Blog
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Posted: May 07, 2024
For New Zealand wine enthusiasts, International Sauvignon Blanc Day is one of the most exciting days of the year – a day to celebrate the country’s signature grape variety by enjoying both old and new Sauvignon Blanc favourites.
As huge lovers of New Zealand wine, with a special taste for Sauvignon Blanc, we’ve put together a list of our top selling Sauvignon Blancs from some of New Zealand’s top wine producers, all of which are the perfect toast to this year’s International Sauvignon Blanc Day.
Want to know more? Continue reading and discover what makes New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc the best in the world!
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Posted: March 30, 2024
A day often celebrated with family, friends and lots of food, planning an Easter feast can be overwhelming, which is why we’ve put together an Easter dinner menu, complete with wine pairings that are guaranteed to tickle your tastebuds and impress your guests.
APERITIF – NIBBLES & FIZZ
A great pre-dinner tipple, we always recommend starting your celebrations with a glass or two of great tasting fizz. Included in our Easter Dinner Case are two fizz options, including a classic New Zealand favourite, a sparkling Sauvignon Blanc – the country’s signature grape variety. Here’s our recommended bottles.
Nautilus Cuvee Brut NV
With a fine bead and creamy mousse, Nautilus’s Cuvee features a distinctive nutty bouquet, showcasing the richness of its Pinot Noir blend. Its fruit flavours harmonise perfectly alongside biscuity, yeast derived complexities and crisp acidity, arriving at a lingering dry finish that’s guaranteed to whet your appetite.
Villa Maria Private Bin Lightly Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc
Our second fizz comes from one of New Zealand’s most awarded wineries, Villa Maria. Bursting with passionfruit and fresh lime fruit, this fizz is suited to those who prefer a vibrant and tangy wine that leaves a lingering sparkle in the mouth.
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Posted: February 01, 2024
This year, Valentine’s Day celebrations may not be the same as usual, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be just as good. In this unpredictable world that we find ourselves in, we must, for now, make ‘staying in’ the new ‘going out’ and our handpicked Valentine’s Day Me ‘n’ U cases have been created just for that.
Enjoy restaurant-standard food alongside delicious New World wines in the comfort of your own home, with our meal recommendations and an individual bottle perfectly paired for each course. If there’s one way to impress your loved one, this is sure to be it!
Me ‘n’ U Meat Lovers Valentine’s Day Case
If excellent cuts of delicious meats tend to be your go-to when planning a delicious meal, then the wines in our Meat Lovers Valentine’s Day case is sure to tantalize your tastebuds when drank alongside your 14th February menu. Consisting of three bottles including a stunning Riesling from Yealands, a unique red blend from Esk Valley and a beautiful dessert wine from Mt Difficulty – this case is ideal for drinking alongside a meal of succulent meats, rounded off by a citrus-infused dessert. Here’s what we recommend:
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Posted: November 19, 2023
A bottle of their favourite is always a sure-fire win when looking for a Christmas gift for a wine lover, but what about giving them something a little different this year – perhaps something they haven’t tried before? Stocking the UK’s largest selection of New Zealand bottles, we have a number of New World wines and wine gifts that aren’t always easy to come by, perfect as a surprise Christmas gift for any wine enthusiast.
From new and exciting whites, to classic sweet reds and everything in-between, our Christmas Gifting selection offers something for everyone and every budget. Here’s our top 2020 recommendations:
Yealands State of Flux Chardonnay, 2018
This creamy, limited release New Zealand Chardonnay is filled with flavours of baked apple, peach and dried apricots, alongside a perfume of almonds, spices and a streak of graphite. Well suited to those who enjoy full-bodied whites and deep flavours, this wine drinks well with seafood of any kind.
Cloudy Bay Te Koko Sauvignon Blanc 2016
A unique, premium white, this Sauvignon Blanc from Cloudy Bay oozes class and ...
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Posted: November 05, 2023
Christmas is fast approaching which means it’s time to get planning for this year’s festive eats. Whether you’re opting for a traditional Christmas dinner with turkey and all the trimmings or you’re choosing to go for something a little out of the ordinary, we have a wine to suit every festive main course, dessert and snack.
Canapes
A popular go-to at Christmastime, canapes make the ideal bite for kicking off your festive celebrations. No matter your canape choices, be it salmon, caviar, salami or goats cheese – a fresh aperitif style of sparkling wine with floral and savoury bread dough aromas is guaranteed to perfectly complement your entrees.
Akarua’s Sparkling Brut comes highly recommend from our wine team, featuring lovely balance and complexity, a creamy middle and a long, crisp finish. This bottle is available in white and rosé varieties and works well alongside a selection of nibbles and canapes.
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Posted: September 27, 2023
We are excited to officially unveil the new and improved look for The New Zealand House of Wine, which includes the launch of our freshly-designed website as well as our new look logo.
Determined to continue evolving at the fast-paced rate of today’s world, we at The New Zealand House of Wine decided it was time to give our website a spruce – ensuring our customers have the very best experience whilst visiting us online. That’s why we’ve been working hard behind the scenes to research and discover ways in which we can improve our website, making it easier for you to try, buy and love the UK’s largest selection of wines from New Zealand.
Our newly-designed website offers a clean and easy-to-navigate online experience, increased pay options and improved website functionality, giving our customers an altogether more enjoyable experience whilst shopping with us.
As always, our customers are our number one priority and we hope that our improved website will ensure each and every one of you has a positive experience whilst shopping with The New Zealand House of Wine.
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Posted: April 30, 2024
Today is one of our favourite days of the calendar year – it’s International Sauvignon Blanc Day! As a dedicated supplier of New Zealand wines, it’s no wonder why today is important to us, after all, Sauvignon Blanc is the flagship varietal of New Zealand.
With that in mind, there’s no better time to share with you a selection of our favourite Sauvignon Blancs:
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2019
Powerful and juicy, this Sauvignon Blanc from Villa Maria’s Marlborough vineyards is bursting with aromas of passionfruit, melon and wild nettle. Although citrusy, it contains notes of sweetness, perfectly softening its acidity.
Vidal Sauvignon Blanc 2019
Another of Marlborough’s finest, you can enjoy a generous taste of tropical fruit flavours with Vidal’s Sauvignon Blanc. Distinctive and vibrant, this wine expresses classic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc characteristics whilst offering grassy notes and a crisp finish.
Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc 2018
Made from fruit that was harvested in cool evening conditions and pressed immediately with minimal skin contact, Whitehaven’s Sauvignon Blanc evokes aromas of blackcurrant leaf, nettle and jalapeno. In addition, tropical notes...
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Posted: April 06, 2024
Easter is less than a week away and, whilst this year’s celebrations may not be as extravagant as usual, the wines you enjoy with your Easter dinner certainly should be.
Choosing your Easter wine list should be entirely dependant on the foods you’ll be enjoying. Whether it’s lamb, beef, chicken, fish or anything for that matter, our large selection of New Zealand wines means we have the ideal bottle to complement your chosen Easter dish.
Here’s our 2020 recommendations:
Villa Maria Private Bin Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon
A wine fit to pair with a variety of dishes, Villa Maria’s Private Bin Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon is ideal for those opting to enjoy an Easter buffet as opposed to a traditional Easter meal. Versatile and fresh, this bold red features notes of raspberry, perfectly combined with hints of herbs and spices.
Left Field Malbec 2017
If your Easter menu features beef or a particularly spicy dish, then Left Field’s Malbec should be your wine of choice. With deep burgundy hues, this full bodied, smooth wine offers a sensation of dark flavours such as blackberry, liquorice and a mass of dark chocolate.
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Posted: March 30, 2024
This week, we’re bringing you four wines that we know you’ll love. Whether you’re a red wine lover or prefer a lighter glass of white, we recommend these wines for a reason!
Pencarrow Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2018
Delivering ripe, intense flavours, this light and fruity Sauvignon Blanc benefits from the maritime climate of Martinborough. With fresh, tropical aromas on the nose, this crisp white pairs perfectly with all types of seafood. Paella, anyone?
Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc 2018
Another for the white wine drinkers, Dog Point’s 2018 Sauvignon Blanc is a vibrant white, with notes of freshly-squeezed citrus and dried herbs. Whilst this wine choice also pairs well with simple seafood dishes, we recommend enjoying it alongside recipes featuring a hefty amount of goat’s cheese.
Esk Valley Pinot Noir 2018
Featured in this week’s recommended reds, is Esk Valley’s 2018 Pinot Noir. Elegant and complex, this wine features flavours of deep red fruits, plums and cherries. A rather powerful red, which drinks well alongside roasted or slow-cooked lamb dishes.
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Posted: March 09, 2024
"What is a New Zealand wine classic? It is a wine that in quality terms consistently ranks in the very forefront of its class." - Michael Cooper.
Michael Cooper is New Zealand’s most acclaimed wine writer, having written over 40 books and receiving several major literary awards throughout his career so far.
With his accolades and unparalleled knowledge of the New Zealand wine market, there’s no one better to turn to when looking for inspiration and ideas about which New Zealand wines are best to buy and try. That’s why today’s blog focuses on the wines that have made their way onto Michael’s list of favourite New Zealand classics, and don’t worry – there’s a bottle to suit every budget!
Classed as ‘Super Classics’, the following Sauvignon Blanc’s have both achieved brilliance in at least five vintages, taking them straight to the top of Michael’s list.
Dog Point Section 94 Sauvignon Blanc 2016
The first comes from the Dog Point Vineyard and is sourced from the Wairau Valley, a sub-region of well-renowned Marlborough. Containing fruit aromas of citrus and white peach, this white wine has a chalky minerality and fresh herbal influence, all complemented by a slightly funky reductive edge.
Cloudy Bay Te Koko Sauvignon Blanc 2015