With every purchase, you have the chance to win an iPod Docking Station. When you order just tell us why you have chosen your wines in the comments section of the checkout. The best answer, as decided by us, will win!

The PDX-13 brings a new dimension of flexibility to music enjoyment. It docks your iPod/iPhone. It tells the time. It comes with an AUX-in terminal to accommodate PCs and other digital audio players. And it’s small enough to fit easily on a kitchen count. Robust playback for the entire spectrum of music, LED digital clock with alarm function, and remote unit for easy operation are all the special features of Yamaha’s PDX-13. Available now in 3 different colors.

All you have to do is

1. register at A Case Of Wine
2. Go to your favourite wine
3. Post a review of your favourite wine on the product page.

The best reviews will win each week. The prize is a bottle of High Rocks Merlot, which is an exclusive small vineyard in Hawkes Bay.

The switch to PET has delivered key sustainability benefits to some wine makers. In the airline market, a move to PET has enabled companies to secure business with Delta, United, and Southwest. Lightweight cheaper packaging means the airlines can stock more at a lower cost.

Consumers have embraced PET because of its great look and feel and convenience, according to Bronco, a leading producer of wine in plastic bottles. The aluminum screw-cap bottle’s portability provides an entrée into venues that do not allow glass because of the potential for breakage. In addition, consumers are impressed with the glass-like appearance and the high quality of the packaging.

A barrier coating technology developed by Germany’s KHS Plasmax GmbH affords the 187-mL PET container an extended shelf life. KHS Plasmax® Silicon Oxide (SiOx) barrier coating is a glass-like material that seals the container from the inside to protect the contents from oxidation.

Today we are announcing the launch of A Case Of Wine! We aim to bring you interesting, well priced wines. We only sell our wines online, and we are only interested in finding good wines at a good price.

At the moment we are offering free shipping on cases of wine!

Welcome to A Case Of Wine blog. Here we will post our information on our latest wines, great wines we find, and information from around New Zealand.

Now! It is a well-known fact that “Wine is made in the vineyard”. This is due to sustainable vineyard management and grape growing practices. It follows, therefore, that in order to produce “The best grapes” for “The best wine” preparation and correct Management of the vineyard is essential.
At HighRocks, we try to only put on fertilizers that will improve and benefit the soil that is not detrimental to the wine. The soil is a living earth and needs nutrients and organisms, along with worms, to stay healthy. A product we use to help all this happen is called “T”. This is an Organic fertilizer made up of seaweed, fish oil, fish blood, and bacteria organisms to name but a few. We put on 80litres per Ha of this diluted in 400 litres of water in August

Working Program
The beginning of our season would be around July-August, just after the vines have remained dormant through Winter. Our local soil experts would carry out a soil test, at the beginning of July. Five to Ten “Plugs” of soil per acre would be taken for analysis.
In 2006 the Merlot soil had a high pH of 7.6, needs to be around 6-6.5.
A High Potassium of 1.61, which needs to be 0.40-0.80. And high Calcium of 34.4, which needs to be 6.0-12.0. Most of these high readings are due to the Limestone & sandy soil. The Syrah readings were 7.0pH. Calcium 19.2. Potassium 1.32.
We were advised to put onto the soil a “Maxi-Sulphur Super” at 750kg/ha. This is a Lime+Sulphur product to decrease the pH. And “Kieserite” which is 30% Magnesium.
These are scattered onto the soil by hand, as machinery is difficult to use on terraced slopes, at a rate of approx 40g per vine. This product relies on water assisting it penetrating into the soil so that the vine roots can take it up.
Through the winter the leaves drop from the vines and in July it is possible to see what canes to prune. Our Merlot is Spur pruned and the Syrah is cane pruned. Spur pruning means we leave a 4-6 spurs, containing two buds each, off of the main existing cane. In January we thin out the shoots that lack behind and have undeveloped bunches

Before the vines start to shoot or Fire as we call it, weeds are removed to prevent them from taking moisture from the vine. Different varieties of grapes can shoot at different times of the month in different areas of New Zealand. Our vines of Merlot and Syrah start Mid to late August.

Weeds are very vigorous in vineyards and as the vines are 1 metre apart in 2 metre rows, with the canes being laid down 1 metre off of the ground, weeds can encroach into the fruiting zone. This stops air and sunlight getting through. Some vineyards keep the weeds as competitors for moisture to help stress the vines, which can help the quality of the grapes. In some cases of poor drainage weeds are necessary to draw the moisture out of the soil.

At this time of year, early September, we put a cover spray of Sulphur onto the vines to kill various forms of mites. Blister Mite from pine trees being our biggest headache. This operation will be repeated once a fortnight.

Late October will see us tucking the shoots under the four wires, to keep them upright and stop them snapping in the wind. November we trim off the growing tips and laterals to stop the vine becoming too vigorous. December we leaf pluck at the fruit zone, to let in air and sunlight to keep the grapes dry. This also prevents mildew and Botrytis.

If, in December, the leaves look a very pale green showing Magnesium deficiency, we put on a cover foliar spray.

Late January will see the last leaf pluck and trim off of laterals. We also hand thin the grapes to leave only a set size of bunches on the vine. That is to say, small undeveloped bunches and bunches to close to one another are cut away.

It also allows air around the bunches to dry them out and the sun to kiss the grapes. This intensifies the Tannins in the grapes/wine.

First week in February we put the net covers on. They are a half cover over the vines and do a reasonable job in keeping most birds out. The Wax Eye is a small bird that will get in where a draught wouldn’t and these prove a challenge. In my fight against birds I use four scarecrows, which I move around every other day. Four Hawke kites and I shoot a shotgun. I am introducing a gas gun in February 2007 to help the cause.