In a year’s time the Wellington waterfront will be awash with New Zealand’s best Pinot Noirs, the world’s leading wine media and wine lovers and traders, makers and viticulturists. It is Pinot Noir NZ 2013 – New Zealand’s premier wine event. It starts 28th of January and wraps up on the 31st. This is the fourth … Read More
Author: Yvonne
Kingfisher Bay Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc 2011
Kingfisher Bay Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc 2011 $10 Apart from exhibiting all those classic passionfruit, lemon, peapod and grassy notes we love so much about Marlborough Sauvignon, this has the added burst of bubbles giving it a celebratory feel. Best of all it’s sealed with a re-useable ‘zork’ stopper meaning you can pop the bottle back in … Read More
Stoneleigh Latitude Marlborough Pinot Noir 2009
Stoneleigh Latitude Pinot Noir 2009 $34 Spending eight months in French oak barrels (a third of them new) has produced a wine chock-full of youthful fruit sweetness combined with spicy layers of plum, cherry and toast. It’s bright, vibrant and very drinkable, although I’m not sure how this wine will do in the cellar so … Read More
Deutz Prestige Marlborough Cuvee 2008
Deutz Prestige Marlborough Cuvée 2008 $38 Elegant and restrained, this wine has tiny pinprick bubbles and soft aromas of almond, oyster shell, lemon and mineral notes. In the mouth it is delicate and cloudlike, yet has delicious freshness, substance and citrus complexity. Vibrant and rich, this is definitely a new favourite for me.
Margrain Vineyard La Michelle Methode Traditionnelle
Margrain Vineyard ‘La Michelle’ Methode Traditionnelle $38 66% pinot noir and 33% chardonnay is the blend in this ultra pretty, white gold hued sparkling. I love the aromas of malt biscuit, grilled peach and toasty breadcrust along with its tangy, minerality and lemony-rich, mouthfilling layers of flavour. A very sexy sparkling indeed. www.margrainvineyard.co.nz Margrain La Michelle Methode … Read More
Dramfest Is On!
Dramfest ‘12 brings wealth of whisky to Christchurch and if you’ve got tickets from last year’s event which was scuppered by the earthquake fret not – they’re still valid! This popular biennial event, organised by Michael Fraser Milne of Christchurch whisky specialist store, Whisky Galore, takes place in Christchurch from 24-26 February 2012. The expo … Read More
Classy new Glass
If you lamented the loss of the old style of champagne saucer, or ‘coupe’ then you’ll be pleased to know that its usurper, the ‘flute’, may also soon be turfed into untrendy territory. For umpteen years the coupe was rumoured to have been modelled on the breasts of a well known female French aristocrat and … Read More
Ash Ridge gets busy…
It is exactly one year since Ash Ridge Wines opened their tiny, tin shed cellar door on State Highway 50, ten minutes drive southeast of Hastings. Offering a handful of wines, coffee, tea and good old gap-fillers like antipasto, cheese platters and lasagne, they’re perfectly poised to snare parched and peckish people speeding north from … Read More
Osawa Sustainable Dots Hawke’s Bay Gewurztraminer 2010
Sustainable Dots Hawke’s Bay Gewurztraminer 2010 $19 If you’re a fan of fabulous, well-priced gewürztraminer then this is for you! It’s a beautiful example with lychee, rose and soft spices on the nose followed by clean, crisp, tangy tropical flavours in the mouth. It’s a wine with fantastic lines and definitely leaves an impression. More … Read More
Tresillian Single Vineyard Akaroa Chardonnay 2009
Tresillian Single Vineyard Akaroa Chardonnay 2009 $23 This is a superb Canterbury chardonnay chock-full of melon, mango and peach notes on the nose all followed by an explosively fresh burst of tropical and citrus flavours in the mouth. Clean, long and linear, it’s a lovely drink indeed. Buy from www.tresillian.co.nz Tresillian Single Vineyard Akaroa Chardonnay