The landmark Kumeu River tasting at Farr Vintners, London.

Taking the New Zealand story to the world has never been more important than in 2020.  After entertaining audiences around New Zealand, on board national carrier Air New Zealand and as part of the official section at Edinburgh International Film Festival, Newport Beach Film Festival, Vancouver International Film Festival and the New Zealand International Film Festival -  ‘A Seat at the Table’ is set to premiere into over 100 million homes worldwide.

Independent filmmakers David Nash & Simon Mark-Brown co-produced the film and partnered with LA studio Samuel Goldwyn at the end of 2019.  Since then they have secured global on-demand and digital distribution in all major English-speaking markets.

The digital premiere will open in North America this Friday on iTunes and Apple TV. The film will also be available on iTunes/AppleTV & GooglePlay in the UK, Ireland, Australia, and of course New Zealand. 

‘A Seat at the Table’ was completed with the support of the New Zealand Film Commission feature film finishing grant. 

Apple iTunes link not working? Search ‘A Seat at the Table’ in Movies.

Full Distribution details:

iTunes (See below – all English speaking)

Amazon  (US, UK)

Google Play  (US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand)

Vudu

FandangoNow

US & Canadian Cable & Satellite VOD

InDemand (Spectrum, Comcast, Cox, Cablevision, etc)

Frontier

Verizon

DirecTV

AT&T

Shaw

Rogers

Bell

Some smaller regional/national cable outlets

FILM SYNOPSIS: For nearly a century France has reigned supreme over the world of fine wine. What if one country famous for punching above its weight took on the aristocracy, breaking the rules of the Old World and were “beating the French at their own game”. This is the story of New Zealand’s warp speed assent to the top of the wine world. We ask France’s best winemakers, the world’s greatest critics and most influential merchants one question. Has New Zealand earned a seat at the table?

Film Page on Samuelgoldwyn.com:

http://www.samuelgoldwynfilms.com/a-seat-at-the-table/

IMDB:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11610602/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/nzwinestory/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/nzwinestory/

iTunes

• Anguilla

• Antigua & Barbuda

• Armenia

• Australia

• Azerbaijan

• Bahamas

• Belarus

• Belgium

• Belize

• Bermuda

• Botswana

• British Virgin Islands

• Brunei

• Bulgaria

• Canada

• Cape Verde

• Cayman Islands

• Cyprus

• Czechia

• Denmark

• Estonia

• Fiji

• Finland

• Gambia

• Greece

• Grenada

• Guinea-Bissau

• Hungary

• Indonesia

• Ireland

• Israel

• Laos

• Latvia

• Lithuania

• Luxembourg

• Malaysia

• Malta

• Mauritius

• Micronesia

• Moldova

• Mongolia

• Mozambique

• Namibia

• Niger

• Norway

• Philippines

• Poland

• Portugal

• Saint Kitts & Nevis

• Slovakia

• Slovenia

• Sri Lanka

• Swaziland

• Sweden

• Switzerland

• Tajikistan

• Trinidad & Tobago

• Turkmenistan

• Uganda

• Ukraine

• UK

• US

• Vietnam

• Zimbabwe

ABOUT SAMUEL GOLDWYN FILMS:

Samuel Goldwyn Films is a major, independently owned and operated motion-picture company that develops, produces and distributes innovative feature films and documentaries. 

The company is dedicated to working with both world-renowned and emerging writers/filmmakers and committed to filmed entertainment that offers original voices in uniquely told stories. 

Samuel Goldwyn Films have successfully released wine related hit films SOMM, SOMM:  Into the bottle and SOMM III.

http://www.samuelgoldwynfilms.com/

More information:

Ryan Boring, Marketing & PR, Samuel Goldwyn Films -  ryan@samuelgoldwyn.com

New Zealand wine film to open in US at NBFF in April.

Samuel Goldwyn has acquired the world-wide rights to the independent film that charts New Zealand’s meteoric growth in the world of fine wine.

‘A Seat at the Table’ will have its US premiere as part of the Official Selection at the Newport Beach Film Festival in April, before heading to the European festival circuit.

For over a century France has reigned supreme over the wine world. What if one country took on the aristocracy. Watch and answer that one question. Has New Zealand earned a seat at the table?

The film features an all-star cast from the world of fine wine holding up the great regions of France as the benchmark and showcases how New Zealand winemakers are, as Jancis Robinson, OBE is quoted, “beating the French at their own game”. 

“It took five years to make this film, and before we had even picked up a camera I thought Samuel Goldwyn would be the ideal partner to take this story to the world.  They’re an incredible team to work with – I’m very excited about the upcoming releases and plans in place”  says David Nash, co-director

The film is a Studio Nash, Republic Films and Branded Pictures Entertainment production, written, directed and produced by David Nash & Simon Mark-Brown.  It features some of the most famous faces and locations in the wine world.

More information:
Ryan Boring, Marketing & PR, Samuel Goldwyn Films

A good wine will instantly impress. 
A great wine will stand the test of time.

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Last week marked the release of Te Motu's flagship cuvée 'Te Motu'.  Like a classic album, this wine doesn't need a clever name it's simply, proudly named Te Motu, and quite rightly so.  This 'new' release was the 2013 vintage.  That's right, 2013.  Who keeps wine back for 5 years before release?  The Dunleavy's do.

After spending some time with the family earlier in the year, third-generation and new manager of the Waiheke estate, Rory Dunleavy reached out to see if I'd like to try the new vintage.  I happily agreed (understatement) on one condition, we also try something from the family's cellar with the kind of age they'd recommend cellaring the 2013 for.

Te Motu from the 2000 vintage was chosen which had similar vintage conditions as the 2013.  The evolution was truly impressive, but, we'll get to that in a minute.

The Dunleavy name and family is a story that runs almost parallel to the New Zealand wine story.  Terry Dunleavy, or Grandpop to Rory, was the inaugural CEO of the New Zealand Wine Institute.  "Well, I was the only employee at the time!" - Terry Dunleavy.

Rory; far left.  Terry holding court.

In the most loveable sense of the word, Terry is a character.  Most stories centre around the word 'finagling' and you instantly get a feeling for the wit, charm and canny nature of the man that (along with others) had the ability to transform the New Zealand wine industry from producing 'house red' into a world-beating varietal-focused fine wine powerhouse.

When it came to establishing Te Motu, Terry's son Paul, father to Rory (keep up!) was the mastermind.  Paul made the call to buy a couple of plots of land in a new sub-division in Onetangi Valley, laying the foundations for next generation of Dunleavys to grow up around wine, like he and his brother John did many years before.

Paul and vigneron brother John, have run the estate since planting the first vines in 1989, and have grown the label into a world renowned Bordeaux blend.  They have now handed the reigns over to both their sons for the 2018 vintage.  No pressure lads.  

Terry, Paul and Rory Dunleavy during planting in 1989.

Winemaker Sam Dunleavy has shadowed his father for many years now, taking over to continue his father's life's work and possibly add a few more increments of greatness to the wines.  Early indications are he's doing exactly that.

The Wines:

Vintage Reports

Image: Rory Dunleavy

2013 was an exceptional vintage. Spring was mild with lower than average rainfall allowing for good fruit set and minimal disease pressure. Summer was long, warm and dry, with absolutely no rainfall from Christmas day till mid April. This allowed the fruit to hang on the vine to full physiological ripeness, producing wines full of complexity, ripe tannins and power that will cellar well for many years to come.

The long dry summer of 2000 was one of our best growing seasons yet producing clean ripe fruit. Harvest commenced on March 28 with Cabernet Franc in incredible condition. Merlot was harvested during the first week of April at near perfect analysis. Harvesting of our Cabernet Sauvignon was completed on 15 April with an abundance of ripeness and balance. A great vintage

Tasting notes:

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Te Motu 2013

Instantly Impressive.  Rich, ruby-to-purple in the glass.  Bright, dense, currants, cranberry and blackberry aroma, with lovely texture and mouth coating tannins, balanced acid - earthy, cocoa finish.

The thing that is slightly mind-boggling about this wine is that you can see the density and structure necessary for it to stand the test of time, but is just so, so good right now.  Really good.  With the modern generation of drinkers not wanting to wait 18-20 years, this kind of wine will reward both eagerness and patience.

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Te Motu 2000

On opening the 2000 it was closed-in, muted and hiding.  When run though the decanter a few times it opened up like a pop-up book of flavour that just kept on unfolding with every sip.

Rich red brick in colour, this regal number is perfumed with dark spices and herbs on the nose with earth tobacco, tea and baked blackberry and quince crumble .  The palate is powerfully dry with great acid, mushroom, black-forest, black cherry and ripe juicy plum.

A long dancing acid finish of cocoa, graphite and tobacco.

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There's a linage you can taste in these wines, they are related yet years apart.  One opens a window into what it could grow into, much like the Dunleavy's themselves.  Chapter 3 of their story is being written as you read this and I'd highly recommend being part of it.

But, for now here's Chapter 1 and 2.

Every now and then (read never) you experience a wine that makes you want to grab the nearest bible and search for the meaning of it all.  This was one of those wines.

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I was fortunate enough to spend some time with Greystone's founding viticulturist Nick Gill and winemaker Dom Maxwell earlier this year.  In both, you got an immediate sense of grounding, belief and attachment - "to our little patch of the world" as Dom calls it.

Attachment is the wrong word, Turangawaewae is what the industry calls it.  I never fully understood that until I met Nick & Dom.

Their little patch of the world is a carefully selected site in the Omihi hills, Waipara Valley in North Canterbury - a treasure map of clay, and clay over limestone.  Nirvana for making world class Pinot & Chardonnay, as experienced by their North Canterbury neighbours Pyramid Valley & Bell Hill.

The Wine:

The wine arrived with a note from Dom, "We're keen for you to see it up close and personal!  We'd be interested to hear your thoughts."  Side note;  Dom is the 2018 winemaker of the year.

Thoughts:

Out of the bottle this a bright, light-ruby red wine with a softness to the rim.  It looks so delicate.  With aromas of savoury spice, baked berries, cinnamon, pastry crust, black cherry and cranberry, it has a sense that it is wise beyond its years.

On the palate you're overcome with a deep cherry, red berry core - a density the seems only to come from unfiltered wines.  Out from the smooth core, a structure of fine tannins, with savoury spice, pepper, cranberry sauce and earth take the lead with acid in the background, culminating in a long umami finish.

In summary, it's an outstanding wine experience - perfect with savoury foods.  I see no reason this wouldn't age beautifully.  Let's find out.

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Clone 5 Pinot from the ‘Block 7’ - dense clay soils and sandstone influence, vines 12 y.o., indigenous yeast fermented in-situ, with 20% whole bunches to 14.0% alc., the wine aged 16 months in 3 y.o. oak.