NEW 06 WINE TASTING NOTES

Well, it is the very end of 2007 and almost time for Sandra and I to go back to the NZ summer. The photo of our pond at Hawks Nest is to show how lovely summers are in Matakana. We go back on Jan. 17th for two months this cycle and I am really ready to get back to summer and growing plants. We don't mind a taste of winter but we are ready to flee the Nashville harsh January weather. I guess we are just like the Fla "snowbirds" except our commute is a bit longer.
Since our new 06 ORCHARD BLOCK RED is being released this week here in Nashville, I wanted to post tasting notes for the wine by our crew down in NZ. Lipman's have imported 120 cases of our new 06 wine and I know it will be well received in Tennessee. It tastes younger but still very similar to our really smooth 05 wine that is now sold out.(except a few bottles in a few retail stores) You might find it still at The Wine Shoppe, West Meade Liquors, or at Midtown in Nashville this week for your New Years libations.

You will note that our new Orchard Block Red is sealed with a screw cap. That may surprise some of you but in NZ and Australia almost all wine makers are going to screw caps. I have talked about that before in this blog so I won't go over the advantages of screw caps again except that to note that it protects the wine better and makes it easier to open and store. You also never will get a corked bottle of wine to spoil your enjoyment of the tasting experience. Now the term "crack open a new bottle" will be accurate since you do have to crack the seal of the screw cap.

I just printed up this flyer below to put in retail outlets here in Tennessee next week and to email out to known wine lovers. The tasting notes below are from our winemaker and vineyard manager- John and Jeremy- and describe the new wine well I think. Do try some soon!!!

More next year!!

Dr JIM

NEW WINE RELEASE!!!!!

Hawks Nest Vineyard

Matakana, New Zealand

RELEASED IN NASHVILLE- JANUARY 2008

2006 Matakana Cab Franc/Malbec/Merlot

“ORCHARD BLOCK RED”

This, our 2006 premium estate wine is a Bordeaux style blend of Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Merlot (59, 22, and 19%). The wine was bottled in May 2007 after aging 12 months in 33% new French oak barrels. Dark crimson red, ruby-hued, almost (but not quite) opaque, the nose is scented with the appealing fragrance we expect from these varieties- think violets and spice and hints of pencil box cedar. Finely textured with creamy cedar, spice, hints of mint, dusty blackberries and meaty tannins, the earthy depth of Malbec grapes takes the final bow and leaves a scent of cedar and violets in its wake. Absolutely delicious with Sumac rubbed rack of lamb. The traditional method of fining the wine using egg white (from free range eggs) was used and traces may remain. It has very good cellaring potential and should only improve with age for up to a decade.

We keep a blog site going about our vineyard on the Web at: www.hawksnestvineyard.blogspot.com

So, check out what is going on down at our vineyard in NZ and be sure to email us at jdgyn@aol.com if you ever have plans to visit New Zealand and want to drop by Hawks Nest to visit with us!! (PLAN TO BRING WORK CLOTHES)

Sandra and Dr. Jim Daniell, Hawks Nest Vineyard owners.

THE END OF 05!!!!!

Well, as we come to the end of 07 I have to report that we are out of our yummy 05 Hawks Nest Orchard Block Red in Tennessee. The last three cases went out of Lipman's warehouse today to The Wine Shoppe in Green Hills. (If you are reading this in NZ there is good news for you as we still have about 40 case left in stock so you can still get it in stores around Warkworth.) This is perfect timing as the new 06 Hawks Nest is ready to be released here in Nashville. We plan a big new release party for the wine this next Sat. at the Wine Shoppe in Green Hills and I will be there most of the afternoon on Jan 5th to talk about the wine, NZ, and sign bottles. Do drop by if you can? The new wine is in a screw cap- as are 90% of NZ wines this year. OUR 06 Hawks Nest is a similar blend to the 05 but has a little of Merlot in it which will give it more body and allow it to cellar longer.

Tennesseans!!! We are proud of how our Hawks Nest wine has been received in Nashville over the first two years that we have sold it here and thank all of you for your support. Do be sure to tell your wine drinking friends about Hawks Nest and let them know our third release is now here. One of my New Year's resolutions is to be better at keeping my blog site up to date and of interest to those who visit.

So, good by for now and I will be in posting again soon!!!!


Dr JIM

NEW WINE STORE IN NASHVILLE!!!

A new wine store took our wine on this month in West Nashville. This is a really neat place and Austin the manager is VERY selective in what he offers to his clients. The Seller of Wine just sells wine (and a few rare ales) and mostly small select labels in a neat clean store. There is no clutter, excellent display shelves, and a very wine savvy staff. So, we are excited to be able to announce that one of the most unique wine stores in Nashville is now carrying Hawks Nest Orchard Block red. The Seller of Wine on Hwy. 100 in the old McLures has a very knowledgeable staff dedicated to helping customers select just that perfect wine for each occasion. If you want a special wine at a fair price offered to you in a personalized relaxed fashion, you need to drop in for a visit.

I was greeting customers and signing bottles there yesterday afternoon and had a really good time. In the photos you can see the display shelves with Hawks Nest right in the middle of some really cool wines. Austin is the handsome guy in the suit on the right with two customers.
The other two shots show the display arrangement for the store.

So, I have been busy 'meeting and greeting" customers a few afternoons this past week in some of the bottle shops around Nashville selling our wine. It is fun talking to people about New Zealand and telling our story about Hawks Nest Vineyard. At this time of year customers in wine stores are looking for unique Holiday gifts and a signed bottle of Hawks Nest seems to be a good idea to many people that I have talked to in some of the stores.

Sandra and I wish all of you much holiday cheer. Remember that good red wine is a perfect way to get everyone is a good seasonal mood-and Hawks Nest Orchard Block fits the bill perfectly.

If you check in some of the stores in West Nashville, you will probably find a few Hawks Nest bottles with my name scribbled on the label. I will keep popping in the local stores near us to sign bottles this next week as well so do check it out. I plan to go to Grand Cru, Midtown, West Meade Liquors, The Wine Shoppe in Green Hills, and Vinea on 12th Ave. south as well as maybe a few store a bit farther from our home If I get a chance.

More Soon;

Dr JIM

OOPS

GOSH DARN!! In my last post just done an hour ago I had photos of both of our grandchildren who were just here for 10 days. The lovely blond gal is Cadence who is now 4 and that is Megan our daughter holding Baylor our 1.9 year old grandson in front of the bare tree. Anyway I wanted to be sure to point out just who is who in the family tree!!
Dr JIM

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Only two more weeks to Christmas and it was 76 degrees here in Nashville yesterday. Maybe Al Gore is correct!!!! Anyway it is supposed to turn colder this weekend and that should get us in the holiday spirit..

This is the time for giving and nothing is better than a good bottle of wine to give to your friends and family. SOOOOOO, think of Hawks Nest this time of year. We are down to only 30 cases of our good 05 vintage so you better run out and get some now. It is selling fast at under $20 here in Tennessee. You can also get it in NZ as well in the Warkworth area as well.

I am going to make a big pre-Christmas push to help wine sales here in Nashville this weekend and will be signing bottles in four stores between this Thurs and Sat. If you want some personalized signed bottles for gifts either drop by the times below or email me at jdgyn@aol.com and tell me your favorite bottle shop in Nashville that carries our wine and I will go there and sign some bottles for you for the store to hold specifically for you.

I will be at the following stores.
Thurs the 13th--4-6 at West Meade Liquors at the split of Hwy 70 and 100 in West Nashville
Fri the 14th-- 4-6 at The Seller of Wines on Hwy 100 in the old McLures store site.
Sat the 15th --1-3 at the Wine Shoppe in Green Hills
Sat the 15th----4-6 at Grand Cru on Murphy Rd off West End by 440.
I will also be at the grand opening of the new store in Hill Place next to Whole foods on Sat the 15th from 11-1 PM

See you soon!!!

Dr Jim

TIME FLIES

I note that it has been over two weeks since my last post. Sorry, but we were busy traveling back to Tenn. and hosting all of our family last week. We just celebrated Sandra's 60 something birthday on the 5th with a big party. Here is a family shot of all of us except the little one-Baylor-who is almost 2 but still has an early bedtime. (hey, it is my blog and I can post family photos if I want)

So, we are settled in for the year end holidays and the good news is that our Hawks Nest 06 wine is about to be released here in Tennessee by Lipman Brothers our wholesaler. We tasted a LOT this last week and all agree that is going to be a super wine once it ages a bit more. The good news is that it will still retail in Tennessee for under $20 so that will be a good deal for you and your wine drinking friends. I am still working on some wine tasting events for real soon. SOOOOOOO KEEP WATCHING THIS SPACE FOR DETAILS!!!!!

More after our grandkids leave and we recover!!!

Dr JIM