The Naish family planted chenin blanc on their ‘Home’ vineyard back in 2011, and the vines thrive under the baking Waipara sun and those wild Nor’Easter winds. This is the fourth vintage made by their winemaker, Nicholas Brown, an obsessive fan of wines from the Mid-Loire Valley in France (where chenin and cabernet franc are … Read More
Month: January 2019
Queensberry Gardens Central Otago Chenin Blanc 2018 $27.50 4stars
Chenin Blanc has the unmistakeable aroma of rose apple and citrus blossom and, while its spiritual home is in France’s Loire Valley, it’s absolutely found its happy place in the Queensberry sub-region of Central Otago. Grown by Dean and Diana Harker, their tiny Chenin Blanc vineyard turns out a crisp, floral, softly spiced and gently … Read More
Waiana Estate Indian Summer Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2018 $21.99
Dry, dry, deliciously dry! Yet don’t be expecting anything subtle with this new release, because it has a nose erupting with vanilla, creaming soda, citrus and wild strawberries and all these things crash through onto the palate and leave you with a palate-exfoliatingly fresh mouthfeel and the unshakeable desire to keep on sipping. Produced by … Read More
Tohu Rewa Rosé Méthode Traditionnelle 2015 $40
This limited edition, pinot noir-based, vintage sparkler was created by the team from New Zealand’s most widely recognised 100% Maori-owned wine company, as a happy 20th birthday nod to no compromise. Collaborating with renown local artist Flox to design the label (and its gorgeous gift box), it features her vibrant, signature take on the native … Read More
Hummel Villányi Hárslevelü 2016
Hummel Villányi Hárslevelü 2016 $poa (4.5 stars) Hárslevelü (pronounce it however you like my friend) is a grape native to Hungary and it’s also known as Lindenblättriger in Austria, (where there are also tiny plantings). The name means “linden leaves”, referring to the Linden tree, often called ‘Lime’ trees in English but bear absolutely no … Read More
Scout Wines Nelson Pinot Gris 2018 $30
It’s all about texture, texture, texture here in this organically-grown gris from Nelson’s alluvial Hope gravels. On the nose it shows green nectarine, mineral, quince and chalky notes that all osmose through onto the palate in a fresh, grigio-style example. Fresh, crunchy, lean, foot-stomped and fermented in a combination of tanks and old barrels, with … Read More