Pepperjack Mendoza Malbec 2019 $23 Aussie icons Saltram wines have fallen head over tacones for Argentinean malbec to the point where they just had to find their own fruit and have a crack at it themselves. The result is a black fruit-centric, chocolate and liquorice layered wine that has an instant warming, comforting mouthfeel, juicy, … Read More
mendoza
Zorzal Terroir Único Tupungato Mendoza Chardonnay 2021
Zorzal Terroir Único Tupungato Mendoza Chardonnay 2021 $21 Boasting more funk than James Brown, if you’re looking for smoky, mineral-driven chardonnay then you’ve come to the right cul de sac my friend. Crafted from fruit sourced from Argentina’s Gualtallary region in Mendoza, this wine has dried herb and toasty notes ahead of the usual tropical … Read More
Casarena 505 Mendoza Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
Casarena 505 Mendoza Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 $25 Texted a mate recently to say “Come over, I have powerful ACS” and she was like “OMG I’m calling an ambulance!” I thought that was a tad OTT for harmless Argentinean Cabernet Sauvignon. Turns out she thought I had Acute Coronary Syndrome. Serves me right for having medical … Read More
Sur Andino Argentina Sierra Los Andes Mendoza Malbec 2018
Sur Andino Argentina Sierra Los Andes Mendoza Malbec 2018 $21 Hello malbec my old friend! Grown in a vineyard in Ugarteche (ooh-garr-tetch-eh) in the southern part of the Luján de Cuyo (loo-harn-de-koo-yoh) in Mendoza, Argentina’s largest wine region, this little red is so soft and velvety and warm, it’s like a spicy, berry-laden mink blanket … Read More
Zaria Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2019
Zaria Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2019 $30 Winemaker Bryce Edmonds has crafted this chardonnay from hand-picked, Mendoza-clone fruit that was whole-bunch pressed into 33% new oak and the lees were regularly stirred for 10 months to inject creamy complexity. The aromatics scream roast peach and pineapple, while hints of brulee and nougat also sneak through on … Read More
747 Estate Mendoza Selection Chabis Style Gisborne Chardonnay 2017
747 Estate Mendoza Selection Chablis Style Gisborne Chardonnay 2017 $24 It doesn’t say so on the label (which has got to be one of the ugliest I’ve ever seen), the 747 Estate is a brand produced by Gisborne chardonnay pioneer Denis Irwin. Who I was expecting more from to be honest. Ugly, lazy label and … Read More
Bodega Tamari Mendoza Pinot Grigio 2016 $13.99
Here’s a lean, minerally pinot grigio with a hint of salinity, dried pear and nashi notes. There’s a creaminess on the finish which mellows out some of the heat of the alcohol and allows some fruit notes to sneak through. Good value grigio. www.glengarrywines.co.nz
Bodega Tamari Mendoza Chardonnay 2015 $17.99
‘Tamari’ means ‘to be passionate in Huarpe, the native language of the Mendoza region in Argentina. This chardonnay is on the leaner side, mineral-driven, nutty and has a squeak of crushed seashell and salt about it. There’s a creamy element adding some complexity. www.glengarrywines.co.nz