Posted: April 20, 2017
This single-vineyard, Cromwell Basin red is sturdy, sweet-fruited and smooth. Ruby hued, it is weighty and savoury, with ripe cherry, plum, spice and nut flavours, showing good complexity. Drink now or cellar. $39
Comments Off on Maori Point Central Otago Pinot Noir 2014 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Drinking well now, this is a full-bodied, generous wine with a gentle splash of sweetness and strong, peachy, slightly spicy and honeyed flavours. (From Pegasus Bay.) $21 (A, UK)
Comments Off on Main Divide Waipara Pinot Gris 2015 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Fleshy and dry, this is a lively, full-bodied wine with ripe, tropical fruit flavours, showing very good freshness, vigour and depth, and a finely balanced, lingering finish. (From Pegasus Bay.) $21 (A, UK)
Comments Off on Main Divide Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Showing some toasty, bottle-aged development, this bright, light lemon/green wine is full-bodied, with tangy acidity, a minerally streak, and a strong surge of ripe, peachy, slightly spicy flavours. Certified organic. $25 (A)
Comments Off on Loveblock Bone Dry Marlborough Riesling 2014 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Drinking well now, this blend of syrah (41%) and classic Bordeaux grapes was estate-grown in the Esk Valley and matured for 15 months in French oak barriques. Full but not dense in colour, it is fragrant, with ripe, plummy, spicy…
Comments Off on Linden Estate Syrah Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Malbec Hawke’s Bay 2015 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
From sites at Dillons Point, in the lower Wairau Valley, this is a fleshy, vibrantly fruity wine with mouthfilling body, strong, ripe, tropical fruit flavours, hints of passionfruit and limes, and a dry, rounded finish. $25
Comments Off on Lake Chalice The Raptor Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Bright, pale pink, this is a very fresh and vibrant wine, medium-bodied, with watermelon and spice flavours, showing excellent delicacy, poise and persistence. Almost bone-dry, it’s delicious now. $25
Comments Off on Lake Chalice The Raptor Marlborough Rosé 2016 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Finely textured, with good complexity, this estate-grown red was hand-picked from 15 year-old vines in the lower Waihopai Valley. Bright ruby, it is full-bodied and savoury, with ripe cherry, plum and spice flavours, fresh acidity, excellent depth and considerable potential;…
Comments Off on Lake Chalice The Raptor Marlborough Pinot Noir 2015 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Drinking well young, but worth cellaring, this faintly pink, full-bodied wine was hand-picked and handled entirely in tanks. Vibrantly fruity, with pear, lychee and spice flavours, showing good delicacy, it has hints of peach and apricot, a sliver of sweetness,…
Comments Off on Johanneshof Marlborough Pinot Gris 2016 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
This pale pink, freshly scented rosé was made from syrah grapes, fermented with indigenous yeasts and lees-aged in tanks. Fresh and lively, it is medium-bodied, with watermelon and spice flavours, hints of berries and apricots, and a mouth-wateringly crisp, fully…
Comments Off on Georges Road Les Terrasses Waipara Rosé 2016 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
This generous, very youthful red is from 13 year-old Domaine Thomson vines, at Lowburn in the Cromwell Basin. Barrel-aged for 10 months (20% new), it is deep ruby, mouthfilling and fruit-packed, with fresh, ripe cherry, plum and spice flavours, savoury…
Comments Off on Explorer Central Otago Pinot Noir 2016 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Offering good value, this very generous, merlot-predominant blend was grown in Hawke’s Bay and barrel-aged. Deeply coloured, it is mouthfilling and sweet-fruited, with vibrant blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours to the fore, fine-grained tannins and slightly nutty, savoury notes adding…
Comments Off on Elephant Hill Le Phant 2015 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Drinking well in its youth, this smooth, full-bodied wine was estate-grown and hand-picked at Te Awanga and partly barrel-fermented. Invitingly scented, it has strong, peachy, slightly spicy flavours, hints of pears and lychees, a touch of complexity and a fresh,…
Comments Off on Elephant Hill Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2016 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
This fresh, characterful rosé was made from pinot noir, estate-grown in the Awatere Valley. Pink/orange, it has generous, strawberryish, slightly spicy and leesy flavours, with a touch of complexity and a dry, smooth finish. $26
Comments Off on Clos Marguerite Marlborough Rosé 2016 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Maturing well, this is a distinctly medium style, with strong, ripe citrus, passionfruit and lime flavours, a vague hint of honey, balanced acidity and good harmony. Drink now or cellar. $27
Comments Off on Ataahua Waipara Riesling 2015 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Certified organic, this characterful wine was hand-picked from 21 year-old vines, fermented with indigenous yeasts and barrel-fermented. Full-bodied and youthful, it is finely textured, with strong, ripe, peachy, biscuity flavours, complex and savoury, and a lasting, very harmonious finish. Best…
Comments Off on Walnut Block Nutcracker Marlborough Chardonnay 2015 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Still youthful, this estate-grown, Lowburn red was matured in French oak barrels (25% new). Bright ruby, with a fragrant bouquet of spices and dried herbs, showing good complexity, it is elegant and savoury, with vibrant plum, spice, herb and nut…
Comments Off on Surveyor Thomson Central Otago Pinot Noir 2013 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Fleshy and smooth, this is a ‘serious’ style of pinot gris, hand-picked and fermented (partly with indigenous yeasts) in old French barrels. Light lemon/green, it is mouthfilling, with concentrated, dry, peachy, gently spicy flavours, a slightly creamy texture and good…
Comments Off on Staete Landt State of Bliss Marlborough Pinot Gris 2016 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
This fragrant, weighty, estate-grown wine was hand-harvested at Rapaura, barrel-fermented and oak-aged for 15 months. Light lemon/green, it is still very youthful, with generous, ripe, citrusy, peachy flavours, balanced acidity, biscuity notes adding complexity and a lingering finish. Best drinking…
Comments Off on Staete Landt Josephine Marlborough Chardonnay 2015 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Already delicious, this Alsace-style pinot gris is full-bodied, rich, ripe and rounded. Light lemon/green, it has concentrated stonefruit and spice flavours, a sliver of sweetness, vague hints of honey, and excellent depth and harmony. $23
Comments Off on Mount Brown Estates Grand Reserve Waipara Valley Pinot Gris 2016 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Scented and savoury, this stylish red is merlot-based (64%), with smaller portions of cabernet sauvignon (20%), cabernet franc (15%) and malbec (1%). Estate-grown in the Esk Valley of Hawke’s Bay and French oak-matured for over a year, it is full-coloured,…
Comments Off on Linden Estate Reserve Dam Block 2015 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Youthful, vibrantly fruity and tightly structured, this is a mouthfilling (13% alc/vol), medium style (19.5 grams/litre residual sugar). Bright, light lemon/green, it has strong, crisp, citrusy flavours, a vague hint of honey, and excellent poise and persistence. Best drinking 2019+….
Comments Off on Johanneshof Marlborough Riesling 2016 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
This elegant, ageworthy wine was hand-picked at Te Awanga and fermented with indigenous yeasts in French oak barriques (25% new). The bouquet is fragrant and slightly nutty; the palate vibrant and youthful, with good weight and strong peach and grapefruit-like…
Comments Off on Elephant Hill Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2015 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Drinking well now, but still maturing, this is a single-vineyard, Cromwell Basin wine, with a scented, slightly toasty bouquet. A medium style, it is vibrantly fruity, with penetrating, citrusy, limey flavours, gentle sweetness, balanced acidity and a lingering finish. $25
Comments Off on Domaine Rewa Central Otago Riesling 2014 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Showing excellent potential, this deep ruby red was grown in the Epicurious Vineyard, in the Cromwell Basin. Matured in French oak barriques (one-third new), it is mouthfilling and youthful, with very generous, vibrant, cherryish, plummy flavours, savoury, nutty and complex….
Comments Off on Domaine Rewa Central Otago Pinot Noir 2014 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Freshly scented, lively and mouthfilling, this single vineyard, Awatere Valley wine was lees-aged and 12% barrel-fermented. Sweet-fruited, it has crisp, dry, ripely herbaceous flavours, showing a distinct touch of complexity, that build across the palate to a finely textured, slightly…
Comments Off on Clos Marguerite Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
This is a powerful, very ripe-tasting, sturdy red. Deep and youthful in colour, it is fragrant, rich and supple, with very generous plum/spice flavours, hints of licorice and nuts, well-integrated oak and gentle tannins. Best drinking 2019+. $27
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2014 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Fragrant, with a complex, slightly smoky bouquet, this classy wine was grown principally in the Tuki Tuki Valley and mostly fermented and lees-aged for seven months in French and Hungarian oak barriques. Bright, light lemon/green, it is mouthfilling and youthful,…
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2016 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Already delicious, this medium-dry wine was estate-grown in the Brancott Vineyard, mostly hand-harvested, and fermented in a large, 10,000-litre old oak cuve (85%) and French oak puncheons (15%). Mouthfilling and soft, it is vibrantly fruity, with an array of ripe…
Comments Off on Brancott Estate Letter Series ‘F’ Marlborough Pinot Gris 2016 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
From a block of mature, close-planted vines, this deeply coloured, savoury red is fragrant and full-bodied, with deep, ripe, plummy, spicy flavours, hints of coffee and nuts, and excellent complexity and harmony. Drink now or cellar. $50 (A)
Comments Off on Terra Sancta Shingle Beach Bannockburn Pinot Noir 2014 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
This classy, finely textured red is bright ruby, with an enticing fragrance. Elegant, savoury and supple, it has youthful, vibrant cherry, plum, spice and nut flavours, showing excellent delicacy, complexity and length. $50 (A)
Comments Off on Terra Sancta Jackson’s Block Bannockburn Pinot Noir 2015 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Lovely now, this floral, bright pink rosé was made from estate-grown pinot noir. Full-bodied, it is vibrantly fruity and smooth, with a surge of fresh, ripe strawberry, watermelon and spice flavours, a hint of apricot, and a basically dry, long…
Comments Off on Terra Sancta Central Otago Bannockburn Rosé 2016 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
A classic Rapaura style, this ripely scented, richly flavoured wine was handled in tanks and old oak vessels. Fragrant, with fresh, tropical fruit aromas, it is mouthfilling, with strong, vibrant, passionfruit/lime flavours, lively acidity and a dry, persistent finish Fine…
Comments Off on Staete Landt Annabel Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Bargain-priced, this instantly appealing wine was mostly hand-harvested and made with some use of indigenous yeasts and wood fermentation. Freshly perfumed, full-bodied and vibrantly fruity, it has ripe, stonefruit flavours to the fore, showing excellent delicacy and richness, a slightly…
Comments Off on Spy Valley Marlborough Pinot Gris 2016 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
This very classy wine was harvested at Waipara ‘very ripe, with some noble botrytis’, and fermented in old barrels. Light lemon/green, it is beautifully perfumed and weighty (14.5% alc/vol), in a powerful but not heavy style with rich, citrusy, well-spiced…
Comments Off on Pegasus Bay Gewurztraminer 2016 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
This distinguished wine is from 30 year-old vines at Waipara. The bouquet is fragrant and youthful; the palate weighty, sweet-fruited and smooth, with deep, peachy, mealy, slightly spicy and buttery flavours and a very finely balanced, long, savoury finish. Already…
Comments Off on Pegasus Bay Chardonnay 2015 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
A ‘serious’ yet charming rosé, full of personality. Bright pink/pale red, it is freshly scented, vibrantly fruity and smooth, with substantial body (14.5% alc/vol) and a lovely surge of plum, strawberry, cherry and spice flavours, strong and smooth. Drink this…
Comments Off on Johanneshof Maybern Single Vineyard Marlborough Pinot Noir Rosé 2016 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Exotically perfumed, this rich, finely balanced wine was hand-harvested and handled without oak. Light lemon/green, it is mouthfilling and smooth, with a gentle splash of sweetness and a lovely surge of fresh, ripe, peachy, spicy flavours. Finely textured and harmonious,…
Comments Off on Johanneshof Marlborough Gewurztraminer 2015 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
This distinguished wine was estate-grown in the Epicurious Vineyard, in the Cromwell Basin, and fermented and matured in French oak barriques (25% new). Pale lemon/green, it is fragrant and youthful, with deep, vibrant, grapefruit-like flavours, finely integrated oak, balanced acidity…
Comments Off on Domaine Rewa Central Otago Chardonnay 2014 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Full of potential, this rich, sturdy red was grown in the Bridge Pa Triangle and the Gimblett Gravels, matured for 17 months in French oak casks, and bottled unfiltered. Powerful yet elegant, it is still very youthful, with dense plum…
Comments Off on Church Road Grand Reserve Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2015 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
This powerful, multi-faceted wine was hand-harvested and barrel-fermented with indigenous yeasts. The bouquet is highly fragrant, with a hint of ‘struck match’; the palate mouthfilling and generous, with concentrated, ripe stonefruit flavours, showing excellent complexity, harmony and length. Already delicious,…
Comments Off on Church Road Grand Reserve Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2015 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Showing strong personality, this is an exotically perfumed, complex, intensely varietal wine, full-bodied, with an oily texture and concentrated, peachy, gingery, spicy flavours, dryish, rounded and rich. $27
Comments Off on Ataahua Waipara Gewurztraminer 2015 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Fresh, lively, single-vineyard Northland red, matured in old French barriques. Full-coloured, medium-bodied wine, with plum, spice, herb and olive flavours, showing some savoury complexity. $24
Comments Off on Byrne Puketotara Syrah 2015 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Easy-drinking Waiheke Island red, full-coloured, with a peppery, slightly earthy bouquet. Generous plum, spice and dried herb flavours, gently seasoned with toasty oak, and a smooth finish. $38
Comments Off on Obsidian Estate Syrah 2015 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Full-coloured, medium weight Waiheke Island red with fresh, plummy, spicy flavours, hints of olives and herbs, a gentle seasoning of toasty oak, fine-grained tannins and a smooth finish. $38
Comments Off on Awaroa Syrah 2015 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Generous, weighty Northland red with full, bright colour and excellent richnesss through the palate. Strong, ripe, red berry and spice flavours, seasoned with sweet oak. One judge scored it five stars. $38
Comments Off on The Landing Syrah 2015 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Maturing gracefully, this Northland red is deeply coloured, with good weight, concentrated, spicy flavours, hints of olives and licorice, toasty, savoury notes adding complexity and a smooth, lengthy finish. $30
Comments Off on Mahinepua Bay Syrah 2014 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Dark, weighty, single-vineyard red, matured in French and American oak casks (14% new). Fragrant and full-bodied, with rich, strongly varietal blackberry, plum and spice flavours, good complexity and a lingering finish. One judge scored it five stars. $38 (A, UK,…
Comments Off on Soho Valentina Waiheke Island Syrah 2015 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Maturing well, this coastal Northland red was matured in French oak casks (33% new). The colour is deep and youthful; the palate dense and smooth-flowing, with concentrated plum, spice and slight licorice flavours, and a finely structured finish. Best drinking…
Comments Off on The Landing Syrah 2013 / 0 View / April 20, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Fragrant, peppery, single-vineyard Northland red, matured in French oak casks (50% new). Concentrated blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, hints of raisins and smoky oak, and impressive ripeness and depth. $36
Comments Off on Byrne Te Puna Syrah 2015 / 0 View / April 20, 2017