Astrolabe Comelybank Waihopai Pinot Noir 2019

12 October 2021By Yvonne

Astrolabe Comelybank Waihopai Pinot Noir 2019 $50 If you hear wine people waffling on about the pinot noir characters that come from Marlborough’s Southern Valleys and you’re struggling to relate, then all you need to do is sip this. The Comelybank site, owned by Jeff and Vanessa Hammond, is located near the confluence of the … Read More

Orlando Lawson’s Padthaway Shiraz 2016

11 October 2021By Yvonne

Orlando Lawson’s Padthaway Shiraz 2016 $70 Inky dark and oozing bold spices, dutch cocoa, layers of liquorice, blackcurrant and seasoned saddle leather, it’s a shiraz that’s so velvety, smooth and warm, it literally cuddles your tastebuds. Plump, plush and pulsing with energy and personality. I love it. Orlando

te Pā Marlborough Riesling 2020

11 October 2021By Yvonne

te Pā Marlborough Riesling 2020 $19 Sourced from the Wiffen family’s silty soiled Omaka North vineyard, this riesling was picked and pressed in the wee small hours of April 2nd 2020, cold-settled and fermented cool in a stainless steel tank. The ferment was stopped by hard-cooling right when the wine hit that perfect balance between … Read More

Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2021

11 October 2021By Yvonne

Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2021 $21 If the stunning colour doesn’t rip your rompers, the instant hit of red apple and raspberry, a face smash of watermelon, creaming soda and cherry will finish the job in fantastic fashion. Crisp, punchy, citrus-stacked and deliciously dry, it’s a bright, refreshing, stylish sip. Maison Noire

Ate Eastern Australia Pinot Grigio 2019

10 October 2021By Yvonne

Ate Eastern Australia Pinot Grigio 2019 $22 Yes it sounds a little like ‘pinot gris’ and yes it tastes a little like ‘pinot gris’ but lordy lord, this pinot grigio is all sorts of different. Dry, lipsmackingly crunchy and clean, it’s got a slightly saline, green olive and jalapeno note – mineral and lean – … Read More

Whyte Estate Marlborough Chardonnay 2020

10 October 2021By Yvonne

Whyte Estate Marlborough Chardonnay 2020 $22 Well well well. You told the universe that you wanted oak, you wanted roast peach, you wanted creamy, nutty notes, and that you also wanted ripe, tropical sensations and a rich, apricot and nectarine-like mid-palate. Generous and juicy and way too easy to drink. It’s simple and sippable and … Read More

Maison Noire Fraicheur Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2021

10 October 2021By Yvonne

Maison Noire Fraicheur Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2021 $22 If you’re looking for chardonnay that’s not cloaked in oak, then you’ve arrived in the right avenue my friend. Crafted by Guillaume Thomas from fruit grown in a tiny vineyard in the Puketapu region, this wine is layered with lemon, pineapple and grapefruity goodness and boasts a … Read More

Alexia Restless Boy Wairarapa Sauvignon Blanc 2020

10 October 2021By Yvonne

Alexia Restless Boy Wairarapa Sauvignon Blanc 2020 $25 As the mother of a son, I totally identify with winemaker Jane Cooper’s comparison between this wine made up of loads of different techniques and styles, with her son being a ‘walking weather system’ and her young family bringing together the “big, beautiful, fragile messiness of life”. … Read More

Anna’s Way Marlborough Viognier 2019

10 October 2021By Yvonne

Anna’s Way Marlborough Viognier 2019 $18 The trick to crafting good viognier is to tame its naturally OTT apricot and jasmine aromatics and harvest right when its notoriously changeable acidity right at its peak in order to snapshot a scene of subtle florals and snappy stonefruit. Combine that with an electric charge of crunchy acidity, … Read More