BY THE GLASS

The young distiller making waves, whisky cocktails for wintry nights, and uber-interesting wines all the way from India

Yvonne Lorkin rounds up the latest drinks news.

CRUMBLING DOWN

The clever kids at Zeffer have launched Winter Plum Crumble, a new, limited release, seasonal cider that’s deliciously wintry. No matter whether it’s enjoyed chilled or mulled, they had me at ‘crumble’. It’s also not overly sweet and packs a spicy punch that’ll make it a winner with all those crockpot creations. Available in 1-litre bottles $12.99 from New World Supermarkets or online at www.zeffer.co.nz.

A STUDY IN RED

Marlborough icon Wither Hills have reached north to Hawke’s Bay to release their firstever syrah and merlot. To mark the launch, they’ve commissioned Napier ceramic artist Holly Morgan to create an exclusive range of tableware using raw materials from the Te Awanga region, where many of the grapes were grown. “I’ve really enjoyed collaborating with Wither Hills to create the unique designs that represent the best of both our worlds,” says Holly. The Wither Hills Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2018 and Syrah 2018 ($21.99) and morganmade tableware are available at shop.witherhills.co.nz. and at the Cellar Door.

NATURALLY DONE

Sam and Mandy Weaver launched Churton wines in 1997 and their vineyard, between the Ōmaka and Waihopai Valleys, quickly became one of our top organic, biodynamic wineries. Now sons Ben and Jack have created a range of wines with indigenous ferments, little-to-no added preservatives and no fining or filtration, to capture the natural essence of the fruit and the ground it came from. The three Natural State wines are vegan-friendly and consist of pinot noir, pied de cuve (barrelfermented sauvignon blanc) and a Field Blend (viognier, petit manseng and sauvignon blanc). churtonwines.co.nz