Winter is a great time for trying new reds and we now have new stocks of highly recommended new labels and vintages from Italy and Spain. Some of those wines will be available to taste at our tasting this coming Thursday night at Eliza's Manor House at 6pm Scroll down for more info.We also have secured more stocks of 2003 vintage pinot noirs from Central and they are drinking beautifully right now. Our Pyramid Valley tasting last week again emphasised the quality of their wines and from next week we will have stocks of their outstanding Pinot Blanc. We already have the 2005 pinot noir Feel like some drinking the best value quaffers. We have identified the best of the cheaper wines so come in on Saturday and try a new $13.90 Shiraz from Oz. We have a wine for all occasions. See you soon.
Emergency Port Tasting Winter has hit with avengence and so we are holding an emergency Port tasting this Monday evening in the shop, for 10 tasters only. Scroll down for more info if you are interested in attending. This tasting includes the very rare Taylors 30yr Old Tawny and 40yr Old Ports.
Pyramid Valley Hemingway Cuvee Sauvignon Blanc 2005 Only 32 cases made and one of the best we've tasted in ages Forget the fact that this is Sauvignon Blanc and just think of it as a fabulous white wine made in NZ. Not for those looking for gooseberry, asparagus and lots of acid, this is more nettle and lucerne hay in a very lifted bouquet with a palate that exudes grapefuit and minerality delivered with a highly complex, tactile mouthfeel. Cropped at only 1.8 tonnes/acre, barrique fermented and barrel aged on lees for 15mths and then gravity racked for further 9mths ageing and bottled unfined in March07. Another stunner from Mike and Claudia Weersing and we were lucky enough to taste this wine prior to bottling and secure all 32 cases; hence the name 'Hemingway Cuvee' Come and taste in shop this Saturday. We also will taste the Lebecca Riesling 2006 RRP is $31.50/btl. Your purchase is $27.90/btl
Tenute dell'Ornellaia Le Volte 2005 Had the pleasure of tasting this wine at Tenute dell'Ornellaia in Bolgheri, Tuscany just two weeks ago and amid the splendid Tuscan landscape I suspect it was tasting above itself! Nevertheless, this wonderful wine that we have stocked since the 1999 vintage has never been better. Le Volte is the result of a selection of the best Mediterranean terroirs in Tuscany and unites the typical Tuscan variety of Sangiovese together with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The Mediterranean expression of Sangiovese gives the wine opulence and generosity, while the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grown in the region lend structure and complexity. Drinking beautifully and highly recommended. We are tasting this wine this coming Thursday at our Vino Latino tasting - see below. RRP is $39.90. Your special price is $35.50/btl
Guigal Brune et Blonde Cote-Rotie 2003 Okay, you may or may not be in the market for a Cote-Rotie like this which is one of the great wines of the world at $129.00/btl but my assessment of that is 'no one serious about wine should die wondering what a Cote Rotie tasted like.' I certainly won't be! Guigal is one of the great producers of France's Rhone Valley and we now have in stock lots of their wines including such labels as Condrieu La Doriane, Crozes Hermitage, Gigondas, St Joseph, St Joseph Lieu - Dit Joseph, Tavel Rose, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Hermitage and the ever reliable Cote-du-Rhone ($20). From every day drinking to the glorious best Guigal offers the lot.