I had one of those sit-bolt-upright-and-gasp moments the other day when I suddenly realised that I’d actually been working in wine for eighteen years! It seems like only yesterday that I rocked into Glengarry’s on Ponsonby Road, approached the cool kids at the counter and announced that I was there to do an instore wine … Read More
Author: Yvonne
Pegasus Bay Encore Noble Riesling 2014 $39 ★★★★★
Ancient glacial stones and mineral-rich gravels pervade the soils that this riesling grows upon, and during warm, moist days those berries succumb to botrytis infection with renders the juice golden and honeyed. Expect glorious honeyed citrus and toffee-coated stonefruit alongside tangy, lip-puckering acidity and a deeply complex, flavourful finish. Outstanding. Sweet and succulently indulgent. www.pegasusbay.com
Pegasus Bay Waipara Merlot Cabernet 2013 $31.50 ★★★½
Southern-style Bordeaux blends might not have been on your radar before, but a sip of this will have you honing in on it pronto. Deeply savoury aromas of soy, black olive, dark berries, dusty cocoa characters and dried bay and thyme all cuddle around plump, ripe plum and bold spicy fruity flavours. Caramelised oak and … Read More
Pegasus Bay Waipara Sauvignon Semillon 2014 $31 ★★★★
I love the aromas of freshly baled hay, lemongrass, dried basil, grilled peach, watercress and scorched toast. It’s one of my favourite blended whites and its’ a wine that’ll totally change your whole perception of sauvignon blanc. It’s a highly complex wine, rich and herbaceous, wth a vein of tangy acidity and honeyed citrus running … Read More
Staete Landt Annabel Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2013 $22 ★★★★½
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
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