Posted: November 7, 2018
A drink-young charmer, this is a medium-bodied blend with fullish colour and fresh, berryish flavours. Fruity and smooth, it’s a very easy-drinking style. Best 2019. $18
Comments Off on Waimea Cabernet Franc/ Nelson Syrah 2017 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Still lively, this medium-bodied wine is crisp and ripely herbaceous, with tropical fruit flavours showing good depth. (From Waimea Estates). $15 (UK)
Comments Off on Spinyback Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2017 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Ripely herbaceous, very youthful wine, pale lemon/green, with lively acidity and tropical fruit flavours to the fore, fresh and dry. Best drinking 2019+. (From Waimea Estates). $15 (UK)
Comments Off on Spinyback Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2018 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Offering easy summer drinking, this is an aromatic, medium-bodied, buoyantly fruity wine with an array of fruit flavours – citrus, apple, passionfruit – and a dryish finish. (From Waimea Estates). $15 (UK)
Comments Off on Spinyback Nelson Pinot Gris 2018 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Priced sharply, this is a pale, freshly aromatic wine. Medium-bodied, it is lively, with decent depth of ripely herbaceous flavours and lots of drink-young appeal. $14 (US)
Comments Off on Saveé Sea Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2018 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
This fresh, medium-bodied wine was hand-picked at two sites and mostly handled in tanks; 22 per cent of the blend was barrel-fermented and lees-stirred weekly. A restrained style, it has good depth of vibrant, citrusy, slightly appley flavours. $23 (A,…
Comments Off on Domain Road Central Otago Bannockburn Sauvignon Blanc 2016 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
This pale pink, gently aromatic wine was blended from pinot noir and pinot gris. Light to medium-bodied, it has fresh strawberry and spice flavours, with a hint of apricot and a dryish finish. (From Two Rivers). $18 (A, UK, US)
Comments Off on Black Cottage Marlborough Rosé 2018 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
This ‘blanc de noir’ is a very pale pink wine, made from estate-grown, hand-harvested pinot noir. Offering very easy drinking, it is fresh and smooth, in an off-dry style with vibrant, peachy, spicy flavours, showing very good delicacy and depth….
Comments Off on Wooing Tree Blondie Central Otago 2018 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Ruby hued, with a hint of development, this is a mouthfilling, supple red, with cherry, plum and spice flavours that flow to a very smooth finish. Ready to roll. $22 (UK)
Comments Off on Waimea Nelson Pinot Noir 2016 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Drinking well now, this fragrant, light lemon/green wine has youthful pear and lychee flavours, finely balanced and showing very good depth. $18 (A, UK)
Comments Off on Waimea Nelson Pinot Gris 2017 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Full-bodied and smooth, this is a drink-young charmer. Deep ruby, it is vibrantly fruity, with a slightly earthy streak and generous, cherryish, plummy flavours. $25
Comments Off on Summerhouse Central Otago Pinot Noir 2017 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Invitingly scented, this bright, light, lemon/green wine is a slightly sweet style, with good depth of citrusy, gently spicy flavours, finely balanced for easy drinking. Good drinking this summer. (From Waimea Estates). $15 (UK)
Comments Off on Spinyback Nelson Riesling 2017 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Enjoyable young, this is a vibrant, fruit-driven style, sweet-fruited, with fresh, generous, berryish flavours to the fore, a restrained oak influence and gentle tannins. Best drinking mid-2019+. $25
Comments Off on Rapaura Springs Reserve Marlborough Pinot Noir 2017 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Instantly appealing, this is a freshly scented wine with mouthfilling body and good depth of pear, peach and spice flavours, dryish and lively. $18
Comments Off on Black Cottage Marlborough Pinot Gris 2018 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Enjoyable now, this bright ruby, fragrant, sweet-fruited red is a moderately complex style, with very good flavour depth and a well-rounded finish. $30 (A, UK, US)
Comments Off on Awatere River by Louis Vavasour Marlborough Pinot Noir 2016 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Freshly scented, this is a very easy-drinking, medium to full-bodied wine with dryish peach, pear and spice flavours, showing good delicacy and depth. $16 (A, UK, US)
Comments Off on Anna’s Way Marlborough Pinot Gris 2017 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Hard to resist in its infancy, this Central Otago pinot noir was late harvested and stop-fermented with 146 grams/litre of residual sugar. Pale red, it is deliciously fruity, sweet and smooth, with rich, berryish, plummy flavours. A distinctive wine, it’s…
Comments Off on Wooing Tree Tickled Pink (375ml) 2018 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Looking good for this summer, this vivacious rosé was made from estate-grown pinot noir. Bright pink, it is full-bodied, with strong, vibrant, strawberryish, spicy flavours, finely balanced for easy drinking. $27 (A)
Comments Off on Wooing Tree Central Otago Rosé 2018 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Fragrant and full-bodied, this Cromwell Basin wine was hand-picked and mostly tank-fermented; 26% of the blend was fermented in seasoned French oak barrels. Made in an off-dry style, it is weighty, with vibrant pear, lychee and spice flavours, showing excellent…
Comments Off on Wooing Tree Central Otago Pinot Gris 2018 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Drinking well now, this is a weighty, fleshy, light lemon/green wine, with good concentration of tropical fruit flavours and a dry finish. $18 (A, UK)
Comments Off on Waimea Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2017 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Delicious young, this bright, light yellow/green wine is a lush, medium-dry style. It has rich, citrusy, peachy, limey flavours, a hint of honey, and a fragrant bouquet. $18 (UK)
Comments Off on Waimea Nelson Riesling 2017 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Attractively perfumed, this full-bodied wine has strong pear, lychee and spice flavours, gentle sweetness and acidity, and excellent harmony. $22 (UK)
Comments Off on Waimea Nelson Gewurztraminer 2017 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Drinking well now but also worth cellaring, this is a full-bodied, sweet-fruited wine, bright, light lemon/green, with generous, stonefruit flavours to the fore and considerable complexity. Good value. $22 (UK)
Comments Off on Waimea Nelson Chardonnay 2016 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Offering good value, this blend of Pisa (50%), Bendigo (39%) and Gibbston (11%) grapes was matured in seasoned French oak barrels. Full-coloured, it is mouthfilling and fruit-packed, with strong, plummy, spicy flavours, gentle tannins and lots of drink-young charm. Best…
Comments Off on Saddleback Central Otago Pinot Noir 2017 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Drinking well now, this vibrant, medium-bodied wine was fermented in a 2:1 mix of tanks and French oak barrels. Light lemon/green, it has crisp, dry, tropical fruit and herbaceous flavours, with a gentle seasoning of oak adding complexity, and excellent…
Comments Off on Rockburn Central Otago Sauvignon Blanc 2016 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
This hand-harvested, single-vineyard wine has punchy aromas. Medium-bodied, it is vibrantly fruity, with good intensity of tropical fruit and herbaceous flavours, threaded with appetising acidity. $22
Comments Off on Riwaka River Estate Resurgence Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2017 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Drinking well now, this single-vineyard red has a fragrant, savoury, slightly herbal bouquet. Deep ruby, it is full-bodied and smooth, with very satisfying depth of cherry, plum, spice and nut flavours, showing good complexity. $35
Comments Off on Riwaka River Estate Resurgence Nelson Pinot Noir 2015 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
A ‘full-on’ style, this Northland wine was hand-harvested and fermented and matured in French oak barriques. Pale straw, it is weighty and creamy-textured, with rich, peachy, buttery, toasty flavours. $40
Comments Off on Marsden Bay of Islands Black Rocks Chardonnay 2017 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Full of drink-young charm, this single-vineyard wine was hand-picked and fermented to near dryness. Bright pink, it is very fresh and lively, with delicate plum and strawberry flavours, finely balanced and vivacious. $25
Comments Off on Maori Point Central Otago Pinot Noir Rosé 2018 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Pungently aromatic, this is a tangy, medium-bodied wine with penetrating passionfruit and lime flavours. Vibrantly fruity and tightly structured, it’s still very youthful, but offers good drinking during 2019. (From Pegasus Bay). $21 (A, UK)
Comments Off on Main Divide North Canterbury Sauvignon Blanc 2018 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
This fresh, vivacious rosé is a blend of pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. Light pink, it is vibrantly fruity, with strawberry and spice flavours, threaded with appetising acidity, and a dry, lingering finish. (From Pegasus Bay). $21 (A)
Comments Off on Main Divide North Canterbury Rosé 2018 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
This highly scented, vibrant wine was hand-picked at two Bannockburn sites. Pale lemon/green, it is light to medium-bodied, with grapefruit-like flavours, hints of apples and peaches, good intensity and a dryish finish. $25 (A, UK)
Comments Off on Domain Road The Water Race Central Otago Bannockburn Dry Riesling 2016 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Pale and perfumed, this youthful, single-vineyard wine was mostly handled in tanks; 14 per cent of the blend was barrel-fermented. Mouthfilling, with fresh pear and lychee aromas, it is vividly varietal, with very good delicacy, depth and harmony. Open mid-2019+….
Comments Off on Domain Road Defiance Central Otago Bannockburn Pinot Gris 2018 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Delicious from the start, this pinot noir-based rosé is freshly scented, with an inviting, light pink hue. Vibrantly fruity, it has gentle strawberry, peach, apricot and spice flavours, dryish and finely poised. $25 (A)
Comments Off on Domain Road Central Otago Bannockburn Rosé 2018 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Offering very good value, this fresh, medium-bodied wine is crisp and vigorous, with strong, ripely herbaceous flavours that linger well. $16
Comments Off on Awatere River by Louis Vavasour Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2017 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Drinking well now, this pale, freshly scented, vibrantly fruity wine has good delicacy and drive, with clearly varietal flavours of pears and lychees, hints of peaches and spices, and a dryish finish. $19 (A, UK, UK)
Comments Off on Awatere River by Louis Vavasour Marlborough Pinot Gris 2017 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Still youthful, this North Canterbury wine is finely textured and perfumed. Weighty, with ripe, citrusy, spicy flavours, showing a touch of complexity, and excellent depth, it should be at its best 2020+. $26
Comments Off on Ataahua Waipara Gewurztraminer 2016 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Certified organic, this highly attractive North Canterbury red was hand-picked, fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured for 11 months in French oak casks (25% new). Bright ruby, it is fragrant, full-bodied and sweet-fruited, with generous cherry, plum and spice flavours,…
Comments Off on Terrace Edge Waipara Valley Pinot Noir 2016 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Instantly appealing, this tank-fermented wine is a blend of Bendigo (39%), Pisa (34%) and Gibbston (27%) grapes. Briefly lees-aged, it is intensely varietal, with mouthfilling body, vibrant, concentrated pear, peach and lychee flavours, fractional sweetness, finely balanced acidity and a…
Comments Off on Saddleback Central Otago Pinot Gris 2018 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Still unfolding, this is a blend of Bendigo (62%) and Pisa (38%) fruit, hand-harvested and partly barrel-fermented (10%). Bright, light lemon/green, it is a mouthfilling, dryish wine with strong, fresh, peachy, spicy flavours, showing a distinct touch of complexity, and…
Comments Off on Peregrine Central Otago Pinot Gris 2017 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Full of personality, this is a gently botrytis-influenced, medium style, drinking well now. Bright yellow, with a slightly honeyed fragrance, it is weighty, with concentrated, well-ripened peach and apricot flavours, spicy, honeyed notes and a rich, slightly sweet, very harmonious…
Comments Off on Main Divide North Canterbury Pinot Gris 2016 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Delicious now, this is a medium style, hand-picked at two sites. Light lemon/green, with slightly toasty, bottle-aged notes emerging, it is vibrantly fruity, with penetrating, citrusy, appley, slightly sweet flavours, finely poised and long. $25 (A)
Comments Off on Domain Road Duffers Creek Central Otago Bannockburn Riesling 2016 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Richly scented, with a citrusy, slightly honeyed bouquet, this is a medium-bodied, gently sweet style. Peachy and citrusy, with a hint of passionfruit, balanced acidity and excellent intensity, it should blossom with cellaring; open 2020+. $26
Comments Off on Ataahua Waipara Riesling 2017 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Here’s proof that you can make excellent merlot in the South Island. Hand-picked from 20 year-old vines and barrel-aged for over a year, it has deep, moderately youthful colour. Sturdy, it’s a powerful wine with well-ripened plum, red berry and…
Comments Off on Ataahua Waipara Merlot 2015 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
This is a rare beast – a memorable sauvignon blanc from Central Otago. A single-vineyard wine, estate-grown at Parkburn and barrel-fermented with indigenous yeasts, it is fragrant, weighty, concentrated and complex, with deep, ripely herbaceous flavours and a well-rounded, lasting…
Comments Off on Rockburn Central Otago Fume Blanc 2015 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Still very youthful, this refined red is a blend of Bendigo (45%), Pisa (47%) and Gibbston (8%) fruit. Barrel-aged for 10 months, it is deep ruby and attractively scented, with strong, vibrant cherry/plum flavours, oak complexity, impressive delicacy and a…
Comments Off on Peregrine Central Otago Pinot Noir 2016 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Delicious now, this single-vineyard wine was hand-harvested, fermented with indigenous yeasts to full dryness in French oak barrels, and wood-aged for two years. Pink/pale orange, it is full-bodied, in a ‘serious’ style that is maturing very gracefully. Showing unusual complexity…
Comments Off on Maori Point Barrel Reserve Central Otago Pinot Noir Rosé 2016 / 0 View / November 7, 2018
Posted: November 7, 2018
Still a baby, this estate-grown, Gibbston red was hand-picked and matured in French oak casks (40% new). Floral and deeply coloured, it is sweet-fruited, with fine-grained tannins and bold red berry, plum, spice and dried herb flavours. Best drinking 2021+….
Comments Off on Coal Pit Tiwha Central Otago Pinot Noir 2017 / 0 View / November 7, 2018