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Pl. II · The shelf · By the bottle

The Shelf

Wine from Hawke's Bay growers, set out nearest grower first, from $22 to $140 a bottle.

Most of the shelf sits between $28 and $45. Take a bottle home in a paper sleeve, or have it opened at the bar for the shelf price plus $10.

Plate II. One bay of the shelf in elevation: older bottles lying on the cellar shelf at the top, three rows standing in order of distance from the shop, and the $22 shelf at the bottom. 5 km 20 km 41 km $22 nearest grower,top left 1 furthest,bottom right 2 the $22 shelf 3 the cellar shelf,$68 to $140 4 typed shelf tag 5 near to far,one row at a time 6
  1. nearest grower, top left
  2. furthest, bottom right
  3. the $22 shelf
  4. the cellar shelf, $68 to $140
  5. typed shelf tag
  6. near to far, one row at a time
Pl. II. One bay of the shelf, drawn from the shop floor.
How it's arranged The full list

$22 to $140 a bottle

The shelf unrolled into a ruler from the front door to 60 km, with seven bottles standing at the distance their growers sit from the shop. door 10 20 30 40 50 60 km Meeanee · 5 km 1 Bay View · 12 km 2 Haumoana · 19 km 3 Bridge Pa · 26 km 4 Maraekakaho · 36 km 5 Crownthorpe · 41 km 6 Central Hawke's Bay · 58 km 7 near to far, door to back wall 8
  1. Meeanee, 5 km
  2. Bay View, 12 km
  3. Haumoana, 19 km
  4. Bridge Pa, 26 km
  5. Maraekakaho, 36 km
  6. Crownthorpe, 41 km
  7. Central Hawke's Bay, 58 km
  8. near to far, door to back wall
Pl. II, fig. 1. The shelf unrolled, one bottle per grower, measured from the front door.

How the shelf runs

Arranged by Distance, Not by Grape

The shelf starts with the grower nearest the door and ends with the one furthest away.

“Most shops sort by grape, which leaves you choosing between nine Sauvignons that taste of the same thing. I'd rather you walked the Bay. Start top left with the Chardonnay from Meeanee, five kilometres from the door, and by the bottom right you're in Central Hawke's Bay, where the nights are colder and the Pinot is brighter. You can taste river silt turn to gravel turn to hill country, one row at a time.”

Hana, who set the shelf out this way in 2013.

Two shelves break the rule. The $22 shelf sits at knee height, so nobody has to hunt for a good cheap bottle. The cellar shelf sits up top, $68 to $140, where older Syrah and Cabernet lie on their sides until someone has a reason.

See every bottle, in order

The full list

Everything on the Shelf

Twenty-one bottles, nearest grower first, with the cellar shelf at the end. Any of them can be opened at the bar for the shelf price plus $10.

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A reused six-bottle wooden box drawn twice: from above with six screwcaps in their cells, and from the front as two boxes stacked, the top one cut away to show the bottles standing inside. screwcaps, from above 1 dividers, one bottle each 2 top layer, cut away 3 bottom layer, six more 4 twelve, chosen by Hana 5
  1. screwcaps, from above
  2. dividers, one bottle each
  3. top layer, cut away
  4. bottom layer, six more
  5. twelve, chosen by Hana
Pl. II, fig. 2. A reused six-bottle box in plan and elevation. Two layers make a Dozen.

Chosen monthly

The Bay Dozen

Twelve mixed bottles Hana chooses at the start of each month, packed two layers deep in a reused wooden box.

It's the easiest way to drink your way along the whole shelf without standing in front of it for twenty minutes. Expect a few growers you've never heard of. That's rather the point.

  • The Bay Dozen, twelve bottles$340About 10% under what the same twelve cost off the shelf.
  • Collected from the shopFree
  • Delivered on a ThursdayFreeEvery Dozen is over $150, so the van costs you nothing within the Bay.

To reserve one, email hello@tastevio.com and say whether you'll collect it or want it on the Thursday van.

The whites fridge in elevation, glass door full of standing bottles, with an old thermometer taped to the glass reading 9 degrees. 20 10 0 9 degrees, all year 1 not 4, too coldto taste anything 2 the thermometer,taped on since 2013 3 whites and pinks,standing up 4 dial, set once 5
  1. 9 degrees, all year
  2. not 4, too cold to taste anything
  3. the thermometer, taped on since 2013
  4. whites and pinks, standing up
  5. dial, set once
Pl. II, fig. 3. The whites fridge, glass door, thermometer taped to the inside.

Whites, pinks and sparkling

The Fridge Sits at 9 Degrees, Not 4

The whites fridge sits at 9 degrees, not 4. Colder and you can't taste anything.

There's a thermometer taped to the door, and it's the same one that came with the borrowed fridge in 2013.

A bottle from here is ready to pour the minute it reaches a Friday table. If it's going into your own fridge first, give it half an hour out before you open it.

A small panel van in profile with wooden boxes in the back, beneath the Thursday route through Bay View, Napier, Taradale, Clive, Hastings and Havelock North. the Thursday run, north to south Bay View 1 Napier, the shop 2 Taradale 3 Clive 4 Hastings 5 Havelock North 6 wooden boxes in the back 7
  1. Bay View
  2. Napier, the shop
  3. Taradale
  4. Clive
  5. Hastings
  6. Havelock North
  7. wooden boxes in the back
Pl. II, fig. 4. The Thursday van and its run around the Bay. Nothing travels further.

Thursdays only

Around the Bay on a Thursday

One van, one day a week, six places. Email what you'd like and where, and it comes out on the next Thursday run.

  • Napier
  • Taradale
  • Bay View
  • Clive
  • Hastings
  • Havelock North
  • Orders over $150Free
  • Orders under $150$8
  • Special order, a local bottle we don't stock5-10 days
  • A special-ordered case of six or more5% off

Nothing is couriered outside Hawke's Bay. If you're further away, the shop is open Tuesday to Sunday and the bar will pour you a flight while you choose.

Specimen label

Not on Our Shelf

Four things people ask for that we've decided against. None of it is personal, and none of it is changing.

  • No. 1

    Imported mass-market labels

    If it grew outside Hawke's Bay, it isn't here. Not one supermarket name, not even at Christmas.

  • No. 2

    Cellophane hampers

    Bottles leave in a paper sleeve or a reused wooden box. A good bottle is the present.

  • No. 3

    Cellar valuations

    We don't value or buy private cellars. Bring a bottle in and Hana will still tell you whether to open it soon.

  • No. 4

    Wholesale

    We don't supply restaurants or other shops. If you tasted it here, this narrow room is where it lives.