Posted: April 4, 2017
Leaner greener style; hints of sage on the nose. Firm tannic palate. Good fruit sweetness, some pepper and nice acidity.
Comments Off on Nepenthe Winemaker’s Selection Shiraz Viognier 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Big toasty oak driven style – but very well done with great honeyed notes to the nose and a lovely palate structure with rich fruit and toasty oak flavours.
Comments Off on McGuigan The Shortlist Chardonnay 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Delicate fruit fragrances and a chalky tannin palate showing nice level of fruit. Good food wine.
Comments Off on Nepenthe Pinnacle The Good Doctor Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Cherry cola nose with sweet rhubarb fruit on a soft approachable palate.
Comments Off on Nepenthe Altitude Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Savory chocolate nose has a menthol thread. Good tannic grip to the elegant palate with oak kept in balance.
Comments Off on Nepenthe Altitude Tempranillo 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Pleasant dark ripe fruit fragrances and a well balanced bright soft varietal palate.
Comments Off on Hahndorf Hill Winery Compatriots Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
A firm and quite tannic shiraz that has some lovely dark savory fruit characters nicely balanced by the vanilla oak..
Comments Off on Hahndorf Hill Winery Shiraz 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Attractive toasty yeasty aromas and flavoursome toasty palate with honeyed sweet accents and a long drying finish.
Comments Off on Anderson Hill Lenswood Celebrating 40 Years Sparkling Chardonnay 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
A big rich and attractive old fashioned ripe peach/melon style. Nice use of oak.
Comments Off on Fox Gordon The Empress Chardonnay 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Interesting savory nose showing cola like development. Simple, slightly sweet cherry/berry flavours balanced by crunchy acidity.
Comments Off on Fox Gordon The Dark Prince Nero D’Avola 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
From a hillside vineyard in Northland, this youthful wine is mouthfilling and rounded, with ripe peach, apple and pear flavours. It’s not a complex style, but shows good freshness, vigour and depth.
Comments Off on Longview Estate Unoaked Chardonnay 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Crafted for easy drinking, this is a medium to full-bodied wine, gently sweet, with ripe, peachy, slightly spicy flavours, showing good depth. It’s enjoyable now.
Comments Off on Brancott Estate Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
A fruit-driven style, this blend of merlot (79%) and cabernet sauvignon (21%) was ‘aged with premium French oak’. Full-coloured, it is mouthfilling, with some savoury complexity and very good depth of fresh plum, blackcurrant and spice flavours. Best drinking mid-2016+.
Comments Off on Sacred Hill Reserve Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Fragrant, mouthfilling and supple, this deeply coloured red is sweet-fruited, with generous plum and spice flavours, ripe and smooth. Enjoyable young, it offers fine value.
Comments Off on Brancott Estate Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
This Northland wine is weighty and fleshy, with ripe stonefruit flavours, seasoned with toasty oak. Made in an upfront style, it is creamy-textured, with very good body, complexity and depth.
Comments Off on Bent Duck Bay of Islands Chardonnay 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Certified organic, this is a mouthfilling wine with youthful, citrusy flavours, hints of apples, pears and spices, and a dryish, tightly structured finish. Still youthful, it should be at its best mid-2016+.
Comments Off on Aurum Central Otago Pinot Gris 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
This deeply coloured red was hand-picked and barrel-aged. A mouthfilling, generous wine, it has concentrated plum, pepper and spice flavours, in a clearly varietal style with gentle tannins and lots of drink-young appeal.
Comments Off on Sacred Hill Halo Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Drinking well in its youth, this fleshy, supple red was grown at Bannockburn. Full, bright ruby, it is attractively scented, with mouthfilling body, very ripe cherry, plum and spice flavours, a hint of licorice, and good complexity. A powerful wine,…
Comments Off on Invivo Michelle’s Central Otago Pinot Noir 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Already delicious, this deep ruby red is fragrant and supple, with fresh, generous cherry, plum and spice flavours. Matured in French oak barriques, it’s full of charm, with some aging potential.
Comments Off on Brightwater Vineyards Nelson Pinot Noir 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Already drinking well, this creamy-textured wine was fermented with indigenous yeasts and barrel-aged for 16 months. Light lemon/green, it has strong, citrusy, appley, slightly peachy flavours, showing good complexity, balanced acidity, and a rounded, lingering finish. Best 2016-17.
Comments Off on Aurum Central Otago Chardonnay 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Dark and youthful, this mouthfilling red has concentrated, well-ripened plum, spice and black pepper flavours. Vibrant, with good density and supple, fine-grained tannins, it’s well worth cellaring.
Comments Off on Obsidian Waiheke Island Syrah 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Weighty and concentrated, this youthful wine has rich, ripe stonefruit flavours, overlaid with biscuity, nutty oak (French, 40% new), and a creamy-smooth texture. Powerful, with northern warmth and roundness, it should be at its best mid-2016+.
Comments Off on Obsidian Reserve Waiheke Island Chardonnay 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
This elegant red was grown and hand-picked in the Gibbston (principally) and Bannockburn sub-regions. Full, bright ruby, it is fragrant and supple, with strong, ripe cherry and plum flavours, a hint of dried herbs, good complexity, and a finely textured…
Comments Off on Coal Pit Tiwha Central Otago Pinot Noir 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
This appetisingly crisp, mouthfilling wine has strong, ripely herbaceous flavours, showing a touch of bottle-aged complexity. Drinking well now but also ageworthy, it is sweet-fruited and tightly structured, with a lingering finish.
Comments Off on Brightwater Vineyards Lord Rutherford Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Finely textured, with a persistent finish, this is an instantly attractive wine. Hand-picked and made in a medium style (28 grams/litre residual sugar), it is still fresh and youthful, with concentrated, ripe peach, pear and spice flavours. Best drinking mid-2016+.
Comments Off on Brightwater Vineyards Lord Rutherford Nelson Pinot Gris 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Showing excellent cellaring potential, this deeply coloured red is mouthfilling, with youthful vigour and strong, ripe cherry, plum, spice and nut flavours. A stylish wine with integrated oak and good complexity, it should be at its best 2017+.
Comments Off on Bald Hills Single Vineyard Central Otago Bannockburn Pinot Noir 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Still very youthful, this deeply coloured red was estate-grown at Lowburn, barrel-matured for a year, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Mouthfilling and supple, it has concentrated, ripe plum, cherry and spice flavours, with finely integrated oak adding complexity, and obvious…
Comments Off on Aurum Central Otago Pinot Noir 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
This powerful, complex wine offers great value. Hand-harvested and barrel-fermented with indigenous yeasts, it has a highly fragrant, smoky bouquet, leading into a full-bodied wine with concentrated, ripe, grapefruit-like flavours, gently seasoned with biscuity, toasty oak. Creamy-textured, with a long,…
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Freshly scented, lively and tangy, this medium-bodied wine has intense lemon/lime flavours, a minerally streak and a finely poised, dryish, very long finish. Full of personality and potential, it’s certified organic.
Comments Off on Aurum Central Otago Riesling 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Looking for something completely different, made by ancient techniques? This amber-hued pinot gris, made with indigenous yeast fermentation and prolonged skin maceration, was barrique-aged for over a year, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Mouthfilling, it shows good complexity, with strong…
Comments Off on Aurum Amber Wine Central Otago 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Full-coloured, with good depth of fresh, youthful plum and red berry flavours, hints of herbs and sweet oak, and supple tannins. $17
Comments Off on Stoneleigh Marlborough Merlot 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Ruby hued, with fresh plum and red berry flavours, strong and smooth. Medium-bodied, fruit-driven style, ripe and rounded. $25
Comments Off on Vidal Reserve Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Easy-drinking style, ruby hued, with plum, cherry and spice flavours, some greener notes and a hint of oak. $23 (A, UK)
Comments Off on Saint Clair Vicar’s Choice Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Fresh and lively, with youthful cherry/plum flavours, toasty oak adding complexity and mouthfilling body. Slightly earthy and funky, with good texture and weight. $38
Comments Off on Saint Clair Pioneer Block 5 Bull Block Omaka Valley Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Fresh, vibrantly fruity and supple. Medium-bodied style with good depth of fresh, ripe, red fruit flavours, gentle tannins and some oak-derived complexity. $27 (A, UK)
Comments Off on Saint Clair Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Savoury, moderately complex style. Cherry, plum and spice flavours, with earthy, nutty notes and good depth. $40 (A, US)
Comments Off on Mount Riley Seventeen Valley Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Fresh, ruby-hued, medium-bodied style with plummy, sweet-fruit flavours and gentle tannins. Smooth, easy drinking. $22 (A, US)
Comments Off on Mount Riley Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Easy-drinking style, ruby hued, with fresh, vibrant berry and dried herb flavours, moderate complexity and a smooth finish. $25
Comments Off on Esk Valley Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Fragrant, medium-bodied style with cherry, plum and spice flavours, showing a touch of oak complexity, and good depth. $20
Comments Off on Dashwood Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Wairau Valley red with good depth of plummy, spicy, nutty flavours, showing a touch of complexity. ‘A little drying on the finish’, according to one judge, but another praised its ‘soft, long’ finish. $27 (A, US)
Comments Off on Ant Moore Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Mouthfilling, with a spicy, savoury bouquet and very good depth of plummy, spicy flavours. Complex, with hints of tamarillo and dried herbs. Worth cellaring. (Single-vineyard red from the Southern Valleys). $44
Comments Off on Saint Clair Omaka Reserve Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Deep ruby, with a fragrant, plummy, spicy bouquet, strong cherry, plum, dried herb and spice flavours, and good texture and harmony. $25
Comments Off on Coopers Creek SV Gibsons Run Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Fresh and finely balanced, with vibrant, ripe, red-fruit and spice flavours, showing a touch of complexity. Good value. $20 (A, UK, US)
Comments Off on Coopers Creek Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Deeply coloured, generous red with concentrated, youthful, plummy flavours and a tight, firm finish. (From Jackson Estate). $20 (A)
Comments Off on Shelter Bay Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Showing good personality, this is a sweet-fruited red with a smoky, savoury, oak-influenced bouquet (barrique-aged, 38 per cent new). Mouthfilling and supple, it has strong plum, spice and dried herb flavours, with some ‘funky’ notes adding complexity. $38 (US)
Comments Off on Saint Clair Pioneer Block 16 Awatere Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Weighty, generous, finely textured red, deeply coloured, with rich, ripe cherry/plum flavours, well-integrated oak and an invitingly fragrant bouquet. $38
Comments Off on Saint Clair Pioneer Block 10 Twin Hills Omaka Valley Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Ruby hued, with vibrant plum, cherry and spice flavours, showing good complexity. Savoury and slightly earthy style, with ripe, sweet-fruit flavours, good supporting oak and a lengthy finish. $33
Comments Off on Brancott Estate Letter Series T Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Deep ruby, with generous, ripe cherry, plum, spice and dried herb flavours. Fragrant and finely textured, with oak complexity and good structure and richness. $35
Comments Off on Babich Winemakers’ Reserve Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Fragrant, apricot-like bouquet. Peach and honey flavours, in a ripe, moderately sweet style, enriched by botrytis. $29 (A, UK)
Comments Off on Tupari Late Harvest Marlborough Riesling (375ml) 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Gently honeyed, faintly herbal bouquet, leading into a luscious wine with rich passionfruit, ginger and apricot-like flavours, woven with fresh acidity, excellent drive and depth through the palate, and a long, sweet finish. $36
Comments Off on Brancott Estate Letter Series B Late Harvest (375ml) Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2014 / 0 View / April 4, 2017