This Reserva Tempranillo from Valdepenas is a great example of the quality coming out of Spain at the  moment.  Ripe and juicy, yet also with hints of oak and complexity.  Grapes from their oldest, low-yielding vineyards were combined with those of younger vines to create a blend of rich dark fruit with smooth vanilla and rich cocoa. 12 months in American oak barrels, followed by a further 24 months in the bottle add a silken texture to the blend.  Superb with hearty stews and char-grilled steaks as well as a variety of tapas.

"Dark cherry red with a savoury bouquet infused with redcurrant fruit and cake spices, then spicy and savoury to the taste with lifted red berry fruit, a touch of orange zest and peppery spices. There's a nice touch of smokiness coming through, underlying earthy notes and a long dry finish lifted by vanillin oak and mint. Tannins are firm yet the wine is ripe and juicy with a pleasing generosity. Fantastic presentation.  13% alc."

Cabernet Sauvignon (70%) plus Garnatxa, Sumoll, and other autochthonous varieties from Penedes in north west Spain

The Mas Candi vineyard is situated in Les Gunyoles in Avinyonet del Penedes. Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are picked from vineyard planted in 1982, using no chemical fertilizers, antifungal treatments or pesticides. Other varieties come from a 0.5 ha vineyard planted with Mando, Cannonnau (old Catalan Grenache grown in Sardinia), Monica (Sardinia) and Sumoll. Soils are composed of calcareous clay and gravel. Vineyard altitude is 300 metres above sea level, and the climate is Mediterranean.

Grapes are hand harvested in small bins and the wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged for 12 months on its lees before bottling.

Sweet, supple, spicy, warm black cherry and blackberry fruit with a lovely smooth texture and notes of tea, herbs and spice. Warm and ripe and mellow with lovely balance and well integrated oak. Supremely balanced.

From the winery...

Our low-vigour, stony, clay-rich soil, cool maritime mesoclimate, naturally tiny yields of well under 35 hl/ha and our philosophy of expressing our terroir in our wines ? give rise to a certain tightness, tannin line and elevated length to balance the richness and generosity of our Pinot noir. Our Pinot noir is not overtly fruity, soft and "sweet" and it generally shows hints of that alluring savoury "primal" character along with a dark, spicy, complex primary fruit perfume.  

Soil Low-vigour, stony, clay-rich, shale-derived soil

Alcohol 13.46% Acid 5.50 g/l pH 3.48 Residual Sugar 2.30 g/l

Barrel Ageing 10 months

Oak 100% 228 litre French Oak Barrels Tight Grain 100%

1st fill 35% 2nd fill 47% 3rd fill 18%

Blonde Toast 31% Medium Toast 14% Medium Long Toast 55%

French Coopers: Francois Freres 100%

Hamilton Russell is the top winery of the Walker Bay region of South Africa. They are one of the southernmost wine estates in South Africa and are incredibly close to the sea. It is this cooling maritime influence, which helps to cool down their vineyards and enable their grapes to retain acidity, which provides freshness in the resulting wines. It was founded in 1975 by Tim Hamilton Russell who set up the property in the search of making South Africa's top cool-climate wines. It has since been taken over by his son Anthony and his wife Olive. They are now making highly individual, terroir-driven Pinot noir and Chardonnay, which are widely regarded as with the best in South Africa and among the finest in the New World.

Southern Right is re-defining Pinotage with this intense classically styled, clay-grown wine, packed with complex berry fruit, beautiful tannins and subtle wood spice. Full ripeness and the longer hang-time afforded by cooler sites, combined with the complex, more classic fruit aromas and structure resulting from clay-rich soil, make this wine a highly individual expression of South Africa?s unique grape variety.

This California grown Rh?ne varietal blend is focused and piquant with a smack of black pepper, lifted by the scent of dried roses. It surges with ripe Rainier cherries, a touch of dark chocolate, and a depth of black tea and liquorice, delivering both power and balance with a seemingly endless finish.

95 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

"The 2018 Christo is made up of 60% Syrah, 24% Grenache, 12% Petite Sirah and 4% Viognier. Vibrant ruby-purple in colour, the nose offers pure scents of crushed red, black and blue berries, tobacco, violets, tar and smoked meats. The palate is full-bodied and packed full of perfectly ripe, juicy fruit, with a grainy frame and loads of uplift on the finish. (EB)"

6.0% Alc/Vol  | 440mL

BRONZE MEDAL, NZ Brewers Guild Awards 2022

Bright and sparkling, like some gold bullion, this COLD fermented IPA is golden with crisp brilliant bitterness, a little bit dank, and a citrusy hop profile that makes this new COLD IPA seriously drinkable. You have found a little golden treasure with this beer.

THE MOUNTAINS ARE CALLING UNFILTERED NZIPA

ABV 6.8%

We went all-in with one of our favourite NZ hops: Riwaka. And this unfiltered IPA is loaded! Fresh grass, capsicum and dank diesel-laden aromas are underpinned with a passionfruit and citrus palate plus enough malt to back it up. Like a fresh powder run down the mountain, the smooth bitter finish leaves you wanting more. Here’s to winter and good beer! 

100% Chardonnay from Vinho Regional Lisboa.

The vines are planted at a density of 4.200 Plants/ha on clay and limestone soils. The fruit is destemmed and then pressed and fremented at tempreatures around 18 degrees celcius.

With the ideal soil and climate conditions, the result is a top quality, aromatic, concentrated wine. Great diurnal variation results in ripe fruits but supporting acidity.

Superbly refreshing, floral aromas with lime and honeysuckle. Off-dry, with a balanced acidity, fresh mineral flavours and a hint of apple
Great for that summer lunch

Cameron Douglas MS 93/100
A lovely wine in an off-dry expression. Aromas and flavours of green apple and lemon pith, honeysuckle and lime-flower. The sweetness is perfectly placed against a backdrop of acidity and ripe citrus and apple flavours. Balanced and well made, crisp and lengthy, a great aperitif style for Summer 2024.

Bob Campbell MW 93/100
"Medium-dry riesling with saline/oyster shell, lemon blossom, lime, and wild flower flavours. Initial sweetness is balanced by refreshing acidity which helps drive a lingering finish and creates mouth-tingling tension. Intense wine with cellaring potential"

Eye - Dark deep purple

Nose - Blueberries and Blackberries with a savory dried herb note

Taste - Blackberries and savory dried herbs support bold tannins combining fruit and oak with a wild gamey character.

Barrel aged for 12 months in French oak  

14.5%

Commercail description

Tasting Notes

This is a wine with a deep colour, aromatically rich with predominant notes of ripe fruit, spices and vegetables. In the mouth it is well balanced and velvety with notes
Vinification

The grapes, previously destemmed, went through a low temperature pre-fermentative maceration for 24 hours. The alcoholic fermentation was done in small stainless vats with temperature control, not going over 27. ° Celsius for 12 days. The wine aged, partially, for 5 months in French and American oak barrels.
Viticulture - Density of 4.200 Plants/ha. Clay and limestone soils.

NEW RELEASE – Sunrise 07 Celebrating International Womens Day – Pink Boots Colab.

Sunrise Series, 07 Hazy Pale Ale Pink Boots Co-lab. Who runs the world!… Sunshine Brewery has paired up with Pink Boots for International Women’s Day. The 7th annual YCH hop blend includes Idaho 7, Ahtanum, El Dorado and HBC638 bringing hits of berry, tropical and stone fruit. Brewed by our two rising young brewers, Nona and Marion, we are sure this will be a banger.

ABV: 5%

NEW RELEASE – NZIPA 2024 Winner Best Packaged Beer Smith’s NZIPA Challenge

After taking out 1st place in the Packaged Beer category and 3^rd place overall at Smith’s NZIPA Challenge we present this year’s entry NZIPA 2024 . We’ve taken inspiration from the nouveau Westy IPA styles of the US. A simple and light pilsner malt base layered with these three New Zealand hops Southern Cross, Wai-iti and Nectaron, we find flavours of pine, lemon citrus and stone fruits. An attempt to see where simplicity might intersect intrigue.

ABV: 6.5%

Dark crimson in colour, this wine is brooding with a rich, bold, and powerful bouquet of savoury red berry fruit, aromas of sweet raspberries, framboise liqueur and sweet vanilla. Lush, juicy, and very appealing savoury tannins give the wine great texture.

We expect this wine to reward careful cellaring over 7-10 years.

500ml Bottle

Mena Dhu stout is complex and flavoursome, yet deceptively light and refreshing. A subtle oak smoked aroma sets the scene for a delicious flavour profile that entices with a hint of dark chocolate, followed by a delicate touch of liquorice on the finish.

It’s brewed using a blend of six malts – traditional and pale malts for richness and depth, chocolate and smoked malts for a distinctive taste, and malted oats and roasted barley malts to enhance the finish.

Based on an original Cornish recipe, Mena Dhu means ‘black hill’ in Cornish and is named after the farm that was owned by Walter Hicks, the founder of St Austell Brewery.