Arneis and Pinot Gris sourced from the Dolce Vista vineyard. Hand harvested Arneis barrel fermented and aged. Pinot Gris fermented on skins and then pressed to seasoned oak. Blended and bottled after 12 months in barrel. Delicate white flowers and peach, intense citrus with minerality and rich texture.

"Bianco d’Alessano is an uncommon variety from Puglia in Southern Italy, with the Loxton vineyard the only planting in Australia. Fermented in stainless steel with wild vineyard yeast, the wine was bottled under crown seal to finish ferment, resulting in the Petillant Naturel, lightly sparkling style.

The nose is beautifully clean for a bottle fermented wine, bright citrus mixed with bready, almost croissant-like aromas. With more age in the vines we are seeing more depth and intensity on the palate than ever before – the tropical fruits are still there, but there is a saline, herbaceous, moreishness that invites both quick drinking and deep thought. The persistent fizz keeps everything in fun territory though, a wine perfect for brunch, lunch picnics or sunset on the porch."

From the famed Soave producer Pieropan this Valpolicella Superiore is made up of: Corvina Veronese 60%, Corvinone 30%, Rondinella 5%, Croatina Veronese 5%.

Organically grown at 300-500m, on vines with an average age of 20 years.

Grapes are destemmed and pressed. Fermentation temperature is between 23-24 °C / 73-75 °F with a maceration for 12 days with regular punching down for a delicate extraction of tannins and colours.

It ages in french oak tonneaux (40-50% of first passage) for 18/24 months followed by a period in bottle before release.

Typical note of cherry, small red fruits, currant jam and red roses. Pleasant spicy notes, black pepper, cinnamon, juniper berries and cloves. Hints of dark chocolate, vanilla, aromatic woods and a distinct balsamic character. Palate: Fresh, sapid, with fruity character; tannic and delicate texture.

Frank and fresh attack of fresh fruit, floral notes and minerality on the nose. Round and balanced mouth, the Chenin dominates with its crisp fruits and finesse. The bubbles are both intense and persistent.

Grapes: 60% Chardonnay, 30% Chenin, 10% Cabernet Franc

Terroir: Chalky soils consisting of small fossilized stones.

Winemaking: Manual harvest before pressing in whole bunches. Separate vinifications for each grape and 18 months on lees.

Commercial Description

made from fruit sourced from Ballochdale in the Awatere Valley. Proudly sitting 300m above sea level, the vineyard’s spectacular inland location provides the most desirable conditions for producing wines of identity and intensity.

Čuvar Guardians Pinot Noir 2023 is the first wine Sir George made from this vineyard he acquired in 2023. This wine displays vibrancy and a ripe red fruit profile typical of the regions, along with added depth, structure and spicy nuances from ageing in French oak barriques. While still youthful, the wine already shows nice complexity from the oak maturation and will age gracefully well into the end of the decade.

This bright ruby red Pinot Noir has aromas of ripe red cherry, cranberry and accented hints of savoury earthiness.

Commercial Description

We are lucky at Čuvar to have arguably one of the best red wine vineyards on the Gimblett Gravels, which meant that the Syrah weathered the early cyclone and continued to ripen to produce fruit with depth of flavour and ripe tannins – the perfect palette to create this wine.

Firm, ripe tannins create a backbone enveloped in juicy sun kissed fruit that lengthens on the palate to leave you wanting more.

TASTING NOTE Dark purple and ruby appearance with a pink rim leads to a bouquet of ripeness, concentration and power. On the nose, the wine bursts with aromas of fresh crushed blackcurrant, rosemary flower and violet, layered with smoky clove and new leather. The palate is opulent and velvety in texture, with concentration, ripeness and power. Plum, dark cherry and cocoa beans are vibrant and lingering. This wine is both intense and delicate.  A lovely reflection of the 2021 season. 

VINEYARDS & VITICULTURE Our Waiheke Vineyard is entirely owned and managed by Cable Bay Vineyards to ensure we produce the best quality fruit possible. We practice regenerative viticulture, and we are accredited with Sustainable Winegrowing NZ. We are located on the sun-drenched, western side of the island, on steep slopes overlooked by Rangitoto volcano. We have predominantly mineralised clay volcanic soils over Jurassic era rock. This type of geology and soil provides wines with great mid-palate weight and minerality. This wine is made from the Hermitage MS clone of Syrah. 

WINEMAKING These Syrah grapes were hand-picked in March 2021, on a cool morning, and immediately taken across the road to our winery. The ferment was 100% whole berries, which helps to enhance the floral and bright fruit characters in the wine. At pressing, only the free run wine was retained to ensure delicacy, and run to French oak puncheons and barriques. In 20% new oak, it aged for 21 months before assemblage and bottling.

86% Viognier, 14% Marsanne

TASTING NOTE Apricot, citrus, white peach and acacia blossom aromas burst from the glass giving this wine personality and intensity. The palate is concentrated, dry and savoury; salted plum and sake flavours with an earthy mineral finish. This wine has turned into a delicious, complex number with multiple layers, and is perfectly expressive of the vintage and site upon which it was grown. A wine that’s stands alone or can accompany a variety of dishes through all four seasons. 

VINEYARDS & VITICULTURE Crafted from two small blocks located on the Western point of Waiheke Island, Viognier and Marsanne thrive in the salt laden air. We have predominantly mineralised clay volcanic soils over Jurassic era rock with no irrigation. This type of geology and soil provides wines with great mid-palate weight and minerality. The grapes were hand harvested when flavours peaked inside the small window of optimum ripeness that occurs with Viognier. We practise regenerative viticulture in our vineyards to ensure resilience and longevity of our vines. 

WINEMAKING 2023 saw another load of happy staff foot stomp a portion of the hand harvested Viognier and Marsanne, whilst the remaining fruit was delicately whole bunch pressed. We fermented the juice in a large concrete egg and some French acacia barrels. The wine was then rested on fine lees for 9 months in these same vessels before assemblage and bottling.

TASTING NOTE From grapes grown on naturally low-yielding, old vines, this wine is vibrant and complex. Grapefruit, peach and earthy clay pot aromas complement a fresh and focused palate. Fine phenolic texture and mineral acidity add depth and length respectively.  The salinity from the ocean, oak influence, together with juicy tree fruit notes from the grapes, round out what is truly a charming wine. 

VINEYARDS & VITICULTURE Our Waiheke Vineyard is accredited with Sustainable Winegrowing NZ and is entirely owned and managed by Cable Bay Vineyards to ensure we produce the best quality fruit possible. We practice regenerative viticulture. The site is located on the sun-drenched, western side of the island, on steep slopes overlooked by Rangitoto volcano. We have predominantly mineralised clay volcanic soils over Jurassic era rock. This type of geology and soil provides wines with great mid-palate weight and minerality. This wine is a blend of Chardonnay clones 15, 95, 6 and 548. 

WINEMAKING The ripe fruit was hand-harvested early in the morning whilst the grapes were nice and cool, transported across the road to the winery, and immediately whole bunch pressed. It was settled and racked taking light lees, leaving textural Chardonnay juice to enter wild yeast fermentation. We allowed partial malolactic fermentation on this wine, to both develop mouthfeel while preserving the natural acidity of our warmer sub-tropical climate. Following barrel ferment, the wine aged in second use oak puncheons and barriques on full lees for 12 months before assemblage, and then a further 3 months integrating together as a blend in tank, before bottling.