Winter truffle season has officially landed at Normanby Fine Wines & Spirits, with the first New Zealand black Périgord truffles of the year inspiring a limited seasonal menu at the Mt Eden wine bar.
Sourced from North Canterbury’s Kings Truffles, the prized truffles are grown in limestone rich soils and carefully harvested with the help of trained truffle dogs. Led by Jax Lee, Kings Truffles has earned a reputation as one of New Zealand’s leading producers, with the fresh truffles celebrated for their aroma and depth of flavour.
At Normanby, the arrival of truffle season has brought back the popular Normanby Truffle Club, a decadent sandwich layered with jamón, cheese and generous shavings of fresh organic New Zealand truffle. Joining it on the menu are crisp croquetas filled with pancetta and Parmigiano Reggiano, finished with fresh truffle, and a comforting French onion soup served with a BéaTea’s focaccia truffle cheese toastie and shaved truffle.
To complete the experience, Normanby recommends a glass of 2022 Gros Frère et Sœur Bourgogne Rouge. The medium bodied Burgundy offers juicy red fruit notes and enough balance to complement the earthy richness of the truffles without overpowering them.
Opened in 2025, Normanby Fine Wines & Spirits has quickly become one of Auckland’s most interesting destinations for wine lovers. Led by respected wine expert Liz Wheadon, the Mt Eden space combines a carefully curated retail offering with a relaxed wine bar and café, creating an approachable environment built around discovery and conversation. A second location in Wellington followed earlier this year, bringing the same thoughtful approach to Te Aro.
Alongside seasonal menus such as this, Normanby also hosts a calendar of tastings and events, giving you the opportunity to explore wines, spirits and sake alongside some of the people and stories behind them.
With truffle season fleeting and fresh New Zealand truffles only available for a short time, now feels like the perfect excuse to settle in with a glass of great wine and enjoy one of winter’s most sought after ingredients.