Glossy and gorgeous in the glass, this syrah is exactly the style that made wine pundits prick up their palates when it came to how good the Gimblett Gravels really is for this variety. The nose hits that beautiful balance of red berries, cherry, peppercorn, red rose, and violets, and the palate is ridiculously succulent … Read More
Current Columns
The Regent of Tantallon Limited Edition Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet 2013 $40
From what was hailed as the red wine vintage of the century for Hawke’s Bay comes this silky, slinky, berry- and spice-saturated blend from fruit sourced from the Tantallon vineyard in Bridge Pa. The deep, iron-rich ‘red gravels’ inject depth and minerality to the fruit, and the wine shows vanilla, smoke, olive, and sweet cocoa … Read More
Huia Marlborough Pinot Gris 2017 $30
Get ready for a total quince-fest in every mouthful! Direct from one of New Zealand’s top organic wine producers comes a dry, texturally rich pinot gris, jam-packed with poached pear and spicy peach flavours. The first sip brings on layers of fine, grainy, tongue-tingly senses that keep you dipping back into the glass. Fresh as … Read More
Yvonne Lorkin Canvas Column June 16 2018
Think about the last thing you spent $30, $40 or even $50 on. I bet it wasn’t half as tasty as these gloriously gluggable, grape-derived delights… Huia Marlborough Pinot Gris 2017 $30 Get ready for a total quince-fest in every mouthful! Direct from one of New Zealand’s top organic wine producers comes a dry, texturally … Read More
Alpha Domus Barnstormer Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2016 $34
Syrah has been one of the Ham family’s show-off wines pretty much ever since they set up shop in the iron-rich, red gravels of the Bridge Pa Triangle, just a skip and a hop from Hastings city. The Barnstormer has a list of medals and trophies that should justify it being a bit of a … Read More
Pegasus Bay Encore Noble Riesling 2016 $40 (5 stars)
This succulent, incredibly sexy sip firmly sits top of the tree on the Classic Wines of New Zealand list insofar as sweet wines are concerned. Crafted only in years when the conditions are perfect for botrytis to take hold of the grapes and turn them into tiny lumps of magical nectar, this is an absolute … Read More
Astrolabe Sleepers Vineyard Marlborough Albariño 2016 $25 (4 stars)
Grown on a limestone-laden block WAY south in Kekerengu by Albarino-obsessives Chris and Lynne Wilson, this local version of a Spanish favourite has ‘Spring 2018’ written all over it. Clean white peach, lemon blossom, a dusting of almond and a long, soft, citrus-stacked finish will make you feel like you’ve just stepped out of a … Read More
Rock Ferry 3rd Rock Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2017 $27.90 (4 stars)
Certified organic and oozing tropical fruit from every drop, this is a generously proportioned, punchy, passionfruit-saturated sauvignon that has lovely depth of flavour. It has a hefty herbaceous undercurrent and a long, creamy texture on the finish. Darn tasty to drink. www.greatlittlevineyards.com
Mister Hawke’s Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2017 $18 (3.5 stars)
Looking for a little bit of lipsmacking lime and lemongrass in a glass? Well you’ve come to the right place. Hawke’s Bay sauvignon blanc has all that classic tropical, peach and passionfruit character that you know and love, but this Rod McDonald creation also delivers extra generosity and citrus concentration on the finish. It’s snappy-fresh … Read More
Yvonne Lorkin NZME Regionals column for week beginning Sat 9 June 2018
“I’ve been writing about wine for fifteen years and also worked in more restaurants and bars than I care to remember, so I’ve seen every wine preservation system under the sun. Essentially there are three things you can do to stop the enemy (oxygen) from getting its mean old, vinegar-causing hands on it. You can … Read More