Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Chardonnay 2021 $39 Ok, so looking at the 2019, 2020 and 2021 examples, of Trinity Hill’s chardonnay I think, “what have they been feeding the winemakers?” Because there’s something seriously deliciously evil going on. Especially in this vintage. Is it the popcorn drizzled with grapefruit curd? The roast peach and baked … Read More
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Blackenbrook Nelson Pinot Noir 2020
Blackenbrook Nelson Pinot Noir 2020 $32 Looking for a woolly, spicy, soothing and plum-stacked pinot noir? Then you’ve rolled your scooter down the right street my friend. Earthy, toasty and oozing personality, it’s the Moutere clay soils which inject massive minerality into the mid-palate and alongside a seam of fruitwood smoke and cocoa. Warming, friendly, … Read More
Dame Diesel Central Otago Rosé 2021
Dame Diesel Central Otago Rosé 2021 $25 Crafted from 100% pinot noir from a single vineyard on the slopes of Bannockburn, this rosé raises a middle finger to the current trend of super-lean, delicate, dry styles and really puts itself out there as a bold, generously proportioned, pogo-dancing cougar who couldn’t care less about subtlety. … Read More
Rapaura Springs Rohe Blind River Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2022
Rapaura Springs Rohe Blind River Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2022 $25 Sourced from the *Awatere Valley sub-region, this single vineyard sauvignon shows why the Awatere’s florality is so distinctive and desirable. Clean, layered with nettles and fresh herbs and stitched together with a thread of minerality, it’s a fresh, vibrantly dry, lengthy sip. *If the Awatere … Read More
Rapaura Springs Rohe Rapaura Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2022
Rapaura Springs Rohe Rapaura Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2022 $25 I’m loving this full-fat version of Marlborough sauvignon. Rich and roaring with tropicality, passionfruit, peach, guava, green apple and buckets of fresh basil, this bright, vibrant sauvignon is laced with a lick of jalapeño and lime on the finish. Fresh, intensely fruity, super-tasty and nicely structured. … Read More
Blackenbrook Nelson Gewürztraminer 2022
Blackenbrook Nelson Gewürztraminer 2022 $22 From Nelson’s famous Moutere Clay soils comes the new vintage of one of my favourite gewürz producers. 2022 was a tricky vintage, but the Blackenbrookers have done an excellent job of creating a clean, spicy-driven, exotically-textured wine showing all the good stuff that we want in good value gewürztraminer. Rose … Read More
Coxhead Creek Matakana Verdelho 2022
Coxhead Creek Matakana Verdelho 2022 $22 This is the third version of Coxhead Creek’s verdelho that I’ve had the good fortune to taste and I’ve got to day it’s fast becoming one of my favourite ‘other’ white wine styles and it definitely provides a touchstone for Northland with this plucky Portuguese variety. The 2022 is … Read More
Coxhead Creek Matakana
Coxhead Creek Matakana Rosé 2022 $22 Crafted from 100% cabernet franc grown in the clay-rich soils of the Matakana coastline, this is, despite its pale apricot hue, a rich, boldly structured, cheek-punch of a rosé that really slams its deckchair into the sand and declares “It’s Summer right here right now!” no matter what the … Read More
Pegasus Bay Waipara Valley Muscat 2018
Pegasus Bay Waipara Valley Muscat 2018 $30 Gloriously golden in the glass, this musky, Turkish Delight-scented superstar is laced with fresh ginger, beeswax, lime zest and scorched apricots on the nose and palate. It’s incredibly rich and slightly smoky, and shows a kick of fresh, crunchy acidity and there’s a splash of sweetness and lusciousness … Read More
Moutere Hills Nelson Rumor 2018
Moutere Hills Nelson Rumor 2018 $54 I’m a sucker for a wine named after a much-loved pet (in this case winemaker Rusty’s trusty kelpie), especially when it’s an unusually tasty blend of merlot, syrah and cabernet sauvignon like this one. Earthy-hued and cloudy (reflecting its unfined, unfiltered nature), it has a dusty plum and earthy … Read More