Petane Wines It’s Only Hawke’s Bay Gamay Piquette 2022 $22 Winemaker Philip Barber has had a crack at this ancient, yet newly trendy style by using gamay grape skins, rainwater, a few baskets of pinot gris and a decent 60lt splash of gamay juice which was re-fermented for 5 days in tank to close to … Read More
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Petane Kōura Block Hawke’s Bay Pinot Blanc 2022
Petane Kōura Block Hawke’s Bay Pinot Blanc 2022 $28 Pinot Blanc is a marvellously tasty mutation of pinot noir and its spiritual home is over in the Alsace region of France. You’ll also find it in Germany, Italy, Hungary and now Hawke’s Bay. This is the debut pinot blanc for winemaker Philip Barber, who has … Read More
Mills Reef Estate Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2020
Mills Reef Estate Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2020 $18 Great value syrah here, buckets of red fruit. redcurrant, red apple and plum layers on the nose and palate merge with soft tannins, hints of pepper and earthy spices on the palate. Juicy, easy and a superb introduction to Hawke’s Bay syrah. Mills Reef
Main Divide North Canterbury Gewürztraminer 2022
Main Divide North Canterbury Gewürztraminer 2022 $21 From a cooler-than-average summer, comes a spicy, zesty gewurztraminer which boasts all the classic aromatics I love (lychee, ginger, manuka honey and jasmine) but injects baking spices like clove and nutmeg alongside dried citrus peel and crystalised mango. It’s a plump, plush, sexy thing to sip, yet has … Read More
Villa Maria Sparkling Cuvée Brut NV
Villa Maria Sparkling Cuvée Brut NV $20 Paired with Summer Corn and Avocado Salad with pesto by Annabel Langbein in the NZ Herald CANVAS magazine Sat December 10 2022. Brand new from the Villa stable comes a lemon shortbread-scented sparkler made from chardonnay and pinot noir that’s smooth, nutty, ultra-creamy and perfect with the richness of … Read More
19 Crimes Snoop Dogg Cali Rośe 2020
19 Crimes Snoop Dogg Cali Rośe 2020 $20 I love how it’s presented in smoked glass. Of course, it is. We are talking about Snoopy doopy after all. There’s not a lot of info on the back label about what grapes it’s made from or where exactly in California it’s made, but it is a … Read More
Hastings Distillers Posy Pink Gin
Hastings Distillers Posy Pink Gin 700ml $75 I love the little picture of a posy (or tussie-mussie as my mate Kim calls them) of flowers on the label. I also love the font. Which, yes, exposes me for being firmly in the ‘appearances matter’ camp, but I do not care. Morganite-pink and diamond-bright, this organic … Read More
Pinot Brothers Gold Label Martinborough Pinot Noir 2019
Pinot Brothers Gold Label Martinborough Pinot Noir 2019 $49 Ben Dugdale and his daughter Rose are the talent behind Pinot Brothers (or should that be Pinot Parent and Progeny? or Pinot Dad and Daughter?) Anyhoo, they’ve done an excellent job of capturing the classic Martinborough florals and cherry intensity on the nose and palate. Lifted … Read More
Squawking Magpie The Chatterer Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2022
Squawking Magpie The Chatterer Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2022 $24 Bright pear and green apple aromas combine with a tweak of nutmeg and yellow plum on the nose and palate. The acidity is fresh and peaky which accentuates its dry finish. 2022 was a challenging vintage and this is a solid effort.
Domain Road Bannockburn Central Otago Sauvignon Blanc 2022
Domain Road Bannockburn Central Otago Sauvignon Blanc 2022 $24 This is, I think, the 8th vintage of Domain Road sauvignon that I’ve tasted and its fair to say that it’s morphing into its own style and groove. Showing heightened jalapeno, lemongrass, basil, preserved lemon and lime layers, it’s definitely one for the herbaceously inclined. Owners … Read More