Roux Cotilles Pinot Noir

Torlesse Pinot Noir

$28.99

Torlesse has sourced grapes from vineyards in the Waipara and Canterbury regions to produce the character of this rich and complex red wine. It has enticing sweet berry fruit and spicy oak aromas. Pinot Noir likes cool climates so it's settled in very nicely here. Very well priced and a great choice for those who like a lighter style red. Delicious sweet berry fruit and spicy oak aromas make this a perennial staff favourite. This Pinot pairs quite nicely with grilled salmon, pork or chicken kebobs, and of course: cheese.

Torlesse Omihi Road Pinot Noir

$32.99

Torlesse takes its name from an early Canterbury resident, surveyor and farmer, Englishman Charles Torlesse. He gave his name to the Torlesse mountain range, which partly circles the Canterbury Plains, and was at one time the largest land owner and farmer in North Canterbury and the founder of the nearby town of Rangiora. Interestingly, Torlesse is also the name given to the underlying bedrock from which most New Zealand soils are derived. The Torlesse winery was built and opened in March 2000, but Torlesse has produced wines from 1991 onwards, making it one of the older wineries in Waipara. Most grapes are hand harvested, and the winemaking team is led by owners Ben & Pete Rayner, while Maggie Rayner leads the cellar door team. They have been cultivating and producing excellent wine for over 30 years.

Mayu Pinot Noir Gran Reserva

$23.79

400 kilometres north of Santiago, Chile, sits the Elqui Valley, effectively a high-altitude desert (the Atacama Desert) in the Coquimbo Region. The vineyards extend from the Pacific Ocean to the Andes, and the arid region relies on the Elqui River for irrigation, which is essential if grapes are to flourish here. At 2000 metres above sea level, it draws a parallel to the vineyards of Mendoza, Argentina, on the other side of the Andes.

The soils are composed mainly of clay, silt and chalk, and the hot, clear days and cool nights offer near-perfect growing conditions. It's also one of the darkest places on earth to stargaze, and as such, it's a World UNESCO Heritage Site, drawing both wine lovers and stargazers alike. Viña Mayu was established in 2005 as a separate winery from the Elqui Valley’s first fine wine producer, which was founded in 1998.

Mauro Olivier was one of the pioneers planting vines for fine wine production, sourcing the grapes from the different parts of the valley. He started working on his family vineyards for table grape production at a young age, and years later, he began working in Pisco production (the national Chilean spirit, made from white wine). In 2000, he planted the first Carménère and Syrah vines in the valley. Five years later, he decided it was time to embark on his own wine project, under the Mayu label. Mayu is an ancient INCA name for the Milky Way, meaning "creek of stars."