Ata Rangi Crimson Pinot Noir

$46.74

In Te Reo Māori, Ata Rangi means “dawn sky” or “new beginning”. It is a name that honours their land and reflects the work they do here. Making wine is all about working in sync with the changing seasons and conditions on the land. They strive to craft wines that capture the essence of Martinborough, Aotearoa-New Zealand. They are a small, family-owned organic winery with a reputation for pinot noir, located at the southern end of the North Island. Ata Rangi was founded by Clive Paton in 1980. The first vines were planted on a small, stony sheep paddock at the edge of the Martinborough Village. Clive’s sister Alison bought an adjoining block soon after and in 1986 Clive’s partner Phyll Pattie bought a share in the business after moving from Marlborough where she had been working as a winemaker. 40 years on, they continue to work diligently to nurture Ata Rangi’s enviable reputation as one of the new world’s most respected pinot noir producers. Today, Alison Paton heads up the day-to-day running of the business, with Helen Masters crafting the wines aided by the vital stewardship of vineyard manager Ian Ewart.

While the Crimson may be Ata Rangi's second label Pinot, it is superior to other wineries' top bottles made from the heartbreak grape! A terrific Pinot Noir from one of New Zealand's wine-making pioneers, a guy who sets the benchmark for quality. Always a top scorer with the critics, too! "A winery that needs no introduction for NZ Pinot lovers, there’s not much for me to add about the long-serving, dedicated team behind Ata Rangi – they just go from strength to strength," according to Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. "The Pinots have always been great!"

Mont Blanc B de B

$31.84

Vineyard in the clouds

Cave Mont Blanc sits at the base of Mont Blanc in Valle d’Aosta, boasting as the highest vineyards in Europe. Their unwavering dedication extends to cultivating native vines amidst the rugged beauty of the mountains, at altitudes ranging from 900 to 1200 meters above sea level.

Using traditional techniques, they create their distinctive sparkling collection known as 'glacier bubbles' as a tribute to the cold climates they endure. Each year, specific altitude, atmospheric pressure and temperature conditions come together to create the Cuvée des Guides, a sparkling wine made using classic methods, boasting unique and exceptional qualities.

Terminus Meldor

$20.79

Ana & Carlos Gonzales (of Bodegas Terminus) met in high school and have been together ever since. Their only time apart was when Carlos decided to undertake his university studies in Oenology in Tarragona rather than his homeland of Rioja, while Ana studied Oenology right in Rioja. Both winemakers work for or have worked for some of the top brands you can find in Spain, but they always wanted to have a project of their own. When they found the right partners and the right vineyard sites in Rioja Alavesa, they knew that the time had come to focus their knowledge and passion on making their own wines. This is a small production Rioja full of personality that conveys care, craftsmanship and quality! A great Tempranillo from the heart of Rioja, it's a smooth, rich wine with notes of summer berries, spice and toffee. Aged for 4 months in barrel, this wine is fuller in style, with soft, yet firm tannins. Serve with hearty dishes such as beef stew, vegetarian chilli, and hearty soups.

A KWM Exclusive! 

Domaine du Haut Bourg Muscadet 2014

$20.34

Located in the heart of the Appellation Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu, four generations of winegrowers built the Domain du Haut Bourg. The first vine was planted in 1945, and today, the surface of the vineyard reaches 40 hectares.

The vineyard is entirely located in the town of Bouaye. The soil mainly contains mica schist, granite and sand. It gives good balance and richness to the wines. The lac de Grandlieu (south), the Loire river (north) and the low altitude (from 15 to 25 meters) create a microclimate characterized by low-temperature differences between day and night. This phenomenon allows an early harvest.

Torlesse Pinot Gris

$20.79

Winemaker Kym Rayner has a number of medals to his credit and Torlesse has a reputation for producing wines of a very high standard. The wine shows distinctive passion fruit and pears with a creamy rich palate that also shows nuances of oak from barrel fermentation and finishes with a hint of sweetness. Chalk up another delicious white to the Kiwis!

Becker Guillaume Red Wine

$23.99

Guillaume is the French translation of Wilhelm. The name Wilhelm in turn means the conqueror. 

With a mouthful of a label name like Familie Friedrich Becker Guillaume Rotwein, you must be wondering: is this wine German or French? This Cuvee takes its queues from both wine-making countries, typically being made with a combination of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Dornfelder. It also sometimes features Pinot Meunier and Blauer Portugieser (a red grape variety planted mostly in Germany, Austria and also in Portugal, under the name “Português Azul”). The exact recipe for this Cuvee changes from vintage to vintage.

Thanks to the growing region, the grapes are grown on two different soil types. Some vines are planted on deep loam and clay soils while others are rooted in limestone soils. The age of the vines is between 19 and 35 years. The grapes are hand-picked, destemmed and allowed to naturally ferment. After two to three weeks of fermentation in open oak vats and vats, they were gently pressed. Further maturation took place for 25 months in large and small oak barrels. The wine was bottled in December 2022 without filtration or fining.

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The Becker family owns more than 30 hectares and produces over 12,000 cases annually. Positioned on the very border with France in the town of Schweigen, the Beckers have witnessed that border shifting throughout history. Today, they have vineyards on both the French and German sides, at the edge of the Palatinate (Pfalz) forest—with 50 percent of their land situated on the French side in Alsace.

The soils in the area are composed of deep layers of shell limestone, with various topsoils, which in combination with the region’s mild climate, provide the ideal growing conditions for Spätburgunder. Hence, the logical focus is on the variety. As one of the pioneers, Fritz Becker Sr. was also one of the first winemakers in the region to mature his Spätburgunder in barriques.

Their most prestigious vineyard is Kammerberg, a steep single vineyard on deep marl and limestone near Wissembourg, recovered by Fritz Sr. in 1967. The old vines are mostly German clones and some French and grow on deep marl lime soils that produce powerful but also refined, mineral-driven Pinot Noirs (it is all about the dirt here!); St. Paul cultivated here in the 14th century by the Cistercians of Wissembourg, which had since become overgrown but the Beckers uprooted trees and bushes in early 2000 and planted Spätburgunder; and Sonnenberg, with poor limestone soils ideal for growing Riesling.

From KWM: We sourced these wines a year ago after reading the rave reviews from numerous publications, in Germany and beyond. The Pinot Noirs are prized and will give Burgundy fans a solid alternative.

Laherte Rose de Saignee

$87.49

The Rose de Saignee form Laherte is one of the grower-producer's 100% Pinot Meunier offerings.

Everything you want in a Champagne plus intense aromatics of crunchy red fruit like strawberries and cranberries. Mineral, pastry and citrus support the red fruit characteristics balanced with natural acidity and persistent, delicate bubbles. This is an elegant wine made with passion. The perfect celebration wine for weddings, bridal showers, graduations and milestone birthdays.

Chateau Landereau

$24.64

A blend of 70% merlot 70%, and 30% cabernet franc, this is a soft, plush red wine that could take a chill. The grapes are harvested at optimal maturity. They are then vinified in a purely traditional way and aged for 15 months in French oak vats and barrels. All their wines are bottled at the Château. It's an elegant red with aromas of red and black fruits. Round, supple, fleshy palate, with ripe red fruits and fresh tannins.

Lapierre Morgon Raisins Gaulois

$33.99

A fun, fresh, well-priced red wine made from Gamay grapes by one of the top organic producers in Beaujolais. This pretty red is simple and straightforward and delicious. A wine of thirst par excellence! Marcel Lapierre, who died in 2010, was a major force behind the natural wine movement that has been sweeping the globe. His son and daughter, Mathieu and Camille, now heads up the winery, making fruit-forward wines with minimal intervention.