Soundtrack to a good sip

RACHEL PINDER
Acoustic guitar players, a funk jazz DJ and Anika Moa are just some of the entertainment which wineries in Hawke's Bay are putting on to celebrate their new releases over Labour Weekend.
At Trinity Hill, DJ Floyd and the HB Project will be spinning reggae, latin, jazz, downbeat, funk and soul tunes on the lawn from 1pm until 4pm tomorrow and on Sunday.
Visitors to the cellar door will be able to try the new releases - 2004 Homage Syrah, which picked up the Champion of Champions Wine Trophy at Tuesday night's Hawke's Bay A&P; Mercedes-Benz Wine Awards, as well as the 2004 Homage The Gimblett, 2005 Gimblett Gravels Noble Viognier and 2004 Touriga Nacional Port.
Chief winemaker and managing director John Hancock said the 2004 Touriga Nacional Port was a real first.
"This wine is undoubtedly the first port-style wine to be made utilising true port varieties in New Zealand.
"Touriga Nacional is the great port variety in Portugal. Tinta roriz is the Portuguese synonym for tempranillo, also one of the best port varieties. Both these varieties are rare in New Zealand. As far as we are aware, Trinity Hill is the only grower of touriga in this country," he said. Diners are in for a treat at Clearview Estate Winery Restaurant, as the summer season kicks off to mark the new release wines Te Awanga Sauvignon Blanc 2006, Late Harvest Chardonnay 2005 and Black Reef Blush 2006.
And Clearview's award-winning cabernet sauvignon - Basket Press 2004 - which is only made in exceptional years, in 1994, 1998 and 2004, picked up a best in class silver medal at Tuesday night's Hawke's Bay A&P; Mercedes-Benz Wine Awards. Their Clearview Estate Old Olive Block Bordeaux blend also scooped a gold medal at the awards.
Clearview is launching its à la carte dinner menu tonight, which will be available every Friday night throughout the summer months of December, January and February.
There will be live music from acoustic duo Parlormint, a local Haumoana duo featuring Simon and Pat, from 6.30pm tonight and on Sunday from 12.30pm until 2.30pm.
Ngatarawa Wines will mark its 25th anniversary in a number of ways over Labour Weekend.
A commemorative Noble Harvest Riesling, XXV, will be released at cellar door to mark the occasion.
A 25th birthday dinner will be held on Saturday for friends and family of Ngatarawa. The party will continue with Ngatarawa's 80s-themed birthday ball on Sunday evening, featuring Leza Corban and her band Union. And on Monday, family and friends of Ngatarawa and Corbans Viticulture will join in a ceremonial planting of the first vines in the Mulcaster-Corban block next to the winery.
Singer-songwriter Anika Moa will spend tomorrow serenading fans at Te Awa Winery from 8pm, as part of a solo acoustic national tour.
The concert marks Te Awa's new releases - Left Field Chardonnay 2006, Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2005 and Rose 2006. Simon Ward, general manager at Te Awa Winery says it is the first time the Left Field Chardonnay has been made.
"It's a premium quality un-oaked chardonnay and we are very excited with the result.
"This single vineyard Gimblett Gravels wine shows all the intense fruit characters of chardonnay fruit from Te Awa without any other influence," Mr Ward said.
The boutique Hatton Estate vineyard and winery in Gimblett Road is opening up its treasured library stocks of their ultra premium Bordeaux blend - Tahi 1998 - to compare with the release of the latest vintage of Tahi 2004.
Visitors to the only winery cellar door in Gimblett Road will be treated to a glass of both wines when they visit this long weekend.
"We have had the cellar door open for a year now and had a great response from our many visitors. This will be a good way to say thank you and show off at the same time," said Michael Daymond-King, co-owner, and frequent cellar door host.
Hastings-based Matariki Wines is also holding wine tasting over Labour Weekend of their Reserve 2001 Blanc de Blanc.