Bright, ruby-coloured and packed with earthy spices, bright, cheery fruit and layers of soft, smoky, woolly dried strawberry notes. Grown in the Ornati area of Monteforte d’alba, it’s a deliciously approachable barbera that’s really hitting its straps now, oozing red fruit and soft, liquorice characters and lovely dried herbs on the finish. www.pointwines.co.nz
Author: Yvonne
Zabu Il Passo Nerello Mascalese Nero d’Avola 2014 $32 ★★★★★
I absolutely LOVE this wine! With intense blackcurrant, cherry and sweet, concentrated plum flavours, it’s a total Sicilan fruit fest. Yet these fresh, juicy berry layers are cloaked in dark chocolate, bouquet-garni herbs, cedar and seasoned leather, juniper and hints of espresso. Velvety, plush and practically unputdownable. www.firstglass.co.nz
Fontanafredda Barolo 2011 $69 ★★★★½
100% nebbiolo grapes have been used to create a seriously earthy, lush, leathery red wine with sweet, tobacco and cedar notes on the nose and palate. Cherry, white pepper and dried herb characters surround grippy elastic tannins and leave a warming, slippery finish. www.glengarrywines.co.nz
Chapel Hill McLaren Vale Bush Vine Grenache 2014 $30 ★★★★½
From the very first sniff, I fell in love with the intense florals, sweet pomegranate and hints of spicy, medicinal cough drop characters. In the mouth there’s a burst of plush, zesty berry, rosehip and cherry flavours alongside fine, sandy tannins. There’s also a lovely whiff of pot pourri on the finish. Sorry about the … Read More
Chapel Hill ‘The Parson’ Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre 2015 $19.99 ★★★½
This is a 64:30:6 blend boasting violets, pepper, dried bouquet-garni herbs, blackcurrant, soft spices and a red-fruited core. The tannins are deliciously dusty and this is a superb style of red for anyone wanting a stepping stone from pinot noir to something stronger. www.glengarrywines.co.nz
Wine Column for week beginning August 20th, 2016
I love a good international day of something, especially when it’s wine-related. So you can imagine my joy and jubilation upon hearing that The 7th Annual International Grenache Day is occurring on Friday September 16th. A day-long celebration of everything Grenache, one of the most widely planted yet least-known red grapes in the world. Grenache (or … Read More
Paper Road Wairarapa Pinot Noir 2014 $21 ★★★½
Grown and made in Opaki, just north of Masterton, this gently fruited velvety-plush pinot boasts a hit of sweet rosehip tea, ripe cherry and smooth, slippery raspberry notes on the finish. For lovers of sweet fruit and soft spices, this will absolutely hit the mark with a spicy warm lamb salad. www.paperroad.co.nz
De Morgenzon DMZ Chenin Blanc 2015 $25 ★★★★½
This is the first time I’ve ever tried South African Chenin and if this is the standard, I’m a total convert. Grown in the upper reaches of the Stellenboschkloof Valley in the Stellenbosch region, the vines which – no joke- they play baroque music to 24/7, have produced a creamy apple, crème caramel and nashi-scented … Read More
Stoneleigh Wild Valley Marlborough Chardonnay2015 $ ★★★★
Here’s a saucy chardonnay bursting with smoked pineapple, roast peach, caramelised characters, anise and white pepper. Using only ‘wild’ or indigenous yeasts in the ferment, can give a white wine more funk factor and greater complexity. So in the mid-palate of this wine there’s added layers of fresh, juicy acidity, hint’s of smoke and spice … Read More
Soho Revolver Waiheke Island Merlot Cabernet Franc Malbec 2014 $38 ★★★★
When a wine wins a ‘Pure Gold’ medal at the Air NZ Wine Awards, it means it’s consistently scored more than the minimum gold score of 55.5/60. One sip and you’ll see why this wine’s done exactly that. Saturated with dark plum and concentrated berryfruit, complex savoury spices and cigar box complexity on the palate, … Read More