Michael Seresin established his winery in 1992 with a vision to create certified organic, biodynamically-produced beauties in a bottle. For their flagship Reserve, the chardonnay barrels from their Raupo vineyard are tasted a year after vintage and only the best are tucked away for another six months. It’s as elegant as Meghan Markle’s dress, Maid … Read More
Current Columns
Sea Level Home Block Chardonnay 2017 $27
Nelson has long been my go-to nugget of niceness where chardonnay is concerned. Winemaker Sam Smail is mildly obsessed with making great examples and the force is strong with this one. Lemon, grapefruit, white peach and a hint of creamy complexity add layers of loveliness make this a fresh and frisky and fabulous fistpump for … Read More
Petane Station Esk Valley Chardonnay 2017 $30
Sourced from a single vineyard known as the Puriri block, the chardonnay was handpicked, whole bunch pressed then it was entirely barrel fermented in 30% new French oak. The barrels were stirred every fortnight for 8 months to impart extra creamy, nutty complexity and yet the wine is lean, clean and elegant. Beautifully balanced, lithesome … Read More
Yvonne Lorkin canvas column for Saturday 9 June 2018
Trat this Saturday as your excuse to chardonnay the day away. You have our total permission… Petane Station Esk Valley Chardonnay 2017 $30 Sourced from a single vineyard known as the Puriri block, the chardonnay was handpicked, whole bunch pressed then it was entirely barrel fermented in 30% new French oak. The barrels were stirred … Read More
Momo Marlborough Chardonnay 2017 $19 (4 stars)
If you’re of an organic persuasion, then this wine will tick all your boxes. Lifted peach, grapefruit sit alongside buttered crumpet and nutty notes to create a multi-layered, super-tasty, juicy wine that should definitely be in your fridge! www.seresin.co.nz
Gladstone Vineyard Wairarapa Sauvignon Blanc 2017 $19 (3.5 stars)
Lemongrass alert! This organically grown sauvignon absolutely heaves with citrus blossom and herbaceousness, buckets of preserved lemon, passionfruit and showing a dry, zesty, mineral-heavy mid-palate. It’s not a fruit bomb, it’s an elegant, lean, complex style. www.gladstonevineyard.co.nz
Belasco Llama Old Vine Mendoza Malbec 2016 $26 (3.5 stars)
Argentinean malbec is one of my favourite things because it’s so meaty and savoury and loaded with spicy, charred, fleshy goodness. Belasco have malbec vines that are over 100 years old growing in the Lujan de Cuyo district and the contribution that fruit makes to this wine is other-worldly. Toasty, caramelised oak combines with plum, … Read More
Black Barn Hawke’s Bay Merlot Malbec Cabernet 2014 $33 (4.5 stars)
Winemaker Dave McKee is like a silent assassin. He just quietly shuffles about in Black Barn’s ridiculously tiny winery each year, never saying boo about how the wine is tasting until he’s fully confident that it’s in the bottle safely – and even then he doesn’t give anything away. Fleshy, plum-saturated, seriously smooth and bursting … Read More
Alpha Domus Hawke’s Bay The Navigator 2014 $32 (4.5 stars)
Close your eyes and imagine this wine being a shiny, skintight, leopard print suit inside chunky, glittery platform boots. It’s David Lee Roth in a bottle basically. Suspended on wires above an arena, belting out ‘Jump!’ It’s a slick, masculine, Hollywood wine that’s impenetrably dark and doused with blackberry, plum, boysenberry and voluptuously spicy characters. … Read More
Yvonne Lorkin wine column for week beginning Sat 2 June 2018
When it comes to convincing humans to buy things, author Simon Sinek’s states “There are only two ways to influence human behaviour. You can manipulate it or you can inspire it”. So why don’t more wine producers do the ‘inspiring’ and not the discounting? It’s so depressing, because it’s rampant in the industry I love. … Read More