Villa Maria Cellar Selection Gimblett Gravels Grenache 2014 $24 ★★★★
Grenache is super-rare in this country, and Villa Maria have just one solitary hectare of vines planted smack bang in the middle of New Zealand’s most prestigious red wine region. This is also the only New Zealand grenache made on it’s own, not blended with other varieties – so it’s a bit special because of that. It’s also crafted using unique, rotateable oak fermenters affectionately known to the winemakers as “rolly’s”. But whatever the artefact, the wine itself has aromas of pepper, anise, clove, cinnamon and cherry-berry that blend into toothsome, grippy textures on the finish. Just what I’m looking for in a good red. Nice. www.villamaria.co.nz
