This is absolutely my kind of sauvignon, something that pushes the envelope just a smidge, away from the capsicum and cats pee and into a spectrum of lemongrass, basil, marzipan and intense white peach and pepper characters. Winemaker Ruud Maasdam has created a wine with real tension and tautness – and having a couple of … Read More
Author: Yvonne
The Prospect Gisborne Chardonnay $20 ★★★★
If there’s one thing Steve Voysey knows how to do, that’s create darn lovely chardonnay, and this new puppy is no exception. Crafted from multiple Chardonnay clones grown in Gisborne’s famous sub-regions of Ormond and Patutahi, this is a classic, buttered crumpet and peach marmalade-style sip, loaded with warming spices and luscious stonefruit flavours. There’s … Read More
Wine column week commencing 28th May, 2016
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
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