This wine won the trophy for Best New Zealand Pinot Noir at the International Wine Challenge in London last week. How appropriate that a pinot named after one of the sexiest capital cities in the world, also has a distinct lift of tobacco leaf and cigar box on the nose and palate. Combine this wine … Read More
Author: Yvonne
Rod McDonald Quarter Acre Syrah 2015 $35 (5stars)
You know how some people say they can hear voices in their head? Well sipping this wine may suddenly give you voices in your gob. I feel it’s ok to say ‘gob’ because in the official tasting notes, accompanying this wine, Rod says it has ‘violets and cassis on the snoz’. I love the pretty … Read More
Wine column week commencing 27th May, 2017
“Holy s**t!” were the exact words Rod McDonald’s wife Jo, when he rang her to tell her his Quarter Acre Hawke’s Bay Syrah had just been awarded the Trophy for the “Best International Syrah” at the prestigious International Wine Challenge in London. A clutch of the finest wine judges on the planet decided that his … Read More
Dopff & Irion Cuvée René Dopff Alsace Riesling 2014 $22 (4.5 stars)
Here’s a definite new favourite for me, because I adore this style of riesling that’s packed with pure lime and green apple on the nose, crushed shells and wet stones. It’s a dry style, yet has some gloriously crunchy, natural sweetness allowing a round, citrus-focused mid-palate and a generously cleansing finish. Love it! www.wineseeker.co.nz
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 17 Plateau Gimblett Gravels Merlot 2014 $32.90 (5 stars)
Incredibly bright on the nose, bursting with ripe boysenberry, plum cherry and sweetly spiced, smoky notes. Here’s a deeply flavoured, rich and satisfyingly fruity, with layers of leather and cocoa carrying through to the finish. I love the refreshing, vibrant acidity and its gripping, yet supple tannins. It’s a very precise yet plush and generous … Read More
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 17 Plateau Gimblett Gravels Cabernet Merlot 2015 $37.90 (4.5 stars)
I love the lift of pepper, plum, cocoa and buckets of fruit cake spices this wine possesses. It’s beautifully balanced with smooth, cuddly undertones and elegant, finely-grained tannins. Fleshy, succulent and seriously good. Clearly the team at Saint Clair in Marlborough are now experts in dealing with smoulderingly good fruit from Hawke’s Bay’s Gimblett Gravels … Read More
Château Trébiac Graves Rouge 2011 $27.20 (3.5 stars)
‘Graves’ translates to ‘gravelly land’ in French, and here’s a blend of 30% cabernet sauvignon and 70% merlot from this important subregion of Bordeaux, located on the left bank of the Garonne river. It’s a medium-weight, savoury, soy and dark olive edged red with hints of prune, cocoa and smoke running through the middle. The … Read More
Dopff & Irion Alsace Edelzwicker $18 (3 stars)
The name ‘edelzwicker’ comes from the word ‘Zwicker’ which means ‘blend’ and ‘Edel’ which means ‘noble’. So essentially it’s a blend of noble varieties from Alsace, and that’s sylvaner, pinot blanc, riesling, muscat d’alsace, pinot gris, gewürztraminer, auxerrois and the Swiss grape chasselas. It’s a pretty crazy spectrum of flavours such as preserved lemon, rockmelon, … Read More
Wine column for week beginning Saturday May 13 2017
Back in the day there were set rules about pairing wine with food. For example, you never served red wine with white meat and you never served white wine with anything that used to have hooves. But those mantras harked back to a time when there simply wasn’t the smorgasbord of sensational wine now available … Read More
Canvas Column Saturday 20 May 2017
Today’s column is written especially for A.D. Kirby of Papamoa, who took the time to write two letters to the editor of this newspaper detailing his dislike of my wine descriptors. I’ve taken his feedback on board, tweaked my style and really hope the following reviews are more to his liking… Obikwa Merlot Shiraz … Read More