Sit down tasting with Jean-Christophe Poizat from Maison Vauron $65 pp (including French finger food)

Château Villefranche Sauternes 2008
Château Carbonneau Bordeaux - Ste Foy la Grande Blanc 2009
Château du Seuil Graves Blanc 2008
Château Fontenille Bordeaux - Entre deux Mers 2008
Château Grand Verdus Bordeaux Superieur Grande Reserve 2007
Château Dutruch Grand Poujeaux Moulis en Medoc Cru Bourgeois 2008
Vieux Château des Combes St Emilion Grand Cru 2008
Château Plince Pomerol 2008
Château La Tour Haut-Brion Grand Cru Classé Pessac-Leognan 1996

The wines range in retail price from around $25 to $250, and will all be at great special prices on the night. Sorry full, wait list only.

You will find links to all our French Regional Tastings here...

By popular demand! Casual stand-up tasting with distributors of 4 of France's most illustrious Champagne Houses. Louis Roederer, Taittinger, Bollinger & Ayala (including prestige champagnes) with delectable finger food from Kevin Hopgood - $85 pp

Included for sampling will be the legendary Louis Roederer Christal, the Champagne first created in 1867 for Alexander II of Russia, viewed by many as the first prestige cuvée, Taittinger's famous flagship Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blanc made from 100% Chardonnay; & from Bollinger La Grande Année produced only in great vintages. Full wine list (10 wines in total), with respective Distributors & Representatives below:

• Ayala Brut Majeur NV
• Ayala Brut Zero Dosage NV
• Bollinger Special Cuvee NV
• Bollinger La Grande Année 2002 Vintage Prestige

Ju Mannering from Negociants

• Louis Roederer Brut NV
• Louis Roederer Cristal 2004 Vintage Prestige
• Roederer Estate California Anderson Valley Brut NV

Juliane Cormier from Eurovintage

• Taittinger Brut Reserve NV
• Taittinger Les Folies de la Marquetterie NV
• Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blanc 2000 Vintage Prestige

Doug Campbell from Vintners

The above Champagnes retail from around $80 to $450 and will all be at special prices on the night. Plus, all those who order on the night will go into a draw for a 3 bottle gift pack of Champagne NV half bottles. Filling up fast! Bookings confirmed on receipt of payment.

Champagne the star of the show
NEIL HODGSON 9/12/2011

I love champagne! I know sparkling wines made in New Zealand in the same style as those from the Champagne region, the home of bubbles in France, are very good and always rate highly in tastings, but there is something just a little ethereal about the real thing I just can't resist.

Last week I was in heaven at a champagne tasting. Imagine the chance to taste a range of champagnes from three premium producers including three that come with a price tag of more than $200 a bottle (with one hitting $450).

This is way beyond my wine-buying budget so it was a real treat to be able to try them and see if they are worth the money - and I can report the ultra-premium wines are absolutely worth the money if your budget can stretch to it for a special occasion.

Casa del Vino hosted the New Zealand representatives for the fine champagne houses of Louis Roederer, Taittinger and Bollinger, and each had a small selection available for tasting paired with finger food prepared by Hopgoods Restaurant.

Ju Mannering from Negociants presented two wines from Bollinger along with another couple from Ayala. The Ayala Brut Majeur NV was refined and had just enough creamy sweetness to make it oh-so-drinkable. With a retail value of about $100 a bottle, Bollinger NV Brut is the wine we have for special celebrations and I guess because Sari and I have been to the House of Bollinger we have a soft spot for it.

While we enjoy this wine, having the chance to try the premium Bollinger La Grande Annee 2002 Vintage Prestige ($199) was too good to turn down. With a quite firm brandy character this was a sensational match with Hopgood's chicken liver parfait.

Juliane Cormier from Eurovintage presented champagnes from Louis Roederer, including a stunningly good value for money sparkling wine made by them but produced at Roederer's Californian vineyard - Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut NV ($39.95). This is as good as sparkling wine gets when it isn't made in Champagne.

But for me the wine of the night was the Louis Roederer Cristal 2004 Vintage Prestige (about $450). It is so refined and elegant that when you taste it, it simply explodes into a mouthful of champagne mousse. I can understand why this is so expensive - it is a stunning wine.

Finally, Doug Campbell from Vintners presented a range of wines from Taittinger and my favourite here was the Les Folies de la Marquetterie NV ($120 and five stars and No1 ranking in the Cuisine magazine November tasting).

Beautifully rich with a touch of fruitiness and a very long, dry and satisfying finish with flavours that linger in your mouth, I think this will be the wine we see the New Year in with because I would rather share one bottle of excellent wine than three bottles of good wine.

"In victory, you deserve Champagne; in defeat, you need it"
- Napoleon Bonaparte -

Free tasting in store with John Buck (casual stand-up)
A rare opportunity to meet one of the legends of the NZ wine industry

With a background in the wine trade, John Buck's ambition when he purchased Te Mata in the 1970's was to make world class red wine in Hawke's Bay. Over 30 years later, Te Mata is recognised world wide as one of New Zealand's best wineries, consistently producing the country's most sort after Bordeaux red blends ColeraineThe first Coleraine was made from the 1982 vintage. Originally a single vineyard wine, from 1989 Coleraine has been an assemblage of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Cabernet Franc wines produced from thirty plots within Te Mata Estate's nine Hawke's Bay vineyards. Coleraine's reputation for quality has extended, from the original 1982 release, over a line of vintages unbroken except for the cool 1992 & 1993 years. When Coleraine is well stored it develops and intensifies in bottle for 15-20 years from harvest and AwateaFirst made in 1982, & originally a single vineyard wine, Awatea is now produced from over thirty separate Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc & Petit Verdot wines made from Te Mata Estate's nine Hawke's Bay vineyards. When Awatea is well cellared it develops and intensifies in bottle for 8-12 years from harvest (John Buck was awarded an OBE in 1995). For many years now Te Mata has also been producing some of New Zealand's best Syrah, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Gamay Noir. The latest release 2009 Te Mata Coleraine & Awatea have already sold out at the winery - John Buck will be opening the sell out 2009 Awatea Cabernets/Merlot, new release 2010 Bullnose Syrah, 2010 Woodthorpe Syrah and 2010 Cape Crest Sauvignon Blanc on Tuesday. There will be no charge for this tasting but we would encourage you to take advantage of the special pricing for the event as follows (please note the 6 bottle price is for any mix from the 7 wines below):

Te Mata Bullnose SyrahNew release "2010's Indian Summer created a magnificent expression of Syrah, an intense, sweet forward red berried delight." The 2009 sold out shortly after release so be quick for this iconic NZ Syrah from what has been described as a classic vintage for Syrah! 2010

Te Mata Woodthorpe SyrahA drink younger alternative to the Bullnose, the Woodthorpe is always a great value Syrah. Co-fermentation with a small amount of Viognier in the French tradition gives it added aromatic complexity. 2010

Te Mata Cape Crest Sauvignon BlancThis Bordeaux style white is always a delight - 85% Sauvignon Blanc, 11% Semillon and 4% Sauvignon Gris, aged 8 months in new and seasoned French oak. "A pale golden colour with lovely guava, nectarine and honey aromas with a fresh palate of ripe nectarine and strawberry. A great match for seafood dishes over the next 4-6 years." 2010

Sit down tasting with Jean-Christophe Poizat from Maison Vauron $55 pp (including finger food)

JC will take us on a tour through the homeland of the Syrah grape, the great Northern Rhone. The tasting will commence with a Condrieu, the famous white of the region made from the Viognier grape, and then we'll travel the major red appellations (St Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, Cornas, Cote Rotie & Hermitage). To finish, we'll be treated to an aged Cotie-Rotie from one of the sub-region's greatest producers Domaine Jamet. As usual the wines will be matched with fabulous French finger food from La Fromagerie. Wine list as follows:

Stephane Ogier Condrieu 2008

Equis Crozes-Hermitage 2010

Yann Chave Crozes-Hermitage Le Rouvre 2009

Jean-Michel Gerin St Joseph 2009

Courbis Cornas Champelrose 2007

Yann Chave Hermitage 2009

Francois Villard Cote-Rotie 2007

Jamet Cote-Rotie 2000

The 8 wines range in price from around $30 to $190, and will all be at great special prices on the night (except for the 2000 Cote Rotie which is just for tasting!) Bookings confirmed on receipt of payment.

You will find links to all our French Regional Tastings here...

The Italians are Coming!
Thursday 15 September 6.30 - 8.30 pm

Sit down tasting with Andrew Parkinson, Fine Wine Manager for Negociants NZ $55 pp (including finger food)

Andrew Parkinson has selected eleven stunning wines from some of Italy's greatest winemakers. These include the Antinori family, who have been making wine for over 600 years, and were major players in the development of the renowned 'super tuscan' wines ; Angelo Gaja, described as a revolutionary of Italian winemaking, with a status to match the greatest producers of Bordeaux ; Aldo Conterno masters of Barolo ('the wine of kings') ; as well as the highly rated Allegrini family, famous for their Amarone (the legendary dry dried grape wine). Regions featured include Tuscany, Piedmont & the Veneto, with the wines styles varying from white Vermentino & Soave to the famed reds of Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, Valpolicella, Amarone, Barolo and the fragrant, gently fizzy Moscato d'Asti dessert wine. Wine list as follows:

Antinori Guado al Tasso Vermentino 2009
Pra Soave 'Staforte' 2006
Isole e Olena Chianti Classico 2007
Antinori Marchesi Antinori Chianti Reserva 2006
Gaja Brunello di Montalcino 'Sugarille' 2004
Tenuta di Biserno 'Il Pino di Biserno' 2006
Allegrini Valpolicella 2009
Allegrini Amarone 2006
Prunotto Occhetti Nebbiolo d'Alba 2007
Aldo Conterno Barolo Cicala 2005
Prunotto Moscato d'Asti 2010

The wines range in retail price from $30 to $300, and will all be at great special prices on the night. Be quick for this one! Bookings confirmed on receipt of payment.

Spanish Tasting
Wednesday 17th August 6.30 - 8.30pm

Sit down tasting with Ric Little from Vintners (Importers)
$30 pp (including finger food)

A fabulous opportunity to sample a range of quality wines from one of the world's great wine nations. The tasting will cover a number of regions (Rioja, Campo de Borja ('Empire of Grenache'), Penedes, Cigales, Toro, Cebreros & Malaga), and styles (sparkling Cava, white Macabeo, reds made from Tempranillo, Grenache and more), finishing with a Muscat dessert wine (10 wines in total). Producers include esteemed winemaker Telmo Rodriguez, who promotes native varietals and the making of wines from undiscovered, as well as more famous Spanish wine regions; Borsao (known for high quality value priced wines); and family owned Dibon, Cava specialists. Wine list as follows:

Dibon Cava Brut Reserve (Penedes)


Borsao Selection Blanco 2009 (Macabeo, Campo de Borja)
Borsao Garnacha 2009 (Campo de Borja)
Telmo Rodriguez Vina 105 2008 (Cigales)
Telmo Rodriguez LZ Rioja 2008
Telmo Rodriguez Lanzaga Rioja 2007
Telmo Rodriguez Dehasa Gago 2009 (Toro)
Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha 2008 (Campo de Borja)
Telmo Rodriguez Pegaso 2007 (Cebreros)
Telmo Rodriguez MR (500ml) 2008 (Malaga) Muscat dessert wine

The wines range in retail price from under $20 to $85, and will all be at great special prices on the night. Bookings confirmed on receipt of payment.

USA Tasting
Wednesday 13th July 6.30 - 8.30pm

Sit down tasting with Brandon Nash from Dhall & Nash (Importers)
$40 pp (including finger food)

A rare opportunity to sample wines from California and Oregon. The tasting will feature selected wines from four top producers. Christom, located in Oregon's Willamette Valley, is rated by wine critics such as Steven Spurrier as one of the best producers in the region. The other three producers are from California: Flowers ("An American Grand Cru Burgundy" Wine Spectator ); HdV (Hyde de Villaine - a partnership between the Hyde family of Napa and the Villaine family of Burgundy, involved in the directorship of Burgundy's world famous Domaine de la Roman&egrav;e-Conti); and Francis Ford Coppola (world-famous Hollywood film director turned serious winemaker).The 10 wines will be as follows:

Cristom Viognier 2008 (Oregon)

Flowers Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2008 (California)

HdV Chardonnay 2006 (Napa, California)

Flowers Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2008 (California)

Cristom Pinot Noir Mt Jefferson 2008 (Oregon)

Cristom Pinot Noir Louise 2006 (Oregon)

Coppola Diamond Collection Zinfandel 2009 (California)

Coppola Directors Cut Zinfandel 2009 (Sonoma, California)

HdV Belle Cousine Merlot/Cabernet 2004 (Napa, California)

HdV Syrah 2005 (Napa, California)

The wines range at usual retail price from around $40 to $150, and will be at great special prices on the night. Bookings confirmed on receipt of payment.

Sit down tasting with Jean-Christophe Poizat from Maison Vauron $45 pp

Jean-Christophe will be our guide through the Southern Rhone region, as we sample 8 red wines (including 3 from Chateanueuf du Pape) and the fragrant sweet Muscat Beaumes de Venise to finish. The 9 wines are from the 2008 & 2009 vintages with one rare and great exception. We'll be treated to a Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf de Pape from the 1998 vintage, one of the great vintages of the last 30 years (Robert Parker rated this wine 95/100). The wines will be matched with fabulous French finger food.

Wine list as follows:

Bouissiere Vin des Amis 2009
Espiers Cotes du Rhone 2009
Grands Bois Cairanne Maximilien 2009
Charbonniere Vacqueyras 2008
Les Pallieres Gigondas Terrasses du Diable 2008
Telegramme Chateauneuf du Pape 2008
Usseglio Chateauneuf du Pape 2008
Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf du Pape 1998
Beaumalric Muscat Beaumes de Venise 2009

The wines range in price from around $25 to $199, and will all be at great special prices on the night (except for the 1998 which is just for tasting!). Places are limited and there has already been strong interest in this tasting - so please do secure your booking asap to avoid missing out. Bookings confirmed on receipt of payment.

You will find links to all our French Regional Tastings here...

Sit down tasting with Jean-Christophe Poizat from Maison Vauron $40 pp

One of the largest of France's wine regions, Languedoc-Roussillon in the south of the country, has in recent times acquired a reputation for producing great wines at affordable prices. The tasting will feature a range of wine styles from various appellations within the region, including an aromatic white, robust and fragrant reds and 2 dessert wines - 10 wines in total. The wines will be matched with fabulous finger food from La Fromagerie. Wine list as follows:

Felines Jourdan Picpoul de Pinet 2009
Chateau Triniac Cotes du Roussillon Villages - Latour de France 2007
Terres Georges Minervois 2008
Alquier Faugeres Premieres 2007
Chemin des Reves Coteaux du Languedoc - Pic St Loup 2008
La Sauvageonne Coteaux du Languedoc - Terrasses du Larzac 2008
Seguela Cotes du Roussillon Villages - Rasigueres Jean Julien 2006
La Negly Coteaux du Languedoc - La Clape La Falaise 2008
Puig Parahy Rivesaltes 2005 (375ml)
Mas Blanc Banyuls Dr Parce NV (375ml)

The wines range in price from around $20 to $50, and all will be at special prices on the night. Bookings confirmed on receipt of payment.

You will find links to all our French Regional Tastings here...