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eRobertParker.com reviews Alpha Domus wines
2009 Alpha Domus The Aviator A Proprietary Blend Dry Red Table wine from
Hawke's Bay, New Zealand
Ratings: 90+
Drink 2011 - 2018
Comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon (37%), Merlot (27%), Malbec (18%) and Cabernet Franc (18%), the 2009 The Aviator was matured 16 months in 100% French oak barrels, 75% new. Deep garnet-purple in color, it's intensity scented of warm black currant and black cherry preserves with hints of cedar, grilled bread, spice box and tobacco. Medium-full bodied and generously fruited in the mouth, it has a firm level of chewy tannins, up-lifting acidity and a long finish with the oak jutting out a bit. Give this one another year for the oak to marry and drink it to 2018+.
2010 Alpha Domus The Barnstormer Syrah A Syrah Dry Red Table wine from
Hawke's Bay, New Zealand
Rating: 88
Drink 2011 - 2015
The 2010 The Barnstormer Syrah displays a deep garnet-purple color and aromas of warm cassis and blackberry preserves and hints of mulberries, black pepper, anise and dark chocolate. Medium bodied with a low to medium level of chewy tannins, it offers a decent concentration of youthful berry and black pepper flavors, finishing with good persistence. Approachable now, it should cellar to 2015+.
2007 Alpha Domus The Navigator A Proprietary Blend Dry Red Table wine from
Hawke's Bay, New Zealand
Rating: 89
Drink 2011 - 2015
Blended of 45% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc and 7% Malbec, the 2077 The Navigator was matured for 20 months in mainly French oak barrels, 30% new. Deep garnet colored, it gives notes of creme de cassis and plum compote with nuances of sandalwood, cloves and spice cake. Medium-full bodied, it has a solid structure of crisp acid and medium-firm chewy tannins fleshed-out by just enough fruit. It finishes with good persistence. Drinking nicely now, it should cellar to 2015+.
2010 Alpha Domus Barrique Fermented Chardonnay A Chardonnay Dry White Table wine from
Hawke's Bay, New Zealand
Rating: 90
Drink 2011 - 2015
The 2010 Barrique Fermented Chardonnay gives a good intensity of warm peach and apple tart aromas with an undercurrent of crushed digestive biscuits, butterscotch and ginger. Full bodied with a creamy texture, it has a nice backbone of very crisp acidity countering the richness. It finishes with very good persistence of honey-nut and stone fruit flavors. Drinking now, it should keep to 2015+.
Best Ever Result for Alpha Domus at Wine Awards
The team at Alpha Domus are celebrating after earlier this week achieving our winery’s most successful showing ever at a wine competition. Trophy winners and Supreme Award recipients of the Hawke’s Bay A&P Mercedes-Benz Wine Awards were announced at Tuesday night’s gala dinner and awards ceremony, and Alpha Domus featured prominently, with three major triumphs:
- 2011 AD Noble Selection
- 2010 Barnstormer Syrah
- 2010 Barnstormer Syrah
Reserve Champion Wine of the Show
We had already received a gold medal for the Alpha Domus The Wingwalker Viognier, silver medal for The Pilot Rosé and three bronze medals after the judging in September.
We’re delighted with this success, it is a true reflection of the Viticultural and Winemaking team’s uncompromising focus on producing high quality wines.
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7 from 7 for AD at Hawke’s Bay A&P Mercedes-Benz Wine Awards
Up against 350 local wines at the recent judging for the 2011 Hawke's Bay A&P Mercedes-Benz Wine Awards, all seven of Alpha Domus's entries have won medals, including three gold and one silver. Gold medals were awarded for the 2010 Alpha Domus The Barnstormer Syrah, the 2010 Alpha Domus The Wingwalker Viognier and the 2011 AD Noble Selection. The 2011 The Pilot Rosé won a silver medal. All three of the winery's gold medal-winning wines are now in the running for trophies, which will be announced at An Evening of Recognition & Elegance, the formal dinner and awards ceremony on Tuesday 18 October at Hastings' Waikoko Gardens.Managing Director, Paul Ham comments that, "Alpha Domus is coming of age with our continued dedication to quality paying off. In these challenging times there is only one way forward and that is to have a single-minded focus on quality. Our whole team is working toward this, and having the winery situated on the vineyard site means we are well placed to work together to achieve the best possible results."
Yvonne Lorkin Rates New Releases
Wine writer Yvonne Lorkin recently enjoyed a vertical tasting of 6 past vintages of AD The Aviator, and gave the newly-released AD The Aviator 2009 five stars. "It is warming, velvety and long on flavour; it has personality, character and weight that’ll carry it through decades to come. Buy now or forever kick yourself." Terrific advice, we agree!
She's also given the 2010 Barnstormer Syrah 4 stars, which compounds very nicely with its recent gold medal at the Hawke's Bay A&P Mercedes-Benz Wine Awards.
Raymond Chan’s Excellent Reviews
Raymond Chan also has some wonderfully positive things to say about the recent vertical tasting of The Aviator.
Check out his detailed impressions of all vintages of our Flagship red at his website here.
Sir Richard Branson gets a Taste of AD
Much to our delight, the 2011 AD Noble Selection has been selected as the exclusive dessert wine for the Sir Richard Branson Live in Auckland dinner on October 20, an exclusive VIP banquet celebrating the 50th anniversary of Outward Bound New Zealand.Taste at the Cloud
The 2010 Barnstormer Syrah is being served at Taste at the Cloud, a premium food and beverage experience held at Auckland’s Queens Wharf Fanzone, 'The Cloud' until October 23. Of over 350 wines tasted, only 70 were chosen to play a part in a taste adventure through four New Zealand food zones – urban, rural, seaside and winery/orchard. Our 2010 Syrah is being showcased in the rural zone, paired with regional produce and recipes from around the country.
adventure through four New Zealand food zones – urban, rural, seaside and winery/orchard. Our 2010 Syrah is being showcased in the rural zone, paired with regional produce and recipes from around the country.If you're in Auckland, check it out – Taste at the Cloud operates daily from 10am to 6pm, as part of the Real NZ Festival.
AD The Aviator Cuisine Award
Alpha Domus AD The Aviator 2009 has just been awarded 4.5 Stars in Cuisine magazine.
The judges said... "A wine at the more savoury end of cabernet, combining green olive, pepper, blackcurrent, lead pencil and gently sweet oak aromas. Slightly lighter than the biggest 09 Hawkes Bay cabernets, it carries its fruit well in a supple, silky style of excellent lenght."The Midlands Hawke's Bay Charity Wine Auction
Alpha Domus is proud to be involved in The Midlands Hawke's Bay Charity Wine Auction that was held on Queens Birthday Weekend 4 June 2011. The successful bid of $2,450 received 6 x 750ml bottles, a Magnum, a Jereboam and a Methuselah of the 2009 AD The Aviator. Produced only when conditions are perfect for this style of wine, the Aviator is the company’s flagship red. It is a selection of the best parcels of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec from our estate vineyard. Concentrated flavours of ripe red berryfruit and damson plum combine with cocoa notes and savoury oak. Firm, ripe tannins ensure this wine will age gracefully for many years to come.
Alpha Domus Wines Available in Europe
If you have friends or family in Europe, or just want to order Alpha Domus wine in Europe, visit the De Geus wine import website and purchase from their online shop.
Gerard Basset Awarded OBE
Gerard Basset can now add the initials OBE to MS and MW after his name after the world-leading sommelier was honoured in the Queen's Birthday Honours list.
Watch Paul & Gerard open a bottle of champagne with the Sabrage technique...
From the Vineyard
Pruning is well underway and we have finally got some cold weather to get the vines dormant. Our heaviest frost this morning at -4 deg c.
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Alpha Domus available in Australia from NZ Wine Online
New Zealand Wine Online is the only website in Australia dedicated to selling New Zealand wine, and Alpha Domus wines are now exclusively available in Australia through their online wine store. Australian owned and operated, the team at NZWO are passionate about New Zealand wine. Frustrated by the limited range of NZ wines available at most stores around, they felt it was about time Australia got a real choice - so the NZWO website was born.
NZWO is delighted to have the Alpha Domus range onboard. They are telling their subscribers "We're just a little bit chuffed to be able to announce the launch of another exclusive winery to NZ Wine Online here in Australia. Alpha Domus is one of the Hawkes Bay's most innovative wineries producing some stunning wines across both white and red varietals."
The NZWO website is equally focused on providing NZ wine lovers with a great online resource all about NZ wine. Visitors can browse the site and find out about NZ wine regions, key varietals, vintage reports and upcoming NZ-focused wine events across Australia. They offer a regular newsletter, constantly changing specials and wine-club packs for an ongoing selection of outstanding NZ wines. Check out their website now.
New Dutch Importer Appointed
With our family heritage, the Netherlands is a country very close to our hearts. Therefore we are delighted to anounce the appointment of a new Dutch importer - De Geus Wijnimport specialising in Horceca and corporate wine sales. Their main focus is on the gastronomy sector (60%) and corporate customers (40%). Their main selling area is around Rotterdam, Den Haag and Amsterdam, which contains 75% of population of Holland. Ruud (the owner) is a former chef who has concentrated on wine since 1985. Naturally this means he has a very strong restaurant customer base, some of which are Michelin star restaurants.
Alpha Domus Wines in Shanghai
Alpha Domus wines are now on display in Shanghai. Our distributor, Woolemi Fine Wines, have just opened their first display store in Shanghai. This beautiful store is a fantastic showcase for our wines, and Shanghai is an progressive and exciting market for us, especially with all the activity generated by the World Expo.
The Aviator is "Wine of the Week"!
Our 2007 The Aviator has been named "Wine of the Week" on Sue Courtney's webzine for food and wine lovers. The site covers wine, food, books, news and reviews, with an emphasis on New Zealand. Visit the website to find out more.
Sue is an Auckland-based writer who loves writing about wine, food and her experiences. Her 'webzine' reaches all wine and food lovers who like to cruise the cyber highway - anywhere in the world. As she says, "The cyber-highway goes everywhere and it's the only safe place to drive with a glass of wine in hand!"
Alpha Domus Makes Mathew Jukes Top 60 List for 2010
Acclaimed wine writer Matthew Jukes has named two of our wines in his 60 best New Zealand Wines 2010 - The Pilot Chardonnay 2008 and the Alpha Domus 'The Wingwalker' Viognier 2008.
Matthew Jukes is wine correspondent of the Daily Mail and is read each week by over 9 million readers. He has won The International Wine and Spirit Competition’s Trophy for Communicator of the Year, writes best selling wine guides in the UK and Australia, as well as being a wine buyer and internationally respected wine judge.
Each year he publishes his list of 60 best NZ Wines, and also other articles blogs etc. Visit his website for more details.
