Estate Single Vineyard Marlborough Albariño 2022 $23-$27 I can see myself slathering this sauce across some sort of sublime Spanish fish dish and for that reason I’d launch myself into a bottle of this shiny-new albariño (pronounced al–bar-een-yo) While the spiritual home of Spain’s signature white wine might be in the Rías Baixas (ree-hass bye-shass) … Read More
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Rockburn Central Otago Pinot Noir 2022
Rockburn Central Otago Pinot Noir 2022 $40 Winemaker Malcolm Rees-Francis has selected fruit from their Parkburn and Gibbston Valley Back Road vineyards to star in this, one of New Zealands most consistent and reliably tasty pinot noirs. The nose of the 2022 shows classic cherry, black tea and raspberry jus notes on the nose and … Read More
Smith & Sheth Cru Heretaunga Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2020
Smith & Sheth Cru Heretaunga Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2020 $40 Sourced from their Omahu (Gimblett Gravels) and Mangatahi (inland west of Hastings) vineyards, this syrah has an earthy elegance and plushness from its whole-berry, un-crushed ferment and from being matured for 14 months in French oak of which 35% were new barrels. The tannins are … Read More
Terrace Edge North Canterbury Albariño 2022
Terrace Edge North Canterbury Albariño 2022 $29 Gorgeously golden in the glass and crammed with spiced peach, luscious lemon and baked apple complexity, it’s a crisp, crunchy yet generously juicy white wine from the limestone-layered soils of North Canterbury. Clearly, this Spanish variety is loving living under the Waipara sun and if you’re a plate … Read More
Clos Henri Solange Marlborough Blanc de Noirs Methode Traditionnelle 2020
Clos Henri Solange Marlborough Blanc de Noirs Methode Traditionnelle 2020 $45 ‘Sainte Solange’ is the tiny rimu chapel relocated in 2003 to the Clos Henri vineyard to serve as their tasting room. Named in memory of Solange Bourgeois, the late wife of Clos Henri’s founder Henri Bourgeois, ‘Solange’ also means ‘dignified’ in French so it … Read More
Carrick Bannockburn Central Otago Pinot Noir 2020
Carrick Bannockburn Central Otago Pinot Noir 2020 $44-$51 Now in its 26th vintage, this is one of New Zealand’s most respected pinot noirs. The 2020 erupts with classic Central Otago dark fruits and dried thyme aromatics, then follows through with attractively layered spice and charred oak notes. There’s some tannic cling and grip and it’s … Read More
Loveblock Central Otago Pinot Noir 2021
Loveblock Central Otago Pinot Noir 2021 $33-$37 Paired with Lamb Meatballs in the NZ Herald CANVAS magazine Sat 8th April 2023 To me, it doesn’t matter if you get all Bubba from Forrest Gump on it (lamb roast, lamb chops, lamb racks, lamb burgers, lamb and rosemary sausages, lamb casserole, lamb rissoles, lamb steaks, lamb … Read More
Carrick The Magnetic Bannockburn Pinot Noir 2020
Carrick The Magnetic Bannockburn Pinot Noir 2020 $65 Intensely juicy, gamey, spice-saturated and lifted, this buoyant beauty is crammed with cocoa notes blueberry, red cherry and rhubarb flavours in every cranny. With gently lithe, lovely tannins, if you’re looking for purity and a ‘sense of place’ in one sip, you’ve got it right here. According … Read More
Grove Mill Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2022
Grove Mill Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2022 $15-$18 Loaded with lemongrass, bruised basil and crammed with classic cut-grass, passionfruit and buckets of energetic, bracing acidity. It’s a deliciously dry style, not flabby and overly tropical, instead it’s refined, sweaty, spicy complexity and all-round sippability makes it a crowd pleaser for sure. Grove Mill
Two Rivers The Spring Marlborough Chardonnay 2020
Two Rivers The Spring Marlborough Chardonnay 2020 $55 Crafted from 30yo Mendoza clone vines, this wine is one of the most hands-off styles that winemaker Dave Clouston and his team create. A teensy bit cloudy due to it not being fined or filtered (another excellent thing), this chardonnay erupts with grilled stonefruit intensity, scorched oak … Read More