Crab Farm Hawke’s Bay Pinotage 2019

February 23, 2022By Yvonne

Crab Farm Hawke’s Bay Pinotage 2019 $35 Pinotage is a really rare red style in New Zealand and over the years they’ve been a bit of a mixed bag – but strap yourself in because Crab Farm has crafted a very juicy, very drinkable and totally delightful example. Buckets of vanilla and spice on the … Read More

Crab Farm Hawke’s Bay Gewürztraminer 2020

February 16, 2022By Yvonne

Crab Farm Hawke’s Bay Gewürztraminer 2020 $22 Lifted aromatics of ginger, lychee, musky notes and nutmeg-sprinkled quince literally leap out of the glass and blend with fresh apple and peach on the palate. Classically styled, refreshing, spicy and needs a good 45-minute chill before serving. Crab Farm

Trinity Hill Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2020

February 13, 2022By Yvonne

Trinity Hill Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2020 $24 2020 is proving itself to be an absolute smasher of a vintage for Hawke’s Bay reds and this merlot, at $24, is, I think, one of the best value examples on the New Zealand market right now. Grown in the Gimblett Gravels, in Trinity Hill’s Tin Shed vineyard, … Read More

Kelly Washington Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Franc 2019

February 13, 2022By Yvonne

Kelly Washington Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Franc 2019 $50 Sourced from the iron-rich soils of the Bridge Pa Triangle district, this is a velvety-smooth example scented with blackcurrant leaf, dark cocoa, a hint of liquorice and blueberry. All those characters wash across the palate and leave a warm, woolly, textural finish. 100% cabernet franc isn’t the … Read More

Brookfields Robertson Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2021

February 7, 2022By Yvonne

Brookfields Robertson Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2021 $21 Super-fresh and snappy, this pinot gris punches out nashi, white peach and yellow plum plushness. Bright acidity, soft baking spices and satisfying, mouthfilling, length of flavour. Nicely made indeed. Brookfields

Trinity Hill Molly’s Block Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2021

February 6, 2022By Yvonne

Trinity Hill Molly’s Block Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2021 $39 A very small but very special parcel of syrah sourced from the river-sands soils of the Moteo Pa sub-region was used to craft this ultra-dry and redcurrant-edged rosé. It’s cleansing and delicately designed, yet it’s packing buckets of pink peppercorn and crushed seashell minerality into every … Read More

Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Chardonnay 2020

February 5, 2022By Yvonne

Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Chardonnay 2020 $39.99 The dream team of Warren Gibson and Damian Fischer strike again with a chardonnay crafted with class. Erupting with grilled nectarine, grapefruit pith, creme brulee and buttered crumpet characters, its core of citrus and peach is stitched together with toasted almonds and nicely tweaked acid tension. It’s a … Read More

Te Awanga Estate Wildsong Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2021

February 4, 2022By Yvonne

Te Awanga Estate Wildsong Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2021 $21 I have no idea what grapes have been used to craft this fabulously floral, spice-edged rosé and I’m fine with not knowing. I need more mystery in my life. Bursting with cherry and peachy notes on the nose and crunchy-fresh redcurrant and soft apple characers in … Read More

Brookfields Highland Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2020

January 30, 2022By Yvonne

Brookfields Highland Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2020 $44 Clothed in a platinum label with a ribbon of owner/winemaker Peter Robertson’s family tartan, the grapes for this vintage were grown in a tiny vineyard in Mere Road, in the middle of the famed Gimblett Gravels sub-region. 2020 is being touted as the ‘perfect’ vintage for Hawke’s Bay … Read More

The Greatest Te Mata Estate Coleraine Vintage Ever?

January 30, 2022By Yvonne

Te Mata Estate Hawke’s Bay Coleraine 2020 $130 2020 heralds the 36th release of New Zealand’s most famous red wine and the one that the Buck family are calling “the best in Te Mata’s history”. CEO Nick Buck said 2020 was “Simply perfect” and with tiny berries, alongside massive extract and tension, Te Mata’s winemaker … Read More