Fine Wine

Maison Roche de Bellene

Widely renowned as one of New Zealand’s greatest reds, this is produced only in great vintages from a small terraced vineyard.

The Terraces Vineyard is perched on the steep, North West facing slope above the old Esk Valley winery near Bay View in the North of Hawkes Bay. This sunny, sheltered site was originally planted in the 1940s and then re-established with its current plantings in 1989. It occupies approximately one hectare and is planted with Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Franc which are harvested and fermented together as a true expression of the vineyard. The soils are complex with low fertility, containing layers of seashell and limestone, interspersed with clay and volcanic ash. The vines are spur-pruned, thinned to one bunch per shoot and hand harvested.

This wine is a true vineyard blend with the individual plots of Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Franc being harvested and fermented together. The grapes were hand harvested, sorted and destemmed to a 80-year-old concrete vat for fermentation. Hand plunging was employed for cap management. The finished wine was aged in 50% French oak barriques for 17 months and bottled unfined and unfiltered

Widely renowned as one of New Zealand’s greatest reds, this is produced only in great vintages from a small terraced vineyard.

The Terraces Vineyard is perched on the steep, North West facing slope above the old Esk Valley winery near Bay View in the North of Hawkes Bay. This sunny, sheltered site was originally planted in the 1940s and then re-established with its current plantings in 1989. It occupies approximately one hectare and is planted with Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Franc which are harvested and fermented together as a true expression of the vineyard. The soils are complex with low fertility, containing layers of seashell and limestone, interspersed with clay and volcanic ash. The vines are spur-pruned, thinned to one bunch per shoot and hand harvested.

This wine is a true vineyard blend with the individual plots of Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Franc being harvested and fermented together. The grapes were hand harvested, sorted and destemmed to a 80-year-old concrete vat for fermentation. Hand plunging was employed for cap management. The finished wine was aged in 50% French oak barriques for 17 months and bottled unfined and unfiltered

Grapes are sourced from Taittinger’s own vineyards including the superb grapes grown in ‘Les Folies’, surrounding the Château de la Marquetterie. A "green" harvest is carried out on the selected plots of vines to ensure the fruit offers optimum sweetness and aromatic maturity. Only wines from the first pressing are used and defined lots are vinified in small volumes lot by lot, with certain lots of Chardonnay vinified in large oak casks to give added weight and creaminess. Folies de la Marquetterie is a blend of 45% Chardonnay and 55% Pinot Noir. Slow ageing for 5 years in bottle brings the flavours of this Champagne to perfect harmony. This wine is made to be a creamier style, making it particularly suited to food pairing.

Deep yellow with golden highlights and fine, delicate bubbles. It has an intense, fruity bouquet with aromas of peaches, apricot jam and subtle hints of toasted brioche and vanilla. On the palate is it full-bodied, fruity and graceful with golden peach flavours. The long finish is distinctive with light toasty notes.

Dense purple black with a narrow purple rim. The nose opens with very fine pure black fruit, a fusion of black cherry, cassis and blackberry jam aromas, with notes of crushed mint, an ethereal fragrance of violets and undertones of ripe tropical fruit. The year has added an additional layer of purity and refinement to the subtle, complex Fonseca fruit character, as well as an attractive minerality. The palate is supported by a vibrant acidity and taut, wiry tannins that provide structure but also texture and volume. The fresh berry flavours carry into the long finish. A finely crafted and perfectly balanced Vintage Port.

Dark crimson with a slightly chestnut hue. Very much a cloud rather than a rapier on the nose - hedonistic and ripe with masses of sweetness almost masking a rigorous corset of tannins. You really taste the heat here - but in a very ripe fruit way, not in a hot spirit way. Drink 2036-2066 - Jancis Robinson, 17.5+ Points

Fonseca Port

A blend of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, drawn from 12 of the best vintages available in Maison Gardet's cellars. A blend that reflects the knowledge passed from generation to generation since the founding of the estate.

Champagne Gardet

Maison Roche de Bellene

Maison Roche de Bellene

The Geyserville Vineyard is home to Ridge’s oldest vines, including a section over 130 years old. It is predominantly planted with a mix of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Carignan, and Mataro vines, which are head-trained and spur-pruned. The soils are deep gravelly loam mixed with large river rocks, and the vineyard has been certified organic since 2015.

An inviting nose of dark red and black fruits, and exotic oak spice. The palate is medium to full, marrying ripe black fruits with stony mineral notes, a fine core of acidity and silky yet well-structured tannins.

The Gómez Cruzado winery dates back to 1886 when Angel Gómez de Arteche started to produce and bottle his own wine in Haro, at the very heart of Rioja Alta. This was in the day when the wine trade between Rioja and France passed along the Tudela-Bilbao line, and the key Rioja wineries were located around the station of Haro. The winery sits just 100m from the station to this day.

One of Gomez Cruzado's ‘Terroir Selection’, Pancrudo is an expression of selected vineyards around Badarán, in southern Rioja Alta. Here the high elevation, limited yield, red iron-rich soil, northern exposure and continental climate produces a wine with distinctive character. The old bush-trained Garnacha vines are planted in red ferrous-clay soils in the rolling hills of Badarán (near the upper Najerilla), due south of Haro. The vineyards are north-facing at around 650m altitude. The grapes are hand-harvested into 200kg crates, and are sorted by hand at the winery. After fermentation in stainless steel, gently plunging the cap, malolactic fermentation takes place - 65% in new French oak, and 35% in egg-shaped concrete tanks. The resulting wine is blended and bottled.

Awarded 96pts in Tim Atkin MW's Rioja 2022 Special report

Bodegas Gomez Cruzado

Rich, softly sweet and smooth; perfectly balanced with a long and elegant finish.

Graham's Port

Weingut Horst Sauer is named after its owner. Both Horst and his daughter Sandra (who joined the winery in 2004) are winemakers at their 37 hectare estate in Franken - situated near Wurzburg (between Frankfurt and Nuremberg). Their vineyards are focused around the ‘Erste Lagen’ (prime) sites of Escherndorfer Lump and Escherndorfer Fürstenberg. Escherndorfer Lump is a steep south-facing slope protected from cold north-eastern winds, with a top layer of limestone-rich soil.

This is the exquisite Escherndorf am Lumpen - a ‘Grosse Lage’ vineyard plot (a classification given to the best German vineyard sites) first recorded in 1655. This is on the steepest slopes of the Escherndorfer Lump vineyard where the vines are over 30 years old.

Franken Riesling is considered to be the most masculine expression of the variety from Germany (in stark contrast to the femininity of the Mosel) yet from the grand cru (GG site) this full bodied, bone dry Riesling is impressive in its structure and concentration.

Its green gold color has some bright and luminous reflects. Its nose is quite expressive and complex. It evolves all along the tasting. It opens beautifully on exotic fruits, green mango, citrus, honey and a hint of menthol. The mouth is powerful, round and harmonious. One can taste fresh grape but also a refreshing and sharp minerality. It is a particularly long lasting wine.

Famille Bourgeois Sancerre

La Cuvee is Laurent-Perrier's signature Champagne, defining the house style with its characteristic lightness, freshness and elegance.

With up to 55% Chardonnay and a minimum of four years aging in the cellars, La Cuvee is delicate yet complex with crisp notes of citrus fruit and white flowers, and great length on the finish.

Laurent-Perrier

Using the highest quality Pinot Noir grapes, this iconic rose is one of the few Rose Champagnes that is made by drawing the juice from the black grapes in the vat, instead of blending red and white wines. This gives it the highly expressive bouquet and delicous raspberry and wild cherry flavours tht have made it a benchmark for Rose Champagnes around the world.

Laurent-Perrier

Maison Roche de Bellene

Dark and concentrated in colour, this wine greets you on the nose with aromas of ripe red fruits, plums and pencil shavings which follow through onto the palate with chewy black cherries, sweet spices and tannins on the mid palate. The wine ends with a lingering umami finish.

Longridge Wine Estate

The palate is characteristic of Louis Roederer’s vintages. the attack is ample and dense; a rich and winey fullness is refined by the sweetness, acidity and tight blend of the Pinot noir grapes of Verzenay. The ensemble is perfectly integrated into a subtle texture. Tasting reveals sparkling suggestions of candied fruits, almond paste, toast, white chocolate, and caramel.

Louis Rodererer Champagne

Nose of red and black raspberry, white pepper, fennel, sage, dark chocolate and sarsaparilla. Full bodied with notes of blackberry and ripe plum; juicy acidity, excellent midpalate weight and a lengthy finish

This is the first release of a wine named after the great Beppe Colla - who founded Poderi Colla in 1994 along with his brother Tino and daughter Federica, and did great work to improve the quality, and promote the wines, of the Langhe. It is a limited production of Barolo Bussia Riserva from the Dardi le Rose vineyard - considered to be one of the great Barolo crus - and which will be produced from the the very best barrel of only the best vintages.

Produced from the Bussia Dardi le Rose vineyard in Monforte d'Alba, a 6.2 hectare south / south-west facing vineyard 300-350 metres above sea level. The Nebbiolo grapes were hand-harvested in the first half of October and were destemmed, pressed and macerated on skins for 12-15 days at a maximum temperature of 30°C. The wine completed malolactic fermentation before winter, and in the spring it was transferred to oak barrels for 24-48 months. It then spent a further 48 months in bottle before release.

Delicate aromas of dried flowers, sweet spice and red fruits. The palate is complex with elegant berry and damson fruit supported by soft tannins and notes of liquorice. Long and appealing on the finish.