Astrolabe Farm Marlborough Riesling 2016 ($23) 4 stars
This wine smells just like you’ve walked into an orchard growing lemons on one side and apples on the other. So intense yet so delicate and the palate reflects exactly that. But I’d expect nothing less however from Simon Waghorn, winemaker extraordinaire and all-round riesling rockstar. Crafted from his home farm vineyard in Marlborough’s Grovetown […]
Homer Marlborough Pinot Noir 2016 $21.50 (3.5 stars)
Ultra-savoury, almost marmitey and meaty, this certified organic marlborough pinot noir has been shepherded into the bottle by winemaker Rebecca Salmond. Strong, muscular tannins give cheek-suckingly complex texture and add oomph to the shedload of spices already present. There’s a lot going on in this wine so make sure you’ve got some serious protein handy […]
Te Pa Wines Oke Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2015 $24 (4.5 stars)
Forget the words ‘sauvignon blanc’, because it’s way more like a ‘crazy, complex, smoky, roasty, toasty white wine’ than a sauvignon. Aromas of pine pollen, marzipan and smoked passionfruit are followed by lemongrass, lime leaf and tropical tastiness. Essentially it’s a gloriously complex wine, produced by a family that can trace their roots back to […]
Leveret IQ Premium Brut NV $20 (4 stars)
This méthode traditionelle (the same method of making Champagne) is a regional blend of Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier that’s been disgorged after a minimum of 18 months on its yeast lees (the residue leftover from the ferment). These guys have been making high-end sparkling wine since aeons ago, and […]
Alex K Big Back Yard Waipara Pinot Noir 2014 $24 (4 stars)
Crafted by the talented team at Kalex wines from fruit grown in north Canterbury, there’s a spice, soy and black olive note which wraps around the cherry and berry characters beautifully. It’s also got that gorgeous, hedgerow fruits and earthy, mossy character that I really love in great Central Otago pinot noir. There’s even a […]
Baron Philippe De Rothschild Mapu Merlot 2015 $20.50 (3.5 stars)
This is a moreish little merlot from Rothschild’s Chilean wine operation that hits the quaffable spot. Savoury, roasting pan juices, pepper and baked plum and berry flavours combine with grippy, dusty tannins and a lengthy, leathery finish. Nice and meaty – classic South American characters here. www.kahurangiwine.com
Framingham Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016 $21 (4 stars)
Tangy and seriously grassy, this sauvignon has buckets of basil, tomato leaf and capsicum characters all bouncing out of the glass. Herbaceous and heaving with tangy, lemongrass and lime layers. It’s less sweet and more along the zesty, white fruits spectrum than a lot of Marlborough sauvignon out there. I really like it. www.framingham.co.nz
Redmetal Vineyards Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2015 $22
As far as red wine guru’s go in this country, Grant Edmonds has got to be one of the most revered. He leads a double life as the chief winemaker for Sileni Estates while also nurturing his own fruit into the bottle. This is a pure, perfumed, peppery example grown in the famous, iron-rich gravels […]
Momo Organic Marlborough Pinot Noir 2015 $24 (4.5 stars)
Just becaue it’s not bright and glossy-looking, don’t let that stop you from leaping into this gorgeous wine. It’s simply un-fined and unfiltered and made as naturally as you can. Aromatically it heaves with hibiscus rosehip, cherry and cranberry, while on the palate it’s a tsunami of taste. Mixed spices, cocoa, raspberry and silky saturation […]
Melton Estate Canterbury Pinot Gris 2013 $23
Twenty minutes from Christchurch on the West Coast Road (SH73) is a leafy locale known as West Melton, home to a plucky community of winegrowers, including Philip Caunter, a million-miles-an-hour man who doubles as ‘software entrepreneur’ and ‘ardent fan of the West Melton RFC’. His vines grow on free-draining, greywacke-littered soils gifted by ancient braided […]
