Remember to buy a card one lunchtime this week, as it’s Mother’s Day on Sunday. Florists will become bouquet factories and you should probably take your dear old mum out for lunch: Burger Fuel and Subway won’t cut the mustard.
My favourite watering hole, Stafford Road Wine Bar, runs an exceptional degustation menu matched with wine every Sunday. Perhaps it is my favourite watering hole as it’s a short stagger home – or it could be the delicious Provencal rose by the glass or the straw-thin French fries. Stafford Rd has also become the venue for my business meetings, although I have to admit I have had a couple of no-shows (I won’t mention names), and the staff have taken pity on me with free cups of tea. I think they may now be making bets on whether or not the other person will show!
If taking the bridge to the Shore is a step too far for you (come on, it’s just a road), super-slick Clooney has just opened its doors for Sunday evenings. It’s now open seven days a week and Sunday evenings is BYO night. The $20 corkage fee seems a little steep, but if you’ve got a decent bottle you want to crack, it’s certainly cheaper than paying wine list prices.
Make a day of it and take the ferry to Waiheke. Italian-owned winery Podere Crisci does a traditional Mediterranean long lunch for $65 every Sunday. Will be putting on something special on mother’s day? “We do something special every Sunday!” says Mike Ross, vineyard and restaurant manager. “We change the menu every week and we have never done the same one twice.” Expect lots of cured meats, Italian cheeses and to waddle out of the restaurant three or four hours later. It certainly beats a bunch of flowers and a burger.
Ti Point chardonnay, Hawke’s Bay 2010 ($22.99, Glengarry)
Three generations of women produce this medium-weight, not-too-oaky chardonnay. It has just enough freshness, and sits comfortingly on the middle of your palate.
Hunter’s Kaho Roa sauvignon blanc 2008 ($23.90)
Hunter’s is a family affair with sons, mums and aunties working together to make this barrel-fermented sav. It’s fresh with layers of flavour and tasty texture. The oak gives a nutty character, but it’s well integrated with citrus and grassy aromas.
Clos de Sainte Anne, Les Arbres viognier 2009, Gisborne ($58, Caro’s, Fine Wine Delivery Co)
Anne is the mother of the Millton family and the inspiration for this hedonistic viognier. It exudes an ethereal perfume of sweet dried apricots, flower petals and ginger.
An abridged version of this article was originally published in the Herald on Sunday on 1 May.
