Established in 1692, Taylor’s is one of the oldest of the founding Port houses. It is dedicated entirely to the production of Port wine and in particular to its finest styles. Above all, Taylor's is regarded as the benchmark for Vintage Port. Noted for their elegance and poise as well as for their restrained power and longevity, Taylor's Vintage Ports are blended from the finest wines of the firm's own quintas or estates, Vargellas, Terra Feita and Junco. These three iconic properties, each occupying a distinct geographic location and with their own unique character, are the cornerstone of the company’s success and the main source of its unique and inimitable house style. Of course, vintages take time to age into their prime, so tonight we will look at their various Tawny Ports, finishing with their prestigious 40 year old.

For this Cocktail Club we will be focusing on a popular spirit, Gin! Each cocktail will be Gin based with different flavours and styles to show you a range of ways to make your next Gin cocktail at home. We will be getting you involved so come prepared to make your own cocktails. Each cocktail will be made in pairs so sign up with a friend, a group or by yourself and come along and meet some new people.

Since 1998, the McLachlan family have taken a hands on approach to winemaking, striving to produce wines that embody the absolute best of Central Otago. Their commitment to organic farming and viticulture guarantees fruit of the highest quality, imparting the clearest expression of character to every vintage. Winemaker Nadine Cross has been with Peregrine since 2010, bringing experience from France, California and Marlborough to the unique climate of Central Otago. Peregrine are also a major sponsor of the Wingspan Birds of Prey Trust, an organisation dedicated to preserving endangered species, including New Zealand’s native falcon, the karearea. We look forward to hosting Justin on Wednesday 18th August in our Jervois Road cellar as he takes you through the fantastic range of Peregrine wines.

Join Mick on Thursday 16th September to taste through the superb range of Nga Waka wines. As well as trying each of the wines in the range, he will also be bringing with him a couple of bottles of library stock from 2006! Established in 1988, Nga Waka is a family-owned winery producing small volumes of fine Martinborough wine from estate-grown grapes. The name Nga Waka is taken from Nga Waka A Kupe (The Canoes of Kupe), the three hills, which lie side by side like upturned canoes, surrounding Martinborough. Legend has it that the hills were formed by the three canoes of the famed Polynesian explorer Kupe, which were carried inland by a huge earthquake and came to rest in the valley behind Martinborough. Nga Waka have seven small vineyards scattered around the township of Martinborough, producing mainly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and small amounts of Sauvignon Blanc, Rose and Riesling.

Loveblock gained BioGro NZ organic certification in February 2012. As grape growers and tillers of the land, we believe that we are its custodians, nurturing it and managing soil balance and fertility without outside interference. At Loveblock we grow grapes and make wine by minimal input, chemical intervention and manipulation as directed by organic standards – we make our own compost to fertilise the grapes and do not use chemical herbicides, pesticides or fertilisers. But, it is not just about growing grapes... At Loveblock it is about creating a sustainable, biological, and environmental system allowing the grapes to flourish. Loveblock wine – grown with love, made with care.

Forged in 1989 on a stony paddock in the heart of the Wairau Valley, the pioneering Lake Chalice boast a dedicated following for their vinous output. Under the oversight of Head Winemaker, Chloe Gabrielsen, they draw upon Marlborough's singular regional diversity via their four unique vineyard sites to produce several tiers of quality varietal wines. The Nest wines offer classic Marlborough varieties at affordable prices, the Falcon wines are the mainstay and signature of the range, while The Raptor wines are made from selected small parcels of standout fruit. The top-tier Plume wines are only produced in exceptional years and usually bottle aged for release. Lake Chalice is also a long time sponsor of the Wingspan Birds of Prey Trust, dedicated to preserving New Zealand’s raptors.

Join us on Wednesday 13th October for Whisky Cocktails. What better way to spend a chilly evening than making some cocktails to warm the soul? We’ll have a couple of classics for you to make along with a couple of twists and each cocktail will feature a different whisky. Each cocktail will be made in pairs so sign up with a friend, a group or by yourself and come along and meet some new people.