It’s not everyday you get to sit down with two of NZ’s top winery representatives to enjoy a glass or two and hear about what makes them world class.
Joining us Friday, 24 November, 6-9pm, UnserHaus Parnell, we have;
For almost 40 years, champagne maker Daniel Le Brun had one goal: to make Méthode Traditionelle wines that rival the best in the world and to do it in Marlborough, New Zealand. The first record of a Le Brun planting vines in France is from 1684 and the family still produce Méthode Traditionelle under their own labels in France. Read more about their journey to Marlborough.
No. 1 Family Estate was established in 1997 and is Daniel and Adele Le Brun's second New Zealand venture. While Daniel makes the wine, Adele provides the business and marketing flair. The next generation of Le Bruns, son Remy and daughter Virginie, are the faces of the future and are actively involved in building the No. 1 brand across the world.
Daniel and Adel have recently a Sir George Fistonich Medal Award for their service to the wine industry and consistently making sparkling wine in NZ that is arguably the closest thing to “Champagne”, and by many reports, better than some of the wones coming out of the Champagne Region.
Joining us from No. 1 Family Estate is a face you might already be familiar with, an NZ TV Presenter and actress who stared in two of the country’s most iconic shows – ‘What Now’ and ‘Shortland Street’ - Virginie Le Brun. The daughter of Daniel Le Brun, Virgine joined the family business as Global Brand Ambassador in London from 2013 -2017 and is now the Domestic & International Sales Director based in Auckland. Growing up surrounded by vineyards and in tune with the rhythms of viticulture and winemaking. Virginie is a proud first-generation Kiwi member (along with brother Remy) of the Franco/New Zealand Le Brun family and the inspiration behind two of our limited-edition vintage wines - Cuvée Virginie and Cuvée Remy.
Also joining us is;
Kevin Judd, not only is he a pioneer wine maker, but he was also pivotal for taking power-house brand Cloudy Bay and Marlborough wine itself around the globe. Kevin was born in England and grew up in Australia, where he studied winemaking at Roseworthy College and first made wine at Reynella in South Australia. He moved to New Zealand in 1983 and joined Selaks Wines. Subsequently, he became the founding winemaker at Cloudy Bay. Now all his experience is bottled with his own label – Greywacke (pronounced Greywacky), which was established in 2009.
New Zealand does not have a designated national rock, but if one was ever chosen, it would have to be greywacke. This drab grey stone is found everywhere in New Zealand – on the mountains, in the rivers, on the beaches. It consists of layers of hard, muddy grey sandstone alternating with thinner layers of darker mudstone (argillite). Technically, the term greywacke refers to the sandstone (wacke is a German name for a type of sandstone), but it is also used as a general term for the entire rock.
Not only a renowned winemaker, but Kevin has also developed a parallel career in photography. For over two decades his evocative images have appeared in countless publications worldwide. Showcasing unique and varied New Zealand wine landscapes that produces some of the finest wine in the world.
From Greywacke we have son Alex Judd joining us for the evening. Raised among the vineyards of Rapaura, totally surrounded by a world of viticulture and winemaking. From an early age, Alex had a love of food and beverage and from his high school years he worked part-time cooking in kitchens and at events, steadily advancing his knowledge and developing a deep passion for food, wine and all things hospitality. Alex has a love of textural white wines, in particular chardonnay, and enjoys delving into the vagaries of wild yeast fermentation and the complexities that can be achieved with various barrel ageing regimes.
Set to be a fantastic evening, filled with good wine, good food, and Winetopia friends.