‘‘Te Ahu’’ loosely translates to ‘‘new beginning’’ in Maori and for many sauvignon blanc fans, one sip of this will send them into new realms of possibility. Barrel-fermented, as opposed to the usual stainless-steel treatment, and using wild, indigenous yeasts, this wine offers almond meal, frangipani, freshly baled hay and baked tropical fruits on the … Read More
Author: Yvonne
Pacific Potion Hawke’s Bay Organic Sauvignon Blanc 2017 $25 (4 stars)
Certified organic and oozing personality, this is lemongrassy, limey lusciousness at its best. Produced by the Supernatural Wine kids with organic-specialist winemaker Hayden Penny at the helm, the Pacific Potion is a skilfully produced clean, zesty, tangy and tropical tipple. It’s surprising to see it’s lower in alcohol than most (11.5%) but I love it’s … Read More
Yvonne Lorkin Canvas Column for Sat Sept 9 2017
It’s been a nuts week right? Calm the farm by giving your taste buds a chardonnay cuddle to show them you still care. Ara Single Estate Marlborough Chardonnay 2015 $17 The Ara vineyard sits at the confluence of the Wairau and Waihopai rivers, a beautifully laidout piece of land where the vines are left to … Read More
Stonecroft Gimblett Gravels Old Vine Chardonnay 2016 $47
If you’ve been seeking creamy satisfaction in all the wrong places, then fret no more. 100% malolactic fermentation has added lovely layers of crème caramel and ground almonds to classic citrus and grapefruity, peachy goodness to this fully-certified organic chardonnay. Crafted from fruit grown on vines planted in 1992, Mendoza clone vines with low yields, … Read More
Abbey Estate Bridge Pa Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2015 $25
Back in 2002 when Feilding dairy farmer Warren Haworth reached 50, he decided to reward himself and his wife Jan with a new life in Hawke’s Bay making wine. A new life of backbreaking work, little reward and even less sleep. But with the help of their winemaker son Dermot, they’re now crafting gobsmackingly good … Read More
Ara Single Estate Marlborough Chardonnay 2015 $17
The Ara vineyard sits at the confluence of the Wairau and Waihopai rivers, a beautifully laidout piece of land where the vines are left to ‘dry-grow’, meaning they don’t get a constant irrigation feed, instead their roots are forced to bury deep to find water. In chardonnay, this results in incredible fruit concentration and stylistic … Read More
Yvonne Lorkin wine column for week beginning Sat 26th August 2017
Get Mulled This Week Growing up in Hastings in the early 90s, getting ‘mulled’ meant something entirely different to warming up a pot of wine. While pot may have been involved in some way, it’s a far cry from fast forwarding a decade or two and whipping up a batch of something warm, delicious and … Read More
Baron Philippe De Rothschild Mapu Merlot 2015 $20.50 (3.5 stars)
This is a moreish little merlot from Rothschild’s Chilean wine operation that hits the quaffable spot. Savoury, roasting pan juices, pepper and baked plum and berry flavours combine with grippy, dusty tannins and a lengthy, leathery finish. Nice and meaty – classic South American characters here. www.kahurangiwine.com
Graham Norton’s Own Shiraz 2017 $18.99 (4.5 stars)
So our favourite Irish tv personality has teamed up with two kiwi guys from Invivo wines to produce a shiraz from South Australia – how’s that for multinational relations! This is a bonza little bottle that’s deliciously spicy and saturated with blackcurrant and plum flavours and fleshed out with muscular, yet woolly tannins. A bit … Read More
Pretty Paddock Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016 $10.99 (3 stars)
Classic punchy passionfruit, crushed herbs, green capsicum and pea pod flavours are all crammed into this bottle alongside gum-numbing acidity and long, prickly-fresh length of flavour. A squeak of white pepper and a lick of lemongrass makes this a good little ‘after work’ quaffer. www.vineonline