Northland is New Zealand’s oldest yet youngest wine region. It was the place where Rev. Samuel Marsden first planted grapes back in 1819 and Dalmatian migrants planted the seeds of the modern industry in its gum fields. Chardonnay has a natural home here, especially this creamy, weighty, fleshy style. This is the last opportunity to … Read More
Author: Yvonne
Element Gimblett Gravels Viognier 2015 $25 (4 stars)
I LOVE the nose of this wine – it seduced me right from the first sip with its exotic orange zest, jasmine, citrus oil and classic caramelised complexity. It’s my favourite style, all rich, cuddly and luxuriously spicy and ready to morph into a meal in itself. But if you insist on pairing it with … Read More
Gladstone Estate Wairarapa Viognier 2016 $25 (5 stars)
Hands down, this is one of my favourite drinks of the season. Owner-slash-winemaker Christine Kernohan has done it again with this fresh, intensely floral viognier that just screams spiced citrus, jasmine and classic apricot kernel characters in every mouthful. Luxuriously tropical, it also hits that sweet spot of beautifully balanced, zingy acidity that so many … Read More
Wine column for week beginning Saturday 4th Feb 2017
It was 1999. I was earning $11 an hour working at Havelock North Wines & Spirits and I was in my first year of studying wine. I was extremely nerdy about it, never content to be one of those “C’s get degrees” folk. I wanted to ace that course, to soak up as much knowledge … Read More
French Peak Banks Peninsula Rosé 2016 $20 (4 stars)
Nowhere are Canterbury’s subregional differences more “Holy Nora!” obvious, than in the wines from Banks Peninsula. Thanks to constant sea breezes, the vines remain clean and dry and the wines extremely pure as a result. This pinot noir rose is pink-diamond-pale, scented with delicate watermelon and raspberry and on the palate there’s a pink grapefruit/blood … Read More
Bannock Brae Cathy’s Central Otago Rosé 2016 $22 (4 stars)
Crafted from 100% pinot noir grown on Catherine and Crawford Brown’s Cairnmuir Road vineyard, this is a super-bright, raspberry and wild cherry-soaked rosé that’ll definitely win friends and influence people this summer. The fruit concentration rocks across the palate, while the nose is so floral and fabulous, it takes some discipline to not dip your … Read More
Gladstone Wairarapa Rosé 2016 $25 (4.5 stars)
I adore the pink diamond-ballet shoe hue of this gorgeous little pinot rose from down Gladstone way and I love its seductive, candied aromas and layers of raspberry, creaming soda and juicy red fruits on the palate. Boasting classic cherry and berries and cream characters alongside lip-puckering acidity makes this absolutely magical. Organically produced by … Read More
Delta Hatters Hill Marlborough Pinot Noir 2015 $34 (5stars)
I really enjoy this kind of pinot noir, the kind that packs a punch with a fistful of fruit in a cloud of sexy spices. Plush cherry and raspberry layers are interwoven with sweet black tea and allspice on the nose and palate, the acidity adds succulence and juiciness to the mouthfeel and the tannins … Read More
Pegasus Bay Waipara Chardonnay 2015 $41 (5stars)
If you can catch a whiff of struck match on your first sniff then welcome to the world of sulphide complexity, something I love o see a little bit of in my chardonnay. With smoked pineapple, grapefruit and grilled peach characters zigzagging across the palate and erupting on the finish – it’s a super stylish … Read More
Wine column for week beginning Saturday 18th Feb, 2017
Earlier in the week I celebrated a birthday which landed me firmly on the wrong side of 40 but I’ve decided to not give any figs because I still feel like a 20 year old. I’m also secretly happy each time I notch up another birthday because it means I’ve had another year of getting … Read More