Oh my goodness – prepare yourself for a hit of grapefruit sorbet, nectarine, grilled pineapple and waves of crunchy acidity to break across your tastebuds. The oak is impressively toasty, spicy and beautifully integrated with the fruit. The Joyce and Bonner families are the talent behind Toi Toi and every year their chardonnay just gets … Read More
Author: Yvonne
Black Estate Circuit Waipara Chardonnay 2016 $24.00
If you’re looking for a chardonnay bursting with hazelnut, citrus and hints of toast and smoke then this is for you. North Canterbury has real talent for producing chardonnay showing sensational minerality. Combine that with a skilled winemaker who can create creamy, nutty notes in the palate spectrum – then you’ve got a great little … Read More
Silver Wing Waipara Chardonnay 2014 $27.00
Andrew Fox is one of the new players in Waipara, and he funds his tiny winemaking venture by being a builder and renovator during the week. One thing’s for sure, he can definitely buildreally interesting chardonnay. Creamy, nutty marshmallow notes and hints of grapefruit give it fruit saturation, while the wild yeast fermentation and philosophy … Read More
Grava Martinborough Sauvignon Blanc 2015 $27.50
Alistair Gardner and Karla Falloon have crafted a classic, old school-styled sauvignon here from their deep, gravelly vineyard located in the rain shadow of the Rimutaka Range. I love the hints of sweetpea, fresh asparagus, elderflower, passionfruit, lime and preserved lemon on the nose and palate. It’s whole-bunch pressed instead of being traditional crushed, to … Read More
Soho Stella Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016 $25.00
Super zingy herbaceous and nettle-like notes pierce the nose and the mouth bursts with ripe passionfruit, lime and lingering, gum-tingling acidity. It’s a real ‘Ooh Aah’ style of sauvignon that’ll perk up even the most jaded palate. Made by Dave Clouston from vineyards in the upper Wairau Valley, it’s a crunchy, crisp style that roars … Read More
Anna de Codorniu Blanc de Blancs NV $29.99
This stylish Spanish sparkling chardonnay has classic dusty, musky, soft creamy notes on the nose and they combine beautifully with super-dry, chalky, crushed seashell characters on the palate. Layers of lemony brioche sneak into the palate spectrum and they work sensationally with nutty, biscuit flavours on the finish. If you’re a fan of mineral-driven magic, … Read More
Hunters Miru Miru Marlborough Methode Traditionelle NV $25.00
From the first sniff and sip, you’ll completely understand why this is one of the most highly awarded sparkling wines in the country and a much-loved favourite of mine. Generous and lush, with rising dough and smoky aromatics, stonefruit and citrus wash across the palate leaving a rich creamy, textural finish. It’s fresh, stylish and … Read More
Misty Cove Waitaria Marlborough Organic Barrel White Wine 2016 $39.99 (5 stars)
This is one extremely gorgeous blended white that’ll induce wow’s around the table I’m sure. Winemaker Andrew Bailey has co-fermented organically-grown sauvignon blanc, pinot gris and chardonnay grown in his Waitaria Bay vineyard in Kenepuru Sound and matured it in new and matured French oak for 12 months. The result? A wine bursting with tropical … Read More
Nautilus Marlborough Chardonnay 2016 $35 (5 stars)
Winemaker Clive Jones is a serious talent. How he’s able to force so much flavour into this bottle I’ll never know, but it means every glass is a sensory overload. Prepare for preserved lemon, roast nectarine and grapefruity goodness. Caramelised, toasty oak and a vein of spice cloak a core of creaminess that adds delicious … Read More
Matané Primitivo Puglia IGT 2015 $21.99
If you thought all primitivo was in the ‘big gun’ class, then here’s your happy place because this slippery, spicy and succulent example from the Salento peninsula is ‘easy like Sunday morning’ in the sipping-stakes. Fruitcake, cherries, damson plums and boysenberries are warmly wrapped in a cardigan of cocoa and liberally laced with raspberry liquorice … Read More