Noble Rot – 15 May 2009

Greetings from the Cellar D= oor Continued

In the last edition of Noble Rot I wrote about my experience in <= st1:country-region w:st=3D"on">New Zealand’s North Island. Here is the continuation of my tra= vels in the South Island.

After numerous warnings of the ruthless ferry crossings from Wellington to Pic= ton, I found myself worked up for nothing. I had a smooth crossing and easily made my way to the town of Blenheim. I woke to a beautiful day, perfect= for wine tasting!   After a delicious breakfast at the local bakery I commenced my winery visits with V= illa Maria Estate Winery. A quaint winery with a huge wine making facility behind, I was greeted by all the friendly staff that tasted the wines with me, this even included a few sele= cted single vineyard wines! After = waking my palate I continued onto Wither Hills.&n= bsp; The winery was both grand and modest, a beautiful building from the = road with a friendly feel inside. Winemaker Ben Glover showed me their vineyards which made me realize= how big and how flat Marlborough really was! The next day I was treated by the team at The Ned to a day of wine and local food. I finally had my first taste of New Zealand’s famous green mussels, delicious.

This brings me to one of the most memorable journeys of my life.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Not because of horrible events, but because of the stunning beauty that was before me. The hills grew into mountains and = the rivers flowed to the ocean. T= his was a view I will never forget. I arrived in Waipara to visit Pegasus Bay winery, a c= lassic winery with wines that never fail to impress. Tasting the wines I understood the= true expression of the vineyards and it tasted unlike any other.

From wine to food to the unforgettable scenery, I left New Zealand knowing why everyone falls in love with the country.

Our Featured Wineries this = month are Bilancia and Hesketh

Bilancia =

The word Bilancia (be-larn-cha) means, in Italian, balance, equilibrium and harmony, terms that winemaker’s Warren and Lorraine carry through all aspects of their winemaking. Bilancia Viognier has delicious is= a rich, stylish wine with h= ints of citrus and stonefruit. The Bilancia Syrah is the perfect development of fruit characters and ripeness.= The palate shows floral, juicy characters with well integrated oak, perfect for that classic New Zea= land rack of Lamb!

Hesketh

A unique wine company situated in South Australia. From McLaren Vale and Barossa to Marlborough and Austria, this brother duo makes wine from around the world! Heskeths’ Usual Suspects Shi= raz offers generous flavours of blackberry and raspberry with a silky texture.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> A true expression of McLaren Vale;= = vibrant fruit, complexity, elegance, balance and style.

Bo= th these wines are available by the glass in our restaurant and on Thursday and Friday between 4pm to 6pm they are on “2 for 1” special during Happy Hour.=

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Felton Road Dinner

The Cellar Door is delighted to announce that world famous winemaker Blair Walt= er from Felton Road is visiting Singapor= e and will be showcasing Fel= ton Road’s award-winning wines at a F= elton Road wine dinner hosted by The Cellar Door on Thursday 11 June 2009 at 7.30pm. Featuring selected vintages from their Block 3 Pinot Noir, Block 2 Chardonnay, and Block 1 Riesling, along with other wines this dinner will be one of our best dinners yet. = More information to follow. Early reservations are recommended for there is limited seating.   Call Rafael or Shahie at (65= ) 6463 5296.

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The Cellar Door Deli<= /p>
As= we are still in search of the ideal location for our Deli, we are pleased to o= ffer you all our usual products online at ww= w.thecellardoor.com.sg. If you are looking for that cheese platter for your upcoming dinner, or that delicious flavour of ice cream you have been craving for days, you can still find it at the Cellar Door.   Our Deli phone line is still open for that friendly service you miss= so please call us at (65) 6569 7665 or visit us online at ww= w.thecellardoor.com.sg.



Did You Know?

We have always known that Singapore International Airlines has exceptional products and service. Now the= y have added exceptional wines to that list. Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc is now served in Singapore Airlines Business Class!

Want To Be Involved?<= /p>
The Cellar Door has employment opportunities in our wholesale wine department, = for those with energy and enthusiasm who share our passion for New Zealand and Australian wine. Please get in touch with Gail on 6464 9909 or gailkelly@thecellardoor.com.sg if you are interested.

The Cellar Door – Great Wine & Gourmet Food

Restaurant – 619 Bukit Timah Road

Telephone   64635296

Operating Hours:   Mon-Wed 12pm-3pm and 6pm- 10pm, Thurs & Fri 12pm-3pm= and 4pm-10pm

Sat & Sun 10am-10p= m

Unsubscrib= e Please email inf= o@thecellardoor.com.sg quoting Unsubscribe as the subject.