100% Harslevelu from the  Siklós, Zuhánya Cru

Age of vine - stocks:    plantation in 2006

Yield:    1-2 kg/vine - stock

Cultivation  method:    Middle- high cordon training system

Harvest:    End of October 2020

Vinification+ maturation:   After light crush and destemming, 1 night maceration then fermentation in  stainless steel tanks. After fermentation finished, 10 months aging in 5 hl oak barrels on fine lees.

Bottled:    February 2014.    3.300 bottles

Tasting notes:   Floral aromas explodes as wine gets into glass. Oak fermentation and aging promises a complex, vigorous, exciting wine. Concentrated, deep and mineral at once, a great gun amongst white wines. The elegancy and richness shows how excellent a white wine can be amongst the reds in Villany wine region.

100% Bobal from DO Manchuela near Cuenca. 

Bodegas Ponce has been at the forefront of modern Spanish wine since their inception in 2005. 

Juan Antonio Ponce's dream was to make wines with the old vineyards of his native Manchuela. He attended viticulture and enology school when he was 14 years old, and after five years of working with Telmo Rodriguez after his graduation he started his own winery Bodegas Ponce when he was 23 years old. Inspired by his years with Telmo and the growing minimal intervention movement in France. He approached his native varietal Bobal in a way unlike that of neighbors. Farming sustainably, with organic and biodynamic principles and harvesting the grapes weeks before his neighbors. In the winery he works simply and cleanly, whole bunch fermentation, native yeast fermentation and aging in old wood vats. His wines are more like those from Beaujolais and the Loire Valley than Rioja and Priorat. What is fascinating is that Manchuela is a region where the locals joke that there are nine months of winter and three months of hell, which sounds nothing like the bucolic hills of Beaujolais nor France?s garden, the Loire valley. The P.F. stands for Pie Franco. The vineyards for this wine range in age from 40 to 90 years old and they are all ungrafted. Juan Antonio?s wines are some of the most elegant wines being made in Spain.

David Moreau is a rising star in Burgundy, based in the village of Santenay. Having studied oenology and worked in both New Zealand and at Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, he returned to Burgundy in 2006 to take over his family’s estate. David brings a modern touch while maintaining the traditional values of his ancestors, focusing on sustainable viticulture and minimal intervention in winemaking.

The vineyards for his Santenay 2022 are planted on classic Burgundy terroir, primarily limestone and clay soils with a high mineral content. This contributes to the wine's structure and purity. The vines are relatively old, averaging 40–60 years, which adds depth and concentration to the final product.

With white flowers, stone fruits and toasted bread aromas lead to a balanced fruity palate. Drink over the next five to six years.

Commercial description.

Our "Home Block" vineyard, planted over 3 decades ago, is the sole source of this 2022 Forrest Malbec, revealing a captivating mix of boysenberry, chocolate, and coffee notes with a hearty and intense body.

This is a fresh take on Blanc de Blanc, made from 100% hand-picked Chardonnay fruit in Methode Traditionelle style (bottle fermented, individually disgorged, topped-up and re-capped). The nose is full of crunchy green apples, brioche buns and minerals. The palate is medium-bodied, slightly creamy, and singing with punchy citrus, vibrant acidity, and a soft apple note to finish.

A very fun, very refreshing bubbles. Perfect for celebrations big and small.

PS - Marceline is named after one of our sausage dogs. She’s cute, blonde, easily excitable and friends with everyone she meets. She emulates everything we want you to feel drinking this wine!

VINEYARDS: Cactus Merlot/Malbec, Lunatic Syrah, Owhiti Malbec, Ponui Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. 

BLEND: Malbec 35%, Merlot 32%, Syrah 28%, Cabernet Franc 5%

WINEMAKING

The vintage of 2023 was a challenging year climatically, very wet and humid with low sunshine hours and periods of intense rain culminating in flooding in late January and Cyclone Gabrielle in early February.  The weather improved for the harvest months, but low sunshine hours resulted in wines with a light elegant touch, fresh, lively and delicious in their delicacy. Our Pinque Rose is harvested from select coastal sites on Waiheke and Ponui Islands made up of individual vineyards planted in Merlot, Malbec and Syrah which are designed with Rose production in mind. Picking early in the season but still showcasing red berry characters, the f ruit is whole bunch pressed in the champagne style liberating only the cleanest and most pure of juice. Fermented cool in stainless steel tanks and blended in the winter. 

TASTING NOTE

Pinque is a pure expression of Rose. Beginning with a classic pale salmon colour the wine has aromas of crushed rose petal, musk candy (pink smokers) strawberry flesh and a maritime scent. The palate is fresh and delicate with shades of stone and citrus fruits with fresh herbs finishing clean, crisp and delicious. 2023 Pinque is an uplifting and refreshing response to a challenging vintage.

Ozu Chardonnay (D.O. Navarra) is 100% Chardonnay and spends three months on its lees prior to bottling. No oak is used and the wine is clean, bright and mineral with a floral and citrus nose.

Pairs well with seafood, grilled and baked fish, white meats, light pasta dishes and sheep's cheeses.

Something a little unusual from Marlborough. Originally from North-eastern Italy, this tiny parcel was sourced from the Stanley Estate plantings in the Awatere Valley. It shows dark fruit characters, a little Awatere spice and a fresh, lively acidity. It's a slightly more robust red than our usual Pinot Noir and a great match with a big steak over the open grill this winter.

Harvested, crushed and then fermented in small batches in oak cuves to add complexity. The ferments are hand plunged, skin contacted post-fermentation, gently pressed and then aged in a 20/80 blend of new/old French oak barriques for ten months prior to blending and bottling in late summer.

Made with 95% Cabernet Franc and 5% Malbec with fruit from Stellenbosch and Paarl grown only on decomposed dolomite granite, which gives a great acidity and freshness to the wine and adds minerality to the finish. Beautifully ripe and oozing with brooding dark fruit flavours of cherry and blackberry.  

100% Mencia from Bodegas Godelia  situated in the region of Bierzo, Spain.

Earthy notes accompany cherry-plum and cooking spice aromas on the nose and lead to a palate with gentle tannins and similar spicy fruit notes delivered in a super fresh style.  

Chateau de Hauterive is a 21 hectare estate, located above the Lot river and has been in the hands of the Filhol family since 1885. This wine is a combination of 70% Malbec and 30% Merlot, grown on a mix of silicous clay and gravely limestone soils. Fab concentration and great regional typicity with dark blue and black fruits, earthy tannins and racy acidity.

Stunning Pinot Noir from Waitaki Valley in North Otago, New Zealand.

Tasting Note: Intense aromas of blueberries, cherry and spices. Floral, herbal and forest floor notes bring complexity and elegance. The tannins are firm yet fresh makingfor real elegance.

Commercial description

The late Greg Trott saw many of his unusual dreams realised at Wirra Wirra. Yet one vision eluded him - to build a medieval siege machine, or trebuchet. Why? To use as a catapult to bomb neighbouring wineries with bottles of wine of course. This wine is part of a range, the RGT collection which remembers the pioneering spirit of Richard Gregory Trott.

Colour - Rich mulberry with plum-purple at the edge.

Bouquet - Lovely fresh plum and raspberries with notes of cinnamon, cocoa, clove, cardamom, nutmeg and dried ginger. A warm, vibrant and inviting nose. 

Palate - A delicious offering of blueberries, raspberries and plums are layered with patisserie-like notes of baking pastry, vanilla bean, butter biscuit and spice. The palate is generous with f lavour and supplies an ample measure of tannin that is smooth and fine, with mouth coating persistence. 

Vinification Fruit was gently crushed and destemmed en route to fermenter. Early temperatures were maintained at 20-22 degrees, rising to 25-28 degrees at peak of ferment. In general, ferments were pumped over two to four times daily to assist flavour and colour extraction, as well as spreading heat through the cap and body of the ferment. Nearing completion and having achieved the desired flavour and tannin extraction, pump-overs were reduced to once or twice daily to keep the cap moist. Close to dryness, wine was drained from the fermenter and the remaining skins were pressed via tank or basket press. Wines completed their secondary malolactic fermentation in tank then filled to oak with barrel selection and maturation times tailored to each parcel – those showing a more powerful structure receiving a longer maturation time in oak before blending.

Oak Maturation - Approximately 70% French and 30% American. A combination of new and seasoned oak is used, blending to about 20% new oak in the final wine.

Drink - Drink now to 2030 Food Match Eggplant involtini  

Smooth with rustic aromatics and black cherry flavours.

Boasting concentrated flavour while retaining the delicate nature that the varietal is known for, the bouquet opens with deep, rustic notes of cigar box and wild mushroom and develops gentle highlights of cranberry as it sits. On the palate, vivid black cherry notes up front lend a nice acidity and complement warm allspice undertones with mild tannins.