Published NZ Herald Sat 26 Mar 2016 Hands up if you’re trying to sell your house right now. We’re having open homes so I understand. I’ve been trying to keep our house unnaturally spotless and uncluttered and my ‘soft furnishings’ meticulously coordinated for an entire fortnight and I am on the precipice of monsterdom. … Read More
Author: Yvonne
Beach House Gimblett Gravels Montepulciano 2013
Beach House Gimblett Gravels Montepulciano 2013 $45 ★★★★★ I swear the wines made by the small but perfectly formed team at Beach House wines on Hawke’s Bay’s Te Awanga Coast, just get better with every passing year. Crafted from fruit sourced in the sun-trap that is the Gimblett Gravels (it’s always at least 2 degrees … Read More
Grove Mill Marlborough Gewurztraminer 2013
Grove Mill Marlborough Gewurztraminer 2013 $22 ★★★★★ Gewurz-hounds ahoy! If you go gaga for classic lychee-soaked, ginger-kissed, peach-packed gewürztraminer, then this little gem will have you swooning. Especially when you find out it’s a mere $22. The perfume is exotic, the fruit sweet and tangy, and it feels mouthwatering and silky to drink. Why are … Read More
Costa Tenute Nebbiolo d’alba DOC
Costa Tenute Nebbiolo d’alba DOC $29.90 ★★★★ Sourced from Italy’s southern Piedmonte region, this nebbiolo oozes clove, sarsaparilla and raspberry notes, yet in the mouth the tannins exhibit real grip and have good ‘chew factor’ alongside violet, pepper and solid fruit concentration. It’s a meaty red wine that’ll be just perfect the next time you … Read More
Mahana Clays and Gravels Nelson Pinot Noir 2013
Mahana Clays and Gravels Nelson Pinot Noir 2013 $42 ★★★★½ Nelson produces some of the best pinot noir in the country and this is a great example of why. I love the aromas of tea, baked strawberries, cherries and all manner of earthy-sweet smokiness. ‘Mahana’ means ‘warm’ in Maori and there’s definitely smoothness and warmth … Read More
Bellbird Spring ‘Block Eight’ Sauvignon Blanc 2013
Bellbird Spring ‘Block Eight’ Sauvignon Blanc 2013 $30 ★★★★★ This is a beautifully aromatic, organic sauvignon grown on Waipara’s ‘Glasnevin Gravels’. Made by Guy Porter, it shows soft, finely tuned oak influence, elderflower, white peach and lemony characters. It’s a stunning exercise in restraint with all the flavours and textures working in harmony, finishing with complex … Read More
Cantina Gallura Piras Vermentino DOCG 2014
Cantina Gallura Piras Vermentino DOCG 2014 $22 ★★★½ Crafted from vermentino grapes grown in the granite soils of coastal Sardinia, this bone dry but beautifully structured wine has a huge lift of lemon and white peach on the nose followed by a slice of samurai-sword like acidity across the tongue with every sip. We don’t … Read More
Kaimira Estate Nelson ‘Iti’ Brightwater Riesling 2015
Kaimira Estate Nelson ‘Iti’ Brightwater Riesling 2015 $21 ★★★½ “Iti” indicates something ‘small’ in Maori, and the Kaimira team have used the word to reflect the positively petite alcohol level of just 10% in this wine. Exhuberant, punchy and packed with lemon, lime, mandarin and crunchy apple characters – there’s nothing ‘iti’ about the flavours … Read More
Mishas Vineyard Dress Circle Central Otago Pinot Gris 2015
Mishas Vineyard Dress Circle Central Otago Pinot Gris 2015 $27 ★★★★ If you think you’re ready to take your pinot gris appreciation to the next level then here’s your stepladder. Crafted by guru winemaker Olly Masters from vines growing on the vertigo-inducingly steep slopes of Bendigo overlooking Lake Dunstan, this wine has powerful roast pear, … Read More
Wine Talk: Wine with some heat
Published NZME Regional Papers Tue 22 Mar 2016 It’s been a really interesting week where I’ve actually spent more time meeting wine ‘people’ than tasting new wines, and I’ve loved it. In our everyday lives where convenience reigns and most of our wine decisions are made on price in the supermarket – it’s easy … Read More