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Latest News from No1 Family Estate (February 2010)
After twelve years of producing some of New Zealand’s leading Methode Traditionnelle wines, No 1 Family Estate winemaker and proprietor Daniel Le Brun has created the ultimate cuvée in honour of his son, Remy Le Brun, and was officially released on January 16, his 21st birthday.
The wine, ‘Cuvée Remy’ is a blend of 80% Pinot Noir, giving structure and power and 20% Chardonnay which contributes richness and finesse. The making of just 200 cases of this wine honours the same process as used in Daniel’s homeland - Champagne - with the hand-picking of grapes and pressing them in whole bunches using a special Vaselin press (imported from Champagne) followed by fermentation in bottle to create the all-important bubbles. The wine spent two years on yeast lees prior to disgorgement in December 2009.
The Le Brun family arrived in Marlborough 30 years ago and specialise purely in the production of methode traditionnelle. The range includes Cuvée N° 1, a non-vintage blanc de blancs (100% chardonnay), Cuvée Number 8, a non-vintage blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Reserve Cuvée 10, a limited edition wine and a vintage blend created in only the finest years called Cuvée Virginie after their daughter. With the addition of Cuvée Remy, the family is now complete and if history is anything to go by, this special wine will soon start winning accolades to match or even exceed its siblings.
There are traditions associated with wine that date back longer then the European settlement of New Zealand. One of those traditions is the sabering of champagne. A quick flick of the sword and off with its head.
According to Wikipedia the technique called sabrage became popular in France when the army of Napoleon visited many of the aristocrat domains. It was just after the French revolution (1789) and the sabre was the weapon of choice of Napoleon's fearsome cavalry (the Hussar). Napoleon's spectacular victories across all Europe gave them plenty of reason to celebrate. During these parties the cavalry would open the Champagne with their sabres. Napoleon probably encouraged this and is known to have said: "Champagne! In victory one deserves it; in defeat one needs it."
Today sabrage is usually associated with ceremony so it is no surprise that New Zealand's number one sparkling wine producer, No. 1 Family Estate, with the generations of Champagne winemaking in the family, uses a sabre to launch new releases.
And so it was for the launch of the new No. 1 Rosé in Auckland the other night. Remy and Virginie Le Brun sabraged in unison and the corks flew. And I captured it on my digital camera. Perhaps this write-up should be Photo of the Week, rather than Wine of the Week - I can't believe I captured the action in such detail. It was Remy's first official sabrage and in the blown up photo, you can see the spurt of foam and the cork suspended in the air near the bottom left of the frame.
Then, after the ceremonies, the wine was poured.
No.1 Rosé is a beautiful light salmon pink in colour. Made entirely from Pinot Noir grapes it hints of strawberries and cherries yet has that nutty yeast complexity from the time the wine spent en tirage. A hum of acidity balances the sweetness and the wine has to be served well chilled. Extreme chilling is also needed for successful sabrage.
A night of wine and canapés - I heard the tempura batter oysters were exquisite with the Rosé but as I don't eat oysters I was happy with the duck pate canapés. I have another bottle here and I am going to try it with the No. 1 Rosé recommendations - Braised stuffed chicken thighs - stuffed with bacon, pine nuts, and herbs, then wrapped in prosciutto. There is also a strawberry rosé syllabub, made with strawberries, sugar, cream, Grand Marnier and No. 1 Rosé - this is having your wine and eating it too. Yum, I so want to make this it.
No.1 Family Estate, New Zealand’s only winemaker focusing exclusively on the production of Methode Traditionnelle has appointed Eveline Fraser to share the role of Chief Winemaker with proprietor, Daniel Le Brun.
Fresh from her position as Senior Winemaker at Marlborough’s Cloudy Bay, Eveline’s experience in the production of Cloudy Bay’s cult sparkling wine, Pelorus will contribute valuable experience to the company’s winemaking team. Daniel comments on Eveline’s appointment, “We are delighted to welcome Eveline to the team. Our families have been friends for 30 years and it is wonderful that we can now share our passion for making great sparkling wines.”
Using only specialised equipment imported from Champagne, Eveline will join the family-owned producer to continue the ritual of hand-crafting superb Methode Traditionelle focusing on just five very special wines; Cuvée N°1, a non-vintage blanc de blancs made from 100% chardonnay, Cuvée Number 8, a non-vintage blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Reserve Cuvée No.10 and Cuvée Virginie – both limited edition wines and only made in the finest of years and now for the first time, a rose made from 100% Pinot Noir.
No. 1 Family Estate has grown steadily since its establishment eleven years ago and with numerous international trophies, gold medals and five-star awards, is looking forwards to a rewarding future.
No 1 Family Estate is sponsoring and supporting “Toast for a better World”, a new initiative in the Netherlands where €25 from each bottle of No 1 Cuvee sold goes to five Dutch charities. www.toostopeenbeterewereld.nl
The opening event is June 4 and Adele & Daniel Le Brun will be present at De Librije Restaurant to speak and show the wine. De Librije, one of only two Michelin 3 Star restaurants in the Netherlands, and the most famous, is owned and operated by Jonnie & Thérèse Boer who are acting as Ambassadors for this concept.
There are five charities involved:
1. Artsen Zonder Grenzen: www.artsenzondergrenzen.nl. Help with medical aid in undeveloped countries around the world.
2. Stichting Vluchteling (Giro 999): www.vluchteling.org Offer human resource aid in undeveloped countries such as Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe.
3. Aids Fonds: www.aidsfonds.nl Organisation since 1985, and their mission is to get a world less of aids, which starts with the Netherlands.
4. Stichting Breath: www.stichtingbreath.nl. To improve the living conditions and help build a self supporting existence for children in need, without regard of religion, ethnicity, descent or convictions.
5. Villa Pardoes: www.villapardoes.nl Show sick Children between the ages of 4-12 a good time, takes them to theme/animal parks, on vacation etc...
 No. 1 Family Estate, Marlborough’s leading producer of boutique bubblies has won Sparkling Wine of the Year at the Winestate Wine of the Year Awards.
Proprietor and winemaker, Daniel Le Brun attended the dinner in Adelaide on Thursday night with his daughter, Virginie and son, Remy and received the award for his No.1 Family Estate Cuvee No. 1. This follows the company recently winning the Australian Winewise Trophy for best sparkling wine.
Commenting on the win, Daniel said, “It is very exciting for us to win this award – we are passionate about bubbles and it is a wonderful endorsement to see this wine do so well.”
It was said on the night that New Zealand obviously had the edge when it came to methode traditionelle and that Cuvee No.1 was ‘head and shoulders above the rest’.
Cuvee No. 1 is a non-vintage ‘blanc de blancs’ made from 100% Chardonnay. The grapes are hand-harvested in March each year and whole-bunch pressed in a special Vaselin press that was expressly imported from Champagne, along with the company’s other winemaking equipment.
Following the first fermentation, during spring, the true Champagne art of blending takes place. Cuvee No. 1 is approximately 80% current vintage and 20% previous vintage, to ensure the all-important consistency required in non-vintage wines.
Once bottled, the wine is treated to an addition of yeast and sugar which triggers the second fermentation. This method of ‘bottle fermentation’ is the genuine mark of Champagne and top quality ‘Methode Traditionelle’ wines.
The wine is then matured for two years during which it is gently turned and tilted before the disgorgement process which removes the build up of sediment resting in the neck of the bottle.
The only New Zealand winery to specialise exclusively in the production of method traditionelle, the Le Brun family excel at their passion, as revealed by this award.
A small amount of Reserve Cuvee 10 was released in November, just in time for Christmas.
This Limited Edition wine is a blend of Pinot Noir (20%) and Chardonnay (80%). A non-vintage, it has spent 4 years on lees, allowing full yeast autolysis to create a generous, rich, creamy and full-bodied wine, a style which became synonymous with our winemaker over the last two decades.
The wine is almost all sold out, most of it going to our top restaurant clients and fine wine retailers and the balance to the USA.
Cuvee No 1, made by winemaker Daniel Le Brun at No 1 Family Estate, has just taken top honours at the Winewise Small Vigneron Awards this month in Australia.
No 1, a non-vintage blanc de blancs (100% Chardonnay), edged out 24 other Sparklings in its class, plus 8 Red Sparklings, to win the Trophy for best Sparkling Wine.
This wine has always been consistently awarded in this competition, often being placed amongst the top wines. This year the judges reported that standards were higher than ever before. Trophy winners across all other wine sections were from Australia.
Judges comments on the No 1 were: "Rich and complex, with attractive toasty notes to the bouquet. The palate is impressively long and creamy."
"No 1 Family - Cuvee No 1 NV Blanc de Blancs
This is still my favourite Kiwi Methode.... Monsieur Le Brun seems to have upped the ante slightly too, with the current Cuvee No 1 the best yet." Matthew Deller, Dish August - September 2007
(November 2006)
A new Limited Edition methode traditionelle wine, a Reserve Cuvee, is being released by No 1 Family Estate to certain key outlets in time to take advantage of Christmas trading.
Reserve Cuvee celebrates the first decade of No 1 Family Estate, the multi-award-winning wine venture set up by pioneering champagne-maker, Daniel Le Brun, his wife Adele and their children Virginie and Remy.
Originally timed for release early next year, the availability of the Reserve Methode was brought forward to help cater for the increased demand for No 1 Family Estate bubbles.
This Limited Edition wine is a blend of Pinot Noir (55%) and Chardonnay (45%). A non-vintage, it has spent 4 years on lees, allowing full yeast autolysis to create a generous, rich, creamy and full-bodied wine, a style which became synonymous with our winemaker over the last two decades.
(October 2006)
In the same pioneering spirit that saw No 1 Family Estate owner Daniel Le Brun bring bubbles to Marlborough, the winemaker has now launched New Zealand’s first crown sealed methode traditional wine.
The limited edition crown seal release, using No 1 Family Estate’s award-winning Cuvée Number Eight was uncapped today (October 4) at a special launch luncheon at Mollies restaurant in Auckland, attended by some of the country’s top wine writers.
No 1 Family Estate co-owner and marketing manager Adele Le Brun said the wine was still the same carefully produced Cuvée Number Eight blend but with the added advantage of easy opening. She said the company’s other wines - Cuvée N˚1 and Cuvée Virginie - would remain under cork.
Producing Cuvée Number Eight under crown seal is an exclusive venture between No 1 Family Estate and Auckland’s Fine Wine Delivery Company.
The idea originated from the wine company whose proprietor and managing director Jeff Poole said he’d seen, tasted and been impressed with methode traditional wines produced under crown seal in Australia. He felt the same could be achieved in New Zealand.
“Cuvée Number Eight is an excellent wine and this is a great initiative,” he said.
Mr Poole said the Fine Wine Delivery Company tasted about 4500 wines annually, including dozens of methode traditional wines and Champagnes, of which a percentage were spoilt by cork taint.
Those he tried under crown seal in Australia had all the style, quality and characteristics of beautifully aged Champagne with an added freshness he attributed to being sealed after recent disgorgement.
“The crown seal allows lees development yet leaves the bubbles with a gorgeous freshness.”
The crown seal made Cuvée Number Eight ideal for weddings and other functions where a high quality, reasonably priced methode traditional wine was the order of the day, he added.
His company has previously marketed a sparkling shiraz under crown seals and he said it was “snapped up”.
“Quality doesn’t suffer and I genuinely believe wine under crown seal will last longer than you or I,” Mr Poole said.
Mrs Le Brun said using crown seals was not something No 1 Family Estate would have thought of doing because co-owner and winemaker Daniel le Brun was very much a traditional champenois.
However, she added, having been in the New Zealand wine industry since 1980, he realised innovation and flexibility were part of the New World wine industry.
“So when Jeff approached us with the idea, we thought about it. We respect his acumen and knowledge of the market so decided to meet the market he identified,” she said.
Marlborough’s award winning Cuvée N˚1 is now being served on Air New Zealand’s trans-Tasman business class flights.
Produced by No 1 Family Estate, Cuvée N˚1 is a trophy and gold medal winning, traditional style sparkling blanc de blancs.
Owners of No 1 Family Estate, Adele and Daniel Le Brun are delighted with the inclusion of Cuvée N˚1 on the trans-Tasman route.
“The selection is rigorous and there were a large number of contenders,” said Mrs Le Brun.
Cuvée N˚1 is widely exported and the recipient of numerous accolades plus national and international trophies, show medals and five star listings. |
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