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
Author: Yvonne
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
Wine column for week beginning Sat Jan 21, 2017
Come January 31st, a stampede of the world’s wine media, trade and enthusiasts will charge through Wellington for three days of what’s been described as “the best Pinot Noir event on the planet”. The sold-out Pinot Noir NZ Celebration is like the pinot Olympics, the pinot X-Factor final, the pinot noir version of the annual … Read More
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 14 Doctor’s Creek Pinot Noir 2014 $37.90 (4.5 stars)
South west of Blenheim, the soils become infused with clay, making it the perfect place to put pinot in the ground. The result is a highly floral, black tea and cherry-laced pinot noir with real balance and charm. Edged with spice and smoke, there’s delicious complexity at every level here and it’s only getting better … Read More
Babich Headwaters Marlborough Albarino 2015 $22.99 (5 stars)
Intoxicating initial aromas of wildflower pollen and sunbaked limestone are followed by an intensely juicy, citrus-forward series of flavours in this local version of a Spanish classic. I love the deliciously chalky layers on the finish and it’s lipsmackingly fresh length of flavour. Organically grown and created with excellent attention to detail – it’s a … Read More