A complex wine with red fruit flavours. Big, elegant and ripe tannin structures. Will over time show more secondary and forest floor characteristics.

Greystone is one of North Canterbury's wine stars situated on the slopes of limestone rich hills in Omihi. All of the grapes that go into Greystone wines are 100% certified organic with BioGro NZ and all are estate grown. No additional fruit is purchased to supplement production, which is one of many incremental steps that go into Greystone's high quality wines. 

This impressive Pinot Noir is the top of the Pinot tree at Greystone. It's made from fully destemmed whole berries which were cold macerated and fermented with wild yeasts, 25% of the wine having been fermented in small tanks amongst the vines, which ensures a completely wild vineyard yeast fermentation. The wine is bottled without fining, filtration or cold stabilisation.

It drinks well now but will reward those with patience to wait for it to develop further with age and has the potential to evolve positively for up to a decade, if kept in good conditions. 

Certified organic with BioGro NZ.

About Greystone

The Greystone wine story began in 2000 when the Thomas Family bought an old sheep farm on the Omihi hills in the Waipara Valley, North Canterbury. The rolling limestone hills lured this family in and their goal was a single minded one: to make great wines from the limestone rich soils here. Fast forward 20 years and Greystone is one of the great (and, some might say, yet to be fully discovered) wineries in this outstanding wine region. Not least due to the work of winemaker Dom Maxwell and general manager Nick Gill, who began working together in 2005 and has grown along with the brand and quality. 

An ace Australian single malt from the Starward range, Nova spends its life maturing in casks that previously held Australian red wine, sourced from wineries that produce Shiraz, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon.

In fact, the casks come right from the wineries, and are only lightly charred or steamed before whisky goes into them, ensuring that the wine's flavour profile has an impact on the spirit. Particularly decadent stuff, it does very well when pairing with rich foods as well as being enjoyed by itself. it's also rather good in cocktails that take advantage of the bold red fruit notes. Perhaps even a Manhattan...?

Nose: Positively bursting with red fruit, strawberries with a Port-like mixture of fruit and nuts.

Palate: Honey, cinnamon and more red fruit on the palate, creamy nutty texture, luxurious mouthfeel with a touch of tannin.

Finish: Toffee with walnuts.

Batch #1 of a non-chill filtered single malt at a bold 50% ABV for intensity. Composed from Australian barley and craft brewers’ yeast for extra flavour.

Starward age Fortis in 100% American Oak barrels to give a full, rich taste that enhances the toasty oak and vanilla characters of the whisky. Fortis also boasts juicy red wine characteristics thanks to barrels from mostly Barossa Valley wineries, which once held powerful shiraz and cabernets. Some barrels are charred for complexity, most are fresh, lending Fortis the intense red wine flavours that soaked into the barrel staves. They don’t chill filter this stronger release to closely represent the whisky that comes from the barrel.

A rich, full-bodied flavour balanced with the approachable velvety smoothness Starward whiskies are known for. Expect upfront notes of Madagascan vanilla pod and toasty oak. The palate is all chocolate ganache, cinnamon, quince and Muscadelle raisin with a lingering baking spiced finish.

Spectacular sipped straight and savoured. Or stir it down with vermouth, Campari and orange bitters, or in another classic cocktail.

#N/A

Winemaker Paul Pujol is a dab hand at making this pale light bodied red from Pinot Noir. This refreshing lighter take on Pinot Noir has flavours of red berries, spice, excellent freshness and a long finish. 

Limited skin contact, wild yeast fermentation and no secondary fermentation has resulted in an intense, red cherry laced wine with fresh acidity and brightness. 

This is made to be served lightly chilled. 

Brand: Koch Mezcal
NOM: NOM-O171X
Mezcalero: Adrian Bautista
Maguey: Tobaziche
Agave: Karwinskii
Grind: Tahona
Distillation: Copper
Style: Joven
State: Oaxaca
Town: Rio de Ejutla
ABV: 47%
Age of plant: 12 years

About this mezcal
Koch Tobasiche is made with wild maguey Tobasiche that is matured 12 years before being harvested. It is made by Adrian Bautista in Rio de Ejutla. On the palate, it is sweet with strong notes of anise. Is also has hints of herbs and roots.

Koch Mezcal
Carlos Moreno's family has been linked to mezcal since the beginning of the 20th century. In 2009, Carlos resumed the family tradition and teamed up with 5th generation maestro mezcalero Pedro Hernandez to create Koch El Mezcal de Oaxaca, with the goal of preserving and promoting mezcal culture. After 10 years of business, they've now integrated more than 15 communities and 50 producing families into their collective. Each batch will vary, so check your bottle for details.

It begins with Westwards American Single Malt whiskey. After their whiskey is fully matured, it is then finished to taste in American Oak Stout Seasoned casks for approximately one year. Each cask has held stout beer from a variety of breweries throughout Oregon; including Bent Shovel Brewing, Breakside Brewing, Culmination Brewing, Ex Novo Brewing Co., Fort George Brewery, Migration Brewing, and Sky High Brewing, among others. Their cask finishing imparts a roasted chocolate note that flawlessly accentuates the signature toast characteristics of Westward American Single Malt.

Tasting notes
Rich and robust, with notes of roasted grain, stone fruit, toasted pecan, milk chocolate, and a bold, dry finish.

Brand: Bruxo Mezcal
NOM: NOM-O184X, NOM-O264X
Mezcalero: Cesareo "Hero" Rodriguez
Maguey: Barril, Cuishe, Espadin
Agave: Angustifolia, Karwinskii
Distillation: Copper
Style: Ensamble
State: Oaxaca
Town: Las Salinas
ABV: 46%

About this mezcal
Bruxo No. 4 is made by mezcalero Hero Rodriguez in the village of Las Salinas. The Ensamble is made with Espadin, Barril, and Cuishe maguey that have citrus and herbal notes.

Bruxo Mezcal
Bruxo was created by a group of friends who love and honor the country of Mexico. They discovered the magic of mezcal, but above all, its people. Brujo is synonymous with shaman, wise, illuminated; and the "X " in Bruxo then refers to the pronunciation of their origin lands, Oaxaca and México. Each bottle of Bruxo may vary slightly from lot to lot, so make sure to check your bottle for details.

Named for the iconic protective wall that stretches behind their Butchertown distillery, Floodwall is a superb blend of superior, copper pot-distilled apple brandy aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels and 250-liter Oloroso sherry casks from Spain. Made from American apple brandy with a minimum age of four years, a full-bodied spirit at 100 proof alcohol strength. Floodwall is non-chill filtered with no post-distillation addition of apple flavor or essences, no Bois? (oak flavor or infusion), sugar or caramel color for an authentic, uncorrupted natural flavor and natural color.

Aromas of honeyed apple bouquet (unusually fresh) with lovely complexity. Quite floral, honeysuckle and butterscotch mingling with hints of whiskey, oak, and vanilla. Flavors are quite crisp, frisky and slightly mid-palate. ?Scotchy? and a little nutty rancio with sherry butterscotch and red-apple skin. Finish is oily with lots of legs. Hangs in on the tongue for ages with a racy back end finish.

Winemaker Sam Weaver describes The Abyss Pinot Noir as an iron fist in a velvet glove. It's made with grapes grown on a hillside vineyard, which backs onto a precipitous cliff, hence the name, The Abyss. Vines were planted here in 2000 at a high density of approximately 5000 vines to the hectare, which is unusual for New Zealand. All of these grapes are 100% certified organic with BioGro New Zealand and also grown biodynamically. A high proportion of whole berries were included in the ferment with indigenous yeasts and the wine was aged in French oak barrels for 18 months with a modest 10% new oak.

Churton Estate founder and winemaker Sam Weaver cut his teeth on the classic wines of the world while working in fine wine retail in the United Kingdom. He and his wife Mandy Weaver then moved to New Zealand and set about creating one of this country's most focussed small wineries; a brand that does live up to the dream of creating 100% estate grown grapes, 100% certified organic production and 100% bottled on site, nearly all of the wines without fining or filtration. All the grapes are hand picked and natural yeasts ferment the vast majority of wines they make. These qualitative decisions impact every step of their winemaking in a positive fashion, providing exceptional quality grapes which in turn express themselves in outstanding wines.

The Domaine des Espiers is located in the heart of Vaucluse, between the banks of the Ouvèze and Dentelles de Montmirail. This is an excellent value Cote du Rhone with smooth tannins, warm berry fruit flavours and a medium body. 

Made to the same base of recipes since 1821, Dolin Vermouth de Chamb?ry has long been the benchmark for fine Vermouth. Inventors of the Blanc, Dolin is equally famous for it's very light, pale Dry. In the late 19th century, Dolin won medals in Paris, London, St. Louis and Philadelphia and in 1932 earned Chamb?ry France's only Appellation d' Origine for Vermouth. Dolin Vermouth de Chamb?ry is made of fine wines and botanicals found in the Alpine meadows above Chamb?ry. Together they impart a fresh and elegant nose, with a subtle and complex palate. Ideal as an aperitif or in cocktails. Tasting notes: Dolin Vermouths are notably lighter, drier and less pungent than their larger commercial counterparts. The particular mixture of plants found near Chamb?ry give a fresh, restrained and elegant nose, with a subtle, complex bittersweet palate. Even the Blanc and Rouge retain great balance, with the sugar never cloying, and just enough bitterness to whet the appetite. Each can be enjoyed as aperitif on ice, with a twist of citrus, or in a broad array of traditional cocktails. Source: alpenz.com

California Zin is one of the most satisfying big dark reds on the planet and Sebastiani's is a great example. It's dry, it's full bodied, it's spicy and it's rich in taste. What more could you ask for?

Sebastiani is a winery in Sonoma, founded by Italian immigrant Samuele Sebastiani in 1895, making cobblestones for San Francisco streets to save the money to build a winery. which became highly successful and remained in family hands until 2008 when Californian wine lover Bill Foley bought it to add to his large portfolio of companies.

This is a great full bodied, dry red with power and complexity at an affordable price. Next level Zin, here we come.