Holy squid squirt Batman! This is quite possibly the inkiest, darkest wine I’ve sipped in forever. Glossy magenta-black in the glass and showing mountains of mellow, meaty magic, soft spices, a hint of soy, olive and gently dusty tannins to tie it all up on the way down. Pricey, but oh so nicey from a … Read More
Author: Yvonne
Byrne Wines Little Brother Red 2016 $19
Here’s a toasty (and tasty) blend of syrah, viognier which also uses a splishy splash of chambourcin (shom-bore-sarn) to frisk up the flavour profile. Northland has a knack for turning out softly styled, savoury, earthy-toned, plump reds that clear the nose and soothe the throat and this is one of those. Light, plush and plenty … Read More
Yvonne Lorkin Canvas Column Sat 7th October 2017
Rock into the weekend with these red rascal’s Byrne Wines Little Brother Red 2016 $19 Here’s a toasty (and tasty) blend of syrah, viognier which also uses a splishy splash of chambourcin (shom-bore-sarn) to frisk up the flavour profile. Northland has a knack for turning out softly styled, savoury, earthy-toned, plump reds that clear the … Read More
Mount Edward ‘Ted’ Central Otago Pinot Noir 2016 $34 (4.5 stars)
Nursed from the vineyard into the bottle by the talented twosome of Duncan Forsyth and Anna Riederer, this pinot noir is beautifully rich and bursting with hedgerow fruits, 5-spice, sandalwood and cocoa and tree bark. Complex and mouthfilling, it’s like a leather-laden overload of earthiness and wild cherries. www.mountedward.co.nz
Giesen Vineyard Selection Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014 $17.99 (3.5 stars)
This is a super-approachable pinot noir that’s really starting to hit its straps with a couple of years aging on it. Bright, plush and cherry-driven, it’s bursting with cherries, berries and has a soft, gamey layer on the finish. Lovely, lengthy and darn drinkable. www.advintage.co.nz
Esk Valley Hawke’s Bay Verdelho 2017 $19 (5 star)
Verdelho the famous white grape grown on the Portuguese island of Madeira where for aeons it’s been used in the production of sherry. In 1998 the team at Esk Valley planted some in the rock star region of the Gimblett Gravels and in 2002 Gordon Russell produced the very first kiwi version. This shiny new … Read More
Matahiwi Estate Wairarapa Pinot Noir 2016 $28 (4 stars)
I LOVE this wine. From the powerfully smoky, spiced cherry lift on the nose to the intensely fruity core and the long, succulent finish – it’s an absolute star. Buoyant raspberry, rhubarb, pomegranate and pepper characters: they’re all there, too! Grown near Masterton (the place where pinot noir was first planted 130 years ago), it’s … Read More
Brookfields Sun Dried Hawke’s Bay Malbec 2016 $26.99 (4 stars)
Sun-dried wines have been made since the 5th century BC, and ‘Amarone’ wines from northern Italy are the most famous examples. But they should definitely be looking over their shoulders, because this Brookfields malbec is a cracker. Handpicked fruit is sun-dried in trays a few meters outside of the winery. Then, when the grapes start … Read More
Yvonne Lorkin Wine Column for Week beginning Sat Sept 30 2017
Like many industries, the wine fraternity faces the constant challenge of adapting to appeal to upcoming generations of wine fans, the consumers of the future in an age where the drinks industry is a scarily crowded and competitive market, the likes of which consumers have never seen before. However, wine has an advantage in that … Read More
Paddy Borthwick Martinborough Pinot Gris 2016 $24
Full, fat and generous with its time, this pinot gris from Paddy Borthwick washes clean nashi and white peach flavours across your tastebuds, leaving a creamy yet spritzy texture behind. 33% of the juice is run into older French oak barrels to ferment, which adds toasty, tangy, spicy apple strudel characters that line the oesophagus … Read More