On these sun-soaked summer days, sometimes all you want is a glass of something super-chilled and something that’s not going to knock you sideways. Well here’s your answer. At a positively demure 8.5% alcohol, this organic, biodynamically-produced, musky, peachy white is a fruity, trop-fest of a wine that’ll keep everyone happy. Light, lovely and luscious … Read More
Author: Yvonne
Silver Wing Nada Reserve Waipara Chardonnay 2015 $38 (3.5 stars)
Think you’ve tasted every kind of chardonnay? Well this’ll have you scratching your head while nodding at the same time. This wine is called NADA because of what it doesn’t contain and that’s absolutely no preservatives (sulphites) or any other chemical additions were used by winemaker Andrew Fox in this chardonnay. Hand-picked, whole bunch pressed … Read More
Colombo Martinborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016 $20 (4 stars)
Beg, steal, borrow, do whatever it is you need to do in order to secure yourself a bottle of this ultra ripe, plump passionfruit and peachy wine produced by Swiss-Irish couple Carolyn Irwin and Baptist Sieber. I love the herbaceous elements and layers of lemongrass on the finish and it’s just perfect with mussel fritters … Read More
Grava Martinborough Pinot Noir 2015 $45 (4.5 stars)
Wow! How intense is the fruit in this wine? Chock full of baked cherry, blackened berries, sweet, dark cocoa and baking spices, this little lovely from Lake Ferry Road has it all. Tiny amounts are made by Alastair Gardner and his wife Karla Falloon from grapes grown in deep gravel soils (hence ‘grava’), which provides … Read More
Wine column for week beginning sat 14th Jan, 2017
One of the things I love most about my job is that I get a lot of parcels in the post and I happen to get ridiculously excited about opening packages of any description. Sometimes it’s obvious by the branding on the outside of the box, what I’m to expect inside. However every now and … Read More
Moa Southern Alps White IPA 330ml $22.99x6pk
Brand new from Moa, this IPA is part of their ‘Living Beer’ series of bottle conditioned beers, meaning the beer is still brewing inside the bottle. It’s a technique along the lines of traditional winemaking, hardly surprising seeing as brewer Josh Scott is also a winemaker. Brewed with Vienna pale wheat malts, dry-hopped with Nelson … Read More
Pa Road Marlborough Chardonnay 2016 $14.99 (4 stars)
If you’re keen for a smoky, struck match, toasty, roasty chardonnay that’s redolent (did I just say ‘redolent’?) of grilled grapefruit, charred pineapple and all manner of caramelized complexity – then this is your poison. Darn yummy, and will appeal to old-school chardonnay lovers who love that nutty, creamy character on the finish. Widely available … Read More
Spade Oak Heart of Gold Gisborne Albarino 2015 $23 (3.5 stars)
Spade Oak were one of New Zealand’s early Albarino adopters, with owners Steve and Eileen Voysey opting to aim towards a lean, lemony, elegantly European-styled example from their Gisborne vineyards. I like the subtle citrus blossom aromas and the quartz dust minerality on the palate. Consume super-chilled with prawn, pork and coriander dumplings – yummo! … Read More
Jules Taylor OTQ Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2015 $32.95 (4 stars)
Sourced from Jules’ Plunkett Vineyard, this is quite unlike most Marlborough sauvignon blanc out there, in that the acidity is softer, just the faintest pinprick like texture around the gumline, creamy layers of citrus, basil, passionfruit sorbet and fleshed out with white pepper and a lemongrassy note on the finish. It’s a complex, sexy sauvignon … Read More
Decibel Martinborough Pinot Noir 2015 $40 (3.5stars)
Daniel Brennan is serious talent where winemaking is concerned, a young up-and-comer from the US carving a kiwi living creating wine in Hawke’s Bay and Martinborough. It’s his background in the rock n roll business that’s responsible for the name Decibel, but this pinot noir is cool and calm in the background as opposed to … Read More