Italian menu

Italian breads and cold meats.

Gameretti Aglio e olio                            Shrimps with oil and garlic.

Risotto alla Milanaise                            Milanese Risotto

Lemoncello Sorbet

Pollo alla Cacciatora                             Chicken casserole.

Agnello Arrosto                                              Roasted lamb

Insalata Caprese                                 Italian Salad

Tiramusu

Cheese

Vegetarians can be catered for but please advise at the time of booking

Mother of Mary

shot glass with a raw oyster top with a horseradish and vodka rich bloody mary mix

Chowick Monster Prawn

asian fusion tempura prawn

Schnapper sandwich

schnapper and waikanae

crab clubbie with watercress

Roast Chicken

miniature roast vege, pea puree and a twice cooked chicken wing, gravy

Mini Venison Burgers

seared venison steak with rocket and wasabi butter

Export Lamb

lamb back strap on turmeric carrot chips with cherry tomato coulis

Passion Pav

passion fruit pavlova with whipped cream topped with a slice of kiwifruit

Trifle

served in a shot glass

Colour: Straw

Soft balanced aromas of orange blossom, stone fruit and biscuit oak.

This elegant, highly textured wine offers flavours of nectarine, lemon rind and nutty oak. A thread of minerality weaves its way through the palate holding the wines beautiful focus.

Drink now thru 2017

Classically Marlborough, this wine shows intense varietal characters of gooseberry, capsicum, passionfruit and grapefruit. Crisp acidity and concentrated citrus characters provide wonderful length on the palate.

When you try this red wine from Jean-Luc Colombo youll be buzzing about it too!

Meaning the bees, Les Abeilles comes from Frances Southern Rhone Valley.  Its a Grenache-based blend thats velvety smooth and easy to drink.

Balancing out the flavor and texture of the Grenache are Syrah and Mourvdre which provide structure, finesse and zesty spice notes.

In the glass, the wine is intense ruby-purple in color and has seductive aromas of berries, black currants and bay leaf.  On the palate are lush flavors of blackberries, boysenberries and plum, with herbal notes of rosemary and thyme.  On the spicy finish is a hint of black pepper and licorice.  Well-rounded tannins and bright acidity make for a delightful sip.

The fruitiness of Les Abeilles makes this wine enjoyable on its own, though its rich enough to pair with lamb, pork, duck and cured meats

Grapes sourced from Gibbston Vally and Bannockburn have helped produce a soft, medium dry Pinot Noir with aromas ofstrawberry, plum and wild thyme. The palate is soft and supple with sweet strawberry, rasberry, cherry and a hint of dried herbs.

Aromas of freshly cracked pepper and drak damson fruit. On the palate this wine is round and fleshy, beautifully balanced and packed full with robust red fruit flavours.

Food Recommendations : Great with home-made burger or a spicy sausage casserole.

An earthy, savoury nose, with some spice aromas lift from the glass. The palate is rich and concentrated, with cherry and spice flavours, finished by a good cedary / all spice finish.

Youll discover just how good it feels to be able to put your nose in a glass of wine and understand how the wine was made, where it comes from and if you should be quaffing it now, or leaving it to mature for a few years instead.

Youll also learn the necessary skills and feel more confident when buying wine in a shop or restaurant. Youll love the proven and easy to follow wine tasting techniques youll learn on our courses, many of which will be new to you.

We will not bamboozal you with geeky wine words or terms. Have fun and learn at the same time.

Price includes Wine,notes and visit to winery.

Limited to 12 people/ book now either online or by ph 415 3568

6:30 8pm

Address

Unit A5, 13 Lovell Court, Albany

$162.00 

per person

Sticky pudding wine is made from Pedro Ximenez (PX) grapes grown in the sultry heat of Andalusia, Southern Spain. the grapes are picked at peak ripness and then dried and raisned in the sun to concentrate their natural sugars, giving PX its distinctive, rich, sweet, toffee and raisin character.

At room temperature. Pedro Ximenez is a classic accompaniment for chocolate desserts especially Churros Spanish doughnuts dunked in pure melted chocolate. Try it also drizzled over vanilla ice cream or serve with fruit cake paired with a hard mild cheese (like Wensleydale) or Ricotta and slices of green apple.

aromas of ripe capsicum, lime and granny smith apple lead to a palate that is mouth filling with delicious citrus, lime and gooseberry flavours, fresh acidity and a mineral-edged finish.

Try with pan-fried fish, smoked salmon or vegetarian cuisine.

A lucious Pinot gris with seductive aromas of ripe stone fruit, pears, rose petal and Turkish Delight.

This is a well balanced wine with tropical fruit, pear and melon flavours on the palate.

Have with lightly spiced Asian dishes.

Colour:  Great depth of colour.

Nose:  Spice, blackfruits, chocolate and mocha.

Palate:  Richness of flavours, spice, berry fruits, chocolate and mocha, coupled with the harmony of fruit, acid and tannin make up the rewarding mouth feel and ultimate enjoyment of this wine.

Cellaring Potential:  Ideal drinking now to 2019

Food Ideas:  Roast fillet of beef, Osso Bucco.

Show Awards:   Gold Medal-NZ International Wine Show 2009

4 Stars- Winestate Magazine Aug/Sept 2009

James Halliday- 95 Points Australian Wine Companion-

Very good colour reveals an intense, highly focused wine with great texture and structure to seamless spicy black fruits, oak and tannins.

Tasting:  Strawberry pink  with aromas of cassis, red fruits and green pepper.   A dry, well structured wine with medium body and  waves of refreshing summer berry fruit on the palate.  An exceptionally long finish for a ros, more reminiscent of a quality red wine.  Serve chilled with summer dishes, meals with combination flavours such as tapas, seafood, chicken and perfect of course, with paella.

Fresh and vibrant, offering a plush mouthful of currant, cherry and roasted beet flavours, finishing with a distinct note of toasted marshmallow. This has depth and lingers gracefully.

This rich, full bodied Cotes du Rhone is produced by the Perrin brothers of Chateau de Beaucastel. It is made from Grenache, Syrah, Mourverdre and Cinsault grapes.

The wine is lightly fined and not cold-stabilized, so will with time it is normal to find some natural sediment in the bottle.

This wine has peppery aromas, black, cherry, cassis and spice flavours and a long complex finish of a fine Rhone wine and is a perfect accompaniment to Medeterranean cooking.

Made from 100% Merlot, the fruit for this wine comes from our older vines situated on the limestone plateau at Ballyeran which were picked in mid to late October in perfect conditions. It shows a vibrant deep red to black colour with an attractive richness on the nose of mocha, leather, spice and sweet concentrated black fruit flavours.  On the palate the taste is of ripe and lush Merlot, blackcurrants and blackberries, caramel and spice with well integrated tannins to balance the richness of the fruit and give a long dry finish. This is a wine that will develop nicely in the bottle and will reward careful ageing and continue to improve for many years to come. Drink 2012-2018.

3x Pick & Shovel Pinot Noir

3x Redmetal Erinview

3x Escarpment Chardonnay

3x Balancing Act Pinot Gris

Tasting Notes:  Lovely peachy aromas on the nose leading to a full and ripe citrusy white wine. A long and lingering finish with gentle acidity makes this wine a perfect match with food.

Food Recommendations: Would marry perfectly with grilled or baked fish, for instance cod wrapped with Parma ham or with grilled herbaceous Mediterranean vegetable dishes.

Silver Medal Sommelier Wine Awards 2010

This is a Pinot Gris made in a ripe and off dry style, reminiscent of the Alsace region in Eastern France. Aromas of quince and ginger leap from the glass of this intensely scented wine. The palate is spicy and rich in flavour with great balance, poise and complexities, and all backed up by a ripe phenloic structure". 

Decidedly focused and finely textured, the 2009 Riesling captures the stony vineyard in which it grows. Aromas of citrus blossom and ripe nectarine fill the glass whilst flavours of white peach, lime and wet stone flavours are accented with a slight hint of fennel. The focused length and fresh acidity makes this wine extremely versatile; enjoy as an aperitif or with food.

The hand harvested grapes for the 2007 vintage came from two distinct Belsham Estate vineyards in Marlborough. The resulting wine is a full bodied style that expresses succulently ripe fruit framed with toasty, creamy notes. The wines underlying structure is elegant yet very focused and present. After a year in the making, the wine is cellared for two years in bottle prior to release. Drink now thru 2018

This succulent wine has aromas of violets and English rose with seductive flavours of mocha, dark fruits and subtle toasty notes supported by long, rumbling tannins. The wines dense fruit core will continue to unfold over time, making this wine a delight to drink over the next ten to fifteen years (2020-2025)

Francoli Grappa di Moscato is crystal-clear with a peachy, honeysuckle, Muscat lusciousness. Dry yet beautifully soft and rounded, its long, complex, honeyed flavour makes it the perfect digestif as well as outstanding in a martini.

An intense, bright colour, with a golden hue.
The specific aromas of the grape variety are to the fore, with apricots, peaches, exotic fruit and preserved citrus fruit.
The palate is both smooth and fresh, finishing on hints of dried fruit.

Goes well with cold cuts, steamed fishes with lemon and butter sauce. Asparagus, artichoke.

Tasting Notes
Our 2009 Stony Corner is a Bordeaux blend. The result: a soft generous wine with vibrant blue/red colour, ripe cherry, red currant and blackberry fruit flavours, hints of violets, savoury notes with sweet spicy oak. The palate is full, with excellent depth and richness, sweet chocolate mocha aromas intertwined with soft silky tannins. A wine that drinks well now; best decanted for 1-2 hours before enjoying with a rich meat dish. My favourite Moroccan rubbed lamb.

Delicate fruit flavours of fresh pears baked apple and quince.  These flavours dominate on the palate which has an oily texture so typical of quality Pinot Gris. Soft acidity, generous body and lingering hints of tropical fruits.

Winemakers Notes

A classic Central Otago Pinot Noir with enticing aromas of dark cherries and black berry fruits, together with hints of wild thyme, spices and dark fruitcake.  The palate is elegant and supple, with find grained tannins, intense fruit and toasty oak.

The Pick & Shovel Pinot Noir is grown by Dry Gully Vineyard, Alexandra, Central Otago.

Vanilla and spicy black currant with wild herbs and red fruit aromatics the palate has a silky elegant flowing mouthfeel with soft intensity and a lifted lingering finish.

The Idealist Sauvignon Blanc x 2

Gossips Shiraz x2

Pokerface Cabernet/Merlot x 2

Steep hillside plantings of vines in the Rhone valley were the inspiration behind Cypress Terraces Syrah.

Damson plum, violet and black pepper on the nose, followed by elegant, seamless cedar, dark fruits and chocolate to finish.

A classic Hawkes Bay Chardonnay displaying white peach, grapefruit and tropical characters. It is showing elegance, restraint and rewarding length of flavour.

White gold in the glass, while on the nose it has delicate peach, jasmine and citrus pith notes. It is fresh and spicy, and is showing deliciously fat, tropical fruit flavours on the palate followed by gum-tingling minerality and a full, creamy textural finish.

Vibrant yellow-gold colour and scented with soft, elegant notes of apricot, mandarin and spring florals which lead to a rich, citrus-forward palate and tangy, tropical flavours.  Lovely balance is achieved via delicate acidity and well-integrated oak to create a chardonnay with excellent mouthfeel and length. 

Moderately deep ruby-red with garnet hues to the colour, this has a soft, elegant nose with savoury red berry fruits, cooked plum flavours combined with dried herb notes and some oak cedar. This is beginning to show some secondary development. Firm textured and with fresh acidity on the palate, the red fruit flavours still show good richness and a plumpness, and the wine possesses a harmonious mouthfeel. This has some presence, and will be a good match with Middle Eastern cuisine over the next 3-5 years

http://www.johner-estate.com/

Light ruby-red in colour, this has a full, firm and robust nose of red cherry and berry fruits, along with herbs and floral perfumes. Soft and full on the palate, this has flavours of plum jam, cooked dark red fruits, game and earth, with autumnal nuances. The modest extraction has resulted in a suppleness which allows the sweetness of the fruit to feature. Up-front and accessible, this is an easy to drink, simple red to match with pasta, pizza and most red meat dishes over 2-4 years

http://www.johner-estate.com/

Deep, intense, ruby red wine. It has a complex perfume that is immediately winning; ripe fruit, blackberry and rasberry are combined with a hint of spices. It is smooth and velvety and sweetly tannic to taste. Very well-balanced.

Ideal with red meat, flavourful game and aged cheese.

This wine is made primarily with Sangiovese from Montepulciano 

Colour: intense ruby red

Bouquet: full and fragrant evoking sour black cherry

Taste: rounded and well structured; smoothly dry, with well-blended strong tannin

Matching with food: it pairs with full-flavoured, rich dishes such as red meat game and aged cheeses

Lively vibrant shiraz fruit concentration. A bold wine with lots of dark berries, chocalate and spices.

A full and flavoursome wine.

Recommended foods: Superb with gourmet pizza, Puttanesca pasta and Pan fried steak

This is a very easy drinking Spanish Red Wine
produced by one of Spains leading Wineries, Vinos and Bodegas Gallegas (VBG).

They are a Spanish family company with 50 years
of activity in the wine business. They have 5
privately owned wineries each with its own
specific characteristic in the Spanish wine
growing regions.
Abilius is a low alcohol wine (12%) with ripe
fruit aromas and hints of spice, making it a
perfect wine to match with many meat dishes.
It is a blend of Tempranillo (40%), Granache
(30%) and Cabernet (30%) which ensures a
smooth, rich blend,

Not Chill Filtered.

A great blended malt from Compass Box. This was specially crafted by John Glaser, the whisky zealot. It contains highland single malts like Teaninich and secret malts from the villages of Carron and Brora.

Compass Box Oak Cross Tasting Note

Nose: Light, stewed fruit, ginger, spice, toffee apple, stewed fruits.
Palate: Tart fruit, red apples, tannic, honey, tiny hint of Christmas spice.
Finish: Oak, malt, spicy sweetness, milk.

The Master of Malt

Orangerie is a whisky infusion made of smooth, sweet Scotch whisky infused with hand-peeled zest of Navalino oranges and subtle accents of Indonesian cassia bark and Sri Lankan cloves.

Soft, rich whisky flavours, with a hint of vanilla from casks of Vosges oak, are offset by sweet-natured orange. Mysterious, exotic spices add intrique.

One of the best whisky liqueurs we've ever tried! This Compass Box classic is flavoured with Sri Lankan Cloves, Indonesian Cassia bark and hand-zested Navalino oranges. Orangerie has sublime balance and a beautiful zesty flavour.

The Master of Malt

A peaty offering and a vatted malt created by the renowned John Glaser, of Compass Box. The Peat Monster contains whisky from secret distilleries (all very cloak and dagger). They can tell us that some was from the village of Port Askaig in Islay, with some south coast Islay whisky too, vatted with Ardmore. This was matured in a mix of first fill and refill American oak casks

Compass Box Peat Monster Tasting Note

Nose: Peat, marked salinity, leans to Caol Ila in style, something medicinal. Sweet and fruity, grainy.
Palate: Peat, oak. Botanicals, floral, coppery, sweet, smoky bacon, hint of papaya.
Finish: A lingering sweetness, more peat, floral: roses and violets, sweet spice, oak.

The Master of Malt

The wine has deep ruby colour tending to garnet with ageing. Intense bouqet with berry, cherry and violet aromas and flavours on the palate. It is full round and harmonous with excellent tannic structure.

Try with lamb, beef,venison and well aged cheeses.

Tasting notes: Brilliant ruby red hue. Cherry, rose petals and thyme aromas. Medium-bodied, this has ripe cherry fruit, a light touch of spice, soft tannins and tart acidity. 

Food Pairings: This wine pairs well with most dishes and particularly well with meat.

The deep red colour, with its subtle flecks of orange is testament to the five years spent refining in French oak barrels.

The aromas of fruits of the forest, particularly noticeable when the wine is young, give way to Mediterranean spices and a suggestion of violets, the latter being a characteristic typical to its place of origin.

On the palate the wine is pure and powerful with a long finish, all demonstrative of the 2004 vintage which, in the North Piemonte region, was of exceptional quality.

It is presented in a bottle dating from the early twentieth century (reproduced from a bottle discovered  in an old cantina in the historic centre of Ghemme), symbolising our spirit of production i.e. technological advance is nothing if one neglects the history and traditions of a region

Nose:  delicate, with suggestions of violet and liquorice.

Flavour:  dried, soft tannins, lightly acid.

Serving suggestion:  it enhances red meat, braised beef, wild game and seasoned cheeses.

Client Networking

In todays business world, networking is a vital tool used by companies to maintain and create new relationships with clients and prospective clients. At Wine and More, we understand how important networking is and so weve used our experience and knowledge to put a unique spin on it.

A networking wine tasting event will enable you to offer your clients something new. A wine tasting is a great talking point, providing a versatile tool to bring people together. The relaxing atmosphere created at the tasting will enable those present to mix business and pleasure, developing stronger working relationships.

We are happy to offer a bespoke event which can be tailored for your specific requirements. You may already have some ideas in mind or we can provide expert advice to help make your networking event a success.

Below is a taster of how an event could run:

• Guests greeted with sparkling wine on arrival

• A 20 minute introduction to the wonders of wine and how to taste. This could be particularly useful if you plan to incorporate a blind tasting option.

• Tasting tables laid out to enable guests to mingle and taste at their leisure, while also providing the opportunity to network.

• A blind tasting competition, with a prize of a bottle of bubbles. This provides the perfect opportunity to encourage delegates to leave their contact details.

We take all the pressure out of networking by providing a full service for you on the day. The items we provide include:

• Wine

• Glasses

• Spittoons

• Tasting notes

• Quiz prize if required.

So please contact us to discuss your requirements and ensure your networking event really makes you stand out. ph 4153568 or david@wineandmore.co.nz

http://www.wineandmore.co.nz/shop/wines/port/krohn-lbv2004

2 c plain flour
3 tbs cocoa
1 tsp each cinnamon, ginger
1 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup canola (or other plain un-flavoured cooking oil)
1 cup water
3 tbs red wine vinegar
1 tsp vanilla essence

1 Heat oven to 180C.

2 Line the base and sides of a 23cm ring tin or 20cm round tin. This makes quite a tall cake - use a larger tin if you like.

3 Sift the flour, cocoa, cinnamon, ginger and salt into a bowl big enough to mix the cake in.

4 Thoroughly mix through the sugar, and form a well in the centre. Put the baking soda in the well.

5 Combine all liquid ingredients in a jug.

6 Pour liquids into the well, so the baking soda fizzes up and dissolves. Mix with a whisk until combined with no lumps but do not over mix.

7 Pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake for 35-45 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. It pays to turn the cake once during cooking. If you are not baking the cake for someone with egg/dairy intolerance, you can stud the top with about 25g of chocolate pieces before baking.

8 Once cooled, remove from tin and dust with icing sugar.

The fruit was selected from small selected Barossa vineyards.

Generous aromas of blackberries, aniseed and coffee.

The pallate shows vanillin oak, spicy and cigar box type flavours, smooth soft silky tannins perfectly round off this wine.

Appearence:
Full gold, bright and shot with pink

Aroma:
Pungent and complex; sweet overall, but dries out.
(straight) Noticable peat smoke and even iodine. Very light sulphur, toffee and faintly fishy.
(dilute) Sherry and kippers; wax paper and candlewax; iodine, hemp, pine resin. Fresh.

Flavour:
Full bodied. The primary taste is sweet and salty, with a powerful peat-smoke 'catch' in the finish, which is relatively short. Other flavours are of resin and burnt butter

Nose: Rich sweetness and fruits - oranges, lemons and pears, with sea-salt and peaty smokiness.

Body: Full, rich.

Palate: Mouth-filling late autumn fruits - dried figs and honey-sweet spices; followed by a smoky malty dryness.

Finish: Long, smooth-sweet finish with oak-wood, dryness and a grain of salt.

These are probably the most appreciated Ports from our House. Colheita Ports are single year Ports of a high quality level which have to be matured in wood for at least seven years. Normally they are bottled just before they leave our cellars, which may happen much later than the 7th year of age. For this reason, our Colheita Ports generally remain in wood for long or even very long periods and acquire with time the characteristic mahogany colour of the old Tawnies, a fine and complex bouquet, a nutty character and a silky texture. 

Once the bottle has been opened, you have not to drink it out the same day - just stop it well and leave it like that as long as you wish. Next time you open it, the fine aromas and flavours will still be there. 

Drink a Colheita Port after a meal with creamy cheeses like Brie and Camembert from France or Serra from Portugal. Also great with grilled chestnuts, crme brul or with a good cigar.

These are probably the most appreciated Ports from our House. Colheita Ports are single year Ports of a high quality level which have to be matured in wood for at least seven years. Normally they are bottled just before they leave our cellars, which may happen much later than the 7th year of age. For this reason, our Colheita Ports generally remain in wood for long or even very long periods and acquire with time the characteristic mahogany colour of the old Tawnies, a fine and complex bouquet, a nutty character and a silky texture. 

Once the bottle has been opened, you have not to drink it out the same day - just stop it well and leave it like that as long as you wish. Next time you open it, the fine aromas and flavours will still be there. 

Drink a Colheita Port after a meal with creamy cheeses like Brie and Camembert from France or Serra from Portugal. Also great with grilled chestnuts, crme brul or with a good cigar.

Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) Ports are single year ports. They have a high quality level, with a good colour and body, a fine aroma and taste, but unlike Vintage ports they mature in cask for a period of four to six years and are then bottled. The result of this process is a Port which can be drunk earlier than a Vintage Port.

Krohns LBV Ports are neither fined nor filtered and may thus throw a sediment. We recommend to decant before serving.

Late Bottled Vintage Ports are affordable, fruity wines you should drink after a meal with cheese, desserts and all types of melon and berries.

The 10 year Old Port is a Tawny with a great complexity and the typical aromas and flavours of wood aged Ports, with lots of nuts and caramel.

The 10 Year Old Port may be served either as apritif or after meal

This is a golden white Port, with sweet, full pleasant aromas.

SENADOR RICH WHITE can be drunk before a meal on its own or with cheese & nuts. Try it also with almonds sauted in olive oil. Serve chilled.

Its warming, its rasiny and its very tasty. Portguses Tawny Port can not be beaten and this is a superb

example of the wine of Portugal

Less intensely coloured than the Ruby Port with a light and elegant style. Garnet red with a red-brown rim, fine and complex nose with rich, spicy dried fruit

and nut flavours.

Rich and full of flavours of fresh peach & nectarine  with a hint of nutty oak. Figs & butterscotch on the palate with a luscious, silky finish. Well matched with lobster, crayfish, prawns, scallops and creamy pasta dishes

The 2009 Saddleback Pinot Noir has aromas of violets, dried fruits and cherry. The palate has sweet cherry, plum and raspberries with full mouth feel, fine tannin structure and a long warm finish.

The 2011 Peregrine Pinot Gris overflows with ripe pear, peach, mango, grapefruit and has an underlying steely minerality. It is well balanced and mouth filling with great persistence.

This Merlot dominated blend shows ripe plum and dark fruit flavours with soft, supple tannins on the finish giving it great drinkability.

One of the joys of wine tasting is that it is a great social experience. The opportunity to chat, discuss and compare notes on the wines make it a fantastic way to celebrate a special occasion. From birthdays and anniversaries to hen parties or a gathering of friends, wine tasting is a perfect way to bring people together.

At Wine and More , our priority is not only sharing great wines, but also ensuring that your party suits your needs. We can arrange the party in the comfort of your own home, or at a venue of your choice, and it will be pitched at a level that suits the group. This means everyone will learn something new and leave with the confidence to explore wines further in the future.

Both you and your guests will learn how to taste wine, as well as learning plenty of interesting facts which can be used to impress at the next dinner party.

The idea behind our wine tasting events is for them to be a fun, informative evening, where you have the opportunity to taste and enjoy some gorgeous wines, hand-picked by us. The theme of the tasting can be tailored to suit your group. Before the tasting, we will discuss possible themes with the host to ensure that everybody gets the most out of their tasting.

Here are a few theme ideas to tantalise your tastebuds:

Classic wines

Old World versus New World

A trip around the world

Grape varieties

Exploring one specific country for example Italy, France, New Zealand or Australia

Blind tasting this could be for the whole evening or just for one or two wines

Port tasting

Champagne and sparkling wine tasting.

And just to tempt you a little bit further, heres an idea of what a party includes, based on 12 people:

Eight still wines four red, four white

The glasses so no washing up required!

Tasting notes for all guests to take home

Games and quizzes if required, with a prize for the winner

Spittoons for those not wishing to have the effects of alcohol

Each party is about two hours long, but again, we can tailor this to suit your specific event. Hosts often like to provide nibbles for their guests, but we can also arrange to provide food for you, meaning all you need to do is sit back and relax, while enjoying some fantastic wines.

Party costs start at $15 per head, but do increase if you require champagne, sparkling wine or Port. Please let us know if you would like food provided as part of your party, so we can arrange it for you.

Wed be delighted to discuss your party ideas and requirements with you, so if you have any questions or would like to make a booking, please contact us on 4153568 or david@wineandmore.co.nz

If you want to give your staff, clients or potential clients an evening to remember, why not invite them to one of our bespoke wine tastings? What better way to demonstrate how much you value their business than an occasion where they can relax, taste fine wine and learn more about the wonderful world of wine tasting.

Aristophanes, the Greek poet, gives one excellent reason why wine tasting can provide a great way to build relationships within the work environment. He said:

 When men drink, then they are rich and successful and win lawsuits and are happy and help their friends. Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever. 

We offer different price packages, reflecting the different wines which are used. We also provide a theme for each tasting, based around those which we fine to be most popular. But, if you have a specific theme in mind, or want to consider other possibilities, we would be extremely happy to discuss these with you.

ph 4153568 or david@wineandmore.co.nz

Each tasting includes:

• Sparkling wine or champagne on arrival

• A tutored tasting

• Wine

• Tasting notes

• Glasses

• Water biscuits

• Provision of spittoons

The prices are based on a group of 12 or more people.

If you want to add a little extra to your tasting, the following can also be incorporated:

• Games

• A quiz

• Blind tasting

• Champagne tasting

• Port tasting

• Fine wine tasting

This magnificently smooth, velvety Gran Reserva marries black, fruit-laden Garnacha and juicy, cassis-rich Cabernet. It is wonderfully soft, with a smooth, spicy complexity only years of maturity can deliver. The Campo de Borja region is a treasure trove of old-vine Garnacha. And this sumptuous Gran Reserva is made from the deliciously concentrated fruit of vines over 50 years old. What's more, the cellar has been crafting intense reds for 500 years! Snap up your share today.

100% Tempranillo

Tasting note: Bright, purple colour with aromas of fresh, red and black fruit, liquorice and vanilla notes. Dark fruit in the mouth which is intense and long, but also finishes with fresh acidity.

Food match: A great match for grilled vegetables, creamy rice dishes, pasta, white meats and soft or lightly aged cheeses.

50% Cabernet Sauvignon; 50% Malbec.
Colour: Intense cherry colour, with violet tinges.

Aroma: Red fruit aromas, with floral notes (violets) and spices given by the oak ageing.

Mouth: Harmonic wine.  elegant and persistent tannins, giving a great end and balanced acidity.

Colour: Deep and intense red colour with ruby tinges.

Aroma: At first spice notes, then red fruits with menthol hints well integrated with bitter, smoky and toasty oak flavours.

Mouth: Structured wine and persistent: it presents fine-grained and ripe tannins.

Pineau des Charentes is the result of stopping the fermentation of the fresh, sweet grape juice by adding one-year-old Cognac. Pineau des Charentes will contain between 16.5% and 22% alcohol. Production is strictly controlled to assure high quality through proper blending and ageing. Bernard Boutinet's Pineau Des Charentes is deep gold in color and offers a predominantly sweet taste balanced by acidity.

Didier and Catherine Champalou are both descended from vignerons, and both graduated from the agricultural college at Montreuil-Bellay. They obviously had a clear vision of what they wanted to achieve, and went on to establish their domaine in Vouvray in 1984. Within a few years, helped by some great vintages at the end of the 1980s, they were producing some of Vouvray's most stunning wines, and today they rank among the top vignerons of the town. Didier's main concern is the vineyards, whereas Catherine looks after fermentation and other activities in the cellar.

Old vine Chenin Blanc from classic Loire limestone Tuffeau soils.

Sweet corn, quince, white truffle and wet wool in the nose lead to a waxy palate suffused with wood smoke, truffle and musky floral notes.  The Wine Advocate

The perfect accessory for wine lovers.

Wine which has been allowed to breath tastes better. As wine breathes, it opens up and releases its intended aromas and flavours. Vinituri's patented design speeds up the decanting process with ease and convenience. Perfect aeration in the time it takes to pour a glass.

Simply hold Vinituri over a glass and pour wine through. Vinituri draws in and mixes the proper amount of air for the right amount of time, allowing your wine to breathe instantly. You'll notice better bouquet, enhanced flavours, and smoother finish. It's that fast and that easy. Traditional decanters can take up to 15min before you notice any change in the wine, the Vinturi is imediate. Ideal if you are just having a glass or two. I highly recommend, you will be amazed.

RinQuinQuin is a very smart French peach liqueur made by combining white wine with infusions and distillations of peaches and peach leaves. The term RinQuinQuin was originally a generic word. In the Provenal language it means invigorating drink (from the verb requinquilhar : to cheer up).

The peaches and leaves are macerated separately in alcohol and wine in order to extract the parts that are soluble. At the end of the required maceration period (six months to one year), the infusions that are obtained are separated into two parts. The liquid part is added to the white wine. The solid part is distilled and then added.

Every few months I am asked to recommend a list of great wines available in supermarkets and every few months I say the same thing: there are fewer good wines available in supermarkets now than there were last month. Shelve any notion of "greatness" there.

The problem is not just lack of variety. It's unsustainably low prices. It's all the bland boring wines at eye level and all the interesting ones at foot level or out of reach on the top shelves. And it's the disingenuous excuses of inexperienced supermarket wine buyers who, when challenged about why their best wines don't sell, come up with the incredibly unthoughtful suggestion that people just don't seem to reach for those bottles.

Which begs the question: it couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that most people can't see those bottles, could it?

Even in the United Kingdom, where minimum prices per bottle of wine are said to be on the way for supermarkets, there is a far greater variety of wine available across all prices and easily able to seen in supermarkets.

The first time I ever set foot in Tesco's in Covent Garden, in the early 1990s, I was gobsmacked to see a bottle of Taittinger NV Champagne at about 25 sitting alongside a bottle of Bulgarian Sauvignon Blanc at about 3.

I opted for the latter. It was surprisingly good.

A few weeks later my boyfriend at the time suggested we splurge to celebrate having jobs, and back we went for the Taittinger.

Imagine if there was a minimum price per bottle in supermarkets here. We'd thank our lucky stars - or at least the largest wine companies in the country - when big-name bubbles, sauvignon blancs and pinot noirs actually get cheaper rather than pricier each year in supermarkets.

But continuous lowering of prices is not sustainable. Large wineries may be able to weather the price erosion of some big brands some of the time but small wineries can't, so that automatically narrows the range available in supermarkets.

It also limits any new wines from large companies, which need time to build a brand. It also narrows the profitability of even those with relatively good economies of scale.

This carnage has to come to an end. Nobody wants to be quoted - yet - but the sooner the New Zealand wine trade stands up to supermarket wine buyers, the better off we'll all be.

There may not be as many $6 bottles, but there will be far more variety of wine at $8, $10 and even - for those willing to push the boat out - at $15 or $20.

Next time you're in the supermarket wine aisle, look below - and above - eye level. And make it a goal to buy two bottles; at least one of which you haven't tried before. Variety is not the flavour of the average supermarket wine aisle these days but it is the spice of life. And there is extremely good, extremely well-priced wine at fine wine stores.

Arneis is a varety naitive to Piedmont, Italy Clevedon Hills was the first vineyard in New Zealand to plant Arneis in 1998.

The now mature vines produce a rich, peachy, slightly spicy wine with a dry rounded finish. 40%spent 5 months in seasoned oak.

Recommended with sea food, pasta and white meat dishes.

 Grapes harvested from Kimball Vineyard in the Waipara Valley have been crafted with minimal intervention to allow the vibrant regional characteristics to shine through. Perfectly accentuated by a lovely mouth watering acidity lends this wine a refreshing crispness.

 A wine with wide appeal, pure fruit and freshness showing flavours of passionfruit, citrus and a hint of thyme.

Ripe hand picked fruit, gentle winemaking and maturation in French oak, 35% new, have resulted in a very approachable and rich wine, with aromas of ripe cherries, raspberries and Black Doris plums, a rich and silky smooth palate with fine grainy tannins to match the fruit. Excellent value, drinking fantastically well now and will develop and cellar for several years.

Cromwell, Chafer Beetle

Beetle Juice is named after the Cromwell Chafer Beetle (Prodontria lewisi).The Cromwell Chafer is a critically endangered beetle found at just one site in Cromwell. This 81 hectare area of windblown sand dunes has been set aside as the Cromwell Chafer Beetle Nature Reserve to protect and monitor the habitat of this beetle.

They say one man's trash is another man's treasure but sometimes cheap is not always better, particularly with wine. I just can't see the point in buying wine with virtually no flavour just because it's in the bargain bin.

Yes, there are wine bargains in supermarkets, particularly at present thanks to the toxic twins of recessionary belt-tightening and over-supply, but generally the lowest priced wines tend to be so bland as to be not worth it.

But sometimes you stumble across something you truly think is great value. I'm talking about Cattier Champagne. If you're not convinced that 750ml of fizzy wine in tall flutes could ever be worth anything approaching $80.

 You may not see Cattier in the bargain racks, but these are top-tasting and great-value bubbles from Champagne, France

Taste:

Bright golden yellow in colour, this is an outstanding dessert wine with an intoxicating aroma. Possessing a fine balance between sugar and acidity, it has an aromatic complexity that is not cloying on the palate. It is silky and fresh, highlighting the raisin flavours of the grape over a base of toasty notes.
100% Moscatel

Cold with appetisers (such as foie gras), fruit desserts and cured cheese.

A sublimely ethereal infusion of musk, lily, earthen spices and lemon aromatics parade before the nose. A precise and assured palate tickles with its freshness and seduces the senses with its playful amour.

With a straw yellow colour and greenish hues, a very delicate and fruity hint of apple. This Prosecco is excellent as an aperitif, ideal and easy accompaniment to light Mediterranean style dishes. Excellent cocktail wine!!  Add Peach schnapps to make a belini

The Classic Bellini
1/3 glass fruit puree or juice
2/3 chilled Prosecco

Pour juice into a glass flute.
Tilt the glass and fill it with your sprakling wine and give it a gentle stir.

2x Johner Moonlight Pinot Noir

2x Canapi Nero d' Avola

2x Idealist Sauvignon Blanc

Bright and deep in colour. An elegant selection of definitive Marlborough Pinot Noir. The nose is embellished with dark stone fruits, leather and a vibrant floral lift. The palate is structured and refined, with delicate layers of fruit and oak, leaving a lingering and elegant mineral finish.

The wine is crimson-black in colour, with ruby red tints.
    On opening, the nose suggests a wine more about fruit and florals than spice and pepper, although there are some notes of leather and caraway. A little air sees black cherry and plum emerge.

    The palate is generous, soft and rich - but not overly ripe, with plummy flavours dominant. The finish is well balanced giving a wine that is excellent for current drinking.

3x Mt Fishtail

3x Konrad

3x The Idealist

3x Balancing Act

4x Kahurangi Mt Arthur Reserve

4x Trout Valley

4x Stony Estate

The colour is amber, like all the official bottlings of the distillery. The nose detects a mix of iodium, seaweed, phenols and hints of sherry and smoke.
The palate is exceptionnaly smooth for a presumed rather young whisky.
The taste is dry, salty, peaty and smoky.
The finish adds some spice and pepper to the whole.

A rather astonishing whisky

 The Moscow Mule kicked off the vodka craze back in the 1950s,concocted at the Cock'n Bull Pub on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood.Jack Morgan, owner of the Cock'n Bull had a struggling on-site ginger-beer franchise, then one evening John G. Martin a spirits and food distributor,crossed paths with Jack Morgan and together they invented the Moscow Mule by mixing Morgan's ginger beer with vodka and lime.

Ingredients:

45ml  Vodka
1 Fresh lime
1 tsp Sugar syrup
Top with ginger beer

Method:

In a highball glass, pour Vodka over ice. Add sugar syrup and squeeze in fresh lime. Top with ginger beer and stir.

Garnish: with a slice of cucumber.

A barrique fermented style Chardonnay of fruit grown on the stony plains of Marlborough. Ripe summer nectarine, apple skin, and freshly baked brioche aromas appear on the nose. The palate, with its delicate entry, has fresh presence with stone, citrus blossom and hazelnut notes. Notes of lemon, almonds and vanilla linger over the fine mineral finish.

The entrancing aromas of mandarin flesh, lime zest and apple blossom appear before a full and fleshy entry to the palate. A graceful minerality entwines with notes of apricot and lime, endowing the wine with an elegant silken texture and sublime palate presence.