1ST BRANDY LICENCES

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30365, 14 February 1964, Page 12

1ST BRANDY LICENCES

Trials By 3 Growers (From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, February 13. Tire Minister of Customs (Mr Shelton) this week issued the first three experimental brandy-making licences. Tenable for five years, they have gone to Spence’s Wines, Ltd., Western Vineyards, Ltd., and Corbans Wines, Ltd., all of Henderson-

These are the only applicants so far. Four more distillers, two at Auckland, one at Tauranga and one at Napier, are expected to apply shortly. The product may be sold only with the consent of the Minister. The experimental licences carry no guarantee that any commercial licence will ultimately be issued.

After the Customs Department at Wellington has made a technical evaluation of the product with the help of Agriculture Department viticulturalists and experts, the Government will make a decision on the commercial licence. Each sample of the brandy must be at least 100 gallons, made from fresh grapes without sugar or other additives. The samples must be kept separate in 40-gallon locked storage rooms and bonded at £6 a. proof gallon. Up to half of each sample may be blended but access to it will be denied for other than blending purposes. Classic types of grapes for brandy do not grow well in New Zealand. But several other varieties will be tried, from various soils and at various stages of ripeness in at lepst three different types of distilling apparatus.