Varieties

2009 Dr Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett

Dr Loosen, Mosel, Germany

Due end of August. Book now. Wehlener Sonnenuhr (VAY-len-er ZON-en-ooer) is a precipitously steep and rocky vineyard which yields some of the most elegant and sophisticated white wines in the world. It has very thin soil and the purest blue slate of any Mosel vineyard. This gives a lively minerality to the wine, along with a delicate and crisp acidity that perfectly balances the bright white peach and lemon fruit. It's an aristocratic and charming wine that dances gracefully on the palate Another simply gorgeous wine from Ernie Loosen.The tension between the ripe citrus fruit and the fresh acidity is incredible,making for an extremely moreish wine.These kabinetts would have to be one of the worlds best wine buys.They are so fine and elegant it makes you weep!

2009 Blackenbrook Nelson Sauvignon Blanc

Nelson - Other, Nelson, New Zealand

"Blackenbrook is small ( 4 hectares ) and new ( first wine from 2004 ), so its hardly surprising it's little known outside Nelson. Swiss owners Daniel and Ursula Schwarzenbach have the meticulous approach to winemaking for which their countrymen are famous, while Daniel has some serious winemaking experience under his belt. He has worked for top producers in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and France, and has judged wine at competitions in Switzerland, France, Germany and China. Its greatest strengths are pinot gris, gewurztraminer, riesling, sauvignon blanc and chardonnay. Quality has crept up in recent years and if it continues, Blackenbrook has a very bright future." Bob Campbell "Grown in the Tasman district, harvested by hand and lees-aged in stainless steel tanks, the 2009 vintage is a dry style. Aromatic, it is fresh, vibrant and punchy, with good intensity of gooseberry and lime flavours, racy and long." 4 1/2 Stars M.Cooper

2008 Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay

Kumeu River Wines, Auckland, New Zealand

Both the Kumeu River Estate and Maties Chardonnays make Wine Spectator U.S.A. Top 100 Wines of the Year and have done for many years. "...Grown at Kumeu in West Auckland, it is powerful, with rich, beautifully interwoven flavours and a seductively creamy texture..." M.Cooper.

2008 Blackenbrook Nelson Gewurztraminer

Nelson - Other, Nelson, New Zealand

Here's a grape variety that is so often overlooked but with its beautiful perfume and capacity to enhace our Asian styled cooking its well worth drinking good examples. Because of its thin skin and difficulties in handling good gewurtz. at the right price is hard to find but with Blackenbrooks winemaker having worked in Alsace for many years this certainly reflects in the quality of this wine. "Exotically perfumed, Alsace style, hand picked very ripe and still very youthful, with substantial body and a sliver of sweetness. Fresh pear and spice aromas, with lovely richness, delicacy and harmony on the palate." 4 1/2 Stars M.Cooper

2007 Peregrine Charcoal Creek Riesling

Much in the style of the Pegasus Bay Aria ( but a lot cheaper! ) the 2007 Peregrine Charcoal Creek Riesling is made in a late harvest style and comes from John and Barbara Hosie's Charcoal Creek vineyard in the Lowburn Valley just north of Cromwell. This Riesling was left on the vines well past the traditional end of harvest and has produced some wonderful flavours developed through the combination of hang time and the influence of 15% botrytis infection at the time of harvest. The resulting wine is not an over the top cloying sticky monster but a melting pot of honey, apricot, grapefruit marmalade beautifully presented by its elegant structure. Charcoal Creek Riesling is a delicate sweet wine that has a perfect combination of flavour complexity, fruit sweetness and superbly balanced acidity. A snip for a full bottle of late harvest riesling.

2006 Julicher Martinborough Chardonnay

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

Normally $22. Julicher have been producing superb pinot noirs so we were surprised when they started raving about their chardonnay. Having tried it we to were that impressed so we got a great deal on this tiny production chardie. Located on the Te Muna Terraces which are situated 5 km east of Martinborough village. "This attractive well-balanced Chardonnay displays a nose of apples, zesty lemon, creamy fudge and honey. The palate is of savoury complexity, toast and biscuits, zesty acidity, with great length and a rich, luscious mouthfeel." Excellent priced Martinborough chardonnay from a great vintage

Krug Grande Cuvee Champagne

Champagne - Other, Champagne, France

A sophisticated wine drinkers champagne presented in a lovely gift box. It is like drinking a fine wine because of the complexity of the blending from aged cuvees from top cru vineyards. Krug Grande Cuvee is the timelessly stylish signature of Krug, a breathtaking champagne that effortlessly balances richness and freshness, power and finesse. A gleaming gold colour, an extravagantly expansive bouquet, an almost creamy texture. Then, an explosion of flavours, at once mellow and mature, crisp and clean. Its a dream drop.

2008 Blackenbrook Nelson Pinot Gris

Nelson - Other, Nelson, New Zealand

Gold at the Bragato Wine Awards. Made by the ex chief winemaker of Seifreids and with many vintages at a very famous winery in Alsace, Blackenbrook wines have burst on the scene in Nelson. This is an excellently priced, quality pinot gris that got 4 1/2 Stars in Winestate Magazine "Powerful style based on estate-grown grapes, hand-picked at over 25 brix. Floral and very ripely scented, with concentrated peach, pear and spice flavours in a distinctly late harvest style with apple strudel and honey notes." 4 1/2 Stars M.Cooper

2008 Kumeu Coddington Chardonnay

Kumeu River Wines, Auckland, New Zealand

This is the third release of this by Kumeu River. Made in exactly the same way as the other top Kumeu Wines in that its hand harvested, whole-bunch pressed, indigenous yeast fermentation, 100% barrel fermentation, 100% malo-lactic fermentation and 11 months maturation in barrel. "This wine is produced from a vineyard owned by Tim and Angela Coddington whose grapes have made a portion of the Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay since 1998. It is a vineyard that produces very rich and unctuous Chardonnay that we have often thought could make an excellent single vineyard wine. In 2006 they decided to give Coddington single vineyard status to reflect this vineyard's unique character. The wine from the Coddington vineyard shows the typical ripe peachy fruit we expect from this site. The palate is forward with a luxurious creamy texture and lovely balancing acidity. This wine, while delicious in its youth, will benefit from a period of bottle maturation of two to four years.

2009 Astrolabe Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

Astrolabe, Marlborough, New Zealand

In amongst a flooded market of cheap sauvignon, Astrolabe have maintained their quality being extra vigorous with their selection and dropping yields and Bob Campbell has given this one of the best 2009 sauvignon reviews. "This must be Astolabe's best Sauvignon Blanc to date - it's certainly a long way ahead of the 2008. A mix of Awatere with Wairau Valley fruit it's a very powerful statement about the Marlborough style. Concentrated wine with a mix of passion fruit, mineral and tomato leaf flavours. Impecably balanced and with a lingering finish that won't quit. 95 /100 Bob Campbell. Well done Astrolabe- very very classy sauvignon at this price.