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Soft spicy and flavoursome red made from Gamay (the Beaujolais grape), only in this case grown on the Two Terraces Vineyard at Maraekakaho in Hawke's Bay. Lifted fruity aromas accentuate the soft, intense perfume of the Gamay grape, which expresses itself with full force in this fragrant lovely red fruited wine. 

The wine was fermented with indigenous yeasts and given 100% carbonic maceration and aged in a combination of large clay amphora from Spain and older oak barrels. The wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered. 

Inspired by Beaujolais, made in Hawke's Bay and all about expressing Gamay's soft red berry flavours with lifted floral aromas and a smooth, medium body. Carbonic maceration was used for 47% of the wine and it enhances the fruit and floral aromas. The remaining 53% received a traditional, warm, red wine fermentation. The resulting wines completed their malolactic fermentation and were matured for seven weeks in seasoned French oak barrels, before blending and bottling.

Vineyards

In 1995, Te Mata Estate introduced to New Zealand a superior selection of Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc, the grape variety of the best wines of France’s Beaujolais region. Estate Vineyards Gamay Noir 2020 is a single vineyard wine from Te Mata Estate’s Woodthorpe Terraces vineyard, harvested on 3 and 12 March 2020.

Woodthorpe vineyard is located on elevated, north facing terraces in Hawke’s Bay Tutaekuri River valley. Between 1863 and 1914 it was home to the annual Woodthorpe races. 

Winemakers Rod and Emma Easthope make one of New Zealand's few Gamays from the Two Terraces Vineyards in Maraekakaho, Hawke's Bay. It's a vineyard owned by Ian Quinn, a fellow lover of the velvet smooth reds that the Gamay grape is capable of making. 

This lovely wine is made from hand picked grapes, which were whole bunch fermented, foot stomped and aged in a combination of old oak puncheons and stone eggs.

Bottled unfined, unfiltered and unsulphured.

Ian and Linda Quinn are among the few growers of the Gamay grape in New Zealand at their Two Terraces Vineyard in Mangatahi, Hawke's Bay. This lovely wine made by Haydon Penny is the made from their vines and in relatively small volumes.

It's extremely aromatic with red fruit flavours and offers a beautiful mix of bright red fruit and earthy notes. Light and lively on the palate, with a crunchy texture and loads of cherry and strawberry, with just a hint of spice. Move over rose…… Gamay is here! Serve slightly chilled.

Grosjean's velvety Gamay from north east Italy tastes ideal with cured meats such as salami, prosciutto and Italian soups.

Gamay's smooth red fruited flavours and lifted red floral perfume are best known from France's Beaujolais region but here's an Italian take on the same theme from the dramatic beauty of the Valle d'Aoste in north east Italy. Grosjean is a small volume, high quality focussed producer, which makes this wine from grapes grown between 700 and 850 metres above sea level on steep sunny mountainous slopes.

The Grosjean family traces its roots back to the village of Fornet in the high mountain passes of the Valle d’Aosta known as Valgrisenche where they raised cattle. During the summer months, the family cultivated grapes and chestnuts on the slopes at a lower altitude, stocking up on wine to supply themselves over the long winters. In 1969, Dauphin Grosjean, the father of the five sons that now collaborate to produce the wines of this estate, was encouraged to present his wine at the local “wine expo”. The exceptional quality of his work was recognized and the entire family became engaged in the expansion of the vineyards and in the production of wine.

The estate has now grown to encompass seven hectares of vineyards. The domaine is located in the hamlet of Ollignan on the border of the towns of Quart and Saint Christophe and includes “cru” vineyard sites such as Tzeriat, Rovettaz, Creton, and Touren in Quart, plus Tzantè de Bagnere, Merletta and Castello di Pleod in Saint Christophe. After starting out with the traditional Petit Rouge along with some Gamay, Pinot Noir and Petite Arvine, the Grosjeans have planted other local varietals such as Fumin, Cornalin, Premetta and Vuillermin.

Sustainable farming techniques have been in place since 1975: only organic fertilizers are applied and no pesticides or herbicides are used. Natural yeasts are utilized for fermentation.

Precious little of this lovely Gamay was made from a vineyard of just 1386 vines of Gamay in Northburn, Central Otago. This equates to 0.33 hectare. What this wine lacks in volume, it more than makes up for in high quality.
It?s a wonder that Gamay is only just beginning to be recognised as the plush little sister to Pinot Noir and here is another small volume, top notch example from Central Otago, which proves the point with its lush mouth feel and lively fresh dark fruit flavours.  

Grape varieties: Gamay

Winemaking: Hand harvesting on very demanding terroirs offering highest potential regarding the preservation of fresh fruit aromas, Beaujolais features. Our winemakers aim the perfect balance between jammy fruit and tannic structure. Semi-carbonic maceration – alcoholic fermentation with daily rack and return – malolactic fermentation – blending and fining.

Soil: Granite, sand and silica.
Climate: Continental climate with cold and dry winters and hot and sunny summers.
Aging: Ageing in vats.

Tasting notes:
Beautiful ruby red colour of good intensity. Elegant, with fresh fig and ripe red berry aromas (black cherry, wild strawberry), as well as delicate spicy notes. Nice structure on the palate with a long liquorice finish.

Food matches: Cold meats, grilled poultry and cheese.
Best served between 14°C and 16°C / 57+F and 60°F.

An innovative eau-de-vie from Martell, which is made by finishing their acclaimed VSOP Cognac in Kentucky bourbon barrels. This finishing process adds rich aromatic tones to Martell's delicate, pure Cognac, layering the characteristic candied fruit and plum notes with vanilla and toasted oak. This eau-de-vie, which cannot be called Cognac as the latter must only be aged in French oak, commemorates the fact that Martell was the first Cognac house to ship barrels of its spirit to America.

An audacious combination. Martell Blue Swift is a spirit drink made of cognac VSOP then finished in Bourbon casks. Through Martell's signature distillation process, the eaux-de-vie absorbs the rich aromatic tones of the bourbon cask. The result is Martell's hallmark style - delicate notes of candied fruit and plum - complemented by the subtle sweetness of vanilla and toasted oak from the casks. Exceptionally smooth, with a rounded taste and unique character.

Aroma: Gourmet notes of banana and caramelised pear introduce the subtle sweetness of vanilla, coconut and spices.
Palate: A sensation of fullness and generosity with notes of ginger and candied fruit, followed by distinctive hints of toasted oak from the bourbon casks.

Domaine des Pothiers makes wines from Gamay Noir, the Beaujolais grape, only this producer is in the Cote Roannaise, in the northern Loire Valley. Eclipse is a pale pink sparkling wine made solely with Gamay Noir, using the Methode Ancestral technique; the oldest winemaking method to create sparkling wines via a fermentation in the bottle. This style is now affectionately known in wine circles as Pet Nat; an abbreviation for petillant natural, due to being naturally sparkling following its second ferment in the bottle. Unlike champagne, which is made this way, pet nat is not disgorged, so this style retains lees and therefore a touch of cloudiness. 

This bubbly is medium dry with 9% ABV, and really well balanced by crisp zingy acidity and savoury flavours. A great aperitif style.

This cheeky little French rose is a super fruity, medium dry pink wine made in Anjou in the Loire Valley in northern central France; one of that country's most diverse wine regions. 

It's made from two red grapes, Gamay and Grolleau; both well known for their soft, smooth and fruity style. 

This wine is super popular and has fruit sweetness and an off dry finish.

Swifty is named after the Swiftburn stream that flows through Royalburn Station in the South Island's high country, where our spray-free barley is grown. Brewed by the good folks at Garage Project, this is a Refreshing Beer. An uncomplicated, easy-drinking classic ale. You beauty.

Chateau Thivin is the oldest estate on Mont Brouilly, which has remained in family hands for several generations. Grown on steep slopes, harvested manually and vinified using low intervention techniques so as to maximise terroir expression. 

The Brouilly appellation is capable of producing excellent and complex wines, quite unlike the maligned Beaujolais Nouveau. Brouilly produces fruit forward, medium bodied wines, typically from the Gamay grape. 

Le Sept Vignes is a blend of the seven plots of Chateau Thivin, in an effort to represent the region's terroir. This is a delicious, medium bodied red, with slight tannins and a persistent, juicy red-fruit character. Complex yet easy-drinking in it's youth. This wine will grow in elegance given a few years age. 

Swifty is named after the Swiftburn stream that flows through Royalburn Station in the South Island's high country, where our spray-free barley is grown. Brewed by the good folks at Garage Project, this is a Refreshing Beer. An uncomplicated, easy-drinking classic ale. You beauty.

A lovely fruit forward and pure sparkling wine made in the same way as Champagne from 45% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir and 20% Gamay. Nine months on the lees gives this real depth with subtle notes of brioche combining with its citrus and stone fruit flavours.

This is wine made from a unique clone of Gamay Noir known as "Saint Romain" from the Côte Roannaise which lies to the north west of Lyon at a latitude comparable to Beaujolais. The wine is very Burgundian with more savouriness than one would encounter in most Beaujolais. La Chapelle is their flagship wine, with masses of concentration and depth.

Jean Foillard is one of Beaujolais’ most renowned producers and he makes this wine from a single vineyard in the famous Cote du Puy sub-region. Foillard’s wines are extremely complex and deep for an area known for light, juicy reds. 

Hand harvested without destemming, cold carbonic maceration (4 to 7 ºC), alcoholic fermentation with indigenous yeasts for 3-4 weeks, no sulphur added then 6 to 9 months in old oak.

Made by one of the Beaujolais masters, one of the earlier pioneers of 'natural' wine. Made to be drunk young. This is 100% Gamay. Serve chilled. 

Our ideal is to make wine from 100% grape juice. 
-Marcel Lapierre

This is one of the most sought after, cult Beaujolais and available on allocation only. Earthy, complex and limited - our allocation is 12 bottles only and that's it for 2024. 

Brother and sister, Mathieu and Camille Lapierre, are doing a tremendous job of keeping their fathers’ vision alive. Again, volumes aren’t huge and it’s a juggling act to share the different cuvees around, but these are cracking Beaujolais.

Les Griottes is a perfect example of what makes good Beaujolais so popular. It's made from the youngest vines on the estate so it's all about fresh fruit flavours and juicy acidity. It is called Les Griottes because the bottom of the vineyard is lined with cherry, wild cherry and morello cherry (griotte) trees. 

It's a fruit driven Beaujolais with spicy intense cherry flavours, just like its name suggests.

This wine represents great value for money as it shows what good Beaujolais is about. 

Drink lightly chilled.