I was thrilled to discover WineFriend by word of mouth. At home in Titirangi, liquor outlets are controlled by the Trusts and so you can’t pick up a bottle from the supermarket when you swing by after work. And where you can purchase it, the offering is usually sub par or very expensive.

This has all changed for us thanks to WineFriend’s subscription service. We really enjoy our wine delivery each month and we’ve had the opportunity to try beautiful and unusual wines that we would never have usually picked. WineFriend select the wines for your case based on the tastes and flavours that you enjoy the most. As a wine amateur, this really got me thinking. And as a result, I thought wouldn’t it be great to offer a Father Rabbit edit of boutique bottles based on trying new and interesting wines outside my comfort zone.




It was a hugely enjoyable experience working with WineFriend’s resident wine experts Yvonne and Debbie. They presented nearly 30 wines across a range of varietals - a very rare opportunity indeed! I was so surprised to learn what flavours I actually liked through this tasting. So as the person who only ever drinks Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, I was trying and enjoying all sorts! To be fair I can’t always tell you why I’ve liked the wine and it was very hard to pick out only six bottles. It was really exciting to try wines from unexpected regions, smaller producers and varietals that I hadn’t heard of before. We have picked wines that talk to the autumnal Easter season. Daylight savings has gone and the quaffing of rosé has pulled back.

 

We celebrated the launch of the WineFriend x Father Rabbit | The Autumn Edit with a beautiful evening tasting at The White Room in Parnell in late March. Each guest had the opportunity to try all six wines with Yvonne’s expert guidance as how to taste wine properly, which notes to look out for and how the wines would be best paired. Much like myself, I am sure there were plenty of guests that would say that they stuck to certain wines out of habit. One of the ideas that we most enjoy about the edit we’ve created is that it’s perfect for entertaining as there is absolutely something for everyone in the case. So even if you’re not the biggest white wine drinker, you can trust that we’ve picked out some beautiful bottles that you can impress and taste along with your own guests over a long Easter weekend dinner.



In the case you’ll find a Te Kano Estate Central Otago Pinot Gris 2017; a bottle of softly spiced, quince and feijoa-packed perfection that we felt had ‘Autumn afternoon’ written all over it. The Providore Luminaire Central Otago Blanc de Noir 2018 is a fresh, floral, softly spiced white wine with a hint of natural sweetness. The Gisborne Marsanne Viognier 2017 from The Hunting Lodge invites you to think apricot, jasmine, mandarin pith and lemony loveliness. The Bronte Nelson Pinot Noir 2017 is chock-full of cherry and raspberry liquorice, a touch of cough-drop complexity, and buckets of florals to back up the fruit. There is also the Cypress Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2016. It’s a smooth, mind-bendingly meaty, leather-edged rascal, showing raspberry, cherry, and redcurrant characters, extra licks of spice, and a fine-grained, gripping finish. And finally, there is a ‘Wild Card’ bottle of Italian wine. WineFriend’s ‘Wild Card’ wines allow you to discover new varieties and styles that you may not have tried before.




I have thoroughly enjoyed the guidance and sounding board that Yvonne and Debbie have provided. Their expert palette and in depth knowledge of vineyards and winemakers alike is truly invaluable. We’re really proud of what we’ve achieved together and we really hope that you enjoy these delicious wines this autumn.   

Claudia
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You can purchase the WineFriend x Father Rabbit | The Autumn Edit from Father Rabbit. And you can visit our friends at WineFriend here.