Posted: March 7, 2023
Drinking well in its youth, but also worth cellaring, this full-coloured, savoury red has a fragrant, spicy bouquet. Mouthfilling and supple, it has excellent depth of ripe plum, black pepper and nutty oak flavours, showing very good complexity and harmony….
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2020 / 0 View / March 7, 2023
Posted: November 2, 2022
This elegant, very youthful red was grown at three sites in the Bridge Pa Triangle (74%) and the Gimblett Gravels (26%), and aged for 17 months in French oak barriques (27% new). Deeply coloured, with a fragrant, floral bouquet, it…
Comments Off on Church Road Grand Reserve Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2020 / 0 View / November 2, 2022
Posted: November 2, 2022
Full of potential, this lush, sweet-fruited red was estate-grown in the Bridge Pa Triangle, matured in French oak casks (27% new), and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Deeply coloured, it is full-bodied, youthful and sweet-fruited, with concentrated blackcurrant, plum and spice…
Comments Off on Church Road 1 Single Vineyard Redstone Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2020 / 0 View / November 2, 2022
Posted: November 2, 2022
Set for a long life, this powerful, youthful red was matured for 18 months in French oak barrels, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Dark and purple-flushed, it has ripe blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, fresh, concentrated, nutty and complex, and…
Comments Off on Church Road Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2020 / 0 View / November 2, 2022
Posted: November 2, 2022
This dense, very ageworthy red was matured in Hungarian and French oak casks (29% new), and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Deeply coloured, it is mouthfilling, with rich blackcurrant, plum, spice and nut flavours, oak complexity and refined tannins. A classy…
Comments Off on Church Road 1 Single Vineyard Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 / 0 View / November 2, 2022
Posted: November 2, 2022
This bold, vibrant, lush red was matured in French oak casks (44% new), and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Dark and purple-flushed, it has rich plum, red berry, spice and nut flavours, a hint of liquorice, gentle tannins and obvious potential…
Comments Off on Church Road 1 Single Vineyard Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2020 / 0 View / November 2, 2022
Posted: November 2, 2022
Bright pink, this fresh, lively wine is medium-bodied, with strong berry, watermelon, peach and strawberry flavours, and a slightly spicy, dry finish. It’s drinking well now. $25
Comments Off on Church Road Gwen Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2021 / 0 View / November 2, 2022
Posted: November 2, 2022
This lush, full-bodied dessert wine was estate-grown at Matapiro, hand-harvested, and fermented with indigenous yeasts in French and Hungarian oak casks. Golden, it is highly fragrant, with concentrated, peachy, gently honeyed flavours, an oily texture, and lovely complexity and harmony….
Comments Off on Church Road Grand Reserve Noble Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2021 / 0 View / November 2, 2022
Posted: November 2, 2022
This youthful, mostly hand-harvested wine was fermented with indigenous yeasts in French oak barrels. Bright, light yellow/green, it is mouthfilling, with concentrated, peachy, toasty flavours, showing very good complexity, and fresh acidity. Best drinking 2024+. $25
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2021 / 0 View / November 2, 2022
Posted: November 2, 2022
Unfolding gracefully, this is a great buy. Hand-harvested and barrel-fermented, it is a powerful, youthful wine with mouthfilling body, fresh acidity and concentrated stonefruit flavours, toasty and complex. Showing lovely richness, vigour and harmony, it should be at its best…
Comments Off on Church Road Grand Reserve Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2020 / 0 View / November 2, 2022
Posted: November 2, 2022
Still a baby, this tightly structured wine was estate-grown in the Tuki Tuki Valley, and fermented and matured in French oak casks (30% new). Bright, light yellow/green, with a fragrant, smoky bouquet, it is mouthfilling, with peachy, citrusy, toasty flavours,…
Comments Off on Church Road 1 Single Vineyard Terraces Chardonnay 2021 / 0 View / November 2, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
Bargain-priced, this full-coloured red has a perfumed, spicy bouquet. Mouthfilling, it is strongly varietal, with plummy, peppery flavours, showing excellent depth, savoury notes adding complexity, supple tannins and a finely poised finish. Best drinking mid-2023+. $21
Comments Off on Church Road Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2020 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
Offering great value, this merlot-dominated blend (92%) was grown mostly in the Bridge Pa Triangle and oak-aged for a year. Full-coloured and fragrant, it is mouthfilling and sweet-fruited, with rich, well-ripened blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, a hint of liquorice,…
Comments Off on Church Road Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
Well worth cellaring, this youthful, single-vineyard red was hand-harvested at Lowburn, French oak-aged for 16 months, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Full, bright ruby, it is mouthfilling and savoury, with strong, ripe cherry and spice flavours, seasoned with nutty oak,…
Comments Off on Church Road Grand Reserve Central Otago Pinot Noir 2019 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
Bright pink, this is a full-bodied style of rosé. Drinking well now, it has strong red berry, peach, strawberry, apricot and spice flavours, with a touch of tannin and a fresh, slightly off-dry finish. $19
Comments Off on Church Road Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2021 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
This distinctive wine is from chardonnay, hand-picked in a cool, coastal vineyard. Elegant, vigorous and tightly structured, it is aromatic, with very good intensity of youthful, citrusy, yeasty, complex flavours, crisp, dry and lingering. $45
Comments Off on Church Road Méthode Traditionnelle Hawke’s Bay Blanc de Blanc 2017 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
Rich, rounded and ready, this characterful, single-vineyard wine was estate-grown in the Bridge Pa Triangle and matured for 10 months in French oak barrels. Bright, light yellow/green, it is full-bodied and fleshy, with generous, ripe stonefruit flavours, a hint of…
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Viognier 2019 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
Estate-grown principally in the cool, inland Matapiro district, this bright, light lemon/green wine is aromatic and full-bodied. It has good intensity of vibrant, ripe, passionfruit and lime flavours, crisp and dry. $19
Comments Off on Church Road Hawke’s Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2021 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
Drinking well now, this is a medium-bodied, subtle style of pinot gris. Estate-grown at Matapiro, it is fresh and lively, with strong pear, peach and spice flavours, gentle acidity and a fully dry finish. $25
Comments Off on Church Road Gwen Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2020 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
Slightly honeyed, this bright, light lemon/green is weighty, rich and slightly sweet, in the classic style of Alsace. Already delicious, it has a distinct touch of complexity and concentrated, peachy, spicy flavours. Best drinking 2023+. $25
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2021 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
Already delicious, this Alsace-style wine was estate-grown in the relatively cool, elevated, inland Matapiro Vineyard. Attractively scented, it is sturdy and vibrantly fruity, with rich, ripe peach and pear flavours, a touch of sweetness, gentle acidity, and loads of drink-young…
Comments Off on Church Road Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2021 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
Bargain-priced and ‘unashamedly just a little bit old school’, this wine is given a full, softening malolactic fermentation. Fresh and full-bodied, it is sweet-fruited, with generous stonefruit flavours, showing good complexity, and a well-rounded finish. Already enjoyable, it should be…
Comments Off on Church Road Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2021 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
Offering fine value, this flavour-packed wine was hand-picked and fermented with indigenous yeasts in French oak barrels. Bright, light yellow/green, it is full-bodied, with strong, vibrant, peachy flavours, toasty, savoury notes adding complexity and a lingering finish. Best mid-2023+. $25
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2020 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
Crafted as an ‘elegant’ style with moderate alcohol (12.5% by vol), this subtle, Chablis-like wine was hand-picked earlier than most chardonnays from Church Road. Bright, light lemon/green, it is mouthfilling and vibrant, with youthful, citrusy, peachy flavours, showing good intensity…
Comments Off on Church Road Gwen Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2020 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
Probably at its peak, this lively, characterful red is from a variety cultivated in the north of Italy. Estate-grown in the Bridge Pa Triangle, it was matured for 14 months in French oak casks (21% new). Full-coloured, it is mouthfilling,…
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Marzemino 2018 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
Maturing well, this savoury, supple red was estate-grown in the Bridge Pa Triangle and aged for 14 months in French oak barrels (25% new). Full-coloured, it is sweet-fruited, with generous, ripe berry, spice and nut flavours, oak complexity and supple…
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Tempranillo 2018 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
This classy, concentrated red avoids the rusticity often seen in New Zealand malbecs. Matured in French oak casks (41% new), it was bottled unfined and unfiltered. Fragrant, with dense, purple-flushed colour, it is mouthfilling and vibrant, with very youthful blackcurrant,…
Comments Off on Church Road 1 Single Vineyard Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Malbec 2020 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
Maturing well, this powerful red was grown in the Gimblett Gravels (principally) and the Bridge Pa Triangle, blended with malbec (14%), and matured for 18 months in French and Hungarian oak barrels (22% new). Dark and invitingly fragrant, it is…
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2019 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
This highly fragrant, powerful, savoury red was estate-grown in the Bridge Pa Triangle. Deeply coloured and still purple-flushed, it is mouthfilling, sweet-fruited and supple, with concentrated plum and spice flavours, oak complexity, and a finely textured, long, spicy finish. Drink…
Comments Off on Church Road Grand Reserve Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2019 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
This delicious young red is perfumed and graceful. Estate-grown in the Bridge Pa Triangle, it was matured in French oak casks (28% new). Dark and rich, it has lush blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, a hint of liquorice, nutty oak…
Comments Off on Church Road 1 Single Vineyard Syrah 2019 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
Developing a Bordeaux-like complexity with age, this deeply coloured, elegant, harmonious red is drinking well now. Full-bodied and fleshy, it has ripe blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, fresh acidity, savoury notes adding complexity, supple tannins and a long finish. Fine…
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2017 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
This powerful, lush wine is already delicious. Dark and youthful, it is concentrated, with vibrant blackcurrant, plum, spice and nutty oak flavours, showing excellent ripeness and complexity, good tannin backbone and a long, very harmonious finish. Best drinking 2024+. $40
Comments Off on Church Road Grand Reserve Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
This powerful, weighty, lush red was estate-grown in the Bridge Pa Triangle and matured in French oak casks (41% new). Boldly coloured, it is a robust, very ripe style, with bold berry, plum and spice flavours, a hint of liquorice,…
Comments Off on Church Road 1 Single Vineyard Redstone Merlot 2019 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
Estate-grown in the Bridge Pa Triangle, this full-coloured, generous red is mouthfilling, with deep, ripe plum and spice flavours to the fore, hints of blackcurrants and herbs, and a smooth finish. Drink now onwards. $28
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
This powerful, youthful red was estate-grown in the Bridge Pa Triangle and matured in French oak barriques (55% new). Dark, sturdy and savoury, it is a bold style of cabernet sauvignon, with dense blackcurrant, plum, spice, liquorice and nut flavours,…
Comments Off on Church Road 1 Single Vineyard Redstone Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
Light pink, with a hint of orange, this merlot-based rosé is still fresh and lively. Probably at its peak, it is medium-bodied, with very good depth of peachy, spicy, slightly strawberryish flavours, and a dry finish. $25
Comments Off on Church Road Gwen Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2020 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
Still youthful, this powerful, yet elegant and tightly structured wine was grown in the lower Tuki Tuki Valley and fermented and matured in French oak casks (27% new). Bright, light yellow/green, with a fragrant, slightly smoky, complex bouquet, it is…
Comments Off on Church Road 1 Single Vineyard Terraces Chardonnay 2019 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
A classic example of the region’s wood-aged sauvignon blancs, this wine was hand-harvested, fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in seasoned oak barrels. Ripely scented and mouthfilling, it has rich, tropical fruit flavours, gently seasoned with oak, good complexity, balanced…
Comments Off on Church Road Road McDonald Series Barrel Fermented Hawke’s Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2019 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: May 12, 2022
Still unfolding, this wine was estate-grown, mostly in the Bridge Pa Triangle, hand-harvested and fermented with indigenous yeasts in French oak barrels (20% new). Fragrant, it is a bright, light yellow/green, weighty, sweet-fruited and complex wine, with rich, ripe, tropical…
Comments Off on Church Road Grand Reserve Barrel Fermented Hawke’s Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2019 / 0 View / May 12, 2022
Posted: December 2, 2021
From a variety cultivated in northern Italy, this attractive, easy-drinking red was estate-grown in the Redstone Vineyard, in the Bridge Pa Triangle, and matured for over a year in French oak casks (21% new). Deep and youthful in colour, it…
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Marzemino Hawke’s Bay 2018 / 0 View / December 2, 2021
Posted: December 2, 2021
Set for a long life, this classy red is more elegant, less rustic than many malbecs grown in New Zealand. Matured in French (mostly) and Hungarian oak barrels (38% new), it is a powerful wine, dark and full-bodied, with dense,…
Comments Off on Church Road 1 Single Vineyard Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Malbec 2017 / 0 View / December 2, 2021
Posted: December 2, 2021
Estate-grown in the Redstone Vineyard, in the Bridge Pa Triangle, this good value red includes malbec (10%) and merlot (3%). Deep and youthful in colour, it is sturdy and supple, with rich blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, hints of herbs…
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 / 0 View / December 2, 2021
Posted: December 2, 2021
This elegant, youthful red was estate-grown in the Bridge Pa Triangle and matured for 18 months in French oak barriques (34% new). Deeply coloured, it is mouthfilling, with blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, showing excellent density, nutty, savoury notes adding…
Comments Off on Church Road 1 Single Vineyard Redstone Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 / 0 View / December 2, 2021
Posted: December 2, 2021
This fragrant, savoury, smooth-flowing red is a blend of cabernet sauvignon (68%), estate-grown in the Redstone Vineyard, in the Bridge Pa Triangle, with merlot (24%) and malbec (8%), grown in the Gimblett Gravels. French oak-aged for 20 months, it is…
Comments Off on Church Road Grand Reserve Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2018 / 0 View / December 2, 2021
Posted: December 2, 2021
This youthful, medium-bodied red is deeply coloured, with a fresh, spicy bouquet. It has strong plum, spice and black pepper flavours, woven with fresh acidity, and an almost pinot noir-ish charm. $21
Comments Off on Church Road Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2019 / 0 View / December 2, 2021
Posted: December 2, 2021
Well worth cellaring, this perfumed, vigorous, smooth-flowing red was estate-grown in the Bridge Pa Triangle and matured in French oak casks (36% new). Full-coloured, it has good density of plum and spice flavours, a hint of liquorice, fresh acidity and…
Comments Off on Church Road 1 Single Vineyard Syrah 2018 / 0 View / December 2, 2021
Posted: December 2, 2021
A top buy, this dark, floral red was grown in the Gimblett Gravels (principally) and the Bridge Pa Triangle, blended with malbec (14%), and matured for 18 months in French and Hungarian oak barrels (22% new). Still purple-flushed, with a…
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2019 / 0 View / December 2, 2021
Posted: December 2, 2021
This is a powerful, very age-worthy red, dark and rich. Estate-grown in the Bridge Pa Triangle (mostly) and the Gimblett Gravels, it was matured for 20 months in French and Hungarian oak barrels (33% new). Fragrant and fresh, it has…
Comments Off on Church Road Grand Reserve Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2018 / 0 View / December 2, 2021
Posted: December 2, 2021
Still very youthful, this blend of merlot (92%) and cabernet sauvignon (8%) was grown mostly in the Bridge Pa Triangle and matured for a year in Hungarian and French oak (35% new). Full-coloured, it is mouthfilling and sweet-fruited, with generous,…
Comments Off on Church Road Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 / 0 View / December 2, 2021
Posted: December 2, 2021
Distinctly reminiscent of red Bordeaux, this fleshy, very harmonious red is dark and full-bodied, with vibrant blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, impressively complex and savoury, and supple, fine-grained tannins. Drink now or cellar. $28
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2017 / 0 View / December 2, 2021