Vallformosa, is a family owned operation that has been around for 150 years. 

Appearance: Pale yellow with greenish reflections in the glass

On the Nose: Good aromatic intensity of fruity aromas, including green apple and fresh herbs like fennel welcome the nose. These fruiter elements also combine with notes of white flowers and citrus in the bouquet to offer complexity.

On the Palate: Vallformosa Cava is a bright sparkling wine with fine persistent bubbles. The palate is balanced and dry while soft, resulting in well balanced acidity and a fruity aftertaste.

About Cava...

Cava is one of the great sparkling wine secrets of the world and you could call it poor man's champagne because it's made the same way, only with slightly shorter aging time and therefore a little less complexity on the palate. Still, given that it costs a fraction of the price and has had its secondary fermentation in the same bottle that you buy it in, this really is superb value for money.

It can be made with grapes grown anywhere in Spain. These days, producers are allowed to use Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to make cava but this one is from the traditional Spanish grapes, namely, Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada, each of which combines to create a fruity but dry and lightly yeasty fresh taste. A stunner at the price and an extremely fresh, refreshing dry bubbly. Awesome value for money.

Bodegas Roda is completely new to New Zealand this year, 2023, and is also a fabulously modern expression of traditional Spanish grape varieties which express themselves in bold red fruit flavours here with the support structure of firm smooth tannins, spicy complex aromas and depth. The blend is 94% Tempranillo,  4% Garnacha and 2% Graciano, all grown on bush vines between 15 to 30 years of age.
Fermentation and ageing was in large French oak vats for 12 months. Stabilisation was natural with egg white used for fining. 

This is a great wine from relatively youthful vines in Spanish terms. It drinks well now and has fabulous structure to age further.

Bodegas Roda produces fabulously modern expressions of traditional Spanish grape varieties which express themselves in bold red fruit flavours with the support structure of firm smooth tannins, spicy complex aromas and depth, in this case that blend is 93% Tempranillo, 4% Graciano and 3% Garnacha.
The grapes are grown on bush vines older than 30 years, mostly in Haro and its surroundings. The yields are low, which produces wines with rich concentration of flavour. The fermentation is in French oak vats equipped with temperature control, followed by a malolactic fermentation in French oak barrels for 14 months. A further ageing of 22 months in bottle enabled the wine to mature before release. 

The Tempranillo (78%) comes from 30-year-old vines in our Cuesta (Cenicero) and Montecillo (Fuenmayor) vineyards. The Garnacha (22%) comes from La Pedriza vineyard in Tudelilla (Rioja Oriental). This 70 hectare property offers unbeatable conditions for growing this variety. Its nutrient-poor soil, covered with boulders, results in great varietal typicity, rich in aromas, with a pleasant, elegant structure. We started picking these plots in mid-October. 

The grapes were harvested manually and transported to the winery in refrigerated vehicles. Alcoholic fermentation took place spontaneously. Malolactic fermentation concluded at the end of the year. In March 2013, the selected wines were put in barrels to start ageing separately: the Tempranillo for 36 months with six manual rackings, in American oak barrels averaging 4 years in age and the Garnacha for 30 months with five manual rackings, in barrels with two and three wines. The final blend was bottled in March 2016.

Outstandingly bright, lively and intense garnet red, with an incipient cherry red rim. The first nose is very intense, with spicy, balsamic and ripe fruit notes. After swirling, aromas of black pepper, sweet liquorice, nutmeg, coffee, vanilla and cinnamon make their appearance. Mouth full of flavours, with a pleasant acidity and balance, and very polished tannins that enhance the harmonious structure. Complex and elegant aftertaste with spicy and balsamic hints. 

To enjoy right now, but with a long life ahead.

Bideona Vino de Pueblo Villabuena (V1BN4)

Villabuena makes some of our favourite wines, which tend to be a perfect example of the ideal, middle-weight, highly drinkable, yet extremely age-worthy Rioja Alavesa.

Vineyard parcels are on hillsides, around 500 m above sea level, and well protected by the Sierra Cantabria. Ripening is later than in Laguardia but earlier than in Leza, giving the most beautiful balance between freshness, elegance and good fruit concentration. Bideona Villabuena shows precise and pure berry aromas, finely grained tannins and an amazing flow on the palate, even when young.

Viura de Cabezadas comes from our youngest vineyards, with an average age of 30 years, planted on calcareous soils. We determine the time on the lees and the type and length of aging individually for each vintage, using a combination of stainless steel, concrete tanks, and used barrels.

Fresh and subtle nose, pure aromas of stone fruit with a touch of white flowers and phosphorus. Light and crisp on the palate, yet with good fruit concentration and a refreshing, dry, and slightly mineral finish.

Made by the legendary Peter Sisseck of PIngus fame, this is an approachable, yet big and mouth filling wine, with juicy fruit forward flavours and ripe tannins. Predominantly Tempranillo.

Tempranillo is one of the world’s most popular on trend red grapes at the moment and it’s easy to taste why in this earthy little bottle of deliciously full bodied goodness. 

New on our Under $25 stand now – pop in for a bottle or half a case.

Maravedí is the name of an ancient Spanish coin and this wine is an excellent example of a Tempranillo and Syrah blend, made from old Spanish dry farmed and organically certified vineyards. Deep purple with a ruby rim, displaying aromas of red fruit and blackberries with slight spicy notes of freshly ground pepper. Medium bodied and juicy on palate, yet with fine tannins and a refreshing finish.

The continental climate, with sunny days and cool nights, allow for intense fruit and excellent varietal definition, while retaining remarkable freshness. The Organic Grapes are picked at night and in the early morning hours and shipped quickly to a state-of-the-art winery for destalking, light crushing and fermentation under temperature control in stainless steel. Maceration lasts for 8-10 days to achieve a perfectly balanced style without excessive extraction. No oak is used to achieve a pure expression of the combination of Tempranillo and Syrah.

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.

Tasting Note: Straw yellow colour with golden edges. Intense aromas of pineapple, apple and pear in perfect harmony with the typical ripening aromas: butter, toast and caramel. Creamy and elegant taste with sufficient freshness and a pleasant aftertaste. An excellent choice with warm fish dishes, white meat and semi-hard cheeses.

Winemaking Notes: The vineyards are located in the protected area of the Jumilla appellation in the province of Murcia. There is a warm climate with more than 3000 hours of sunshine per year, and this is also one of the driest areas in Spain with a maximum of 300l of precipitation per m²/year. The vines are on a sandy soil with large pebbles, low to the ground and have a very low yield maintenance. When the grapes have reached their optimum ripeness, they are harvested by hand at night. Maceration at low temperature to preserve the intense aromas. After fermentation at very low temperature in stainless steel vats, the wine is transferred to oak barrels where it matures for 6 months “sur lie” and develops its creaminess. The grapes are grown organically and no animal products are used during the clarification of the wine, which is why this wine gets the “Vegan” label.

Certification: Vegan

Alcohol: 12.5%

Variety: Chardonnay

Region: Jumilla, Spain

Spain's great offering to the world of sparkling wine is called Cava and it is made in the same way as champagne and this exceptional bubbly spends the same amount of time ageing in the bottle on yeast lees as most champagne. That long ageing process is 15 months and it results in a wine with fresh baked bread and yeasty aromas, which are tempered by citrusy freshness and depth of flavour from the complex combination of both. This makes it stunningly good value for money. 

The producer is Gonzales Byass, the largest sherry producer and owners of the great classic, Tio Pepe Fino. 

This bubbly comes from grapes grown on a vineyard planted in 1991 in Espiells, the highest, windiest area of the municipality of Sant Sadurní d’Anoia. 250 metres above sea level. Bordered to the south by the Coastal Serralda and to the north by the Montserrat mountains, the vineyard benefits from an exceptional microclimate. The soil is alluvial and comprises three layers;; of clay and silt, pebbles and loose stones and fine sand that compacts down and is called “sauló”. Together, they produce a cava with very warm climate characters which are balanced by a touch of saltiness. The Parellada vineyard is located at 700 metres above sea level in the municipality of La Llacuna, considered to be one of the highest in Penedés.

Made from 100% Tempranillo fruit aged for 36 months in American oak and held for five years before release and now with some decent age under its belt - what's not to like. Bold and powerful with spicy fruit and mellow tannins Rioja Reservas really are a law unto themselves and given half a chance the oak just melts into the aged tertiary flavours harmoniously.