Labour Day long weekend in Matakana always sees the release of new vintages and this year is no exception at Plume Restaurant and their highly regarded Runner Duck Estate. On the 25th of October they introduced their Passion 2013 (Syrah), and the first ‘Passion Lover’ knocked on their doors at 8.30 in the morning, demanding his share! The Passion label is reserved only for their “best of best” vintages and 2013 was just such a year with its very hot and dry summer. While dairy, agriculture and all farming all suffered due to water shortage, viticulture loved it as the roots of the vines love to be stressed out and, searching deeper and deeper for water, producing the best ever wines.  That was the year 2013 and it produced Runner Duck’s very best wine yet – THE PASSION 2013. 

While it is still a very young wine it is absolutely ready for drinking NOW!  Of course it can be cellared for up to ten years and one can just imagine as to what it would taste like by then! The Passion is full of ripe and juicy black cherries and dark plums, full bodied, deep ruby red, black spice and pepper with aromas of dark red fruit, cassis, blackberry, violets and earthy notes and is described as rich and mouth filling with silky tannins and excellent depth with a lingering finish. The Passion 2013 is now available at the Cellar Door at Plume Restaurant

Also released on the same day was the Runner Duck Estate Pinot Gris 2014 which is always a great favourite with the ladies and is a superb summer wine. Speaking of summer, which is well on its way now, Plume Restaurant with its Cellar Door is the ideal place to spend a sunny, summer afternoon, sampling their wines and partaking of their delicious, fresh and summery food, produced by their chef, Paul van der Molen. Paul’s priority is in making Plume’s dishes healthier and fresher, using sustainable ingredients which are sourced locally. Paul also has a vegetable and herb garden right beside the restaurant which is another source of the freshest produce available.

This is also the time of year to be thinking of organising Christmas parties and Plume Restaurant is the perfect venue, being just over an hour’s drive north of Auckland. Whether it’s for ten people or 200, Plume can cater to any number, with a variety of highly versatile spaces that can be easily for any event, so don’t delay, book your Christmas function today by going to http://www.plumerestaurant.co.nz .