Grain free
Villa Maria’s new Tasting Room
Soak in the sun and the view at Villa Maria’s newly refurbished space, now called Tasting Room, at its estate in Manukau, Auckland. We love how this beautiful winery is conveniently close to the airport yet sitting on the terrace overlooking the vines one would never know.
Villa Maria has partnered with Collective Hospitality to deliver a menu of small plates and platters, with executive chef James Wilkinson bringing his overseas expertise and Michelin star experience to the Tasting Room kitchen. Menu highlights include East Coast Crayfish and Lardo Éclair with Spiced Bisque Mayonnaise paired with the Villa Maria Single Vineyard Braided Gravels Albariño 2019. The Tasting Room has also extended its hours to 7pm.
No sulphur added
Loveblock TEE Sauvignon Blanc is believed to be the first in the world to use green tea as a natural preservative instead of sulphur. Loveblock founder
Erica Crawford was inspired by wine innovation in her home country of South
Africa, where some wineries have successfully replaced sulphur with rooibos (a
South African red bush shrub) powdered tea and honeybush tea leaves.
“We believe this is the first wine in New Zealand, if not worldwide, to use green tea as a unique alternative to sulphur,” says Crawford.
“We are very excited about the prospects of this new way of winemaking – in our opinion, winemaking should be as natural as possible, and many wine drinkers are now exploring the natural and organic wine category more than ever before.”
The name ‘TEE’ translates to ‘tea’ in Afrikaans, in a nod to both Erica’s heritage and the ingredients in the wine. Fruity, crisp and certified-organic, this vegan wine leaves a lingering minerality on the palate.
Sparking cocktails
Finery 0% Sparkling Cocktails are a new addition to the locally made Finery range. The range has been carefully crafted to replicate its 5% range of drinks, but with zero alcohol. Flavours include Grapefruit Cucumber & Mint for a refreshing hit. Sold in a pack of four, $15. finerycocktails.co.nz
Try Chantal Organics Grain Free Hot Cereals in Cinnamon Roll or Blackcurrant and Flax ($13 each). A nutrient-dense gluten-free porridge, it’ll set you up for the day – and pass every taste test. chantalorganics.co.nz
Vegan hunny
Nut Brothers Vegan Hunny Coconut Nectar, $8.90, is a delicious 100 per cent natural sweetener using coconut nectar from the coconut flower. Drizzle it on your cereal or toast, or use in baking. nutbrothers.co.nz
Chocolate fix
Delivering a real chocolate hit, Wellington Chocolate Factory’s decadent Drinking Chocolate is made from organic dark chocolate shavings, Fairtrade organic cocoa and organic sugar. It’s also BioGro-certified organic, Fairtrade and vegan, handcrafted in Wellington, and the packaging is home compostable. wcf.co.nz
Summer of seltzer
Club Setter Seltzer is a new drink to tempt the taste buds this summer. A lighter and fresher alcoholic beverage (5% ABV), it generally has fewer calories than beer too. Available as a 10 pack, $27.
Kate’s picks
Kate Sylvester has collaborated with Queenstown artisanal chocolatiers Patagonia to develop a boutique selection of deliciously handcrafted chocolates, wrapped in an exclusive Kate Sylvester print. Each chocolate box, $19, contains four bars of Kate’s favourite Patagonia chocolate varieties: dark chocolate and pistachio, milk chocolate and hazelnut, white chocolate and raspberries, and dark chocolate and ginger.
Decadent, ethical and vegan