The Chinese Year of the Rabbit in 2011 kicks off on 3rd February but I am hoping Christchurch will follow The Year of the Quake with The Year of Champagne and Celebration. After all, it has to be a better year than 2010. We all deserve it!

And New Zealand would be one of the few places in the world where the great 1996 Champagne vintage is still available - primarily because we didn't wake-up to the fact that 1996 is rated one of the two best vintages in the last 100 years - so says respected Champagne writer Tom Stevenson. The rest of the world has run out of 1996 but we still have some - UNBELIEVABLE!!! Scroll down to the 7th wine in this email to find out which one. Non vintage Champagne is best drunk fresh and young but vintage champagne is a different beast and a little ageing is very desirable - the great wines develop nuances and complexities beyond imagination!

 

Pupitre Cava Brut NV

The Spanish equivalent of France's Cremant or Italy's Prosecco is known as Cava (no relative of the Cava from the Pacific Is) and until recent times it's been very difficult to find outside Spain let alone in NZ. Suddenly we have some very attractive examples available and upon tasting this one we were astounded by its liveliness, freshness, crispness and mousse.  This Cava is Methode Traditional produced from Macabeu, Xarel.lo and Parellada and aged for 24 months. Brilliant pale yellow in colour. Fine and persistent mousse. Clean and light on the palate, elegant and good length. Ideal for aperitifs and all kind of meals, from fish and seafood to white meat. Also available in a Brut Nature and Brut Reserva.


RRP $17.50/btl. Our special price only $15.90/btl

 

Saltram Mamre Brook Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

Full bodied Cabernet Sauvignon which shows lifted complex aromas of plum, dark berries and chocolate. On the palate it's again full bodied and richly layered with a concentration of mulberry and blackberry fruits coming through strongly with fine tannins and very good length. Matured in oak for 16 months Perfect for a rich, meat dish.

RRP $21.90/btl. Our special price only $17.90/btl or $210/case

 

Ingoldby McLaren Vale Shiraz 2009

The McLaren Vale wines are maritime influenced and the shiraz' often show an attractive peppery character - this is one such wine. Velvety and crimson coloured it shows complex aromas of ripe berry fruits and French oak on the nose. On the palate, red berry fruit, dark cherry and plum flavours are supported by a well integrated soft tannin finish. The pepper and eastern spice characters are clear and distinct, giving way to nuances of hickory and new cigar wood.


RRP $23/btl. Our special price only $18.90/btl or $225/case

 

Omihi Road Waipara Pinot Noir 2007

One of the best kept secrets of quality Waipara made pinot noir for twenty something dollars. Kym Rayner made wines that  traditionally offer great value for money and this is a prime example -Dean says: "lovely depth of spicy cherry and dark fruit flavours." As well, the 2007 vintage was a first class and this wine is now displaying the benefits of a little time in the bottle. Artistically not one of the most attractive labels we have ever seen but the wine inside the bottle will win you over.


RRP $26.90/btl. Our special price only $23.90/btl or $285/case

 
Framingham F-Series Rosato 2010

One of the best Roses we have tried here for some time, this one is made 100% from Montepulciano grapes and is the first rose made from that Italian variety in NZ. The colour is a stunning crimson/pink hue, the nose is a fragrant combinations of red fruits - raspberries, cherries and cranberries - and on the palate it has good weight, texture and is dry and the finish is long. This is really well made by Andrew Headley who we repeat is one of the top NZ winemakers. For a rose it's quite big but retains finesse and is begging to be matched with roast pork or other white meats of equal quality.

Normal retail price is $26.90. Your special price only $23.90/btl

 

Weinbach Reserve Gewurztraminer 2009

When you talk about the best white wines in the world, Alsace is the region that comes to mind and when you talk about the top three producers in Alsace then Weinbach might be the first name mentioned. With wonderful floral bouquet, gilly-flower, jasmine, spices, crystallised citrus fruit… with velvety bodies, this is sumptuous as an aperitif, with exotic food, smoked salmon or even with cheese, especially with French cheeses such as Munster or Roquefort. The taste of a particularly rich Gewurztraminer is incomparable with a foie gras. This wine will tantalise your taste buds!


RRP $69/btl. Our special price only $62/btl (stocks limited)

 
Duval-Leroy Vintage Champagne 1996

The world's most respected Champagne critic Tom Stevenson had this to say: "1996 is an extraordinary Champagne vintage. It has been compared to 1928, but no other Champagne vintage on record produced grapes that averaged 10.3% potential alcohol with 10g/litre total acidity -  to get both potential alcohol and acidity in double-digits is unheard of, even for Champagne's unique terroir." Our own respected critic Dean Lovett had this to say about this wine: "A real treat, classy bouquet with real complexity - apricot danish, toast, mocha, coffee bean, lovely subtle autolytic and oxidative characters. Finely structured palate with remarkable freshness and impeccable balance. Absolute steal at the price." 


Normal retail price is $119/btl. Your special price only $84/btl

 

Taylor's Quinta de Terra Feita Vintage Port 2008

Dean: "The fruit from this vineyard provides the power, tannins and perfume for Taylors' vintage. A higher proportion of Touriga Francesca in the this blend ensures the wine retains its finesse. With Taylor's Ports the single quintas are produced in years when a vintage isn't declared - the best fruit goes into these wines. We also have Quinta de Vargellas which is known for producing wines of incredible concentration More than 10 grape varieties are used and the wine is aged for two years and treated the same way as a declared vintage."


RRP $89/btl, our special price only $79/btl, 375ml btls down to $41.50/btl

Opening Hours Hemingway Fine Wines

Mondays/Tuesdays          11am to 7.00pm
Wednesday to Saturday   10.00am to 7.00pm
Sunday                              Closed

Metered and 30min Parking available in Chester Street West (turn right from Durham St Nth or left from Cramner Square)

Shop: Corner Durham St North and Chester St West, Christchurch CBD  
Phone: 03 374 3344.   Fax: 03 374 3343
Email: hemingwayfinewines@xtra.co.nz 
www.hemingwayfinewines.co.nz  

The wine you drink is the wine you deserve