Rapaura Springs Bouldevines Vineyard Marlborough Chardonnay 2019

20 August 2021By Yvonne

Rapaura Springs Bouldevines Vineyard Marlborough Chardonnay 2019 $30 Wow! Crafted from fruit grown in the Omaka Valley, a chardonnay hotspot, this new release from the folk at Rapaura Springs heaves with buttery cinnamon toast terrificness, peachy complexity, a core of cashew-dusted citrus and lush, plush textures all the way through to the finish. It’s a … Read More

Black Estate Wild Life North Canterbury Riesling B 2019

19 August 2021By Yvonne

Black Estate Wild Life North Canterbury Riesling B 2019 $38 Fans of a funky, feral, orange-style riesling should definitely explore this. Personally, I prefer to see some semblance of classic lime and apple in my rieslings and this organic, biodynamically crafted style really reaches across the other end of the spectrum. Fermented on its skins … Read More

Black Estate Damsteep North Canterbury Riesling 2020

19 August 2021By Yvonne

Black Estate Damsteep North Canterbury Riesling 2020 $35 Prepare for a rather different experience of riesling right from the get-go in this organic, biodynamically crafted example. For starters, almost half the bunches were foot-stomped in the old fashioned way and left to soak on its skins for 24hrs to add texture, plus it’s unfined and … Read More

Black Estate Netherwood North Canterbury Pinot Noir 2019

18 August 2021By Yvonne

Black Estate Netherwood North Canterbury Pinot Noir 2019 $75 Established back in 1986, this little vineyard patch is widely believed to be the first hillside planting in all ye olde North Canterbury. Planted on mudstone and Sandstone, hand-harvested and fermented with a yeast starter derived from the vineyard itself, these organic, biodynamically managed grapes are … Read More

Black Estate Damsteep North Canterbury Pinot Noir 2019

18 August 2021By Yvonne

Black Estate Damsteep North Canterbury Pinot Noir 2019 $52  Floral floral floral! Crafted from fruit grown in the organic, biodynamically-managed Damsteep vineyard which was established back in 1999 on a patch of sandstone and limestone loveliness in North Canterbury. Winemaker Nicholas Brown opts to kickstart the ferment using the yeasts present in the vineyard canopy … Read More

Rock Ferry Orchard Vineyard Marlborough Pinot Rosé 2020

18 August 2021By Yvonne

Rock Ferry Orchard Vineyard Marlborough Pinot Rosé 2020 $25 Five different organically grown pinot noir clones from this one single vineyard are used to create this pale coral-coloured rosé. Allan McWilliams and Jordan Hogg were the winemakers responsible for shepherding it into the bottle and they’ve crafted it in a dry, full-bodied style. So if … Read More

Astrolabe Wrekin Marlborough Chenin Blanc 2018

18 August 2021By Yvonne

Astrolabe Wrekin Marlborough Chenin Blanc 2018 $32 Simon Waghorn and his wife Jane Forrest-Waghorn set up Astrolabe in Marlborough back in 1996 after years of making wine in Australia and Gisborne. I love that they’ve taken a leap and planted chenin blanc because it produces an apple and honeysuckle-scented dry white wine that’s rarely seen … Read More

Rock Ferry 3rd Rock Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2020

17 August 2021By Yvonne

Rock Ferry 3rd Rock Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2020 $25 This certified organic sauvignon blanc is carefully crafted from fruit grown in Rock Ferry’s Corners and Orchard vineyards. One portion of the juice went into stainless steel and the other portion was hand harvested, whole bunch pressed and fermented in an old 3800ltr oak cuve for … Read More

Butterworth Estate Martinborough Layline Pinot Noir 2017

17 August 2021By Yvonne

Butterworth Estate Martinborough Layline Pinot Noir 2017 $35 If Martinborough pinot noir had a LinkedIn profile, I’m certain we’d have a thousand mutual connections. There’s something about those ancient, river-gravel soils that inject seriously savoury characters into its pinot noir and it’s a joy to drink with lamb. With fruit supplied by a clutch of … Read More

Zaria Hawke’s Bay Malbec Rosé 2021

15 August 2021By Yvonne

Zaria Hawke’s Bay Malbec Rosé 2021 $20 With bright, energetic, red apple and raspberry layers, cherry and zesty citrus characters and a long, vibrant, citrus-stacked finish, it just bursts with redcurrant and spice. Fresh and crunchy and punchy in all the right places, I really like this wine. A lot. Zaria