Whistling Buoy Canterbury Pinot Noir Rosé 2016

Whistling Buoy Canterbury Pinot Noir Rosé 2016 $25  Perfumed with the softest of pot pourri and peach stone, it feels like it’s going to be super-subtle as a wine style.  Then you put it in your mouth and holy moly!  It’s an explosion of crunchy-fresh acidity, guava, tropical tones, incredibly rich, zesty layers of flavour […]

Main Divide North Canterbury Sauvignon Blanc 2018

Main Divide North Canterbury Sauvignon Blanc 2018 $20.99  Get on your skateboard, segway or scooter and shimmy on over to the Main Divide North Canterbury Sauvignon Blanc 2018 ($20.99) to pour with any sort of pan-fried pesce perfection.  Crisp, crunchy, packed with citrus and huge herbaceous notes, this wine is superb to sip with fresh fish.  […]

Sherwood Estate ‘Sherwood’ Waipara Valley Pinot Gris

Sherwood Estate ‘Sherwood’ Waipara Valley Pinot Gris 2017 $16.99  This wine is a little out of balance so it’s not the easiest of wines to drink.  Aromas of honey, baked pear are initially positive, yet there’s a slightly sour note on the palate which throws things slightly.  There are better wines in the Sherwood stable.

Melton Estate Canterbury Pinot Gris

Melton Estate Canterbury Pinot Gris 2015 $20  Located in the leafy climes of West Melton, 20 mins or so drive west of Christchurch city, this pinot gris has a hint of botrytis character happening, honeyed notes, beeswax and some roast stonefruit showing through.  Doesn’t really show the classic nashi, pear, quince and apple characters that […]

Whistling Buoy

I’ve sipped my way through the new Whistling Buoy releases from Canterbury and they’re rather snazzy… Whistling Buoy Kokolo Vineyard Canterbury Pinot Noir 2016 $36 (5 stars) Wow.  Here’s one ultra-juicy, exotically-scented, super-charged pinot noir from under the southern sun. Kokolo is a vineyard on a sheltered site at the head of Lyttleton and clearly […]

NZ winery first in southern hemisphere to trade with bitcoin

I don’t usually post press releases verbatim – but this just came through and I think it’s rather cool… 27 November 2013 MEDIA RELEASE – PYRAMID VALLEY VINEYARDS A small high-end winery in North Canterbury is set to become the first wine business in the southern hemisphere to accept bitcoin payment to make transactions easier […]

Lake Forsyth Banks Peninsula Pinot Gris 2009

Lake Forsyth Banks Peninsula Pinot Gris 2009 $32  I really like this style of pinot gris.  It manages that delicious balance between the dry and mineral notes on the nose and palate and the rich, white peach and quince flavours in the mouth.  There’s a lovely creamy layer of complexity which adds depth and dimension […]

Tresillian Single Vineyard Akaroa Chardonnay 2009

Tresillian Single Vineyard Akaroa Chardonnay 2009 $23  This is a superb Canterbury chardonnay chock-full of melon, mango and peach notes on the nose all followed by an explosively fresh burst of tropical and citrus flavours in the mouth.  Clean, long and linear, it’s a lovely drink indeed.  Buy from www.tresillian.co.nz   Tresillian Single Vineyard Akaroa Chardonnay 

Tresillian Single Vineyard Canterbury Riesling 2008

Tresillian Single Vineyard Canterbury Riesling 2008 $18.50  A lovely example of older riesling sourced from Tresillian’s ‘certified-sustainable’ Lumsden vineyard.  Prepare yourself for aromas of beeswax, tangelo, lime and mineral notes while on the palate is nicely balanced with a touch of sweetness and a crisp, tangy finish.  For stockists visit www.tresillian.co.nz Tresillian Riesling 2008