Some of you may have heard the news about my tastebuds being insured for $1m a week or so ago, and while that’s a very serious business, I’ve been having a bit of a giggle over some of the jokes that’ve started to sneak through on social media since that story broke. So here are … Read More
Author: Yvonne
Banfi Principessa Gavia Gavi 2014 $30 ★★★★
Grown at the Principessa Gavia vineyard in the region of Novi Ligure in the lower Piedmont, this snappy, zesty white crafted from 100% cortese di gavi grapes, has gorgeous sweet, poached quince characters on the nose and ripe pear, nashi and zesty spicy florals in the mouth. Incredibly complex and characterful, it’s a wine with … Read More
Terra Sancta Riverblock Bannockburn Chardonnay 2014 $29 ★★★★
On the nose this is EXACTLY my kind of chardonnay. Complete with a twang of ripe nectarine, buttered crumpet and fresh-cut grapefruit, (all of which soak through onto the palate) it’s a ripper of a wine. Solid citrus, juicy, tropical tones and layers of clean, toasty complexity, it demands to be tasted the next time … Read More
Ca’ Di Rajo Marino 2010 $46 ★★★★½
Italian cabernet sauvignon can be intensely fruity and this example from Ca’ di Rajo, grown on the banks of the river Piave is exactly that. I love the dark plum and boysenberry characters which merge with tobacco leaf, vanilla, pepper and violets. Nicely structured tannins elongate the savoury flavours and combine to create a stunning … Read More
Loveblock Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2014 $25 ★★★★½
Loveblock is a small organic vineyard project housed at the end of Ugbrooke Road in Marlborough’s Awatere Valley that has been all-consuming for Kim and Erica Crawford for the last few years. A radical departure from commercial sauvignon, this has sweet lemongrass, basil and riverbank flowers on the nose followed by a juicy, multi-layered palate … Read More
Mills Reef Elspeth Gimblett Gravels Chardonnay2014 $39.95 ★★★★
Tim Preston and his team at Mills Reef have done a cracker of a job with this wine. I love the aromas of grapefruit pith, vanilla, peach and pineapple. All those elements also flood across the palate alongside a layer of buttery, creamy complexity. Plus there’s a lovely cleansing character on the finish which makes … Read More
Wine column week commencing June 4th, 2016
Dawn of a new era… Neal and Judy Ibbotsen began growing grapes in Marlborough in 1978 and started making wine under their Saint Clair label in 1994. Since then they’ve clocked up hundreds of awards and earned an enviable international reputation for crafting quality wines from Marlborough and more recently, Hawke’s Bay. Yet something had … Read More
Matavino Matakana Viognier 2015 $25 ★★★½
Matakana is like an El Dorado for rich, aromatic white wines – and this viognier is definitely in it’s happy place here. Grown in Warkworth, the wine oozes sunshine and classic apricot kernel characters alongside hints of jasmine, ripe peach and a seam of sea salt. I like the slippery, oily character of this wine … Read More
Stanley Estates Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2013 $19.99 ★★★½
This canny Awatere Valley producer has beefed up their portfolio by buying up a bunch of quality Hawke’s Bay fruit from a bumper vintage, to create a bold, berry-driven bottle of niceness and spiceness. There’s a soft, powdery ‘chew’ to the texture of this wine, which ticks pretty much every box for good, flavoursome, all-purpose … Read More
Jules Taylor Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc 2015 $33★★★★
The unmistakeable aroma hit of passionfruit curd, candied lemon zest and dried mango carries completely across a palate saturated with honey, toffee and tangy, limedrop lollies. Sauvignon blanc done sweetly is an absolute treat and Jules Taylor is an expert at getting it fresh, vibrant and loaded with vavoom. Stunning stuff with slivers of hard, … Read More