Abbey Estate Bridge Pa Temptation Malbec 2019 $25 Inky magenta in the glass and grizzling around the gills with earthy spices and gamey, wild and woolly notes. Malbec as a single varietal in Hawke’s Bay is not a common thing, particularly in the Bridge Pa area. so when someone decides to bottle it solo, my … Read More
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Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Pinot Noir 2019
Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Pinot Noir 2019 $49.99 The excellent thing about Villa Maria having multiple sites in Marlborough from which to source pinot noir from, is that when it comes to crafting the ‘Reserve’, those soils really are their oyster. The best rows from the best blocks are chosen and made as individual wines … Read More
Taylors Estate Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir 2018
Taylors Estate Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir 2018 $19.95 For aeons I’ve been a huge fan of Pinot Noir from the cool, inland Adelaide Hills region. It’s second-only to Tasmania for those soft, cherry-soaked. spice-sprinkled styles. And while this example from Taylors may not knock the socks off Pinot Noir connoisseurs, it’ll sure as heck appeal … Read More
Yealands Single Vineyard Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2020
Yealands Single Vineyard Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2020 $24.95 Grown in their Seaview Vineyard on the wild and windy coastline south of Blenheim and just over the Wither Hills, the grapes here throw all their energy into creating tiny, flavour-packed berries which have a unique floral and apple-like character that’s quite different to sauvignon grown … Read More
Taylors Clare Valley Merlot 2018
Taylors Clare Valley Merlot 2018 $19.99 Smooth, plum-saturated and crammed with cherry and soft pepper and cocoa characters on the nose and palate, this is a warm, juicy, easy-like-sunday-morning red wine that will wow the crowds. South Australian merlot isn’t something we see a huge amount of here in NZ, which is a shame because … Read More
Taylors Clare Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Taylors Clare Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 $19.99 I’m a huge fan of the colour-coded temperature sensor on the back of the bottles of Taylors wines because in New Zealand we’re shockers for drinking our white wine too cold and our red wines too warm. Cabernet Sauvignon is at its floral, spicy best between 16 – … Read More
The Landing Bay of Islands Syrah 2019
The Landing Bay of Islands Syrah 2019 $48 Well if you’re not seduced by the style, texture and grooviness of the label of this bottle for starters, then the elegant red fruits, soft pepper and stylish spice layers in this syrah will totally turn you sideways. Red cherry, soft blueberry and white pepper characters wash … Read More
Churton Natural State Marlborough Field Blend 2020
Churton Natural State Marlborough Field Blend 2020 $28 Each year the younger Weaver lads create a field blend that always brings a smorgasbord of citrus, spice and herbaceousness to the table. This organic, biodynamically grown and crafted 2020 wine is a blend of sauvignon blanc, petit manseng and viognier, meaning it shows white stone fruit, … Read More
Paritua Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2019
Paritua Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2019 $44.99 Every chardonnay lover under the sun will be skating, skedaddling, scootering and sprinting to get a bottle or twelve of this for their cellar as soon as they know how darn delicious it is. The Bridge Pa Triangle district, where this is grown, is fast becoming a hotspot for … Read More
Mahi Marlborough Rosé 2020
Mahi Marlborough Rosé 2020 $24 Crafted from 100% Pinot Noir grown in the western edge of Marlborough’s Wairau Valley, this rosé is one of the prettiest-coloured examples I’ve seen all vintage. Like a pink diamond in the glass, it radiates ‘drink me now-ness’. Erupting with soft raspberry, watermelon and pink peppercorn characters, it’s boosted by … Read More