Great Bordeaux for under fifty bucks? It can be done and this blend of 80% merlot, 15% cabernet franc and 5% malbec proves it. Pour it into a large glass and swirl it vigourously or decant it if you can. That’ll inject a whoomph of oxygen into the wine, accelerating the aromatics and plumping out … Read More
Author: Yvonne
Paltrinieri Radice Lambrusco Di Sorbara NV $17.70
I can totally see why Wine Enthusiast magazine called this “one of the best Lambrusco’s out there” and chose it as one of their Top 10 wines for 2017. Ruby-coloured, spritzy and beautifully dry, it’s wine with a whiff of wild strawberry and grapefruit zest and a mouthfeel replete with racy, bracing acidity and texture. … Read More
Arc du Rhone Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2013 $46
There’s a group of villages in the Rhone that when joined together look like an arc – and this wine comes from the most famous cru at the southern tip of that arc, the Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Three grapes, grenache noir, syrah and carignan have created an earthy, savoury, tobacco and dark fruited style that, seven years … Read More
Yvonne Lorkin Canvas Column for Sat 11 Aug 2018
Arc du Rhone Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2013 $46 There’s a group of villages in the Rhone that when joined together look like an arc – and this wine comes from the most famous cru at the southern tip of that arc, the Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Three grapes, grenache noir, syrah and carignan have created an earthy, savoury, tobacco and … Read More
The Lazy Dog Queensberry Central Otago ‘Shady Lady’ Rosé 2018
The Lazy Dog Queensberry Central Otago ‘Shady Lady’ Rosé 2018 $23 While I’m not a fan of the cartoony labels on the Lazy Dog wines, the actual wines inside the bottle are pretty darn stylish. This rosé is shiny new and showing hints of creaming soda, raspberry, a nudge of nougat and some dried herbs … Read More
The Lazy Dog Queensberry Central Otago Sweet On Chenin 2018
The Lazy Dog Queensberry Central Otago Sweet On Chenin 2018 A blend of late-picked Chenin Blanc and Gewurztraminer by Jeff Sinnott, at 70g/l residual sugar it’s definitely sweet, but it’s tangy fresh and balanced. I like the toffee apple and honey notes that combine with musky spices, lychee and grilled peach flavours on the finish. … Read More
The Lazy Dog Queensberry Central Otago Chenin Blanc 2017
The Lazy Dog Queensberry Central Otago Chenin Blanc 2017 $23 Crafted by winemaker Jeff Sinnott from Diana and Dean Harker from chenin blanc vines they’ve been growing since 2008. This is a dry, elegant style, packed to the eyeballs with lime and green apple, a hint (just a skerrick) of honeysuckle and loads and loads … Read More
Matahiwi Holly South Series Chardonnay 2017
Matahiwi Holly South Series Chardonnay 2017 $33 The Holly South Series Chardonnay is from the southern Chardonnay planting in the ‘home’ vineyard at Matahiwi, just outside of Masterton. The vines were planted back in 2013 but it took 3 years before they were ready to produce enough fruit to make into a wine. So this … Read More
Anchorage Nelson Riesling 2015
Anchorage Nelson Riesling 2015 $18 This wine is definitely on the dry side. In fact it’s so dry it’s practically skeletal if you like that sort of thing. I like the lime intensity on the nose, however the palate is just too mean and skinny for me personally. If you prefer your rieslings to exfoliate … Read More
Milcrest Estate Nelson Pinot Noir 2013 $41 (4 stars)
If you’re looking for a ripe, voluptuous, vanilla-and-spice style then you’ve come to the right cul-de-sac. Saturated with concentrated cherry, raspberry and redcurrant characters, the 11 months its spent in oak has given it a slightly smoky edge and buckets of smooth generous goodness in the mouth. Ripe, fleshy and feisty after 5 years, it’s … Read More