New Releases

2008 Escarpment Pahi Pinot Noir

Wairarapa/Wellington - Other, Wairarapa/Wellington, New Zealand

From 25 year old vines 10/5 clone, from the McCreanor vineyard, Princess St.( formerly known as Voyager. “Brilliant purple ruby in colour, this had very fine, deep and dense aromas of dark cherries and dried herb nuances. Full, rich, sweetly ripe and with complexing savoury fruit flavours, this had very fine extraction and grip adding a firmness to the mouthfeel.” 18.5/20 Raymond Chan Regional Wines & Spirits

2008 Escarpment Kiwa Pinot Noir

Wairarapa/Wellington - Other, Wairarapa/Wellington, New Zealand

From 25 year old vines, Pommard clones, from the Cleland vineyard in Cambridge St (formally known as Moana ) “Very dark and full, purple hued ruby red, this was vibrant and youthful in appearance. The bouquet was marked by bright cherryish-berry fruit aromas, complexed by subtle forest floor elements. Full-bodied, with a firm and concentrated palate, this was a powerfully presented wine, solid in make-up with dark fruit flavours and savoury, mushroomy and dried herb hints.” 19/20 Raymond Chan Regional Wines & Spirits

2008 Craggy Range Aroha Martinborough Pinot Noir

Craggy Range Vineyards, Gisborne & Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

Craggy's top limited release Pinot Noir from their Martinborough fruit. Tiny, tiny quantities are made from their best fruit and 2008 was a cracker in Martinborough. "Deep plumy red in colour. The aromatics reveal black cherry, bark, plum, dark spices and truffle with a hint of old, dark red rose petal. Rich, yet not heavy, the palate is densely wound and brooding with fine acidity and a core of quality suede like tannin. Flavours of dark berry fruit, ripe plums, fresh dug earth, spice, coffee, hints of fennel and liquorice unfurl on the palate. The wine finishes with length and grace. A wine of engagement rather than ebullience." Will cellar up to 10 years from vintage.

2009 Felton Rd Cornish Point Pinot Noir

Felton Road, Central Otago, New Zealand

"Yet again Cornish Point displays it characteristic exoticism: brooding dark fruit, spices, violets, cinnamon, even cedar on the nose confirm themselves in the rich, broad palate. A hint of oak as always in the young wine, which will disappear as the palate grows even more intense with age. Chewy chocolate richness helps build a sustained finish."

2009 Craggy Range Gimblett Gravels Viognier

Craggy Range Vineyards, Gisborne & Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

Old french oak and whole bunch pressing were used to achieve one of New Zealands best viogniers. "Pale straw colour flecked with silver and bright yellow hues. Lemon, honeysuckle, pistachio and chalk dust characterise the aroma. The rich, warm palate is tempered by a fine line of fruit phenolics to provide length and structure. This Viognier finishes with a luscious peach flavoured kick."

2009 Astrolabe Awatere Sauvignon Blanc

Astrolabe, Marlborough, New Zealand

Astrolabe's limited edition sauvignon from the Awatere has just been released. Last years vintage was Top rated 2008 Sauvignon by Sue Courtneys 'Wine of the Week' web site. Blind tasted it stood out amongst the likes of Cloudy Bay, Dog Point and St Clair. Also in Bob Cambells 'Top 12' sauvignons of 2008 and he writes "It was no surprise to see this winery at the head of the field, nor to see their Awatere wine breast the tape ahead of other sauvignon labels. And as Bob says "In recent years, Astrolabe has steadily climbed up the charts with its pure and powerful sauvignon blanc, but since the release of the Awatere and Kekerengu single-vineyard wines last year, it's having a serious crack at earning the tittle of NZ's best sauvignon blanc producer." Bob Campbell. The 2009 promisies to perhaps be the best yet according to Simon Waghorn- the winemaker. This is a good as it gets!

2009 Felton Rd Bannockburn Chardonnay

Felton Road, Central Otago, New Zealand

2009 The Grail Hawkes Bay Chardonnay

Gisborne & Hawkes Bay - Other, Gisborne & Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

With all the key ingredients ticked this is one to watch. Grant Roberts is behind this new project. Following 3 and a half years of study, vintages worked at Park Estate and Vidals, and a year at C J Pask, Grant became the first NZ recipient of the Bragato Exchange Scholarship to Italy. With introductions to the leading winemakers of Tuscany, Veneto, Friuli, Lombardy, and Piedmont he was allowed unhindered access to their varieties, viticultural systems, winemaking methods, and most importantly their philosophies. "Having the chance to experience world famous, unobtainable wines with the winemakers who created them, has added decades of knowledge and experience to the techniques I learnt at E.I.T. I returned from Italy knowing exactly what I should do in New Zealand." The fruit is from the Dartmoor Valley is Mendoza clone and aged in 100% new oak. It has a heady creme brulee nose, spiced with ruby grapefruit and apricot. The palate is dense , rich, smooth, very full, complex and complete. This is one serious chardonnay for the money.

2008 Coopers Creek Chalk Ridge Hawkes Syrah

Coopers Creek, Auckland, New Zealand

Trophy at the Air NZ Wine Awards for 'Best Syrah'. A great result considering the other 10 Golds Medal Winners in this class probably average $40 plus. Limited in availabilty. This wine is from their new Chalk Ridge block, just to the south of Havelock North. It is a steep, north-facing amphitheatre that is strewn with fossilised limestone. They only use the ripest fruit from the top of the hill to craft their SV Syrah. A small amount of Viognier from the same block was co-fermented with the Syrah. The Air NZ Judges write "An exceptionally rich and plush wine with blackberry, spice, dark chocolate and floral characters." Beautful classy syrah.

2007 Peregrine Pinnacle Central Otago Pinot Noir

Peregrine, Central Otago, New Zealand

"The best pinot we've ever produced' are the words Greg Hay used for this tiny 1000 bottle production. A masterpiece selected from 4 barrels out of 700 and has been two years in the making. With the normal Peregrine Pinot Noir taking out 5 Gold Medals and named 'Australasian Wine of the Year' by Winestate Magazine- the first time a Pinot Noir has ever been awarded this tittle- it is with much anticapation we offer our tiny allocation of this gem. A beautiful steel inlaid label on the French bottle, which then has its own individual numbered brushed steel cyclindrical canister to hold the bottle in. This has to be the best presented wine we've ever seen. A rare gift to treasure.