Te Mania Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2020 $27.99 While the team at Te Mania have kept us copasetic with their bottles of Nelsonian niceness, this time they’ve journeyed north to the syrah capital of the country to hunt out fruit that’ll not only curl your lashes and epilate your limbs, it’ll also expand your nostrils with … Read More
Hawke’s Bay
Tastes Like Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2020
Known Unknown Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2020 $25 Prepare for a hit of meaty, savoury, classic violet and peppercorn characters on the nose of this new syrah and enjoy how it’s followed by smooth, earthy, dark cocoa flavours and layers of nicely chewy tannins. All that good stuff is boosted with solid acidity as well. It’s … Read More
Monowai Upper Reaches Hawke’s Bay Pinot Noir 2020
Monowai Upper Reaches Hawke’s Bay Pinot Noir 2020 $35 The ‘upper reaches’ refers to Emma Lowe and husband Marcelo Nunez’ vineyard, which sits high up on the ancient terraces carved out by the mighty Ngaruroro River in the sub-region of Crownthorpe at the foot of the Kaweka Range. Vanilla-dipped cherry and choco-berry aromas lead to … Read More
Zaria Hawke’s Bay Malbec Rosé 2021
Zaria Hawke’s Bay Malbec Rosé 2021 $20 With bright, energetic, red apple and raspberry layers, cherry and zesty citrus characters and a long, vibrant, citrus-stacked finish, it just bursts with redcurrant and spice. Fresh and crunchy and punchy in all the right places, I really like this wine. A lot. Zaria
Zaria Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet Franc 2019
Zaria Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet Franc 2019 $25 If you’re looking for a softly-styled, berry, tobacco and toast-filled, fresh-as-a-daisy red wine, then you’ve come to the right place. Bright bay leaf and bouquet-garni herbs combine with cocoa, plum and a lick of blueberry to create a rather joyous thing to drink. Smooth velvety and exciting. … Read More
Zaria Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2020
Zaria Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2020 $30 Beautifully balanced and straight out the gate with soft grapefruity, apricot-edged loveliness, creamy, caramelised oak, perfumed with white peach and unveiling perfectly poised acidity on the finish. It’s so elegant and stylishly structured. Crafted by Bryce Edmonds, a winemaker with volcanic talent, this chardonnay is a darn lovely thing. … Read More
Sileni Advocate Grand Reserve Hawke’s Bay Albariño 2020
Sileni Advocate Grand Reserve Hawke’s Bay Albariño 2020 $24 There’s an old Spanish saying “when you want a tasty friend and not a foe, turn your face toward albariño”. Don’t fact-check it, no point, you’ll discover I made it up. But it could totally pass for an old Spanish saying. Yet one thing remains true … Read More
Tironui Above & Beyond Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2021
Tironui Above & Beyond Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2021 $25 Crafted from a handpicked, co-fermented blend of 54% malbec, 33% merlot and 13% cabernet sauvignon grown on a tiny, terraced vineyard high up on the limestone-laden soils of Sugar Loaf Hill, this shiny new rosé looks a million bucks in the glass. Coloured like a cross … Read More
Sileni Circle Grand Reserve Hawke’s Bay Semillon 2019
Sileni Circle Grand Reserve Hawke’s Bay Semillon 2019 $25 Sileni were one of the very first Hawke’s Bay producers to leap into making classlc dry semillon back in the early 2000’s. Before that, most wineries were using the variety to simply create sweet, dessert styles. The deep, iron-rich soils of the Bridge Pa Triangle sub … Read More
Monowai Hawke’s Bay Pinot Noir Rosé 2020
Monowai Hawke’s Bay Pinot Noir Rosé 2020 $24.99 Sometimes I make myself do a personal SWOT analysis and it’s never pleasant. The main reason I force myself through this excruciating exercise is so that I can reward-slash-console myself at its conclusion with something delicious made by Emma Lowe at Monowai. Her new rosé brings the … Read More