Unison Gimblett Gravels Rocky Red 2014 $22 (4 stars)

April 4, 2017By Yvonne

Phil and Terry Horn have absolutely immersed themselves in a Hawke’s Bay life in wine ever since taking ownership of the 6ha, Gimblett Gravels icon Unison Vineyard in 2008. With the help of expert winemaker Jenny Dobson, they have elevated the quality of their reds to stratospheric levels. This ‘Rocky’ merlot cabernet blend follows the … Read More

Pierre et Papa Rose 2015 $16.99 (4 stars)

April 4, 2017By Yvonne

This is an unusual rose made of 100% cinsault grapes grown on old vines snaking across the Languedoc in southern France.  I love the juicy intensity of this wine, the raspberry, cherry and white pepper flavours and its pomegranate punch on the finish.  It’s a rose that offers masses of character and a long, tangy … Read More

Karikari Esate Calypso Northland Merlot 2014 $27 (3.5stars)

April 4, 2017By Yvonne

If you were looking for New Zealand’s northernmost vineyard then you’ve come to the right place.  The heat bakes those vines and the breezes which gust in from the coast directly below the peninsula keep the bunches dry and clean.  Winemaker Alan Collinson uses wild, natural yeasts to ferment the juice, which adds to the … Read More

Greystone Waipara Barrel Fermented Sauvignon Blanc 2015 $22 (4.5stars)

April 4, 2017By Yvonne

100% of the sauvignon blanc juice was fermented in French oak before a smidge (10%) was put through a malolactic ferment to add a creamy, textural layer.  After maturation in barrel for another  months before being bottled back in December, you’d expect this sauvignon to be seriously toasty.  However it’s remarkably herbaceous, floral and fresh, … Read More

Black Estate Waipara Rose 2016 $24 (4 stars)

March 28, 2017By Yvonne

Sweet cranberry, rhubarb and cherry notes on the nose, it’s ultra fruity-fragrant and has instant wham bam appeal. Bursting with cherry and raspberry intensity in the mouth, here’s a rose you won’t forget in a hurry. There’s even a peppery, slightly dense, meaty note which gives it real strength and presence.  Sip with warm, spicy, … Read More

Wine column for week beginning Saturday 25th Feb 2017

March 28, 2017By Yvonne

For a very long time I’ve been moonlighting as a wine tour guide.  I do it for several reasons.  The first being (and this may surprise you) the wage one receives writing a small weekly wine column is not enough to keep me in the Manolo Blahniks and Gucci clutch purses to which I was … Read More

NZME Regional Newspapers Column Saturday March 18 2017

March 24, 2017By Yvonne

Despite the semi-glamourous image that the wine industry has around its edges, winemakers are essentially farmers. They can only harvest their crop once a year, during a tiny window of optimum fruit ripeness (between March and May) in order to extract the best possible quality juice with which to make the best quality wine they … Read More

Canvas Column Sat 2 July 2016

June 21, 2016By Yvonne

Julia Child once said “I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food”.  She also said “Every woman should own a blowtorch”. I miss Julia. Stonecroft Gimblett Gravels Gewürztraminer 2015 $25 This organically produced wine is golden and glossy in the glass and absolutely heaves with heady spices, musky pot … Read More

Wine & Food Matching Lorkin Style…

June 20, 2016By Yvonne

Wine and food matching. The fact that it’s even a thing is the relatively recent result of American neo-prohibitionists in1970’s demanding that if alcoholic beverages were to be served anywhere, then suitable food needed to be provided. So canny restaurateurs clicked rather quickly that if you’re going to do it, do it well and put … Read More

Arriba Albarino

May 5, 2016By Yvonne

Arriba Albariño!! New Zealand’s breakout, white grape star Albariño, might have it’s historic home in the North West of Spain and Northern Portugal, but it’s also achieving degrees of distinction in the east coast gloriousness of Gisborne. Pronounced Al-Barr (roll your rrrs) – Een-Yo and first planted in the region back in 2009 albariño is … Read More