This is one extremely gorgeous blended white that’ll induce wow’s around the table I’m sure. Winemaker Andrew Bailey has co-fermented organically-grown sauvignon blanc, pinot gris and chardonnay grown in his Waitaria Bay vineyard in Kenepuru Sound and matured it in new and matured French oak for 12 months. The result? A wine bursting with tropical … Read More
Author: Yvonne
Nautilus Marlborough Chardonnay 2016 $35 (5 stars)
Winemaker Clive Jones is a serious talent. How he’s able to force so much flavour into this bottle I’ll never know, but it means every glass is a sensory overload. Prepare for preserved lemon, roast nectarine and grapefruity goodness. Caramelised, toasty oak and a vein of spice cloak a core of creaminess that adds delicious … Read More
Matané Primitivo Puglia IGT 2015 $21.99
If you thought all primitivo was in the ‘big gun’ class, then here’s your happy place because this slippery, spicy and succulent example from the Salento peninsula is ‘easy like Sunday morning’ in the sipping-stakes. Fruitcake, cherries, damson plums and boysenberries are warmly wrapped in a cardigan of cocoa and liberally laced with raspberry liquorice … Read More
Secco-Bertani Original Vintage Edition 2014 $43
A classic-yet-powerful Veronese blend of 80% corvina, 10% sangiovese, and 5% each of syrah and cabernet sauvignon, this is a monster-good wine. It’s a new arrival and there’s precious little available, so you’ll need to jump quick. Bursting with violet, cranberry, pomegranate, and cherry aromatics, plus redcurrant, cedar and a snifter of cola on the … Read More
Yvonne Lorkin Canvas Column for Saturday March 10th 2018
No, today is not World Glaucoma Awareness Day. That’s on Monday 12th. Red wine helps maintain good eyesight, so try these lovelies and never cock up your calendar again. Matané Primitivo Puglia IGT 2015 $21.99 If you thought all primitivo was in the ‘big gun’ class, then here’s your happy place because this slippery, spicy … Read More
Bosco del Grillo Governo All’Uso Toscana IGT 2015 $22
Even though it’s basically a Chianti at 80% sangiovese, because the Bosco team blended in 10% merlot, 5% cabernet sauvignon and 5% colorino grapes means the wine has to slap on the IGT tag instead. But they ain’t ‘bovvered,’ and I couldn’t be happier. It’s an elegant, generous wine with lashings of violets, spice, and … Read More
Yvonne Lorkin wine column for week beginning March 10 2018
Several years ago I was fortunate enough to be invited by a group of Nelson wine producers to spend a couple of days in the region. I’d be meeting the local winemakers and generally triptrapping around, admiring the incredible land and seascape and soaking up the wine stories of a region that for whatever reason, … Read More
Kina Beach Vineyard Reserve Chardonnay 2015 $36 (5 stars)
Prepare for a big, grapefruity, toasty, roasty, caramelised and smoky glass of awesome right here. Deeply complex and richly textured, this is a classic, creamy, multi-layered chardonnay that will definitely win friends and influence people. Love it! www.kinabeach.co.nz
Kina Beach Vineyard Nelson Pinot Noir 2015 $30 (3.5 stars)
Here’s a lovely, bright, fruit saturated pinot that’s packed with spice and personality. Lifted and light on the palate, there’s a saucy, strawberries-and-cream character to round out the lengthy finish. It’s a crowd-pleaser pinot that’ll lend itself to any occasion. Nicely made. www.kinabeach.co.nz
Oak Estate Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2015 $23 (4.5 stars)
Scented with boysenberry, bay leaf, blueberries, pepper and leather, there’s also a lick of vanilla which wraps itself around big, muscular, pumping tannins, making this a definite new favourite in my house! Dry, yet curvy and complex, it’s a merlot with excellent concentration and sippability. Try it before it disappears! www.oakestatewines.co.nz