Squawking Magpie Daisy Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2021 $24 Crafted from syrah and merlot, this ripe and rumpty new rosé absolutely fangs with florals and bright berries from woah to go. Awash with plum and red apple flavours in the mid-palate, there’s a lacing of pink peppercorn and citrus on the finish, making it a deliciously … Read More
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Waipara Hills Waipara Valley Pinot Noir Rosé 2021
Waipara Hills Waipara Valley Pinot Noir Rosé 2021 $15 If you’ve a hankering for a rich, ripe, berry-stacked rosé that will absolutely wow the crowds (or if you’re not one for sharing, satisfy you solo) then this is the business. Heaving with cherry, raspberry, watermelon, a lick of creaming soda and finishing with a flourish … Read More
Mud House The Narrows Marlborough Pinot Noir 2020
Mud House The Narrows Marlborough Pinot Noir 2020 $21.99 The ‘Narrows’ has fast become one of my favourite, best-value pinot noirs in the country. Highly complex, deeply fruity, dark, fulsome and supremely elegant” noted Yvonne, while Cameron loved its injection of cranberry, pomegranate and vanilla across its firm tannins. Marty agreed, “intensely aromatic and loaded … Read More
Pegasus Bay Vergence Red MKI Pinot Noir 2018
Pegasus Bay Vergence Red MKI Pinot Noir 2018 $40 Waipara is Pegasus Bay’s home, but they’re fans of great fruit no matter where it comes from, so say hi to Central Otago! Vergence is all about pushing the oeno-envelope, so steady yourself for a 100% whole-cluster, carbonic and wild-fermented pinot. Think whole bunches sealed in … Read More
Petane Late Harvest Gewürztraminer 2021
Petane Late Harvest Hawke’s Bay Gewürztraminer 2021 $32 Clearly, the weather gods found favour with Philip Barber and his tiny wee crop of gewürztraminer in the summer of 2021. They were kept clean and dry and managed to hang on the vine long enough to start gently raisining and increasing their natural sugars. They were … Read More
Driven Snow Central Otago Pinot Noir 2020
Driven Snow Central Otago Pinot Noir 2020 $39.99 If you’re wondering why this wine is a touch cloudier than your normal, commercial-grade, supermarket pinot noir, fret not. In fact, be happy, because it’s evidence of a wine that’s been crafted without fining or filtration, processes that some winemakers believe can strip some of the original … Read More
Petane Puriri Block Sfumato Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2020
Petane Puriri Block Sfumato Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2020 ($70) Pronounced ‘ss-foo-mah-toh’, the name of this new wine from WineFriend favourites Petane Wines, is named after a painting technique describing softening the transition between colours. But you knew that right? Art nerds will also understand that it mimics an area beyond what the human eye is … Read More
Coopers Creek SV Chalk Ridge Hawke’s Bay Viognier 2020
Coopers Creek SV Chalk Ridge Hawke’s Bay Viognier 2020 $24 Absolute classic Hawke’s Bay viognier here from a West Auckland icon. Bright apricot, orange zest and jasmine aromatics all saturate through to the palate and its solid acidity (hard to achieve in viognier) leaves an impressively zingy impression. Great stuff! Cellar door only
Kelly Washington Marlborough Chardonnay 2020
Kelly Washington Marlborough Chardonnay 2020 $50 Organically grown in the Rapaura sub-region, and shepherded into the bottle by star winemaker Tamra Kelly, this chardonnay has a soft, nougat-like nose surrounded by peachy complexity, creamy, nutty notes, grapefruity goodness and fresh, feisty acidity. Kelly Washington Wines
Brightwater Vineyards Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2021
Brightwater Vineyards Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2021 $20 Imagine flinging some basil, lime zest, peapods, passionfruit pulp, lemongrass and tomato leaves into the kitchen whizz, blitzing it all up and slathering it all over your visage like a citrusy, herbaceous beauty mask. It’ll lift the jowels, close the pores, tighten the cheeks, and elevate the eyebrows … Read More