No1 Family Wines & NZSFW canapés

The New Zealand School of Food and Wine hosted Virginie Le Brun of  No1 Family Estate for a presentation and tasting of their Methode Traditionelle wines from Marlborough. This was accompanied by a canapé menu prepared by the cookery students and served by the hospitality students. 

We were honoured to have Sir George and Lady Gail Fistonich join us for the tasting.

Virginie started her presentation explaining how her father, Daniel Le Brun, ended up in New Zealand in 1975. As the eldest son and 12th generation of Champagne vignerons, Daniel was set to take over the family business but instead travelled to New Zealand for an adventure. Here, he met his future wife, Adele and they married in 1978.

Virginie Le Brun with No1 Family's winemaker, Marie.

Having heard that Montana Wines were planting grape vines, Daniel visited Marlborough and was convinced it had a great future as a wine region. With 600 more sunshine hours than Champagne, similar rainfall, cold nights, long days to ripen grapes and the Wither Hills protecting the region from the south, 'He could not believe it, A perfect scenario that was untapped,' said Virginie.

In 1980, Daniel and Adele bought 30 acres of barren, dry land near the Wairau River and the family, with 4 month old Virginie, moved to Marlborough. In 1985, they launched the first Marlborough Méthode Traditionelle to great acclaim. Over the next decade, more styles were released however in 1996 Adele & Daniel left Cellier Le Brun which is now owned by Lion Nathan.

No1 Family Estate became their new identity. Today they offer a selection of sparkling wines combining chardonnay and pinot noir in a variety of styles. 

The wines

No1 Family Estate Methode Traditionelle wines that we tasted.

• No1 Assemblé NV (50% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir)
• Cuvée No1 NV (100% Chardonnay)
• No1 Rosé NV (86% Pinot Noir, 14% Chardonnay)
• No1 Reine Cuvée Réserve  (50% Chardonnay, 43% Pinot Noir, 7% Pinot Meunier)
• Comparative tasting of No1 Reserve Magnum tasted with wine in 750 ml bottle, Chardonnay with 7 years on lees

Hospitality student ready to pour the bubbles.

Virginie Le Brun and winemaker Marie of No1 Family Estate travelled from Marlborough to present 6 wines. The wines were served by the hospitality students under the expert guidance of their tutor, Franck Laruelle. This occasion provided a unique opportunity for the hospitality students to practice their event management skills, specialist techniques required to open bottles of sparkling wine while interacting with our guests.

Creating a Wine Pairing Menu

Team work between the Level 5 and Level 4 cooks was required to put together this complex canapé menu. The cookery classes were split into 3 groups, under the guidance of Chef Finn, to prepare two canapés along with components of the intricate dessert course. 

Menu from Cookery Group 1 

• Octopus braised in fennel with citrus, kina gel on tapioca crisp
• Chicken ‘lollipop’ with pretzel stick ,salsa of sundried tomato, capsicum, fried sage
• Each group contributed elements to the dessert: Strawberry pearls, jellied berries

No1 Assemble Cuvee No1 Chard with Braised Octopus fennel on Tapioca Crisp

Chicken Lolipop with Pretzel stuck Sun-dried tomato salsa

Strawberry pearls Meringue sorbet

Menu Cookery Group 2 

• Smoked mussels with salmon roe and carrot pearls and coriander spuma
• Camembert fritt and blackcurrant jam, Brioche, whipped butter with flaky salt
• Dessert: Macaroons with strawberry ganache

Smoked mussels, Salmon, Roe, Carrot pearls

Camembert fritt, Blackcurrant jam Brioche

Menu of Cookery Group 3

• Spinach parcel with bean pure and corn saute, Tortilla chip and pesto
• Goat rolled in kawa-kawa leaves and chard with pumpkin chutney, and pumpkin seed cracker
• Dessert: Sorbet and meringue

No1 Rose No1 Reine Cuvee Reserve with Spinach parcel corn tortilla

Goat in kawa kawa leaf pumpkin puree

Tjarco pours the magnum of No1 Reserve, Chardonnay with 7 years on lees

 

This was an outstanding event and we are very grateful to Virginie and No1 Family Estate for generously sharing their exceptional wines with us. We are also delighted by the impressive service delivered by our talented cookery and hospitality students.

Well done everyone,

Celia Hay

December 2024