We celebrated the 40th anniversary of Nautilus Estate with a spectacular dinner at Auckland’s Atelier restaurant, with gorgeous glassware from RIEDEL.

Spring is renowned for rustling up wild weather, and so it was on the night guests gathered at Atelier restaurant in mid-September. Not put off by the howling gale outside, guests arrived dutifully on time at 6:30pm, to be greeted by dish CEO and Editor Sarah Tuck, and introduced to Nautilus winemaker Clive Jones, and Atelier head chef Fantin Paripalt.

The evening began with a perfect single prosciutto croquette and a glass of the Nautilus Vintage Rosé 2021 served — as with all wine during the evening — in stunning RIEDEL stemware, as Clive reflected on 40 years of New Zealand winemaking and the part that Nautilus has played in that history. Fantin gave us a hint of what more was to come on the menu, to whet our appetites and provide context for his inspiration. Croquettes were followed by outrageously good ‘bread and butter’ with three kinds of flavoured butters, before the Market Fish Crudo and Tarte Leek Fondue. The crudo was light and fresh with a richly earthy beetroot relish and silken carrot velouté, paired beautifully with Nautilus Chardonnay 2023. Described as ‘straw-coloured with aromas of ripe nectarine, brioche, beeswax and toasted almond,’ it was elegant and delightful.

Next up, guests tucked into plates of Beef Cheek Pavé with silken parsnip purée and triple-baked potatoes. The generous servings of beef were spoon-tender and irresistibly good, leaving diners groaning in satisfaction as they sipped their Nautilus Clay Hills Vineyard Pinot Noir 2021. This absolute knockout wine has aromas of pomegranate, ripe blackberry, spice and savoury notes — even non-pinot drinkers were immediately smitten.

The meal ended, with typical French flair, with a classic Millefeuille with Chantilly Cream and Salted Butter Caramel. Rich and flaky, soft and smooth, the pastry and cream were a perfect match, as was the Nautilus Cuvée Marlborough Brut NV — as Clive said, the best way to start or finish a meal is with a glass of Méthode Traditionnelle, and even better to do both!

Before guests ventured back into the stormy night, they were presented with a stunning set of RIEDEL glassware, a parting gift to elevate their next wine-drinking experience and remember the wonderful evening.

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