Posted: May 1, 2019
This very classy young Hawke’s Bay red was matured for 18 months in French oak barriques (54% new). Deeply coloured, with a fragrant, inviting bouquet, it is mouthfilling and sweet-fruited, but not heavy, with highly concentrated, red berry and plum…
Comments Off on Church Road 1 Single Vineyard Gimblett Gravels Merlot 2016 / 0 View / May 1, 2019
Posted: November 9, 2017
Very appealing blueberry and boysenberry with a hint of pepper and spice on the nose. Densely fruited but silky tannins give a charming textural edge to the fruit. Definitely concentrated but manages to retain a pretty floral edge. $45.00
Comments Off on Church Road Grand Reserve Hawke Bay Syrah 2015 / 0 View / November 9, 2017
Posted: November 9, 2017
Fruit slightly subdued at first but opens up in the glass to reveal some pretty doris plum and blueberry. A very ripe style, tannins are well judged and though they are fairly bold, they are well integrated. Excellent length. $28.00
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawke Bay Syrah 2015 / 0 View / November 9, 2017
Posted: November 9, 2017
Immense colour. Very youthful but nose packed with plum, blueberry, blackcurrant and wild raspberry. Exotic notes of sweet spice and liquorice, with enough stuffing to soak up the very pronounced oak. Despite being a huge wine, it retains charm and…
Comments Off on Church Road Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet 2015 / 0 View / November 9, 2017
Posted: November 9, 2017
A definite note of gunflint, struck match reduction with some ripe, white fleshed fruit lying beneath. Attractive red grapefruit too. Mouthwatering thread of acidity balances the creamy texture. Excellent length. Very impressive. $26.60
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Chardonnay 2016 / 0 View / November 9, 2017
Posted: November 9, 2017
A deeply coloured wine with aromas of ripe pear, apple and a touch of honey too. Massive wine; fairly sweet with touches of mango, grilled pineapple and honey. Big and luxurious, almost a late harvest style. $26.60
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Pinot Gris 2016 / 0 View / November 9, 2017
Posted: November 9, 2017
A barrel fermented sauvignon blanc with aromas of bran biscuit, cinnamon and nutmeg weaving through the fresh pear and red apple fruit. Bone dry with plenty of texture. A complex style of sauvignon done well. $26.60
Comments Off on Church Road Mc Donald Series Sauvignon Blanc 2016 / 0 View / November 9, 2017
Posted: November 9, 2017
Bold red cherry and plum aromas with a touch of blueberry creeping in. Creamy, raspberry ripple flavours, soft and appealing with an off dry finish. $19.95
Comments Off on Church Road Hawkes Bay Rosé 2017 / 0 View / November 9, 2017
Posted: November 9, 2017
This wine is sure to appeal to those who like a bold, barrel influenced style of sauvignon blanc. Quite a lot going on here; powerful, complex aromas of gunflint and struck match sit alongside those of ripe nectarine and citrus….
Comments Off on Church Road Grand Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2016 / 0 View / November 9, 2017
Posted: September 6, 2017
Bold cassis and plum fruit flavours are supported by quite a lot of new oak to give a full bodied, fairly chewy style of red.
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawkes Bay Tempranillo 2015 / 0 View / September 6, 2017
Posted: September 6, 2017
Red liquorice, smoked meat, raspberry and even a touch of pepper. Bold fruit flavours surrounded by chewy dense tannins. An unusual wine but curiously appealing.
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawkes Bay Marzemino 2015 / 0 View / September 6, 2017
Posted: September 6, 2017
Super bold, chewy and dense with masses blackcurrant and plum. Touches of star anise and graphite too. Not the most polished of wines but plenty of dense sweet fruit and a long finish.
Comments Off on Church Road Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 / 0 View / September 6, 2017
Posted: September 6, 2017
Beautiful, delicate aromatics swell from the glass. Loads of pepper on the palate but nicely integrated with the rich varietal fruit and tannins. Mouth-watering acidity and a lingering finish. 5+
Comments Off on Church Road Grand Reserve Hawkes Bay Syrah 2015 / 0 View / September 6, 2017
Posted: June 30, 2017
There was plenty of discussion over this wine. It is very dense; super ripe black fruits edging towards the plummy, fruitcake spectrum. A big, full throttle powerful palate packed with fruit, oak and tannin. A take no prisoners style that…
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawkes Bay Syrah 2015 / 0 View / June 30, 2017
Posted: June 30, 2017
Nose has ripe, rich plum/menthol complexity. Soft and sweet in the mouth. Still quite tannic with hints of chocolate. 3-5
Comments Off on Church Road Grand Reserve Hawkes Bay Cabernet Merlot 2013 / 0 View / June 30, 2017
Posted: June 30, 2017
A complex nose with an elegant and well balanced palate that has a tight acid finish.
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawkes Bay Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 / 0 View / June 30, 2017
Posted: June 9, 2017
Still very youthful, this is a sweet-fruited, full-bodied wine with concentrated, ripe, tropical fruit flavours, slightly creamy notes and a dry, tight finish.
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2014 / 0 View / June 9, 2017
Posted: June 9, 2017
Powerful, youthful blend of merlot (86%), cabernet sauvignon (9%) and malbec (5%), oak-aged for a year. Deep, bright colour, with substantial body (14.5% alc/vol) and bold, ripe blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, showing some complexity. Best drinking 2017+. A top…
Comments Off on Church Road Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec 2013 / 0 View / June 9, 2017
Posted: June 9, 2017
Fragrant, citrusy, biscuity, slightly smoky bouquet. Full-bodied, youthful, barrel-fermented wine with citrusy, peachy, slightly buttery flavours. Good weight, depth and complexity. Best drinking 2016. A top buy at $19.95
Comments Off on Church Road Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2014 / 0 View / June 9, 2017
Posted: June 9, 2017
Smoky bouquet, leading into a mouthfilling wine with deep, vibrant, grapefruit-like flavours, a subtle seasoning of oak, and a long, harmonious finish. Rich, elegant and sweet-fruited, with excellent freshness, delicacy and depth. Drink now or cellar.
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2013 / 0 View / June 9, 2017
Posted: June 9, 2017
Estate-grown in the cool, inland Matapiro district, this top value wine has fresh, ripe, tropical fruit aromas. Full-bodied, sweet-fruited and dry, it offers concentrated passionfruit and lime flavours, woven with lively acidity. A distinctive wine, well worth cellaring, it’s already…
Comments Off on Church Road Hawke’s Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2014 / 0 View / June 9, 2017
Posted: June 9, 2017
Richly scented, weighty wine (14.5% alc/vol), grown at Matapiro. Alsace-style, with rich peach, pear and lychee flavours, a gentle splash of sweetness, gentle acidity, and a slightly oily, well-rounded finish. Delicious young.
Comments Off on Church Road Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2014 / 0 View / June 9, 2017
Posted: June 9, 2017
Powerful wine, with accentuated smoke and ‘gunflint’ notes in the bouquet. Weighty, with bold, ripe stonefruit and toast flavours, impressive complexity, faintly buttery notes and excellent harmony. Best drinking 2017+.
Comments Off on Church Road Grand Reserve Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2013 / 0 View / June 9, 2017
Posted: June 9, 2017
Opulent, seductively scented wine, handled with some indigenous yeast fermentation in old French oak cuves. Powerful (14.5% alc/vol), weighty, rich and complex, with concentrated, ripe stonefruit and spice flavours, a faintly honeyed influence, and an oily texture. Delicious from the…
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2014 / 0 View / June 9, 2017
Posted: June 9, 2017
Highly refined, beautifully scented and supple red, estate-grown in the Redstone Vineyard, in the Bridge Pa Triangle, and French oak-matured for 18 months. Boldly coloured, with dense, very ripe plum and black pepper flavours, silky tannins and a lasting, finely…
Comments Off on Church Road Grand Reserve Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2013 / 0 View / June 9, 2017
Posted: June 9, 2017
Very powerful, rich, youthful wine, estate-grown in the Redstone Vineyard, in the Bridge Pa Triangle, hand-picked and barrel-fermented. Strong, ripe, peachy, spicy and slightly toasty flavours, with hints of fig and quince, impressive concentration and complexity, and a rounded finish….
Comments Off on Church Road Grand Reserve Hawke’s Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2013 / 0 View / June 9, 2017
Posted: April 20, 2017
Already drinking well, this full-coloured, fine value red has a very floral bouquet, with hints of plums and black pepper. Softly mouthfilling, it has generous, ripe plum/spice flavours, hints of licorice and dark chocolate, slightly nutty notes adding complexity, and…
Comments Off on Church Road Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2015 / 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
This skilfully crafted wine was mostly estate-grown in the elevated, relatively cool Matapiro Vineyard, matured for three months on its full yeast lees, and partly (6%) barrel-fermented. Freshly scented, it is mouthfilling and dry, with strong, vibrant, tropical fruit flavours…
Comments Off on Church Road Hawke’s Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2016 / 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 5, 2017
From one vintage to the next, this is great value. Fragrant and fleshy, it is mouthfilling, with generous, peachy, slightly buttery and toasty flavours, barrel-ferment complexity and a well-rounded finish. Showing excellent depth and harmony, it’s a drink-now or cellaring…
Comments Off on Church Road Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2016 / 0 View / April 5, 2017
Posted: April 5, 2017
This fleshy, Alsace-style pinot gris is full of personality. Very full-bodied (14.5% alc/vol), it was grown at a cool, elevated, inland site and fermented with indigenous yeasts in French oak cuves. Straw hued, it is deliciously rich and rounded, with…
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2016 / 0 View / April 5, 2017
Posted: April 5, 2017
Powerful, sweet-fruited red, bargain-priced. Deeply coloured and floral, with concentrated, youthful, very ripe flavours of red fruits and spices, a hint of licorice, and supple tannins. Drink now-2020+. $20
Comments Off on Church Road Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014 / 0 View / April 5, 2017
Posted: April 5, 2017
Bold, dense colour, with a fragrant bouquet of spices and licorice. Highly concentrated, with good weight, rich, very ripe plum, spice and licorice flavours, and a firm backbone of tannin. Best drinking 2017+. $27
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014 / 0 View / April 5, 2017
Posted: April 5, 2017
Deeply coloured, full-flavoured, tightly structured blend with some herbal notes, a biscuity oak influence and firm tannins. $20
Comments Off on Church Road Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec 2014 / 0 View / April 5, 2017
Posted: April 5, 2017
Bright pink, full-bodied wine, fragrant and fresh, with vibrant berry and spice flavours, a hint of watermelon and a dryish finish. $20
Comments Off on Church Road Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2016 / 0 View / April 5, 2017
Posted: April 5, 2017
Fleshy and smooth, in a mouthfilling style with gentle sweetness, a slightly oily texture and ripe, stonefruit and spice flavours. $20
Comments Off on Church Road Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2016 / 0 View / April 5, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
This deeply coloured red is fragrant, vibrantly fruity and supple, with fresh, ripe plum and black pepper flavours, gentle tannins, and lots of drink-young appeal.
Comments Off on Church Road Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2013 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
This full-bodied, dry wine was estate-grown in the cool, elevated Matapiro district. Vibrantly fruity, it is a ripely herbaceous style with passionfruit, peach and lime flavours, balanced acidity and good intensity. Drink now-2017.
Comments Off on Church Road Hawke’s Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2015 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Delicious young, this pink/pale red wine was blended from merlot, syrah, cabernet sauvignon and malbec. Mouthfilling, it has strong red berry/plum flavours, with hints of strawberries and spices, and excellent freshness, delicacy and depth.
Comments Off on Church Road Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2015 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Offering fine value, this youthful wine is mouthfilling and smooth, with ripe stonefruit flavours, slightly toasty and buttery, and good complexity, depth and harmony. It’s still unfolding; drink now or cellar.
Comments Off on Church Road Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2015 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
This bargain-priced wine was estate-grown in the relatively cool, elevated Matapiro district. A powerful, Alsace-style pinot gris (14.5% alc/vol), it is fleshy, with concentrated, ripe, peachy, slightly spicy flavours, gentle sweetness and a rich, rounded finish. Delicious already.
Comments Off on Church Road Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2015 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
If you like Alsace pinot gris, try this beauty. Instantly engaging, it is fragrant and full-bodied (14.5% alc/vol), in a rich, ripe, slightly sweet style with lovely depth of peach, pear and spice flavours. Slightly honeyed, with complexity from some…
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2015 / 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
Still very youthful, this powerful, concentrated red was estate-grown in Redstone Vineyard, in the Bridge Pa Triangle, and French oak-aged for 18 months. Bold and youthful in colour, it is sturdy (14.5% alc/vol), with dense, ripe blackcurrant, plum and spice…
Comments Off on Church Road Grand Reserve Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2013 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Powerful, deeply coloured, savoury red with plum and spice flavours, showing good ripeness, density and complexity, and very fine-grained tannins. Youthful, ageworthy wine, enjoyed by all judges.
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Tempranillo 2013 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 4, 2017
Bold, dark, powerful red with dense, ripe blackcurrant, plum and black pepper flavours and well-integrated oak. One judge wrote ‘brooding’; another ‘super-charged’. A great buy!
Comments Off on Church Road McDonald Series Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2013 / 0 View / April 4, 2017
Posted: April 3, 2017
Bold, dark red with concentrated, ripe blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours and a smooth finish. Soft and elegant, showing good weight, balance and length.
Comments Off on Church Road Grand Reserve Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2013 / 0 View / April 3, 2017