From Amoise...

This Pinot Noir (*label information below) was my first pick from the Two Terraces vineyard in the Mangatahi Terraces, Hawke’s Bay.  Ian and Linda Quinn are conscientious and detail oriented growers with the quality of their grapes being exceptional.

After a carbonic maceration, where there is no crushing of the grapes and fermentation occurs within the berries, the wine was pressed to tank and was a beautiful garnet colour. The following day I opened the valve of the tank and much to my surprise a pink hibiscus coloured wine came flowing out! Totally unexpected, and at first I was panicked, but as I tasted the wine I enjoyed the complexity of flavours: red currants, strawberries and pomegranate with a textural finish.

This wine is perfect for summer, I definitely recommend to drink cold or lightly chilled. Also a great food wine! Spicy foods, charcuterie, fish, grilled veggies and cheese. At 11.5% it is your ultimate picnic wine.

No additions at any stage, including sulphur. The wine is unfiltered and unfined. The grapes are certified organic and my rows have been farmed biodynamically since 2020.

After this wine was labelled, we became aware that the grapes used in making this wine, that we believed to be Gamay, were actually Pinot noir. This was identified following DNA testing of the grapevines. While we labelled this wine in good faith, this news means that the label is incorrect, and this wine is actually a Pinot noir. This wine is sold on the basis that the labelled grape variety is incorrect (the label is correct in all other aspects). Due to this unique situation, we are selling our stock that has already been labelled, while making sure that customers are made aware of this issue. If you have any questions about this issue, please contact amy@amoisewines.co.nz.

Sidewinder is an opportunity to celebrate and explore the regional diversity of this iconic New Zealand varietal. 

Classical in its fresh herb, lime cordial and passionfruit seed aromas with a coastal element of weathered rock and salt spray. The palate is linear and textured finishing dry and salivating.

Chateau du Trignon is located on the Trignon river which divides Sablet and Gigondas in the southern Rhone. This is 100% Marsanne offering subtles aromas of acacia, beeswax, quince, almonds, honey and white peach.

VITICULTURE Selected from some of Hawke's Bay's finest vineyards, this sparkling wine was partially fermented in French oak barrels for 15 months for complexity of character. Central to the success of New Zealand as a world-renowned wine growing region is the temperate maritime climate and the freedraining alluvial soils. Cool nights and warm days retain acidity which lends freshness and vibrancy to the wines, highly characteristic of New Zealand wine styles. 

WINEMAKING Pinot Gris was picked from the Mission homeblock and very gently pressed. The juice was inoculated with specially developed, aromatic yeast strains to intensify varietal character development. A portion was fermented in French oak barrel for 15 months for complexity. After blending the cuvée, the wine underwent a secondary fermentation before bottling. 

TASTING NOTES - Zesty with delicate pear and apple and fine mousse. Grown on our historic vineyard, this sparkling wine was partially fermented in French oak barrels for 15 months for complexity of character. Aromas of delicate pear and apple with a zesty palate showing lemon, lime and nutty notes. 

CELLAR POTENTIAL Enjoy now or in the next one to two years. 

WINE ANALYSIS Alcohol 12.5% pH 3.25 Acidity 6.5 g/L Residual Sugar <9 g/L

"Selected from some of our finest Hawke's Bay Gimblett Gravels vineyards, this small-batch, barrel-fermented wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (65%) from our Gimblett Road and Murdoch vineyards, Cabernet Franc (20%) from our Gimblett Road vineyard, and Merlot (15%) from our Mere Road vineyard. The wine is full and expressive, showing rich fruit with spice, tobacco, chocolate and a velvety texture offering refinement, power and persistence. 

Generous, intense and complex with rich black fruit notes, mocha coffee and sweet spice."

Kannoko

This premium Shochu is made from 100% select barley. Kannoko, which means 'river protected by the gods' in Kagoshima dialect, is the named after a stream in South Kagoshima. Kannoko has rich and mellow flavor with fragrant aroma. Kannoko's amber color comes naturally from the oak barrel aging process for 3 years. All natural ingredients. No additives .

The "Ba-Ne" is a blend of the two top red grape varieties of Piedmont: Barbera and Nebbiolo.  They work together wonderfully in a blend, Nebbiolo bringing high acidity, bold tannins, and elegance. The Barbera provides a richer body, and full plump fruit.

Abbazia's version sports an earthy nose reminiscent of terracotta, a lively wine with cola, raspberry and cherry fruits, a nutty mid palate with a long chalky finish. Superb value too!

Casa Vinicola Abbazia winery is located in Santo Stefano Belbo, a small town between Langhe Monferrato and Roero in Piedmont, Northwestern Italy. The winery was established in 1848, adjacent to an ancient Abbey built in 1028, in honour of Saint Gaudentius, the hermit saint who, around the 6th century, retired to the surrounding mountains to live a life of silence and prayer.

Muncagota is one of the great red wines of Italy and is made entirely from the great structured red grape, Nebbiolo; exceptional in taste, complexity and its ability to age for at least a decade, evolving into a silky delicious wine over this time. It's made by the Produttori del Barbaresco. This highly respected winery cooperative was founded in 1958 and now has 51 members who collectively own approximately 100 hectares of the entire appellation, which means they own approximately a seventh of the appellation. The single vineyard wines, such as this one, are only made in highly rated vintages (all of the grapes go into a blend in other years) and released after four years maturation in the riserva programme. 

All single vineyard cru wines from Produttori del Barbaresco are fermented at 30°C and given 32 days of skin contact time before being pressed in large oak barrels for 36 months of maturation in wood followed by a further nine months aging in bottle, prior to release. 

Pora is located in a warm and fertile site on a beautiful hillside with west and south exposures nearer to the valley floor. The resulting style is generous with ripe velvety tannins and a certain smoothness.

We have secured small volumes of this age worthy, complex Barbaresco, which comes from the Pora Vineyard, one of nine single vineyard cru Barbarescos made only the best vintages by Produttori del Barbaresco. This wine is full bodied, bone dry and super concentrated with earthy, mushroom aromas tempered by rose petals and delicate red floral aromas. It's produced by one of Italy's and the world's highest quality minded wine cooperatives, which has 51 members who collectively own approximately 100 of the nearly 700 hectares in this appellation in Piemonte, north west Italy.

This highly respected winery cooperative was founded in 1958 and now has 51 members who collectively own approximately 100 hectares of the entire appellation, which means they own approximately a seventh of the appellation. The single vineyard wines, such as this one, are only made in highly rated vintages (all of the grapes go into a blend in other years) and released after four years maturation in the riserva programme. 

All single vineyard cru wines from Produttori del Barbaresco are fermented at 30°C and given 32 days of skin contact time before being pressed in large oak barrels for 36 months of maturation in wood followed by a further nine months aging in bottle, prior to release. 

Rio Sordo is famous for its noble rusticity and silky quality in the mouth thanks to lower calcium levels in the soils of this vineyard. The wine develops gamey mushroom qualities over time that scream out for it to be served with a decent roast beast.

Rio Sordo is one of the great red wines of Italy and is made entirely from the great structured red grape, Nebbiolo; exceptional in taste, complexity and its ability to age for at least a decade, evolving into a silky delicious wine over this time. It's made by the Produttori del Barbaresco. This highly respected winery cooperative was founded in 1958 and now has 51 members who collectively own approximately 100 hectares of the entire appellation, which means they own approximately a seventh of the appellation. The single vineyard wines, such as this one, are only made in highly rated vintages (all of the grapes go into a blend in other years) and released after four years maturation in the riserva programme.

All single vineyard cru wines from Produttori del Barbaresco are fermented at 30°C and given 32 days of skin contact time before being pressed in large oak barrels for 36 months of maturation in wood followed by a further nine months aging in bottle, prior to release.

The nose has rich and dense aromatics, that remind me of Magnolia and Michaelia flowers, perfumed but also creamy and filling. It is not easy to detect individually defined aromatics, the nose is more complex and interwoven with ripe fruits and dried fig, marzipan. There is an exuberance and youthfulness that keeps the wine fresh and springy.

On the palate, this wine is all about texture, weight, length and generosity. It is a full-bodied wine that rolls over the palate with lots of creamy, spicey texture on the mid-palate. The wine delivers a highly refined impact experience that lingers for a long time.

You might be surprised with the character and firm presence of this wine. It delivers class with plenty of impact.

Chuhai series "from the Japanese farm" where you can enjoy the deliciousness of carefully selected fruits from all over Japan. Using yuzu from Kochi, you can enjoy the refreshing aroma and sweet and sour taste unique to yuzu.

The 2021 Le Difese is redolent of crushed red berry fruit, rose petal, lavender, spice and sweet pipe tobacco. Medium in body yet nicely layered, the 2021 is impeccably balanced. It is also a sheer delight to taste at this early stage. In many vintages, Le Difese is a fruity, forward wine, but the 2021 has a nervy feeling of classicism that is hugely appealing. It's one of my favorite recent vintages. As it has been for some time, Le Difese is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon from the estate and Sangiovese purchased from several properties in Chianti Classico, with the energy of Sangiovese very much driving the feel in this vintage. 

91pts – Vinous Media

Champagne Irroy was founded in 1820 and has been owned by Champagne Taittinger since 1955.

Aromatic, rich and fruity with a deliciously crisp palate. The Extra Brut NV, is an elegant yet characterful Champagne, with a lightness of touch that makes it a perfect aperitif or party tipple. It is a blend of 30% Chardonnay (finesse and elegance), 50% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier (structure, richness, fruitiness and a smooth mouthfeel), and is aged for a minimum of two and a half years before release.