| Champagne |
glass |
375
ml |
750
ml |
| |
|
|
|
| Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial
NV |
$19.50 |
|
$115 |
| Being the largest selling Champagne
in the world, one wonders how consistent quality is,
yet these bottles direct from MoëtHennessy are remarkably
fresh, vibrant, crisp and bright;
worlds apart from the stuff at discount retailers. Pinot Meunier
for aromatic precociousness,
Pinot Noir for body, and Chardonnay for elegance, it is archetypal
Champagne. |
| |
|
|
| Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin
Brut NV |
$140 |
| The grand old lady of the MoëtHennessy
family, Clicquot’s trademark yellow label denotes
the epitome of the classic, full-bodied, silky and mature style
of Champagne, dominated by
the savoury influence of Pinot Noir and with excellent depth. |
| |
|
|
| Bollinger Special Cuvée
NV |
$175 |
| A small house with a huge reputation,
Bollinger is the only non-vintage apart from Krug
to routinely ferment in oak barrels, lending the richly Pinot
Noir dominated wine weight,
finesse & complexity. |
| |
|
|
| Veuve Clicquot La Grande
Dame 1996 |
$385 |
| Many consider the creamy, rich La
Grande Dame one of the finest luxury Champagnes on
the market. 1996 is the finest vintage for Champagne since the
famous trio of 1988, 1989
& 1990. |
| |
|
|
| Krug NV |
$425 |
| The most prestigious & expensive
of all the Champagne houses, Krug makes a multivintage
blend from its most recent good years & ferments in oak – a
distinctively rich,
mature style. |
| |
|
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| New
Zealand Méthode Traditionelle |
| |
|
|
| Nautilus Brut Cuvée NV Marlborough |
$9.50 |
$45 |
| Bready & toasty, with rich succulent
fruit, this powerful but complex wine has strong Pinot
Noir influences & is emerging as one of the country’s
up-and-coming classic méthode
traditionelles. |
| |
|
|
Daniel Le Brun Blanc
de Blancs 2000 Marlborough |
$13 |
$58 |
Creamy and toasty with beautifully
balanced autolysis and fruit character, this wine is
wrapped in a layer of very classy oak with subtle, yet persistent
length. A class act and one
which surprises consistently with it’s exuberant, opulent,
Bollinger-like weight and size. |
| |
|
|
| Cloudy Bay Pelorus Brut NV Marlborough |
$60 |
The famous sparkling wine of Cloudy
Bay, Pelorus NV is based mainly on Chardonnay& displays the finesse, elegance & sheer style of this iconic
Kiwi winery in droves.
For pure class, there is none like the Pelorus among New Zealand
méthodes. |
| |
|
|
| Daniel Le Brun Vintage Brut 2001 Marlborough |
$63 |
| A wine showing the savoury characters
of Pinot Noir from a beautiful 2001 vintage, framed
by mature nutty, creamy Chardonnay flavours; this supple, round
méthode is showing hints
of brioche, but still fresh and vibrant. |
| |
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| Pinot
Gris |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Earth’s End Pinot Gris 2008 Central
Otago |
$8 |
$35 |
| A balanced, elegant, off-dry Pinot
Gris with forward quince and pear, restrained vinous notes, and
soft
mouthfeel. It’s not gonna blow your socks away, but it
will make you smile |
| |
|
|
| Monowai Estate Pinot Gris 2008 Hawkes
Bay |
$8.50 |
$38 |
| A rich, full, almost creamy
Pinot Gris from a cooler part of the Bay, Monowai is the heart
and soul of
a love affair spanning the Pacific, from Chile to our New Zealand.
Thicker and more voluptuous than
most Pinot Gris, this could be its own food group! |
| |
|
|
| Mount Difficulty Pinot Gris 2008
Central Otago |
$10 |
$45 |
| A lush and easy wine with a spicy
round mid-palate and a forward accessible sweet pear core, this
is
unabashedly fruit, seductive and feminine Pinot Gris; a real
crowd pleaser. |
| |
| Escarpment Vineyard Pinot Gris 2008
Te Muna Terraces, Martinborough |
$12 |
$52 |
| A serious, deep, spicy yet
elegant and nervy Pinot Gris from Larry McKenna - this is considerably
less oaky than previous vintages, and the wine is excitingly
complex and layered. Brilliant
with seafood and pork! |
| |
|
|
| Willy Gisselbrecht Pinot Gris 2007
Alsace, France
|
$47 |
| Delicate, subtle & perfumed
- Gisselbrecht’s style is easy to understand & also
easy
to drink. If you are tired of the lolly water Kiwi examples,
give this one a go, it is
unpretentious but rather enjoyable. |
| |
|
|
| Chard Farm Pinot Gris 2009 Central
Otago |
$50 |
| From some of Otago’s
oldest Pinot Gris vines this complex, visceral, dry wine has
spice,
subtlety & complexity; a lovely example of the textural style
which draws inspiration from
Alsace. |
| |
|
|
| Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Pinot
Gris 2008 Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay |
$52 |
| Rich and powerful, this wine
takes no prisoners. Medium-full bodied, with plenty of pear,
spice, quince flavours, it is luscious without being sweet, and
is less manufactured than most
NZ examples. |
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| Riesling |
|
|
| |
|
|
Te Whare Ra ‘D’ Riesling
2009 Marlborough |
$8.50 |
$37 |
| The dry version from some of
the oldest Riesling vines in Marlborough, this is a stunningly
aromatic wine with a distinctive, unique flavour of red fruit
accompanying its honeyed citrus
notes. Delicious! |
| |
|
|
| Vynfield’s Classic Riesling
2008 Martinborough Terraces |
$12 |
$50 |
| Organically grown, this is
fast becoming the most ravishing, lush Riesling from
Martinborough. Very complex and layered, with ginger and apricot
aromas and a long,
luscious, med-dry palate, it is classy stuff. |
| |
|
|
| Nga Waka Riesling 2003 Martinborough
Terraces |
$42 |
| Now with a few years of age,
this beautiful dry Riesling has picked up toasty & oily mineral
notes, that elusive whiff of kerosene on a palate of delicate
yet persistent grapefruit & limes. |
| |
|
|
| Foxes Island Riesling 2007 Marlborough |
$43 |
| Finely crafted, this Germanic-style
Riesling balances a sliver of honeyed sweetness with
racy & brisk acidity, framing some very musky, sensual fruit
ranging from apricots to red
delicious apples. |
| |
|
|
| Mesh Riesling 2004 Eden Valley,
South Australia |
$59 |
| A joint venture between two
Riesling heavyweights, Grosset & Yalumba, this is a very
classy
style of Riesling with deep lime & sherbet flavours over
a finely textured palate. |
| |
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|
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|
| New
Zealand Sauvignon Blanc |
|
|
| |
|
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| Te Tera Sauvignon Blanc 2009 Martinborough |
$8.50 |
$37 |
| The frivolous younger cousin
of Martinborough Vineyards, this fresh, cheeky little
Sauvignon is a little from column naughty & a little from
column nice. |
| |
|
|
| Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc 2009 Marlborough |
$9.50 |
$39 |
| A true crowd pleaser, Nautilus
has done it again – combining musky passionfruit & citrus
with crisp grassiness & plenty of zingy Marlborough freshness – classic
New Zealand
Sauvignon. |
| |
|
|
| Ata Rangi Sauvignon Blanc 2009 Martinborough
Terraces |
$10.50 |
$45 |
| Complex layers of passionfruit,
nettle, citrus, mineral smoke, & pungent capsicum flavours,
this is classic Kiwi Sauvignon & a darn good drop. |
| |
|
|
| Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc
2009 Marlborough |
$12.50 |
$57 |
| A wine that needs no introduction,
this true Kiwi classic has been at the cutting edge of
the Marlborough style internationally since the 1980s. After
the precipitously challenging
2008 vintage, 2009 is a return to form and a chance for the new
wine making team here to
spread its wings. |
| |
|
|
Craggy Range Te Muna Road Sauvignon
Blanc 2009
Te Muna Terraces, Martinborough |
$45 |
| Picked at two separate levels
of ripeness to balance herbaceous pungency with textural
weight, this is a chalkier, more grippy style of Sauvignon Blanc
than the Marlborough
examples. Long on the palate and food-friendly, it is an expression
of Te Muna. |
| |
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|
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| Chardonnay |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Loopline Chardonnay 2008 Wairarapa |
$8.50 |
$38 |
| A small Wairarapa number that
oozes an enticing melon buttery and vanilla bouquet. |
| |
|
|
| Mahi Chardonnay 2008 Marlborough |
$9.50 |
$42 |
| A blend across Marlborough’s
terroirs; this is an elegant yet tasty example from class outfit
Mahi. Subtle yet concentrated, it has a gorgeous silky texture
and persistent stonefruit citrus
nuttiness. |
| |
|
|
| Sacred Hill Wine Thief Rifleman’s
Terrace Chardonnay 2008 Hawkes Bay |
$11 |
$46 |
| An enduring stalwart, Tony
Bish’s exciting younger sibling to his highly acclaimed
Rifleman’s is now from the same vineyard, complex, deep & concentrated
yet lithe. |
| |
|
|
| Vasse Felix Adam’s Road Chardonnay
2007 Margaret River, Australia |
$43 |
| A very fresh, fruity chardonnay
from one of Australia’s top Chardonnay regions; this
combines a soft melon & creamy lemon meringue flavour with
a fleshy palate of lovely rich
mouthfeel. |
| |
|
|
| Domaine Chandon Chardonnay 2007
Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia |
$46 |
| Newly launched, Domaine Chandon
has shed it’s dowdy Green Point image and this
sophisticated, textural wine is seamless, elegant, and very layered,
with excellent fruit
purity. A true class drop |
| |
|
|
| Matariki Chardonnay
2006 Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay |
$48 |
| A rich, meally, sexy Chardonnay
from the famous Gravels appellation - this lush & creamy
wine has oodles of fruit & spicy hints of oak to complete
the picture. There is lots
going on here. |
| |
|
|
| Martinborough Vineyard
Chardonnay 2007 Martinborough Terraces |
$60 |
| A classic Kiwi benchmark, the
older vines at the estate are now producing very nervy,
driven & taut wines which unfurl with layers of subtle Burgundian
complexity - imminently
drinkable & interesting. |
| |
|
|
| Kumeu River Chardonnay 2006 Kumeu,
Auckland |
$65 |
| A Kiwi classic, from Master
of Wine Micheal Brajkovich and possibly the finest Burgundianstyle
white in the country, this wine is respected the world over and
rightly so - it is a wine
of real depth and tastes like no other Chardonnay in New Zealand.
Everyone should try this
wine at least once. |
| |
|
|
| Te Mata Elston Chardonnay 2008 Hawkes
Bay |
$69 |
| The winery cites every new
Elston as the finest ever, and although it has fallen out
of fashion, the wine is still a solid Hawkes Bay wine and an
admirable effort. |
| |
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|
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|
| Perfumed
White Wines |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Mahi Twin Valleys Vineyard Gewürztraminer
2008 Marlborough |
$8.50 |
$38 |
| Off-dry & luscious, laced
with creamy mineral tones & delicately perfumed florals -
classic
Gewürztraminer. |
| |
|
|
| Millton Riverpoint Vineyard Viognier
2008 Gisborne |
$45 |
| A beautiful biodynamic Viognier
from a certified organic vineyard, this is a feminine, perfumed,
Condrieu look-alike, and a rare glimpse into what Viognier can
acheieve in New Zealand if it
is treated with care and sensitivity – layered oiliness,
subtle and complex – best when lightly
chilled |
| |
|
|
| Mitchelton Airstrip Marsanne Roussanne
Viognier 2005 Central Victoria, Australia |
$50 |
| A showcase Rhone-style blend,
this has Marsanne’s fat richness, Rousanne’s acidity
and
elegance, and Viognier’s perfumed oiliness. With measured
French oak influence, this
creamy number is oozing sex appeal. At its best now, the components
have all integrated and
blossomed. Delicious. |
| |
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|
| Rosés |
|
|
| |
|
|
Hettinga Estate Winery -
Blush Rose 2008 |
$8 |
$38 |
| This is a light, fresh, young,
Hawkes Bay wine with a myriad of berry fruit flavours and
a hint of spice finishing crisp. Fresh fermented from Merlot
grapes and reminiscent of
summer days. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Earthy
Old World Reds |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Torres Sangre de Toro 2006 Catalunya,
Spain |
$8 |
$36 |
| The Torres family have been
making wine here since the 17th Century & this beautifully
rich, sumptuous Grenache is a perennial favourite of ours! |
| |
|
|
| Menhir Quota 29 Primitivo 2006 Salento
IGT, Puglia, Italy |
$37 |
| Robust, chewy, yet intensely
concentrated with ripe berry & currant notes, this Primitivo
shows a real family resemblence to its California cousin, Zinfandel.
Fantastically rich& lovely to drink. |
| |
|
|
| Sierra Cantabria Rioja 2007 Rioja,
Spain |
$56 |
| Perfumed and earthy, with a
soft, rich red fruit core, black wild berry notes, sweet American
oak, and coffee liquer notes throughout, this is a lovely, sexy
Rioja. |
| |
|
|
| Villa Antinori Toscana IGT 2002
Chianti, Tuscany, Italy |
$62 |
| From the Antinori’s traditional
estate in the Chianti superzone, this is a new-wave style
Chianti with 60% Sangiovese supported by Cabernet Sauvignon,
Merlot, & even some
Syrah spice. |
| |
|
|
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|
|
| Cabernet
Sauvignon Predominant Styles |
| |
|
|
| Montes Classic Cabernet Sauvignon
2007 Curico Valley, Chile |
$8 |
$38 |
| Rich in sweet cassis & dark
chocolate, this shows why Chilean Cabernet is so highly
regarded in the international circuit right now. It achieves
ripeness without losing elegance
& finesse. |
| |
|
|
| Alpha Domus ‘The Navigator’ 2004
Hawkes Bay |
$10.50 |
$46 |
| A lovely supple Hawkes Bay
red, this is a complex number showing classy oak treatment& myriad cassis, plum & chocolate flavours on a medium bodied,
fruity & smooth palate. |
| |
|
|
| Weeping Sands Cabernet Merlot 2006
Waiheke Island |
$43 |
| Ripe cassis and tobacco leaf
supported by fine, ripe tannins, this is clean Waiheke Cabernet
at an everyday price. How often does that happen? |
| |
|
|
| Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
Margaret River, Western Australia |
$63 |
| A cult Margaret River Cabernet,
this powerful yet elegant wine is packed with cassis
and cedar. |
| |
|
|
| Petaluma Coonawarra 2001 Coonawarra,
South Australia |
$89 |
| Now this has class – classic
Coonawarra eucalypt and tobacco notes with spicy wood, rich
cassis and elegant, iron-fist in a velvet glove type power. 50/50
Cabernet and Merlot, treat
yourself to the genius of Brian Croser’s homage to the
great wines of Bordeaux. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Merlot & Malbec Predominant
Styles |
| |
|
|
| Church Road Cuve Series Merlot 2007
Gimblett, Hawkes Bay |
$9.50 |
$44 |
| Church Road’s Cuve series
has always been a connoisseur’s secret - previously only
available
when visiting the cellar door, this is an excellent Bordeaux-influenced
yet sumptuous,
complex and complete Merlot. Hard to beat at any price. |
| |
|
|
| Te Mata Woodthorpe Merlot Cabernet
2007 Hawkes Bay |
$40 |
| A shift in the Te Mata blend
from Cabernet-dominant to Merlot-dominant has amplified
the fruit and mid-palate of this modern Hawkes Bay standard.
Just serious enough for the
discerning drinker, yet fun and tasty too. |
| |
|
|
| Ata Rangi Celebre Merlot Cab Syrah
2006 Martinborough Terraces |
$57 |
| A Wellington classic, this
lovely blend from our favourite superstar winery has rich plum& cassis fruit over a bed of earthy tobacco & spice. Rich & flavoursome,
Celebre is a crowd
pleaser. |
| |
|
|
| Obsidian Merlot Cabernets 2005 Waiheke
Island |
$77 |
| Obsidian is a well-structured
slightly rustic, earthy red which lacks nothing in fruit or stuffing
while avoiding the overt fruitiness of Hawkes Bay. There is a
funky barnyard element to this
which adds complexity to the wine – not for the Brett spotters
amongst you |
| |
|
|
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|
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| International
Syrah & Shiraz |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Knappstein Shiraz 2007 Clare Valley,
S. Australia |
$8 |
$34 |
| Classic Clare Valley style – this
is cooler, with distinct white pepper and coffee chocolate
notes as well as that touch of eucalypt which makes for a chocolate
dinner mint effect. Fun
and friendly. |
| |
|
|
Henry’s Drive Pillar Box Reserve
Shiraz 2008
Padthaway, South Australia |
$10 |
$43 |
| A richly concentrated old-vine
Shiraz from the cooler subregion of Padthaway, this is a
powerfully constructed wine of deep, long tannins, cocoa and
earthy oak and very long
fruit! |
| |
|
|
| Torres Nerola Syrah Monastrell 2005
Catalunya, Spain |
$52 |
| If you have never had Spanish
Syrah before, you really need to try this; an amalagam of
melting honey, myriad spice & florals, jazzy red fruit & the
most voluptuous texture.
It is a prime example of just how exciting Spain’s modern
wines can be. |
| |
|
|
| Torbreck Woodcutter’s Shiraz
2007 Barossa Valley, South Australia |
$58 |
| A powerful wine from ancient
vines David Powell collected & rescued from around the
Barossa, this is the value-priced wine in this cult producer’s
magnificent stable. Reliable
stuff. |
| |
|
|
| Henschke Keyneton Estate Shiraz
2005 Eden Valley, South Australia |
$89 |
| An Australian icon, Henschke
specialises in old vine Shiraz from the Eden Valley. The
Keyneton has Cabernet adding elegance and structure, the 2004s
are beautifully balanced
wines of longevity and grace |
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|
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| New
Zealand Syrah |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Syrah
2007 Gimblett, Hawkes Bay |
|
|
| Peppery,
deep & vibrant, with blueberry & wild fruit notes -
tannic but supple, with a
voluptuous texture & sweet spicy oak. This is Syrah in
full drag. |
| |
|
|
| Gunn Estate Silistria Syrah 2005
Hawkes Bay |
|
| Dense, earthy & chewy,
Dennis Gunn has turned out an outstanding Old-world style Syrah
with this offering – dark, root-spice fruit & notes
of saddle leather. Give this one time to
breathe. |
| |
|
|
| Bilancia Syrah Viognier 2007 Hawkes
Bay |
$56 |
| This big,
bold style of Syrah has obvious floral lift from the Viognier,
but is superconcentrated
on the velvet-textured palate with fantastic intensity of black
fruit & spice,
earth & licorice. |
| |
|
|
Balthazar Syrah 2006 Gimblett, Hawkes Bay
|
$65 |
| Made by
the talented Tony Bish, this is archetypal Gimblett Syrah -
big, rich, bold and a bit
brutal, but adored by many for exactly that. Tony has high regard
for the 2006 vintage, and
he is someone who would know. |
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|
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|
| New
Zealand Pinot Noir |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Loopline Pinot Noir 2006 Wairarapa |
$8.50 |
$39 |
| Yes, we know it’s from
Wairarapa, but it’s good - perfumed and savoury, this is
true blue
Pinot. |
| |
|
|
Crater Rim Lowburn Vineyard Pinot
Noir 2006
Lowburn, Central Otago |
$9.50 |
$45 |
| Brilliantly made rich and ripe,
yet elegant Central Otago Pinot Noir from the excellent 2006
vintage, now softened with age, beautifully perfumed and complex
- sheer delight and
hedonistic enjoyment! |
| |
|
|
| Seresin Leah Pinot Noir 2007 Marlborough |
$13 |
$63 |
| Biodynamically grown and made,
this is a blend of the softest, most juicy and generous fruit
from Seresin’s vineyards. Leah is a mouthful of wine, but
with myriad layers and silky soft
tannins, medium full and sexy. |
| |
|
Sacred Hill Wine Thief Series Dry
Run Pinot Noir 2008
Lowburn, Central Otago |
$48 |
| Perfumed, very feminine, Chambolle-inspired
Pinot Noir; this limited special selection
showcases the ethereal, pure, racy, detailed side of Pinot Noir
which heralds a new direction
for Central Otago |
| |
|
|
| Wither Hills Pinot Noir 2007 Marlborough |
$61 |
| Wither Hills has been quietly
improving over the last decade and talented winemaker Ben
Glover has injected soul into these wines - the only thing they
could be faulted for lacking
in the past. For those who have not had a Wither Hills Pinot
Noir in a while, it’s time to
revisit an old friend and find that he has never abandoned you,
it was you who
wandered astray. |
| |
|
|
| Quartz Reef Estate Pinot Noir 2007
Bendigo, Central Otago |
$74 |
| This majestic wine has loads
of dark black fruit, coffee, licorice, spice & violets on
a
maturing palate of complex earthy and sauvage velvet. A rare
chance to see a mature
example of this seminal Central Pinot. |
| |
|
|
| Escarpement Estate Pinot Noir 2008
Te Muna, Martinborough |
$77 |
| A very exciting release from
Pinot Noir specialist Larry McKenna, this highly focussed
wine is quite something else - layers of violets, spice, bright
fruit & smoky minerality on a
powder-fine palate of real energy & drive. Wow! |
| |
|
| Mount Edward Pinot Noir 2008 Central
Otago |
$83 |
| Mount Edward is an insider’s
secret - a stalwart of collector’s cellars, and a wine
which is
not easily found outside of the circles in the know. Created
and planted by Alan Brady, the
pioneer of winemaking in Central Otago and founder of Gibbston
Valley wines way back
when, it is one of the classiest, most poised, voluptuous, yet
stylish wines in the region. |
| |
|
| Rippon Estate Pinot Noir 2007 Wanaka,
Central Otago |
$95 |
| A vintage which has been eagerly
anticipated for almost two years, this wine sat in barrel for
more than 18 months, gently softening and maturing. A super-concentrated
vintage but a
classically structured one, this biodynamic wine is a contender
for the finest Pinot Noir ever
made at Rippon, Central Otago’s oldest winery. This wine
does not shout, it sings in quiet
but perfect harmonies. Allow it time to unfurl and reveal its
complexity - you will not be
disappointed. |
| |
|
| Bell Hill Old Weka Pass Road Pinot
Noir 2004 Waikari, Canterbury |
$95 |
| One of New Zealand’s
most serious cult producers of Pinot Noir, even Bell Hill’s
second
label Pinot, Old Weka Pass surpasses most other wineries’ top
bottlings. Planted on
limestone, like Burgundy, the wine has a nervousness & energy
missing in most Pinot
outside of France - tense, coiled, yet elegant & sexy - it
has it all. Not to be missed,
there is pitifully little of it for sale. |
| |
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|
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|
|
| Aperitif & Dessert
Whites (375 mls) |
| |
|
|
Brookfields Indulgence Botrytis
Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Hawkes Bay
|
$9 |
$40 |
| A deliciously
fresh crunchy sweet wine, with a smooth lusciousness from Botrytis
but also a
bright fruit and no heavy cloying flavours. Beautifully done. |
| |
|
|
Trinity Hill Noble Viognier 2007
Gimblett, Hawkes Bay |
$11 |
$49 |
| Silky, perfumed,
floral and oily, this sweet Viognier has the benefit of Botrytis
to add
glycerol to the texture, making it even more hedonistic. Not
a super-sweet style, but it is
ravishingly fragrant and very supple - seamlessly brilliant! |
| |
|
|
| Jackson Estate Botrytised Riesling
2006 Wairau, Marlborough |
$52 |
A stunning
dessert wine which takes no prisoners! This super-sweet, sticky
beauty is
bursting with citrus, marmalade, stonefruit, spice and honey.
Mouthfilling and powerful,
long and lingering - amazing stuff.
|
