Saint Clair Omaka Reserve Marlborough Chardonnay 2023 $42 One of my favourite chardonnay releases of the year, the Omaka Reserve is fermented entirely in American Oak and held on lees for at least 9 months to inject maximum creamy character into a bold and expressive wine. The grilled grapefruit and roasted peach notes really roar … Read More
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Saint Clair Pioneer Block 28 Camp Block Marlborough Pinot Blanc 2020
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 28 Camp Block Marlborough Pinot Blanc 2020 $30 Sourced from fruit grown at the confluence of the Wairau and Waihopai Rivers in a spot named after its use as a Royal New Zealand Air Force camp in the Second World War, comes a bright, vibrantly floral, apple and lemon blossom stacked … Read More
Maison Noire Single Vineyard Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Franc 2023
Maison Noire Single Vineyard Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Franc 2023 $29 Grown high up on the Waimarama Road in the deep limestone clays of the Tukituki Valley, in a tiny vineyard tended by French winemaker Guillaume Thomas, this cabernet franc is deeply savoury, laced with brick dust and smoked blueberry and has gently drying tannins, fresh … Read More
Hawkesridge Hawke’s Bay Viognier 2023
Hawkesridge Hawke’s Bay Viognier 2023 $25 (not rated) While on the nose this wine has some apricot and jasmine promise, sadly the palate is out of balance, with a sweet-sour note and it finishes short. Not great. But 2023 was a very difficult cyclone vintage, so that could have been an issue.
Heaphy Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2023
Heaphy Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2023 $19 The pale, white-gold colour might lead you to assume this is going to be a light, frilly style, yet as soon as you sip you’ll be sucked deep into herbaceous depths of smoked red capsicum, bruised lemongrass, fresh basil and tomato stalk notes. It’s a complex and generous style … Read More
Mora Laeto Central Otago Pinot Noir 2024
Mora Laeto Central Otago Pinot Noir 2024 $35 Here’s a shiny new pinot designed with the kiwi Summer in mind. “Laeto” is derived from the Latin word for ‘lush’ and ‘joyful’ and this wine is all about not taking things too seriously, heavily, having fun with how bright and juicy and floral and plush pinot … Read More
Ayrburn Whimsy Central Otago Pinot Noir 2020
Ayrburn Whimsy Central Otago Pinot Noir 2020 $45 Inky-dark in the glass, this wine might be named ‘whimsy’ but it’s a seriously stocky, in-for-the-long-haul style with stacks of savoury complexity, rich spice layers, baked cherry and black tea. It’s a bit of a beast, but I like that about it. Deeply rich and beefy, it’s … Read More
Park Wine Nelson Marlborough Fizz 2022
Park Wine Nelson Marlborough Fizz 2022 $25 Park Wines is a collaboration between Dan Gillett (of Selection Massale and Wine Diamonds) and Jos Ruffell (of Garage Project). Here they’ve taken BioGro certified organic fruit farmed between their two vineyards in Nelson and Marlborough and created a blend of Pinot Gris, Riesling and Gewürztraminer which erupts … Read More
Maison Noire Reserve Single Vineyard Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2023
Maison Noire Reserve Single Vineyard Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2023 $29 It’s actually blowing me away how good some of the 2023 reds from Hawke’s Bay are despite coming from a cyclone vintage. Sadly there’s just so little of them available! Just 80 cases of this ultra-floral syrah were crafted and it’s a wine erupting with … Read More
Alpha Domus Leonarda Late Harvest Semillon 2022
Alpha Domus Leonarda Late Harvest Semillon 2022 $28 A blend of partially and fully botrytis-infected, organic Semillon grapes from Alpha Domus’ original vineyards were used to craft this lusciously luxurious dessert wine. A long, slow, three-week fermentation occurred and was only stopped when winemaker Barry Riwai was satisfied that the balance of alcohol (12.5%), acidity … Read More