smoked Mushrooms. A fantastic product for the home or restaurant kitchen. Congratulations Noel. Several bottles of FARMGATE Gewurztraminer, Noel's signature wine, have found their way to several Cuisine and TVNZ staffers who attended the breakfast show farmers market.
TASTE Online Winner
Sue Tympkin was the lucky winner drawn from 2,900 entries in Taste magazine's online competition. Congratulations Sue, a Presentation Pack of the 4 new seasonal releases is finding it's way to your home.
FARMGATE Winners
The lucky winner of the FARMGATE Hamper subscriber promotion is Jessica Charmers. Jessica has won 2 bottles each of all four FARMGATE inaugural wines plus a selection of delicious products from our FARMGATE food producers. The two lucky winners of FARMGATE presentation packs, drawn from subscribers who entered on the TASTE magazine website are: Tanya Stephens and Kelly Ramsay. Congratulations from the FARMGATE team in Hawke's Bay.
Wines with a sense of community
Farmgate has been recently reviewed by Deborah Walton and Peter Morice at The Marlborough Express. Here's what they say:
"Wines express personality. Many interesting people get a mention in the Farmgate Wines story, a new label set to capture people's imaginations and their palates.
New Seasonal Releases Announced
The FARMGATE family joined several key food and wine writers at the winery in early November. Peter Gough announced the new seasonal releases: FARMGATE Sauvignon Blanc 2008 - The Organic Farmer, FARMGATE Viognier 2008 - The Pickler, FARMGATE Merlot 2007 - The Cherry Grower and FARMGATE Syrah 2007 - The Olive Grower. Guests then enjoyed a superb luncheon presented by Orton Catering with perfectly matched food and wine.
FARMGATE at Hawke's Bay Show
FARMGATE can be found in the Taste Hawke's Bay marquee at the HB Show. Visitors can taste and purchase onsite. Join Frank, Helen and Jo from Wednesday 22 to Friday 24 October at the Showgrounds. We'll be right beside the grandstand. See you there.
FARMGATE at Hawke's Bay Big Picture Wine
FARMGATE Chardonnay features among the region's best wines at the brand new BIG PICTURE WINE SHOW in Napier. A total wine experience right in the heart of the city. 1 Shakespeare Road, Napier, Phone (06) 835 5326.
FARMGATE at 2008 Hawke's Bay Olive Harvest Festival
FARMGATE housekeeper, Jo Smith, will be tasting the new seasonal releases at the inaugural celebration of olives on Saturday 20th September. FARMGATE food partner, Telegraph Hill, is hosting the event.
FARMGATE at FARRO FRESH
Join FARMGATE winemaker, Peter Gough, on Saturday 20th September at Farro Fresh.
FARMGATE features at the CEO Summit Dinner 2008
FARMGATE Wines are exclusively on the table at the prestigious CEO Summit Dinner 2008. The CEO Summit is a one-day event that this year will focus on the business opportunities sustainability offers. This important event in the business calendar features keynote speakers who are considered amongst the world’s top 50 visionaries. The Summit’s delicious three-course plated dinner, created by Urban Gourmet, matches each course with one of our stunning FARMGATE wines. Urban Gourmet also feature four of the FARMGATE food family in their menu – Firstlight Foods, Aromatics, Epicurean Supplies and Hohepa Cheese.
FARMGATE sponsors Hastings Business Awards
FARMGATE is a celebration of real food, real wine and real people from the Hawkes Bay. Launched earlier this year at Ngatarawa, this innovative new wine brand celebrates the Bay's artisan producers. It takes food and wine matching to a new level in New Zealand.
Michael Cooper features FARMGATE in the NZ Listener
“There’s something to be said for a wine that knows its place,” says Ngatarawa, a mid-sized winery in Hawkes Bay, owned by Alwyn and Brian Corban.
FARMGATE Chardonnay Wine of the Week
What a welcome breath of fresh air the Farmgate label is. Have your heard about it? Perhaps not, as it's pretty low key at this stage with cellar door / mail order sales only. But it's an all-encompassing concept of wine, food, people and place.
Cuisine presents FARMGATE matchmakers
Taking food and wine matching to a whole new level, Farmgate is producing Hawke’s Bay wines matched to local producers. Conceived by Auckland design studio Alt Group, Farmgate has released four Hawke’s Bay wines made by Peter Gough and Alwyn Corban, of Ngatarawa Wines. The first release includes Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer and Merlot Cabernet, each bearing an artisan producer on the label whose food matches the varietal. Releases are seasonal (watch for another later this year) and stylishly presented in a box of four, with a ‘newspaper’ of the portraits by photographer Derek Henderson. Order at www.farmgatewines.co.nz or buy from the Ngatarawa cellar door.
Terroir-ist Manifesto
There is no precise English equivalent to what the French describe as ‘terroir’ - the unique combination of soil, topography and climate that gives a wine characteristics that cannot be duplicated elsewhere.
FARMGATE exemplifies the move from sustenance to experience
Nothing represents more the move away from commodity food production, at least at the local level, than the just-announced initiative between a number of boutique food producers and Ngatarawa Winery, coinciding with this year’s better-than-ever Harvest Hawke’s Bay festival. You would have seen the supplement in Saturday’s paper. This really exemplifies the move from ‘sustenance to experience’ in the role that food and wine play in affluent societies.
TASTING NOTES
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