Posted: May 1, 2019
This medium-bodied, vibrantly fruity red is deep ruby, with a distinctly spicy bouquet. Estate-grown and French oak-aged for a year, it is still developing, with ripe, plummy, spicy flavours, fresh acidity, and savoury notes adding complexity. Open 2020+. $28
Comments Off on Waitapu Estate Reef View Northland Syrah 2015 / 0 View / May 1, 2019
Posted: May 1, 2019
This powerful red was hand-harvested in Northland and matured for 29 months in French, Hungarian and American oak casks (30% new). Fullish and fairly youthful in colour, it is firm and mouthfilling, in a gutsy, slightly rustic style with ripe,…
Comments Off on Karikari Estate Pinotage 2016 / 0 View / May 1, 2019
Posted: May 1, 2019
Barrel-aged for a year, this easy-drinking red offers good value. Full-coloured, it is mouthfilling, with satisfying depth of fresh, vibrant, berryish, slightly spicy flavours, a subtle seasoning of oak, and a smooth finish. $18 (UK)
Comments Off on Coopers Creek Gisborne Malbec 2016 / 0 View / May 1, 2019
Posted: May 1, 2019
Estate-grown in West Auckland, this still-youthful red is full-coloured, with a berryish, spicy fragrance. Mouthfilling and smooth, it has strong, vibrant berry, plum and spice flavours, savoury notes adding complexity, supple tannins and a lingering finish. Drink now-2021. $28
Comments Off on Coopers Creek SV Guido in Velvet Pants Huapai Montepulciano 2016 / 0 View / May 1, 2019
Posted: May 1, 2019
Popular in New Zealand several decades ago, pinotage is a South African cross of pinot noir with a heavy-cropping, more rustic variety, cinsaut. Hand-picked and French oak-aged for a year, this fragrant, full-bodied red is a top example, with full,…
Comments Off on Waitapu Estate Reef View Northland Pinotage 2015 / 0 View / May 1, 2019
Posted: May 1, 2019
Delicious now but also well worth cellaring, this dark, sturdy red has concentrated plum and black pepper flavours, with a hint of liquorice. Fragrant and spicy, it has slightly earthy notes adding complexity and a long, structured finish. $45
Comments Off on Awaroa Waiheke Island Syrah 2016 / 0 View / May 1, 2019
Posted: May 1, 2019
This distinctive Northland red is a blend of merlot (50%), cabernet franc (40%) and tannat (10%), hand-harvested in the 2016 and 2017 vintages and aged for up to two years in old French and American oak casks. Developed in colour,…
Comments Off on Karikari Estate Toa Iti Merlot/Cabernet Franc/Tannat NV NV / 0 View / May 1, 2019
Posted: May 1, 2019
This is a ‘fruit-driven’ style, mouthfilling and full-coloured, with strong, fresh, plummy, spicy flavours. An uncomplicated but attractive red, it’s delicious young. $23
Comments Off on Matawhero Single Vineyard Gisborne Merlot 2018 / 0 View / May 1, 2019
Posted: May 1, 2019
This fragrant, fleshy red is a blend of cabernet sauvignon (50%), merlot (30%) and cabernet franc (20%), estate-grown, hand-picked and matured in French oak barriques. Deep and youthful in colour, it is full-bodied, with strong blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours,…
Comments Off on Awaroa Waiheke Island Cabernet Merlot Malbec 2016 / 0 View / May 1, 2019
Posted: May 1, 2019
This is a powerful Waiheke Island blend of cabernet sauvignon (50%), merlot (30%) and cabernet franc (20%), matured in French oak barriques (70% new). Dark and fragrant, it is mouthfilling, with deep, youthful blackcurrant, plum, herb and spice flavours, savoury,…
Comments Off on Awaroa Requiem Cabernet Merlot Malbec 2016 / 0 View / May 1, 2019
Posted: May 1, 2019
Pale pink, this West Auckland blend of malbec (80%) and merlot (20%) is a dry style. Fresh and lively, it is medium-bodied, with peachy flavours, hints of watermelon, apricot and spice, and very good depth and harmony. $18 (US)
Comments Off on Coopers Creek Kumeu Rosé 2018 / 0 View / May 1, 2019
Posted: May 1, 2019
Pale pink, this is a very good example of slightly sweet rosé (9 grams/litre residual sugar). Full of drink-young charm, it has lively, peachy, slightly spicy flavours, appetising acidity, and excellent depth and harmony. $23
Comments Off on Matawhero Single Vineyard Gisborne Pinot Rosé 2018 / 0 View / May 1, 2019
Posted: May 1, 2019
This fragrant, medium-bodied wine is a dryish style, with fresh, balanced acidity and good depth of peachy, slightly spicy flavours. Still very youthful, it should be at its best 2020+. $23
Comments Off on Matawhero Single Vineyard Gisborne Pinot Gris 2018 / 0 View / May 1, 2019
Posted: May 1, 2019
This West Auckland wine is less aromatic than southern pinot gris, but offers plenty of body and flavour. Fleshy, it has fresh, generous stonefruit flavours, with hints of honey and spice, and a tight, dryish finish. Priced right. $18
Comments Off on Coopers Creek Kumeu Pinot Gris 2017 / 0 View / May 1, 2019
Posted: May 1, 2019
Simple but delicious, this Gisborne wine was made from chardonnay grapes, partly freeze-concentrated. Sweet, vibrant and peachy, with low alcohol (9.5%), it is crisp, lively and flavoursome, with instant appeal. $22 (375ml).
Comments Off on Coopers Creek Coopers Gold 2017 / 0 View / May 1, 2019
Posted: May 1, 2019
Estate-grown in South Auckland, this enticingly perfumed, weighty wine was hand-harvested and mostly (80%) fermented in seasoned French oak puncheons. Mouthfilling and fleshy, it has strong pear, lychee and spice flavours, showing good complexity, gentle acidity and an off-dry, well-rounded…
Comments Off on Villa Maria Single Vineyard Ihumatao Gewurztraminer 2017 / 0 View / May 1, 2019
Posted: May 1, 2019
This fleshy, weighty wine has strong, vibrant, peachy, slightly spicy flavours. Scented, with excellent intensity and harmony, it’s an ideal, all-purpose, dryish wine, offering delicious drinking from now onwards. $22
Comments Off on Coopers Creek SV The Little Rascal Gisborne Arneis 2017 / 0 View / May 1, 2019
Posted: May 1, 2019
Already drinking well, this is a good example of ‘fruit-driven’ chardonnay. Fresh and vibrant, it is full-bodied, with ripe, peachy, citrusy flavours to the fore, a very subtle seasoning of oak, and very good depth and harmony. Priced sharply. $16
Comments Off on Villa Maria Private Bin East Coast Chardonnay 2018 / 0 View / May 1, 2019
Posted: May 1, 2019
Offering great value, this is a softly mouthfilling wine, with very satisfying depth of fresh, ripe, peachy, slightly toasty flavour, gentle acidity, a slightly creamy texture and a smooth finish. A typical regional style, it’s enjoyable young. (From Villa Maria.)…
Comments Off on Thornbury Gisborne Chardonnay 2018 / 0 View / May 1, 2019
Posted: May 1, 2019
Partly barrel-fermented, this wine offers good value. Light lemon/green, it is full-bodied, with very good depth of peachy, slightly toasty flavours, and fresh acidity keeping things lively. Drink now or cellar. $18
Comments Off on Coopers Creek Gisborne Chardonnay 2017 / 0 View / May 1, 2019
Posted: May 1, 2019
This softly seductive wine is from a warm growing season. Tank-fermented and given a full malolactic fermentation, it is weighty and sweet-fruited, in a classic regional style with generous, ripe, stonefruit flavours and a fresh, well-rounded finish. Very forward in…
Comments Off on Matawhero Single Vineyard Gisborne Chardonnay 2018 / 0 View / May 1, 2019
Posted: May 1, 2019
Full of northern warmth, while retaining freshness, this attractive wine was fermented and matured in French oak casks (partly new). Light yellow/green, it has a mature bouquet, leading into a fleshy, ripe, well-rounded palate with balanced acidity and generous, peachy…
Comments Off on Karikari Estate Calypso Chardonnay 2015 / 0 View / May 1, 2019
Posted: May 1, 2019
Crafted deliberately in the ‘full-on’ style popular in the 1980s, this wine was fermented in American oak barrels (30% new) and given a full, softening malolactic fermentation. Bright, light yellow/green, it is fragrant, with fresh, strong, peachy, toasty flavours, showing…
Comments Off on Coopers Creek SV Big & Buttery Gisborne Chardonnay 2017 / 0 View / May 1, 2019
Posted: May 1, 2019
This is a classic Gisborne regional style – rich and rounded. Fermented in old oak barrels and given a full, softening malolactic fermentation, it is full-bodied and creamy-textured, with generous, ripe, stonefruit flavours, showing good complexity, and a very smooth,…
Comments Off on Matawhero Church House Barrel-Fermented Gisborne Chardonnay 2017 / 0 View / May 1, 2019
Posted: May 1, 2019
This very elegant, youthful wine was estate-grown at Mangere, in South Auckland, and fermented and matured for 10 months in French oak barriques (31% new). Fragrant, with slightly smoky aromas, it is tightly structured, with deep, vibrant, grapefruit-like flavours, enriched…
Comments Off on Villa Maria Single Vineyard Ihumatao Chardonnay 2017 / 0 View / May 1, 2019
Posted: May 1, 2019
Already delicious, but well worth cellaring, this classy wine was fermented and matured for 10 months in French oak barriques (50% new). A refined, youthful wine, it is full-bodied and sweet-fruited, with concentrated, peachy, citrusy flavours, seasoned with biscuity oak,…
Comments Off on Villa Maria Reserve Barrique Fermented Gisborne Chardonnay 2017 / 0 View / May 1, 2019