Jenny Dobson Florence Hawke’s Bay Fiano 2023 $45 Having been involved with crafting Fiano from fruit grown in tiny amounts in the Bridge Pa subregion since 2010, Jenny Dobson is easily New Zealand’s foremost expert on Fiano production. Fiano is an ancient, white grape with its spiritual home in Campania in Southern Italy. Still, it … Read More
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Huntress Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2023
Huntress Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2023 $48 This is the first time Jannine Rickards has released a syrah from Hawke’s Bay, and she sourced her fruit from the Herringbone Vineyard in Bridge Pa. Taking a third of the grapes and fermenting them as whole clusters (rather than the traditionally crushed berries) has created a wine with … Read More
Saorsa Hawke’s Bay Rosê 2023
Saorsa Hawke’s Bay Rosê 2024 $32 Built on a backbone of Bridge Pa-grown syrah, this is a bright, peppery rosé, dry and rich and spicy. In a dimpled punt, it’s a fleshy, feisty style with good richness. And excellent length of flavour. Complex and rich.
Cardrona Distillery The Falcon Single Malt Whisky
Cardrona Distillery The Falcon Single Malt Whisky 700ml $353 This is the flagship single malt from the clever kids at Cardrona and it’s a blend of portions taken from an ex-Olorosso butt, and ex-Bourbon barrel and an ex-Central Otago Pinot Noir barrel. Grilled nectarine, creamed manuka honey, buttery, boozy, raisin and sultana-soaked Christmas cake batter … Read More
Cardrona Distillery American Barrel Single Cask
Cardrona Distillery American Barrel Single Cask 700ml 52% $353 Ex-Bourbon American seasoned barrels are the most commonly used vessels used in Whisky maturation, and the 200l cask that this example comes from has injected something exotically seductive, something almost emotional and something almost, dare I say it, spiritual. It’s intensely scented with smoked butterscotch, vanilla, … Read More
Cardrona Distillery Single Sherry Cask
Cardrona Distillery Single Sherry Cask 700ml 52%abv $353 Crafted using a 500l oak, ex-Olorosso Sherry butt from Southern Spain that’s been lightly charred, and it adds incredible intensity and nutty, fruity richness to this single-cask whisky. Lifted and lusciously scented with caramelised sultanas and raisins, brown butter, hazelnut and smoked nougat, on the palate it … Read More
Cardrona Distillery Single Malt Central Otago Pinot Cask
Cardrona Distillery Single Malt Central Otago Pinot Cask 700ml 52%abv $353 Just 362 bottles of this exclusive whisky were hand bottled in its second batch on December 2 2024. Drawn from French oak pinot noir barrels, this insanely deliciously, exotically-structured whisky roars with honey-buttered, scorched stonefruit, sultana-soaked Christmas cake batter, smoked fig and toasted pecan … Read More
Oraterra Martinborough Pinot Noir 2023
Oraterra Martinborough Pinot Noir 2023 $80 Wilco Lam’s first Pinot Noir for Martinborough’s new Oraterra brand is a lightly, yet elegantly structured example that’s had 18-24 days on skins inside large, 100% new, predominantly Austrian 500L oak puncheons. Sourced from clones 5, 10/5 and Abel from the McCreanor vineyard in central Martinborough, the result is … Read More
Rock Ferry Marlborough Brut Pinot Blanc 2022
Rock Ferry Marlborough Brut Pinot Blanc 2022 $35 Pinot Blanc is known as many names in different parts of the world. It’s Weissburgunder or Klevner in Austria, Fehér Burgundi in Hungary, Pinot Bianco in Spain and Italy, Rulandské bílé in the Czech Republic, Rulandské Biele in Slovakia and Bijeli Pinot in Croatia. So there you … Read More
Rock Ferry The Corners Vineyard Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2023
Rock Ferry The Corners Vineyard Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2023 $29 A really layered and interesting Sauvignon Blanc here from the organic Corners vineyard on the Wairau plains where predominantly Clone 316 vines grow. Fermented wild in a combo of a concrete egg and seasoned, older French Oak puncheons and left on lees for 8 months, … Read More