Happ-enings
April 2000

FROM THE CELLAR DOOR by John Beatty

Hello, and welcome to this the fourth edition of 'HAPPENINGS', the newsletter dedicated to bringing you the latest information on the products, people and events from HAPPS.

Firstly, a little background about myself and my role here at HAPPS. My name is John Beatty and if you have visited our cellar door over the past four years, especially on weekends, then you have very likely been served by me (or by one of our great cellar door team comprising Jackie Mammone,Tania Carmody and Sue Higgins). The past year has also seen me helping in the vineyard, from winter pruning up to summer netting, plus the occasional stint on the bottling line.

I came to HAPPS in the summer of 1996 after two and a half years working in a local real estate business. Having decided that career path was not for me I suddenly had lots of time on my hands and very little idea how to fill it. My family and I (wife Linde and sons Ryen and Noah), also just 'happened' to be living directly across the road from HAPPS on a ten acre bush block. As destiny would have it, Erl and Ros Happ just happened to be looking for a new part-time cellar door sales person, preferably a male. "Fantastic" I said to Linde. Apart from the fact that I knew absolutely zilch about wine or the wine industry I fulfilled all other essential job criteria, namely I was a bloke open for a new challenge.

Since then I have asked questions, questions and more questions, read lots of books, tasted as many wines as possible and eventually learnt a fair bit about wine and the wine industry. This of course was important, but even more importantly I have learnt that we are in the people business and that you, our customers, form the real basis of this business we call the wine industry. I learnt that HAPPS had a strong reputation as one of the friendliest, most people orientated wineries in the Margaret River region. Certainly for me this has been the most satisfying aspect of my time at HAPPS. I've met so many great people from all over Australia and the world. I've learnt that 'people are people through other people' (a saying from the Xhosa people of southern Africa), and I continue to experience my biggest buzz in this job when I see you leave the cellar door with a bigger smile on your face than when you came in. I look forward to seeing you back at HAPPS soon. Happy tasting!

NEW WINE

Late 1999 saw the release of three wines; two brand new wines in the PF White (a preservative free unwooded Chardonnay), and the Chenin Blanc (an off-dry white), plus the 1999 late-picked Verdelho. The Verdelho is a perennial favourite with sweet wine fans and the 1999 vintage does not let them down, featuring heaps of sweetness with an abundance of mouth filling tropical fruit flavour. Both new wines have also met with plenty of positive feedback at the cellar door. Come in and continue to let us know what you think.

JOHN'S PICK

My choice this time is for the 1997 Happs Shiraz. I must admit that I have tended to overlook this variety in my own personal consumption, however I can see that this is about to change. The 97 Shiraz is beginning to show some softening and integration of the tannins along with a depth of flavour and long spicy finish that has captured my imagination. This wine will reward patient cellaring and I plan to add a few to mine before we sell out. Come and try it for yourself.
John Beatty

OTHER NEWS!
NEW WINEMAKERS

Happs new winemaker is Englishman Damian Grindley, fresh off the plane from a large yet super premium winery in California. Damian believes he suffered some culture shock, mixed in with the jet lag, as his previous winery crushed before breakfast the equivalent of what Happs crushes over the whole vintage, some 300 tonnes this year.

We are also joined by two young, female winemakers, Cerina de Jongh from South Africa and Anne-Coralie Fleury from France. Cerina has been travelling between vintages in both hemispheres and currently working her way back home. In all she has had about six years of experiences in three!

Anne-Coralie showed her initiative and ambition to do a Margaret River vintage and emailed a number of wineries late last year. Erl Happ thought that a person who tried so hard ought to be given a chance and he emailed back that she should get her visa in order! Anne was wrapt! She has worked in the USA and and more recently in Morrocco.

VINTAGE 2000
Moving along well and looking good. The light rain in early March (and flooding in poor old Carnavon) has delayed picking a few days.

That's about it from us here. We look forward to hearing from you, and perhaps check out for any changes on the website.

Cheers
Jacquie Happ