The Wine Cellar
The summer house adjacent to the swimming pool leads into an underground wine cellar, dug back in the sheltering hillside.
The cellar holds 5000 bottles of fine New Zealand wine and is dug back into the hillside behind the pool house. The wine is kept at a constant temperature to ensure it ages well. Dinner is not served in the cellar because the temperature would have to be raised for guests, above the comfort level of the wine.
James McMenamin is a Wellingtonian who attended Lincoln University and attained a BSc following his interest of Viticulture. After graduating in 1998 he began his hospitality career at Beaujolais Wine Bar before moving on to Logan Brown where he won Cuisine magazines' 'Best Wine Service' award in 2005. From there he moved to Australia and landed a job at Taxi Dining Room, one of Melbournes leading restaurants and left in 2009 as the Floor Manager. James brings a wealth of knowledge to Grasmere of both food and wine service. His passion is to provide accurate and informed service without the pretension that often goes with it. His service philosophy is "anything is possible, nothing is a problem".
The winelist that James has complied, drawing on our extensive cellar and new releases, is a reflection of both Derek Allomes' food style and the best of what New Zealand, particularly the South Island, has to offer.
State Highway 73 · Cass · Canterbury · Private Bag 55009 · Christchurch · New Zealand
Telephone +64 3 318 8407 · Fax +64 3 318 8263 · E-Mail Retreat@Grasmere.co.nz
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