Zaria Wines Sparkling Rosé 2024

14 November 2024By Yvonne

Zaria Wines Hawke’s Bay Sparkling Rosé 2024 $28 Chilled down, this new release sparkling rosé presents in a rather cool, calm and collected style with berry brioche and soft, Shrewsbury biscuit characters. Crafted from merlot grown in the iron-rich soils of the Bridge Pa wine region, it delivers a fresh, softly fleshy, cherry-plumped style with … Read More

Dandelion Vineyards Wonderland of the Eden Valley Riesling 2024

6 November 2024By Yvonne

Dandelion Vineyards Wonderland of the Eden Valley Riesling 2024 $tbc Bright and energetic, this riesling has that classic Eden Valley minerality which wraps around a core of green apple and lime. Lean, focused and precise, this riesling boasts a lovely linear structure and a finely tuned finish. Dandelion Vineyards  

Te Mania Organic Nelson Chardonnay 2023

5 November 2024By Yvonne

Te Mania Organic Nelson Chardonnay 2023 $27 Here’s a chardonnay travelling down the citrus side of the street and is laced with spicy oak, almond meal complexity and edged with grilled stonefruit on the finish. Slightly short, but a good wine for a large crowd. Te Mania

Te Mania Nelson Riesling 2023

5 November 2024By Yvonne

Te Mania Nelson Riesling 2023 $22 Scented with crushed shells, lime zest and freshly-sliced Granny Smith apples, this Nelsonian riesling has squint-factor fifty when it comes to zesty acidity and that roars through to the citrus-stacked finish. Te Mania  

Saint Clair Omaka Reserve Marlborough Chardonnay 2023

30 October 2024By Yvonne

Saint Clair Omaka Reserve Marlborough Chardonnay 2023 $42 One of my favourite chardonnay releases of the year, the Omaka Reserve is fermented entirely in American Oak and held on lees for at least 9 months to inject maximum creamy character into a bold and expressive wine. The grilled grapefruit and roasted peach notes really roar … Read More

Saint Clair Pioneer Block 28 Camp Block Marlborough Pinot Blanc 2020

9 October 2024By Yvonne

Saint Clair Pioneer Block 28 Camp Block Marlborough Pinot Blanc 2020 $30 Sourced from fruit grown at the confluence of the Wairau and Waihopai Rivers in a spot named after its use as a Royal New Zealand Air Force camp in the Second World War, comes a bright, vibrantly floral, apple and lemon blossom stacked … Read More

Maison Noire Single Vineyard Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Franc 2023

8 October 2024By Yvonne

Maison Noire Single Vineyard Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Franc 2023 $29 Grown high up on the Waimarama Road in the deep limestone clays of the Tukituki Valley, in a tiny vineyard tended by French winemaker Guillaume Thomas, this cabernet franc is deeply savoury, laced with brick dust and smoked blueberry and has gently drying tannins, fresh … Read More

Hawkesridge Hawke’s Bay Viognier 2023

3 October 2024By Yvonne

Hawkesridge Hawke’s Bay Viognier 2023 $25 (not rated) While on the nose this wine has some apricot and jasmine promise, sadly the palate is out of balance, with a sweet-sour note and it finishes short. Not great. But 2023 was a very difficult cyclone vintage, so that could have been an issue.  

Heaphy Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2023

3 October 2024By Yvonne

Heaphy Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2023 $19 The pale, white-gold colour might lead you to assume this is going to be a light, frilly style, yet as soon as you sip you’ll be sucked deep into herbaceous depths of smoked red capsicum, bruised lemongrass, fresh basil and tomato stalk notes. It’s a complex and generous style … Read More

Mora Laeto Central Otago Pinot Noir 2024

3 October 2024By Yvonne

Mora Laeto Central Otago Pinot Noir 2024 $35 Here’s a shiny new pinot designed with the kiwi Summer in mind. “Laeto” is derived from the Latin word for ‘lush’ and ‘joyful’ and this wine is all about not taking things too seriously, heavily, having fun with how bright and juicy and floral and plush pinot … Read More