Nga Waka Martinborough Chardonnay 2015 $30 ★★★½ It’s been an age since I’ve tasted Roger Parkinson’s chardonnays from his Nga Waka label, so it’s a great thing to get amongst his new releases. The 2015 estate is a tangy, linear yet altogether luscious wine that’s golden in the glass and offers creamy, spicy, roast peach … Read More
Author: Yvonne
Wine Talk: Tropical, fruity wines
Published NZME Regional Papers Tue 12 April 2016 I’ve been spending a lot of time on vineyards around the country over the last few weeks. Harvest is in full swing and it’s an intense time for anyone involved in the wine industry. Winemakers and grape growers are glued to weather forecasting apps on their … Read More
Escape life’s demands
Published NZ Herald Sat April 9th 2016 You’ve spent the week working hard to be all things to all people. Maintaining through the demands of family, friends, your workplace and those pesky SocMed platforms that’ll forget you in a click if you don’t ‘like’, ‘share’, ‘regram’, ‘retweet’ or ‘snap’ something every seven minutes. Good … Read More
Wine & Wilderpeople
Published NZME Regional Newspapers Tue 5 Apr 2016 I’ve just returned home from the local premier of Taika Waititi’s ‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople’. It’s based on the Barry Crump story Wild Pork and Watercress and stars 13yr old Julian Dennison (he’s skux, look it up), Sam Neill (he’s crusty), Rima Te Wiata (my new … Read More
Appreciating creative powers
Published NZ Herald Sat 2 Apr 2016 How long is it until the next census? In the box that asks to what religion I subscribe, I shall write “The Holy Brethren of Broad City and Caitlin Moran”. These women appreciate the creative powers that tasty wines can impart on ones choreography skills; values that … Read More
Stanley Estate’s Noble Harvest Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2014
Stanley Estate’s Noble Harvest Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2014 375ml $27 ★★★★ This is another rather rare style of dessert wine because you don’t often see sauvignon blanc, Marlborough’s signature grape, offered up in such a sweet, silky, luxurious manner. Steve Pellet and Bridget Ennals named their wines after their beloved Landrover ‘Stanley’, who safely carried them … Read More
Misha’s Vineyard ‘The Cadenza’ Late Harvest Gewurztraminer 2015
Misha’s Vineyard ‘The Cadenza’ Late Harvest Gewurztraminer 2015 375ml $32 ★★★★ I am a huge gewürztraminer hound. I love the stuff, especially when it has a splash of sweetness. So you can imagine my joy when a top-notch wine producer pulls out a rare, dessert-style example. Olly Masters has created a sweet treat that smells … Read More
Pegasus Bay Aria Late Picked Riesling 2014
Pegasus Bay Aria Late Picked Riesling 2014 750ml $30 ★★★★★ Wow. If you’ve ever seen a bunch of botrytis-infected grapes, you’ll know that they’re one of the ugliest sights in all of winemaking. However the golden, liquid loveliness living inside that grey, mouldy grape is capable of absolute magic flavour-wise, and we have a superb … Read More
Petane Station Esk Valley Pinot Gris 2015
Petane Station Esk Valley Pinot Gris 2015 $27 ★★★★½ Hot off the bottling line, winemaker Philip Barber has created a pale gold, pear and peach-laden pinot gris that has absolutely lovely layers of dried pineapple, caramel, anise, rockmelon and fig. Yes, you heard me correct – there’s THAT much in this wine. Pronounced ‘Pea-tarny Station’, … Read More
Sacred Hill Marlborough Pinot Gris 2015
Sacred Hill Marlborough Pinot Gris 2015 $19 ★★★½ The aromas of this wine remind me of old school eskimo lollies from the pick’n’mix bins at the supermarket. Soft cornflower florals, pear, hints of apple and sweet confection. On the palate however it’s a different story, with the team at Sacred Hill producing a clean, tangy, … Read More