Stonegrill Wines

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Pinot Grigio
glass/bottle

Back 1

2005
Bertiolo
Friuli, Italy
Fermentation: Stainless steel
Winemaker's Notes: This vine strain, evolved from the Black Pinot, yields small and compact bunches of characteristic grey colour. The wine is generally made by the fermentation of the must separately from the skins and is characterised by a fruity bouquet with a distinct trace of walnut and toasted bread. Pale-yellow in colour, this wine has a fresh and clean flavour, dry but full; lends itself well to hors d'oeuvres, soups, fish dishes and white meats. Uncork well before serving; serve at 12 degrees Celsius.
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Front 2

Sauvignon Blanc
glass/bottle

Back 2

2005
Echeverria
Central Valley, (Maule Valley, Molina)
Chile
Grape Variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Alcohol Content: 12.8%
Total Acidity: 0.48g/100ml
Residual Sugar: 0.53g/100ml
pH: 3.18
Fermentation: Stainless steel
Winemaker's Notes: Harvested by hand and carried to the winery in 18 Kg. boxes immediately after cutting. Destemmed and chilled to 8°C. Direct pneumatic pressing. 24 to 48 hours of static sedimentation at 10°C prior to fermentation. Fermented in stainless steel tanks at 15°C constant temperature for 14 days. Static cold stabilization at -5°C for 15 days. Stored in stainless steel tanks at 10°C through bottling.

Tasting Notes:
Colour: Bright yellow with light green hues.
Aromas: Lemon and grapefruit combined with scents of fresh apples, pineapples and peaches. Hints of green pepper enhance its varietal character.
Flavours: Crisp, tasty and well balanced, with a nice long finish.
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Chardonnay
glass/bottle

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2004
Leaping Horse
Lodi, California
Grape Variety: 100% Chardonnay
Alcoholic Content: 13.5%
Winemaker: Steve Millier

Tasting Notes:
The Leaping Horse Chardonnay grapes are grown in the sun drenched, fertile valley soils of Lodi. Made in the artisan "reductive" winemaking style, which improves wine quality by preserving freshness and accentuating the fruit flavours that occur naturally in Chardonnay grapes. Tasty and packed with tropical fruit, pear and green apple flavours. Light bodied.

Food Pairings:
Leaping Horse Chardonnay is a great match with green pasta, grilled or poached white fresh fish or shellfish, and roasted chicken infused with herbs.
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Front 4

Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon
glass/bottle

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2006
Hollick
Coonawarra, Australia
Grape Variety: 87% Sauvignon Blanc, 13% Semillon
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Total Acidity: 0.82g/100ml
pH: 3.19
Vineyards: 100% Coonawarra
Harvest Dates: Mid March 2005
Fermentation: Stainless steel
Production: 3,500 cases (750ml x 12)

Winemaker: Ian Hollick
Winemaker's Notes: The long and cool to mild growing season that is the hallmark of Coonawarra provides the ideal climate for Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. These conditions allow the development of intense fruit flavours whilst maintaining good natural acidity in the grapes. The grapes for the 2005 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon were picked when they had achieved their optimum flavour in mid March following a wonderfully dry and warm "Indian Summer". A small parcel of Sauvignon Blanc from the nearby Mt. Benson region constitutes 20% of the final blend. Picked in the cool of the morning, then fermented using selected yeast strains and controlled temperatures, the wine was promptly bottled to ensure the retention of the pristine varietal characters of the grapes.

Tasting Notes:
Colour: A brilliant pale straw with green tinges.
Aromas: Lifted and vibrant pure fruit aromas of gooseberries, lychees and lemon oil.
Flavours: The palate is crisp and focussed. The bright tropical fruit flavours are enhanced by a herbaceous and mineral edge. It is crisp on the palate and finishes with cleansing acidity.

Food Pairings:
It is a great aperitif wine, but really sings when partnered with Asian-inspired foods that feature basil or coriander.

Reviews:
92: "Clean, lively, fresh flavours ranging through passionfruit to cut grass; minerally acidity on a bright finish. Best yet." (James Halliday MW — Australian Wine Companion 2007)

88: "The '05 Sauvignon Semillon is richer than previous editions and packed with gooseberries, lime rind and grassy citrus oil notes. It's crisp and lemony on the palate with fine mineral highlights. Intense white wine that would be fine with oysters or buttered clams. The winery recommends twice-cooked goat's cheese soufflé with wild rocket and red onion salad. Mmm, that sounds good. Love the screwcap here." (Anthony Gismondi — Wine Access — October 2006)
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Front 5

Gewurztraminer

Back 5

2005
Domaine Paul Zinck
Alsace, France
Grape Variety: 100% Gewurztraminer
Alcohol Content: 13.0%
Fermentation: Stainless steel

Winemaker: Philippe Zinck
Located in Éguisheim, the cradle of Alsatian winemaking, Paul Zinck has established a special place in the region. This father-and-son duo have found, in essence, a balance in winemaking, between traditional craftsmanship and the contributions of new techniques. Since its founding in 1964, the winery has continually improved and modernized its equipment as well as the quality of its output, all the while remaining firmly committed to the values of a family business. Today, Paul Zinck produces quality wine whose character is enhanced by the pure vinification process.

Tasting Notes:
Open-knit on the nose, with a hint of exotic fruit, rose petals and spice. Full and well-built palate, intensely fruity (lychee, mango and violets) with a long, elegant finish.

Food Pairings:
Asian specialties, strong ripe cheeses (Roquefort, Munster, Epoisses), different desserts (pies and cakes).
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Front 6

Sauvignon Blanc
glass/bottle

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2006
Staete Landt
Marlborough, New Zealand
Grape Variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Alcohol Content: 14.0%
Total Acidity: 0.77g/100ml
pH: 3.23
Vineyards: 100% Marlborough (Rapaura)
Harvest Dates: 4/16/2005 through 4/23/2005
Fermentation: Stainless steel and French oak
Barrel-Aging: 10% of the wine was aged for 3 months in six-year old French oak barrels.
Winemaker: Ruud Maasdam

Vintage Report: The year 2005 was the sixth vintage produced from the Staete Landt Vineyard in Marlborough's top Rapaura region. A completely different weather pattern ensured we were kept on our toes. The early part of the growing season right through to mid-summer was quite wet and cold which had some influence on flowering and fruit set of most varietals, including our Sauvignon Blanc. We therefore needed to do less fruit removal than in recent years. From mid January onwards a variable weather pattern emerged with a pick up in average temperatures. The final one and half months prior to harvest were ideal: warm and dry often with very cool night time temperatures. This quite delayed harvest and resulted in lower crops but with very clean ripe aromatic fruit with zingy acidity.

Vineyard Report: The Staete Landt Vineyard Sauvignon is planted in 6 different blocks. We pick the different blocks separately as soon as they reached ripeness to give us different component wines. These components gave us a spread of wines with different structures and flavours. The first picks were to retain the intensity and vivacity of aroma and that zingy acidity that is the hallmark of good Sauvignon. The later picks were to provide the weight and tropical fruit concentration that we aim for in our Sauvignon Blanc.

Fermentation & Aging: Each picking was treated slightly differently in the winery. The majority of the grapes were machine harvested and fermented using neutral yeast so that the fruit flavours and aromas were emphasised. This wine was racked immediately after ferment.

Two other portions were hand picked and whole bunch pressed to retain delicacy and elegance. The first portion aged in a tank on its lees thus allowing a subtle but complex delicate wine to develop.

The second hand picked portion (about 10% of the wine) was fermented in six year old French oak barrels and was aged for a further 3 months on its lees. A third of this portion underwent an indigenous yeast fermentation. This resulted in more complexity to the wine and minimal oak flavour due to the age of the barrels.

Tasting Notes:
A complex and intensely aromatic Sauvignon Blanc. This wine is perfumed with aromas of passion fruit and gooseberries. In the mouth the wine is full bodied with real concentration of flavour and aroma, a passion fruit character is dominant but this is backed by subtle dry grass like flavours with creamy almost nutty complexity and a crisp ripe attractive acidity. This is a wine for drinking whilst young but has the substance and concentration to develop well over two to five years once the primary fruit aromas have subsided.

Reviews:

***** (out of 5): "Ripely scented, rich and zingy, this single vineyard wine is grown at Rapaura and mostly handled in tanks with some fermentation and lees-aging in seasoned French oak casks. Drinking superbly now, the 2005 vintage (5 stars) is weighty, concentrated and rounded with dry, very ripe, passionfruit, lime and pineapple flavours, acquiring real complexity and richness with bottle-age." (Michael Cooper — Michael Cooper's Buying Guide to New Zealand Wines 2007)

**** (out of 5): "A classic Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc with benchmark gooseberry, fresh cut grass and intense mint/lemon balm bouquet. The medium bodied palate is anything but shy, with explosive, fresh herb-driven flavour, vibrantly fresh acidity and long finish. This would be magic with oysters on the half shell with a squeeze of lemon." (Zoltan Szabo — Vines — Summer 2006)

Gold Medal — 2006 Old Ebbitt Grill International Wine for Oysters Competition
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