Little Darling Sauvignon Blanc is the brainchild of Chris Darling and Bart Arnst, a leading organic grape growing and organic consultant in Marlborough; the biggest wine region in the country.

This wine is light bodied and intensely fruity in taste with refreshing acidity adding zesty appeal to every sip. It is great value for money.

The first thing you will notice is the intense aroma of this wine with notes of citrus and tropical fruits. These flavours follow through on the palate, where the wild fermentation in barrel adds great weight and texture to the wine.

The vision is to ‘go beyond fruit’, where the aromatics represent a feeling of texture. There is a well-defined oak influence, that embraces the wine. This is combined with more recognisable notes of nougat, fennel seed and a peach-like perfume that show themselves upon closer look.

The mouthfeel is soft, plush and round initially. Then the sense of direction comes through the acidity that salivates and further activates the taste buds. There is a fine balance throughout the mouthfeel of fruit weight, creaminess and acidity that are harmonised by the extended time in large-sized oak barrels.

You can find a classic approach but with a tight lens that brings freshness and playfulness.

WINEMAKING Hand-harvested fruit was pressed the following day, cold. After a light settling, the juice was racked into large format barrels, 300-500 litres, for a spontaneous ferment. Spring malolactic fermentation started naturally in October/November, the wine remained in barrel until the 2024 harvest started. It was then transferred into large 1000litre oak vessels for another 4 months of maturation on lees. 

TECHNICAL INFORMATION Vineyard source(s): McCreanor Vineyard, 37 Princess Street, Martinborough, NZ Harvest dates: 20 March - 31 March      |      Harvest Brix: 22.5 - 23.5 Brix Alcohol by Volume: 12.5%     |     pH 3.41      |     TA: 5.8 g/l

Nautilus Albarino is a limited edition wine made by Clive Jones at Nautilus winery where the cool temperature fermentation preserves the briny, salinity of Albarino's refreshing dry flavours. A brief period of ageing on yeast lees following fermentation adds a creamy balancing textural note to the taste and mouth feel of this lovely wine. 

The Albarino grape is originally from north west Spain and north west Portugal, where it's known as Alvarinho; same grape, different name. In Portugal it is used to make refreshing light bodied whites such as Vinho Verde and an increasing number of great dry single varietal white wines. 

VINEYARD AND FARMING
Planted in 2002, Doctors Flat is a single 3-hectare vineyard in Bannockburn. The schist subsoil was ground off the Cairnmuir Mountains by glacial ice and deposited here about 480,000 years ago. The glacial action and millennia of weathering have
generated an abundance of clay and fine silt in the vineyard gravel. We know soil texture drives wine texture and this vineyard produces Pinot Noir with density, fine tannin and great texture. We farm organically to help grow and sustain soil biology.
In turn the soil microlife harvest and transport nutrient and minerals to the vine. It’s this connection between vineyard and vine that gives Doctors Flat Pinot Noir its character and sense of place.

WINEMAKING
The winemaking is a simple programme of small open tanks, close attention, minimal inputs and a very light hand in the extraction process with only three punch downs. In 2021 20% of the fruit went directly to tank as whole bunches. Fermentation occurred spontaneously and after 21 to 24 days on skins the wine was drained to French oak barrels (22% new). Malolactic was delayed until spring and SO2 not added until late summer. After a full 12 months in barrel the wine was racked to tank for a second winter, then bottled 20 months after harvest.

A creamy, full bodied, deliciously complex bubbly made from a blend of two of the classic grapes used to make Champagne - Pinot Noir makes up 58% of this wine and the grapes were lightly pressed so that no colour is extracted from the Pinnacles Vineyard and 42% Chardonnay from the Om Santi Vineyard, fermented to 12.5% ABV. 

This big, creamy, full bodied sparkling wine made in the traditional method - the same way as champagne. The Chardonnay went through malolactic fermentation, which adds  the creamy notes. It was aged for two years on lees in bottle and given six grams of dosage at disgorgement, which makes this wine dry, fresh and long on taste thanks to the cool climate acidity which adds length and zesty drive. 

VITICULTURE Selected from some of Hawke's Bay's finest vineyards, this sparkling wine was partially fermented in French oak barrels for 15 months for complexity of character. Central to the success of New Zealand as a world-renowned wine growing region is the temperate maritime climate and the freedraining alluvial soils. Cool nights and warm days retain acidity which lends freshness and vibrancy to the wines, highly characteristic of New Zealand wine styles. 

WINEMAKING Pinot Gris was picked from the Mission homeblock and very gently pressed. The juice was inoculated with specially developed, aromatic yeast strains to intensify varietal character development. A portion was fermented in French oak barrel for 15 months for complexity. After blending the cuvée, the wine underwent a secondary fermentation before bottling. 

TASTING NOTES - Zesty with delicate pear and apple and fine mousse. Grown on our historic vineyard, this sparkling wine was partially fermented in French oak barrels for 15 months for complexity of character. Aromas of delicate pear and apple with a zesty palate showing lemon, lime and nutty notes. 

CELLAR POTENTIAL Enjoy now or in the next one to two years. 

WINE ANALYSIS Alcohol 12.5% pH 3.25 Acidity 6.5 g/L Residual Sugar <9 g/L

One of our best selling bubblies and for great reason' this is a stunner with creamy smooth flavours and gorgeous zesty bubbles. This sparkling wine is made 100% from Chardonnay grapes grown in Hawke's Bay, which were trucked down to the northern Wairarapa winery, Matahiwi Estate, where winemaker Miles Dineen worked his magic to produce this dreamy creamy bubbly. 

This wine is made in the mould of a blanc de blancs (white of whites) champagne, using Chardonnay grapes from the Dartmoor Valley in Hawke's Bay. The wine gains its richness from lees ageing, which enhances  creaminess and yeasty aromatics. It's a deliciously lemon citrusy wine with depth, complexity and character - outstanding value at the  price.

This lovely new rose on our shelves from a well established winery in a remote corner of our nearest wine region, Matahiwi Estate in the northern Wairarapa. Deep pink in colour and deeply fruity in flavour, this lovely medium dry rose is made 100% from Pinot Noir grapes. 

Spicy, smooth, soft and silky; what more can we ask for in a gorgeous expression of cool climate Syrah? This exceptional wine is also incredibly modestly priced and is over flowing with delicious aromas and flavours of dark fruit held captive in a beautifully structured red wine from Gladstone winery, Johner Estate, in the central Wairarapa. 

Complex, dry, fleshy textured Sauvignon Blanc from Huia Wines in Marlborough; 50 to 60% of the grapes were fermented in older French oak with wild yeasts giving the wine a beautiful complex nose. Certified organic.

The vineyards selected for this wine are Huia Rapaura vineyard and Rose family Kennedy vineyard. 

The grapes were hand-harvested, whole bunch pressed. Juice was racked off to barrels for fermentation  where a warm, fast ferment was encouraged. Base wine underwent full malolactic fermentation. Aged on gross lees in neutral French oak for 14 months. Wine is put on tirage where yeast and sugar is added before bottling. Second fermentation occurred in bottle and the  wine aged on lees for a further 20 months. Hand riddled over 5 weeks and disgorged on 6th December 2021. 

Senses 

Sight: cured salmon pink. 

Smell: Strawberries, cherries and baked bread. 

Taste: Fresh, wild strawberries and strawberry shortcake with a crisp finish. 

Food Matches: Goats cheese platters. Saffron risotto. Proper Crisps with Marlborogh Seasalt

A razor-sharp Riesling that keeps its cards close to its chest. Flint and citrus peel edge around a core of dry, chiselled fruit, while subtle spice lingers in the background. Brisk acidity slices through, creating a taut, electric structure. Beneath it all, the first whispers of smoky sweetness and mellow honey hint at what’s to come. It wraps up with a firm, grippy finish that leaves a lasting impression.