Silver Wing Preservative Free Waipara Sauvignon Semillon 2018

February 27, 2019By Yvonne

Silver Wing Preservative Free Waipara Sauvignon Semillon 2018 $30 Crafted from a blend of 90% sauvignon blanc and 10% semillon from winemaker Andrew Fox’s Stephenson’s Block that’d been soaked overnight on its skins, this wine was fermented in a 675 litre ceramic egg and matured for 4 months on its yeast lees without batonnage  (stirring … Read More

Pegasus Bay Waipara Sauvignon Semillon 2015 $31 (4.5 stars)

April 4, 2017By Yvonne

This rare-for-here blend is now a North Canterbury icon, and it’s definitely one of those try-before-you-die styles.  Crafted by Mat Donaldson from vines now 30+ yrs old, both the sauvignon blanc and the semillon parcels were fermented with wild yeasts and 15% of the sauvignon went into brand new French oak, while the semillon stayed … Read More

Pegasus Bay Sauvignon Semillon 2013

January 11, 2016By Yvonne

Pegasus Bay Sauvignon Semillon 2013 $30 ★★★★★ The Donaldson family in Waipara, North Canterbury, have been crafting this quirky version of sauvignon since AGES ago, and it’s now got something resembling a cult following for its incredibly complex, toasty, tropical and herbaceous flavours.  A splash of semillon imparts a distinct ‘moist hay’ and roasted almond … Read More

Riverby Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Semillon 2011

July 23, 2012By Yvonne

Riverby Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Semillon 2011 $26  An injection of 35% semillon, with its hay fields and herb notes, adds depth and complexity to snappy, citrus-driven sauvignon blanc.  This is the debut effort for this style from Riverby, and 8 months in new french oak has led to a lovely amalgamation of white peach, lemongrass, … Read More

Te Awa Sauvignon Semillon 2010

September 7, 2011By Yvonne

Te Awa Sauvignon Semillon 2010 $26  This is such an underrated blend.  I really like the extra ‘flesh’ the injection of semillon adds to the lemony, tropical sauvignon blanc that Hawke’s Bay is famous for.  Aromas of white florals, citrus and fresh-cut fennel lead to zesty minerality which slices across the palate leaving a clean, … Read More