One of the world's great value sparkling wines, made the same way as champagne, often from the same grape varietiess and in France, only it is not aged for as long in the bottle. That said, the complex yeasty rich flavours and dry taste of this lovely Alsatian bubbly definitely give more than a hint of the depth of taste in a good champagne. 

This is a lot of fun; a sparkling, savoury Italian wine has a pale pink colour savoury and was made using the methodé ancestral winemaking technique. This means it was fermented in the bottle where the CO2 dissolved into the wine to make it sparkling. It was not disgorged after fermentation so it retains lees (yeast cells) and therefore a light hazyness. 

Dry, refreshing, lively bubbly. Drink lightly chilled. We think this is great fun and great value.

This is a top notch everyday sparkling wine from the epicentre of the world's most popular bubbles today, the Veneto, in north east Italy - home to Prosecco.

Clean, fresh and lemony in taste, it offers a medium bubble and lingering lightly fruity finish, making it very good value for money for high quality Prosecco.

Hand harvested grapes were selected to make this lovely dry, next level Prosecco, which is produced by the Bortolin family - now in its fourth generation of winemaking. 

Cantine Riondo is a large cooperative based near Soave with over 2,000 winegrower members. This Extra Dry vintage spumante (Italian for semi sparkling), offers rich and elegant scents of ripe Golden Delicious apple, acacia and wisteria blossom. Fresh and creamy on the palate with a pleasant silky finish.

This is (possibly) the greatest scientific breakthrough by a Kiwi since the guy on the hundred dollar bill split the atom. 

At 2.5% ABV, this full-flavoured session India Pale Ale serves up massive hoppy notes and malty charachter at a lower octane - for a smooth rider with flavour cranked all the way up so you get the hoppy goodness of a craft pale ale.

This beer is legal tender for good times - Perfect if you're the designated driver?

Smooth, dark and full bodied blend of four Portuguese red grape varieties. Castelão, Camarate, Tinta Miúda and Preto Martinho combine to make this wine rich, dark and fruity in flavour with its dry, spicy style. If you had to name a modern European country, Portugal may be one of the last places to spring to mind but wines like these highlight a new wave of wines now pouring out of this most western European country. And best of all, most of them are made using traditional, indigenous, little known grapes that have always grown in Portugal, such as the four that make up this beautiful robust, smooth, velvety red.

KONISHI SHUZO / HIYASHIBORI (GINJO) 13%-13.9% / JAPANESE SAKE 720ml

"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."

MELON LIQUEUR

Full bodied French Viognier from the south, which is affordable and beautifully well balanced, thanks to its peachy aromas and zingy dry palate structure. This wine highlights Viognier at its best; dry and rich but also with complex nutty notes, wich is no mean feat at this price. This wine is made with grapes grown in three French wine regions; on the Massif Central, the Mediterranean and the French Alps. This combination provides balance to the fleshy, full bodied appeal of peachy Viognier. This wine was aged for six months on lees in concrete tanks. 

It is also refreshingly varietally labelled.

A lovely addition to Viognier lover's wine glasses in New Zealand.

Chateau Larroque is based just outside the 'Graves' appellation in the southern part of Bordeaux.  Made from the classic blend of Bordeaux grapes, and matured for 12 months in French oak before further aging in bottle.

On first opening, medium bodied on the palate, red cherry and dried fruits, toasted almonds with dusty savoury bramble and spice. Once given a chance to breathe opens up to offer generous plump juicy dark fruits, cassis and liquorice.

Superb value for 'left bank' Bordeaux.

Bouquet: Bright and vibrant with ripe fruits, primarily dark plums and blackcurrants, with a hint of raspberry coulis and coffee mocha oak.

Palate: Rich blackcurrant and raspberries. Crisp, clean acidity and delightful tannin structure leading to a lingering finish.

About the winery...

Six generations have nurtured some of the most historic vineyards in Australia.
In 1839 William Formby arrived in Australia from the United Kingdom and it was in 1882, after four decades pioneering South Australia, he purchased the now historic Metala estate.

In 1891 William and his son, Arthur, planted 21 rows of Shiraz, and 14 rows of
what are now the oldest family-owned Cabernet Sauvignon vines in the world.
In 1894 a further 5.4 acres of Shiraz were planted. After almost five decades making Metala wine in a purpose-built winery on the estate, the winemaking was transferred to Arthur’s Brother-in-Law, at Stonyfell Cellars. The wines continued to be made here until management shifted to various holdings beginning with Dalgety Wine Estate in the early 1970’s.

In 1981, 5th Generation Guy Adams took over the management of the mixed farm estate. With a sincere appreciation and respect of viticulture and to family legacy, Guy, together with his wife Liz, began a 20-year long battle to return Metala to its original home. In 2022 the dream became a reality and Metala came home to Langhorne Creek and the family who planted and have nurtured the vines for more than 130 years.

This is the top wine of this old estate in Chateauneuf du Pape, produced from a single block of their oldest vines, many of which being over 100 years old.  Very concentrated and hedonistic wine.  100% Grenache,  undergrowth, truffle, toast, light notes of vanilla; red fruit: redcurrants, raspberries, sour cherries, maintaining a fresh acidity and endless length. The complexity of a fine Pinot Noir but the power of a mighty Rhone wine.

Chateauneuf du Pape is definitely the most famous and arguably the most prestigious of the Southern Rhone 'Cru' wine appellations, covering 3,200 hectares of vines across 5 communes (about three times the size of Martinborough).

Wine was made here from Roman times, but became famous with the Papacy in town and beyond to royal courts. The best vineyards are on gentle hill slopes, with deep clay & limestone soils with large rounded river stones 'galets' on top. By rules inacted in the 1920s, no vineyards were to be planted on land that was not arid enough to support plantings of both lavender and vines.

Domaine Juliette Avril is a family winery of four generations in the heart of Chateauneuf town - growing for centuries in the region and helped to create the rules of the appellation in 1928.  The vineyards are the classic mix of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, and small amounts of the other 10 grape varieties permitted. An impressive half of the vines are over 50 years old.

Winemaking

Temperature controlled ferment in steel, aged in high quality demi-muid (600L) barrels for 12 months, with a light filtration.  The top wine of the estate - from a single estate of old vines.

Bouquet: Blackcurrant and cassis layered with notes of subtle pepper and spice. 

Palate: Generous and sweet blackcurrant followed by layers of cedar oak and dried bay leaf. Elegant and textured tannins are balanced with natural acidity leaving a firm, persistent finish.