Fusing wine and artistic licence is for the people, writes Joelle Thomson.
When it comes to intimidating subjects you want to sound knowledgeable about, art and wine top the list for many people. But a new range called The People's Wine aims to take the fear factor out of both.
The idea was spawned, like so many, when a couple of friends got together over a wine or two. He is Hawke's Bay artist Martin Poppelwell and she is Rai Banbury, who works for the West Auckland's branch of the world's largest wine company, Constellation Brands. Together, they decided to create an artistic-looking local wine brand.
There are five wines in the The People's Wine range. The sauvignon blanc is my pick for drinking now, but it's early days, and the other four - a pinot noir, chardonnay merlot and pinot gris - will soften and come into their own during the next few months.
In creating labels for these wines, Poppelwell spent hours in vineyards, finding inspiration in New Zealand landscape images: a tractor, vine leaf, swan, truck and digger all appear on The People's Wine labels. And though it is early days, there is already overseas interest in the concept; from Constellation Brand's sister company in Canada.
Wines of the week
2010 The People's Wine Sauvignon Blanc $21-22
Banbury worked on the idea of this wine for months finessing the look, taste and feel with Hawke's Bay artist Martin Poppelwell, to create a sensational looking - and intensely zingy tasting - sauvignon blanc from grapes grown in the Awatere Valley, Marlborough.
2009 The People's Wine Chardonnay $21-22
Stunning, crisp, full-bodied chardonnay which has lovely lingering flavours at the end of every sip.
2010 Fallen Angel Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough $20-$25
Aside from the instantly appealing name, this sauvignon blanc has its fair share of personality and bite with bright crispness in every mouthful, tapered by vibrant, ripe grapes; grown in both the Waihopai Valley and the Awatere Valley, in Marlborough.
