News

Central Otago Pinot in world's top 30

Posted by Joelle Thomson on

Central Otago Pinot Noir wins a spot on world's top 30 best wine list It will come as no surprise to lovers of Central Otago Pinot Noir to learn that one of their favourites has won the New Zealand Red Trophy at the world's biggest wine competition.  The International Wine Challenge 2020 has awarded the 2018 Coal Pit Tiwha Pinot Noir the New Zealand Red Trophy and also the Sustainable Trophy. And that's no mean feat at a competition where tens of thousands of wines are entered from around the world.  We have the 2017 Coal Pit Tiwha Pinot Noir, RRP...

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Buy our house champagne for Xmas - taste the range this weekend

Posted by Joelle Thomson on

Champagne Lallier is our house champagne here at Regional Wines and, as such, it's one we're very proud of - and we're opening the entire range this Saturday 5 December from 1pm onwards in store - come along to this tasting any time. No bookings necessary.  And read more about Lallier here. We believe these wines all punch above their weight and cost significantly less than their quality suggests. Lallier was founded in 1906 by René Lallier, whose family owned and ran it until the company was purchased in 2004 by winemaker Francis Tibaut, who had worked for the family...

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Best of the Best 2020

Posted by John Shearlock on

Best of the Best 2020

It was the tasting they said would never happen and with community cases of Covid-19 popping up just days before the tasting, a last minute cancellation had looked decidedly possible. But, somehow, it squeaked through and with a genuine lineup of 6 tried and tested whiskies, plus a cheeky mystery to make things interesting, the game was on. The lineup was looking unsurprisingly dark and sherry driven but, with two Amruts and two GlenDronachs (one served as a mystery whisky), you’d be hard pushed to call it typical. Had the pandemic-hit industry shaped the lineup in some way? Yes and no would be a...

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Cheeky little French prelude to Summer of Rosé

Posted by Joelle Thomson on

Looking for the next level in rosé? Here it is... from the south of France. Chene Bleu rosé is dry, fresh and complex, thanks to being a blend of four grapes (three whites and a red), all grown on an exciting high altitude vineyard in Vaucluse, in the region of Provence-Alpes-Cotes-d'Azur. All of the Chene Bleu wines are certified organic with the EU and made to exactly quality standards. Hand picked grapes, double sorted in the vineyard, tiny yields and obvious high quality flavours are just some of the reasons to drink these wines.  This dry rosé more than lives up to...

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Kings of Pinots new releases

Posted by Joelle Thomson on

The Escarpment Vineyard and Quartz Reef are two of our favourite wine producers, both representing high points in New Zealand wine across the board, most famously for their Pinot Noirs and bubbles (Quartz Reef). This month we have tasted a bunch of delicious new wines from both wineries, thanks Vintners NZ, whose local wine guru, Ollie brought these superlative wines into store to share with us at a staff familiarisation tasting.    Festive faves pack - limited edition from Quartz Reef This festive gift pack contains one bottle of 2017 Quartz Reef Otto Bendigo Estate Pinot Noir & one bottle of...

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