TASTING NOTE 

Vibrant ruby red colour. with purple hues. Lifted aroma of redcurrants, cranberry, violet florals, leather and spice, hints of olive and chocolate flecks. It is young and a little brooding, slightly restrained, yet delicate.  A juicy and textural front palate is followed by plum, mouthcoating gravelly tannin that drives the length of the wine and mulberries dominating the mid palate. The wine opens up beautifully with time in the glass. A hint of savouriness and graphite bring yet more complexity. Made in a playful but serious style that suits a wide range of dishes or perfect on Its own. 

VINEYARD 

Cabernet Franc for this wine was sourced from 1988 plantings in the Isolation Ridge vineyard at Frankland Estate. The vineyard sits on an undulating northern and eastern facing slope on ancient duplex soils of ironstone gravel and loam over a clay sub-soil. It is certified organic farmed since 2009 and this is reflected in the depth and concentration of fruit flavours. The vines are trained on a Vertical Shoot Position (VSP) trellis system to enhance sunlight penetration of the canopy and optimize ripening conditions.  Cabernet Franc plays a huge role in our vineyard being the main component of our Olmos Reward, we find it suits our vineyard and region the best out of the Bordeaux varieties.

VINIFICATION 

Fruit was harvested in ideal conditions and fermented in shallow stainless steel open fermenters. The fruit is hand plunged to gently extract the tannin, keep the ferment as even as possible and maintain fruit purity. The wine is pressed off and aged on lees in 500L French oak puncheons and 1500L foudre for 10 months before bottling

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.

Light oak aging and fresh, balanced acidity make this chardonnay a must- have. The bouquet is soft with ripe honeydew, rich vanilla and hints of apple skin. The oak aging adds a nice complexity to the mouthfeel, layering zesty spice tones on top of crisp pear and guava flavour. On the back end, flavours of lemon peel meld with the creamy vanilla notes to create a refreshing and savoury finish.

Passage Rock Syrah is made from grapes sourced from Waiheke Island's oldest vines. It has a rich bouquet of black currant, dark plums, blackberry and peppery spices, with core fruit flavours that reflect the bouquet. The palate is textural and perfectly balanced. Enjoy over the next five to 10 years

Only produced in the best years, this Reserve Syrah is Passage Rock's showcase wine.

Rich ripe aromas of dark forest fruit and spice, coffee and vanilla on the nose lead to a dark garnet intensity in the glass. On the palate, toasted nuts and spices vie with dark berries, integrated ripe tannins and lacy acidity. Cellar it for 10 to 15 years

Made from a blend of 60% Waiheke and 40% Gisborne Chardonnay grapes, this wine is perfectly balanced with a delicious long finish highlighting the almost 12 months the wine has spent in barrel.

Rich and concentrated with nectarine, lime and passion-fruit with toasty vanilla slight, buttery element and butterscotch undertones.

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  

Commercial description 

We named this wine after Robert Strangways Wigley, a noted South Australian eccentric and state cricketer who established Wirra Wirra back in 1894. Each vintage we take pride in producing a flagship shiraz that befits McLaren Vale’s reputation as a first class producer of this varietal and home to some of the oldest shiraz vines in the world.

Colour - Rich mahogany tones around a youthful, deep core of black plum.

Bouquet - Rolling waves of deep, glossy McLaren Vale shiraz. Fruits are scented with mulberry, dried figs, cinnamon, and clove. The swell of brooding spice, charcuterie, and rich black fruit is held in place by an undertow of fine French oak and dark chocolate.

Palate - The palate contrasts ripe, generous fruit with linearity and purposeful structure. Deep satsuma plums, French polish, and vibrant acid line are signature in style. Powdery tannins leave a lengthy finesse.

Vinification - Parcels from each vineyard were picked in small batches and fermented separately in twoton open fermenters to maintain their distinct vineyard character. In some, a small amount of whole bunches was included. Each batch were tasted daily to determine the level of hand plunging and maceration required during fermentation. At the desired level of tannin and fruit extraction, each ferment was basket pressed with winemakers making the press cut at the first sign of tannin hardness. Pressed batches were transferred to a tailored selection of French oak barriques and puncheons in which they completed malolactic fermentation. Following MLF and several times thereafter, individual wines were racked and returned. At the end of this program

Oak Maturation - Vineyard batches were matured separately, each in their own individual selection of French oak barriques and puncheons. The final blend comprised approximately one-third new oak, the balance coming from largely two and three-year-old barriques and puncheons.

Drink - Can be enjoyed upon release, but will develop up to 2036 years with careful cellaring.

Since planting their first vineyards in 1987, Jean and Catherine Montanet have been one of the main forces behind the revitalization of Vezelay as a wine region. Domaine Montanet-Thoden started as a “cave cooperative” but in 1999 Jean broke out of the cooperative and formed Domaine de la Cadette to create the best possible basis for making unvarnished wines that best reflect the terroir of Vezelay.

Today, the family runs three separate companies that produce wines according to the same basic principles (see also Domaine de la Cadette and La Soeur Cadette). Domaine Montanet-Thoden is owned by Catherine Montanet and Tom Thoden, but today the wines are made by his son Valentin, who continues the philosophy that was founded by his parents: organic work in the vineyards, minimal intervention in the cellar, zero fining or filtration and an absolute minimal addition of sulphur when bottling.

This is elegant and affordable Pinot Noir from northern Burgundy with a distinct mineral streak.

This Bourgogne Blanc from La Soeur Cadette is made with Maconnais Chardonnay gapes sourced from the communes of Uchizy and Peronne.

The wine is directly pressed and the juice is transferred to large steel tanks where it remains until ready to bottle (usually about 8 to 10 months). The whites from Cadette are always clean, clear, sharp, energetic and a delight to drink.

THUNDERBIRD  |  BRIGHT IPA

5.8% alc./vol.

They say its wings bring thunder and its eyes flash lightning, but the Thunderbird’s intensity is benevolent, its appearance a good omen. This bright IPA borrows its name to give a fresh retelling to a familiar story by keeping things lean, lucid and enlivening. Its dazzling tropical character comes thanks to modern hop varieties from North America, where these tales were first told.

This Schwarzbier (black beer) is a dark German lager which takes the classic style and gives it a twist with a dash of roast grains. Resulting in an opaque black beer with hints of coffee and caramel. First brewed under a Super Blood Moon, we have otherwise kept ours as traditional as possible with imported German malts and hops. The result is a classic style that drinks like a Munich lager with hints of roast malts and spice from the hops. Rich yet easy drinking and finishing clean with a smooth bitterness.

IT’s Our Year |

Hazy IPA 6% 

Keepin the faith since way back. Mango forward, subtle hop bitterness and balanced sweetness. Clean finish dominated by mango flavour and aroma.

Best Before: 2026/02/25

You can have too much of a good thing. London, October 17, 1814, one of the Horse Shoe Brewery’s massive beer vats collapses releasing over half a million litres of porter, demolishing nearby buildings and killing eight people - their causes of death variously described as drowning or drunkenness. The Great Deluge, brewed with barley, oats, roasted wheat and East Kent Goldings, then aged in oak barrels for over a year with brettanomyces and lactobacilli creating a throwback style porter with dark chocolate and coffee notes and a restrained tart twist. Enjoy in moderation.

Sour Porter - 13% ABV.