Graham Norton and his signature chuckle were a common feature of the blending session held with Invivo's Rob Cameron and Tim Lightbourne at Eden Park on Wednesday morning. Photo / Invivo
Graham Norton and his signature chuckle were a common feature of the blending session held with Invivo's Rob Cameron and Tim Lightbourne at Eden Park on Wednesday morning. Photo / Invivo
It seems wrong to throw out wine. Especially continually, repeatedly.
Alas, this was a special occasion; this was a blending session with Invivo Wines and Graham Norton creating their 2021 sauvignon blanc and rosé vintages.
Unfortunately, because of Covid-19, Norton couldn't be in New Zealand to do it alongside Tim Lightbourne and Rob Cameron, so it was again held virtually - but this time with a twist.
On a relatively mild Wednesday morning, Norton was beamed through on the big - and little - screens of Auckland's Eden Park.
An event unlikely to rile the neighbours, as all that was heard over the speakers was Norton's signature giggle every now and then as the trio went about the blending process.
That also involved about a dozen of us sitting on the deck of the corporate suite ready to follow along as they tasted seven bottles of wine from Gisborne and Marlborough.
Lightbourne later told the Herald it was the eighth year of blending their new vintage sauvignon blanc and rosé with Norton.
It was a test of a different kind held at Eden Park early Wednesday morning - a taste test. Chatting with Graham Norton, virtually, is Invivo's Tim Lightbourne, left, and Rob Cameron. Photo / Invivo
"He signs off all the wine and spirits we produce as it's really important to him, and we really enjoy the process with Graham."
Normally the pair would travel to be with him in person, either in London or his home in West Cork, Ireland.
"However, over the past 14 months or so, we've adapted to the realities of Covid by holding our sessions with Graham virtually. We send him samples of wine and measuring cylinders from our winery in Te Kauwhata and Rob and I have exactly the same set-up in front of us. We then spend a few hours tasting and making our new blend together over Zoom.
"It's not the same as face-to-face, but we still have a lot of fun doing it."
And who could complain at trying, and then mixing, seven wines at 8am on a Wednesday?
But why Eden Park?
"After zooming Graham on a laptop and our boardroom TV screen for over a year now, Rob and I decided to take Graham to the big screen.
Invivo owners Rob Cameron and Tim Lightbourne chat with Graham Norton who is beamed around Eden Park early Wednesday morning as they blend their 2021 Sauvignon Blanc vintage. Photo / Invivo Wines
"We thought there would be something pretty special about Graham being live on the country's biggest screen [40 metres] at our largest stadium at 8am.
"We were not wrong. Running down the tunnel onto the pitch was fantastic; Rob and I have certainly fulfilled a few childhood dreams."
In the company's first year of making with Norton, they produced 14,000 bottles of wine.
"Last year we celebrated producing 10 million bottles of wine and this 2021 vintage we'll be celebrating our 15 millionth bottle - so [Wednesday] has been a really special moment in our journey with Graham for sure. "
But there was slight anxiety about the availability of grapes, more so in Marlborough where the vines were devastated by storms in 2019 and 2020.
About a dozen people got to take part in Invivo's virtual blending session with Graham Norton, from the comfort of Eden Park's corporate area. Photo / Invivo
Cameron said that led to a significant crop shortage - but although it's smaller in quantity the quality was "outstanding".
"Smaller crops on the vine essentially mean less work for the plant to get them ripe. We had an excellent growing season so there was ample sunshine and warmth meaning the plants did their job about two weeks or so earlier than normal and delivered perfectly ripe fruit."
As with previous years, Norton's sauvignon blanc can be expected to be typically citrus with a touch of tropical "but with that unmistakable New Zealand zing", Cameron said.
Norton's 2021 sav will be on shelves at usual stockists around the country in a couple of months.
