Just before Christmas day, we received a container-load of brand new wines from Europe. If you've visited the Auckland store recently you might have noticed our shelves are positively heaving; or maybe noticed that our New Arrivals  section is packed full of new wines - some super rare, others cult faves, and many that have never been in New Zealand before too! We quickly realised that, with over 100 different wines arriving at once, (from five different countries!) it can be daunting working through them all! So we thought we would make it a bit easier for you by checking in wi ..read more

Christmas is nearly upon us, and let's be honest, buying gifts is hard work! So here we are trying to make things easy with our 2023 Gift Guide.  Below you'll find a list of our sure bets - wines that are guaranteed to delight and impress. All hits, no misses. More inclusive, less divisive. You get the drift.  Magnum Time 2020 Terroir Project Pinot Noir 1.5L Magnum w/ Gifting Label What says "thank you" better than a magnum of wine? This limited-release Pinot Noir from Terroir Project includes a chic and convenient to/from label on the back of the bottle. Inside the bottle - a de ..read more

The story of Yoshiaki and Kyoko Sato begins in the early 2000’s amidst the bustling world of international banking. The husband-and-wife team both had thriving careers based in Japan and London, and they seemed destined for continuing success. However, a passion had taken root, one which urged them to step away from their field, into quite literally, a new one. Yoshiaki explains: “I loved wines. And I could not help stop feeling that I wanted to make wines by myself. And I believed Japan was not good place to grow wine grapes. I needed to learn more."  Their quest for knowledge led them ..read more

Nacho Gonzalez began his career as a biologist, working throughout his native Spain on both the land and ocean. It wasn’t until later in life, when he inherited a small, overgrown, abandoned vineyard from his Grandmother in Valdeorras, Galicia, that he found his calling. Deciding to put his skills and knowledge to work, using biodynamic and organic practices, Nacho carefully and patiently restored the vineyard, revitalising the 80-year-old bush vines, along with the diverse soil, plant, and insect life. It was in this vineyard that his first wine, O Trancado, was born, a field blend that shar ..read more

We went down to Marlborough a couple of weeks ago to see what exciting changes are happening in the wine capital. We caught up with Josh Hammond from Isabel Estate who has just released his second vintage under his new label Native & Ancient.  Josh is a local lawyer turn winemaker, from a winegrowing family here in the heart of Marlborough. He recently returned home from overseas and has quickly started this new and exciting project.  Native & Ancient is an organic only project lead by Josh, the winemaker at Isabel Estate. Why is this important? Because it's refresh ..read more

After a nearly eighteen month hiatus we finally have Renardat-Fâche back in the country, this time with three different méthode ancestrale wines! Cerdon du Bugey or Bugey-Cerdon is a slightly sweet sparkling rosé wine from Bugey, France. It is made by just a handful of producers in the tiny appellation of Bugey where local doctrine and appellation control dictate the winemaking technique and wine style. Mérignat is a small village in Bugey which is about an hour’s detour East on the drive from Beaujolais to Jura, bordering the Savoie (so very close to Switzerland). Bugey itself is ..read more

Dan first visited Etna in February 2018 on the way to France for La Dive Bouteille, France's biggest natural wine fair. He met co-owner and friend Eric Narioo in the nearby town of Solicchiata (Northern face of Mt Etna), and went to visit a number of their vineyards dotted around the various contrada (plots or lieu-dits), before returning to their family home where their restored palmento is located. A year later Ash did harvest with them, and had the chance to work alongside Eric and his wife, Anna Martens, who the estate is named after. Those deeply ingrained in the natural wine world will ..read more

We are beyond delighted to have the very first two cuvées from Jim and Lauren at Brood Fermentation in store. To say they have been a huge success is an understatement. Although our friendship with these two stretches back a while, putting our biases aside, 'Playflight' and 'Nuka' are two wines we (and you) absolutely cannot get enough of!  We were too excited for their trip up to Wellington, and couldn't wait to catch up, so we headed down to Nelson in early January to see how the vineyard (and brewery!) is coming along. The talented two are not only farming their own fruit organically ..read more

Domaine Derain, Sextant, Julien Altaber & Carole Schwab are synonymous with quality, care and above all, fun! It's always a pleasure to drink their wines, visit them, work with them and of course party with them! A bunch of misfits based in Saint-Aubin, Burgundy. Other producers may consider them punks, rebels, anarchists and/or all of the above. We consider them friends who farm with intention and make delicious wine. If you visit, they will always have time for you... that is after you help out in the vineyard or in the cave with a few last minute jobs.  Most domaines have a transi ..read more

Just after this year's harvest in France we talked to Raphael and Cristelle from Domaine Leonis, some of the loveliest producers in Beaujolais. Now with their latest release in store, we wanted to share with you all what we had learned.  I first met Raph and Cristelle by chance, during a lunch at Éphémère, a small restaurant in Vauxrenard run by the absolutely gorgeous Gusta van Walsem. This place deserves its own interview some day and is also home to another outstanding producer, Yvon Métras. That day, I sat down with Raph & Cristelle, got chatting ..read more