Tiki Single Vineyard North Canterbury Pinot Gris 2020 $23 Paired with: Creamy Sweetcorn Polenta with Chicken Schnitzel and Herb Sauce dish Magazine Issue 102 The creamy moreishness of the polenta combined with the savoury, herby, crunchy schnitzel just sings when paired with the juicy apple, pear and spiced peach punchiness of the Tiki North Canterbury … Read More
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Carrick Organic Bannockburn Sauvignon Blanc 2020
Carrick Organic Bannockburn Sauvignon Blanc 2020 $28 100% wild fermented in barrel and aged for 7 months, this juicy, complex, crazy-good sauvignon oozes smoked passionfruit, marzipan, lemongrass and lime. Sourced from their Cairnmuir Terraces block, this sauvignon blanc is multi-dimensional, laced with rhubarb and fresh-cut herbs. The finish is generous and juicy and I think … Read More
Carrick Organic Bannockburn Pinot Gris 2019
Carrick Organic Bannockburn Pinot Gris 2019 $28 Handpicked from their Arthur’s vineyard and Cairnmuir Terraces block, this complex pinot gris is perfumed with musky nashi notes, nutmeg and walnutty notes. Smooth, elegantly structured, mouthfilling, and juicy, it’s a crunchy-yet-complex style that’s had the benefit of partial barrel fermentation and maturation in older oak barrels. Dry, … Read More
Carrick Organic Bannockburn Chardonnay 2020
Carrick Organic Bannockburn Chardonnay 2020 $36 This is a delightfully clean, beautifully balanced, intensely citrusy chardonnay from winemaker Rosie Menzies, that has the makings of something seriously special. Produced from 100% Mendoza clone fruit that’s been hand-harvested, whole bunch pressed, fermented wild and aged for 14 months in oak barrels, a small percentage of which … Read More
Trinity Hill Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2020
Trinity Hill Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2020 $24 2020 is proving itself to be an absolute smasher of a vintage for Hawke’s Bay reds and this merlot, at $24, is, I think, one of the best value examples on the New Zealand market right now. Grown in the Gimblett Gravels, in Trinity Hill’s Tin Shed vineyard, … Read More
Kelly Washington Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Franc 2019
Kelly Washington Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Franc 2019 $50 Sourced from the iron-rich soils of the Bridge Pa Triangle district, this is a velvety-smooth example scented with blackcurrant leaf, dark cocoa, a hint of liquorice and blueberry. All those characters wash across the palate and leave a warm, woolly, textural finish. 100% cabernet franc isn’t the … Read More
Kelly Washington Central Otago Pinot Noir 2018
Kelly Washington Central Otago Pinot Noir 2018 ($55) Created by winemaker Tamra Kelly, this is a lightly-styled, but full-flavoured and highly floral pinot noir that’s been crafted gently from fruit grown in Central Otago’s Gibbston Valley. Handpicked, partially whole-bunch fermented and matured for 11 months in French oak, it’s a gently-styled, raspberry and redcurrant-laced example … Read More
Ataahua Waipara Merlot 2019
Ataahua Waipara Merlot 2019 $32 The meaning of the word ‘ataahua’ in Māori is ‘beautiful’ or ‘thing of beauty’ and that’s pretty much what you’ll find in this North Canterbury merlot. A beautiful drink. So whoever suggested that you couldn’t make magical merlot in the Southern climes, clearly has never had the pleasure of sipping … Read More
Ataahua Waipara Syrah 2020
Ataahua Waipara Syrah 2020 $40 The Nor’wester swept plains of North Canterbury have turned out some sensational, yet completely underrated syrah over the years, but I’m thinking this new release from winemaker Stephanie Henderson-Grant is going to create some real noise. With pure peppercorn and Damson plum notes on the nose, brisk, feisty, under-the-front-gums tannins … Read More
Ataahua Waipara Pinot Noir 2019
Ataahua Waipara Pinot Noir 2019 $40 Bursting with black tea, wild cherry and tamarillo on the nose and palate, this pinot noir is lush, plush and ready for action. Amongst the baking spice and tobacco notes, there’s a soft, creamy character that’s edged with raspberry and carries it through to a supercharged cherry-centric finish. Elegantly … Read More