Akarua Brut

Akarua, run by the Skeggs family, are the largest privately owned single estate vineyard in Central Otago. Sir Clifford Skeggs chucked vines into the ground here in 1996. They knocked out their first vinage in 1999 and by 2002 they claimed a kahuna of an accolade – The Champion Wine of Show at the Air NZ Wine Awards!

Best known for making Pinot Noir that must have filled several trophy cabinets by now, their bubbles ain’t half bad either! Their 2014 Vintage Brut is a blend of that amazing Pinot and with some of their Central Otago Chardonnay grapes from the 2014 crop. The result? It scored top marks (5 Stars) in Cuisine magazine’s annual fizz tasting, making the Top 10 NZ sparklings list!

For under $40 this would have to be putting its hand up as one of the best value NZ sparkling wines on shelves right now. If you’re wondering when you’d drink this just follow the official word as instructed by the winemaking team at Akarua – “Any occasion is a good excuse to pop the cork on Akarua Vintage Brut‘