Giesen Estate New Zealand Riesling 2022

7 March 2023By Yvonne

Giesen Estate New Zealand Riesling 2022 $12-$15 Paired with: Masala Fish Curry in the NZ Herald CANVAS magazine 11.3.2023 This chirpy little supermarket staple has won so many awards over recent decades that the Giesen brothers have had to add support struts to the trophy cabinet to cope with the weight of all the heavy … Read More

Monowai Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2022

7 March 2023By Yvonne

Monowai Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2022 $24.99 Paired with: Spicy Mexican Prawns in NZ Herald CANVAS March 11 2023 Coriander, lime, garlic, chipotle and chilli? Pardon me but I’m about to paradiddle down to pinot gris town with this prawn recipe (shout out to all the percussionists out there). The rocky, high-altitude, free-draining soils of … Read More

Forrest Marlborough Pinot Noir 2020

3 March 2023By Yvonne

Forrest Marlborough Pinot Noir 2020 $35 Bursting with bold hedgerow spices, japonica, wild cherry and berry notes, savoury, earthy layers and clean, refreshing textures, this is a youthful, spicy wine with chewy tannins and a big future ahead of it. Gamey complexity adds to its interest and length of flavour. Forrest

Monowai Hawke’s Bay Pinot Noir Rosé 2022

3 March 2023By Yvonne

Monowai Hawke’s Bay Pinot Noir Rosé 2022 $24.99 Sometimes I make myself do a personal SWOT analysis, and it’s never pleasant. The main reason I force myself through this excruciating exercise is so I can reward-slash-console myself at its conclusion with something delicious made by Emma Lowe at Monowai. Her new rosé brings the grins … Read More

Shed 530 Estate Hawke’s Bay Albariño 2022

3 March 2023By Yvonne

Shed 530 Estate Hawke’s Bay Albariño 2022 $23.99 Zesty-fresh and crunchy on the tongue and gums, this green apple-packed example is like an exfoliant for your palate. Dry, linear, lime-layered and mineral-dusted. It’ll also appeal to those who love a dry pinot gris or grigio as it has that whipcrack acidity and cleansing finish. Shed530 … Read More

Shed 530 Estate Hawke’s Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2022

3 March 2023By Yvonne

Shed 530 Estate Hawke’s Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2022 $23.99 Classic, tropic-tastic Hawke’s Bay sauvignon blanc on show here. Juicy, peachy, with hints of passionfruit and punchy pawpaw, it’s also edged with very attractive basil and lemongrassy layers. Softly structured, plush and easy on the gills, it’s a crowd-pleaser for sure. Shed530

Delta Hatters Hill Marlborough Gruner Veltliner 2021

3 March 2023By Yvonne

Delta Hatters Hill Marlborough Gruner Veltliner 2021 $26 Heather Stewart is like the high priestess of gorgeous grüner veltliner. And when she gets her mitts on premium, Omaka Valley-grown grapes, lookout! Steady yourself for a rush of apple and lime blossom aromas and a roar of intensely fresh, crunchy citrus and nashi-like flavours. The textures … Read More

Forrest Marlborough Malbec 2021

23 February 2023By Yvonne

Forrest Marlborough Malbec 2021 $35 It’s taken 11 years for the Forrests to release another malbec and I am so happy I could actually do a little dance. Nay. A big dance! Planted 35 years ago in Dr John Forrest’s original Home vineyard, these vines have produced an inky-dark, ultra-concentrated, dark-fruited, moody, broody, pepper-stacked, liquorice-layered … Read More

Leveret Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2022

20 February 2023By Yvonne

Leveret Estate Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2022 $21.99 Crafted by Cam Duke, Hawke’s Bay’s own version of cool hand Luke, this generously juicy, sexy AF rosé is made from29.16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29.16% Cabernet Franc, 21.14% Syrah and 15,15% Merlot, but all that doesn’t really matter because all you really need to know is the finished pink … Read More

Astrolabe Comely Bank Marlborough Pinot Noir 2020

20 February 2023By Yvonne

Astrolabe Comely Bank Vineyard, Waihopai Valley Pinot Noir 2020 $44 Plush, lithe and lengthy. These are hallmarks of the pinot noir which comes off Jeff and Vanessa Hammond’s Comelybank site near the confluence of the Waihopai and Wairau Rivers, where the Southern Valleys meet. Its handpicked fruit is wild-fermented, hand-plunged, and oak-matured to create an … Read More