Coste Je T’aime Biologique IGP Pays d’Oc Carignan 2020 $26 Organically-grown carignan grapes have been carefully shepherded into the bottle by Oliver Coste, who has been immersed in his family vineyards (dating back to 1701) since birth. Wondering about the coat of arms? I emailed Olivier and he said “Our coat of arms represents 3 … Read More
Uncategorized
Aurum Organic Central Otago Chardonnay 2019
Aurum Organic Central Otago Chardonnay 2019 $45 You can announce to your friends as you pour this wine. “The soils in which Aurum’s certified organic, chardonnay grapes grow, are comprised of fluvial, glacial silts and gravels”. Now quickly go and Google ‘fluvial’ to school yourself up in advance. The desert-dry heat of the Lowburn … Read More
de la terre Reserve Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2019
de la terre Reserve Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2019 $39.99 Hold the phone, lock the gates and pull on your pepper pants because this new release from the legendary winemaking talents of Tony Prichard is extraordinarily spicy and nicey. Crafted from handpicked fruit grown in the highest elevation syrah vineyard in Hawke’s Bay (160m icyww), it’s … Read More
Brookfields Burnfoot Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2018
Brookfields Burnfoot Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2018 $20 Peter Robertson’s been making wine in Hawke’s Bay since 1974. 1974! So he knows a thing or or twenty about turning great weather into great wine. 2018 was a bit special for Brookfields. It produced merlot full of juicy spices and supple tannins that create just the right … Read More
Anchorage Family Estate Nelson Pinot Gris 2021
Anchorage Family Estate Nelson Pinot Gris 2021 $17 Eyepoppingly pretty, diamond-bright and flecked with white gold, this shiny, new example of Nelsonian niceness is an exotically proportioned, nashi and apple strudel-spiced thing of beauty. It’s bodacious, luscious and laced with a ribbon of natural sweetness which accentuates the apple and nutmeg notes on the finish … Read More
Jules Taylor Marlborough Pinot Gris 2021
Jules Taylor Marlborough Pinot Gris 2021 $22 If your only experiences with pinot gris have involved yawn-inducingly commercial, sweet and flabby styles, then steady yourself for an attitude shift of epic proportions. Bold and generously dry, it’s crammed with classic nashi and quince characters, softly-spiced layers and a spine of solid acidity. It’s got character, … Read More
Hunter’s Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2020
Hunter’s Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2020 $15-$19 Paired with Annabel Langbein’s Spring Vegetables & Tahini Soy Dressing – CANVAS magazine NZ Herald Saturday September 25th 2021. I’m sorry but if green beans, snow peas, asparagus, spinach, broccoli and buckets of greenery doesn’t demand a large, chilled goblet of sauvignon blanc then I don’t know what does. … Read More
Carrick Central Otago Dry Riesling 2019
Carrick Central Otago Organic Dry Riesling 2019 $28 From their ‘Arthurs’ vineyard in Bannockburn comes this sophisticated, citrus-saturated yet skeletally dry riesling from scarily talented winemaker Rosie Menzies. Scented with fresh-cut lime, green apples, it absolutely fangs with fennel and citrus flavours and finishes with perfectly prickly, exfoliating acidity on the palate. Its 0.6g/l of … Read More
Stonecutter Martinborough Merlot 2019
StoneCutter Martinborough Merlot 2019 $48 The name Merlot comes from its resemblance to the blue-black plumage of the blackbird (merle). Born of a cross between Cabernet Franc and Magdeleine Noire des Charentes (they don’t name grapes like they used to right), Merlot was once called Crabutet Noir – not exactly sexy, so a name change … Read More
Harrier Ridge Hawke’s Bay Pinot Noir 2019
Harrier Ridge Hawke’s Bay Pinot Noir 2019 $23.99 The very first pinot noir of the block for winemaker Richard Rhodes and his team from fruit grown on the rocky terraces above the Ngaruroro river. With its solid acid backbone, dried herb and violet characters, it’s a strong, if slightly uncoordinated style at this early stage … Read More