The Naish family planted chenin blanc on their ‘Home’ vineyard back in 2011, and the vines thrive under the baking Waipara sun and those wild Nor’Easter winds. This is the fourth vintage made by their winemaker, Nicholas Brown, an obsessive fan of wines from the Mid-Loire Valley in France (where chenin and cabernet franc are … Read More
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Waiana Estate Indian Summer Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2018 $21.99
Dry, dry, deliciously dry! Yet don’t be expecting anything subtle with this new release, because it has a nose erupting with vanilla, creaming soda, citrus and wild strawberries and all these things crash through onto the palate and leave you with a palate-exfoliatingly fresh mouthfeel and the unshakeable desire to keep on sipping. Produced by … Read More
Hummel Villányi Hárslevelü 2016
Hummel Villányi Hárslevelü 2016 $poa (4.5 stars) Hárslevelü (pronounce it however you like my friend) is a grape native to Hungary and it’s also known as Lindenblättriger in Austria, (where there are also tiny plantings). The name means “linden leaves”, referring to the Linden tree, often called ‘Lime’ trees in English but bear absolutely no … Read More
Scout Wines Nelson Pinot Gris 2018 $30
It’s all about texture, texture, texture here in this organically-grown gris from Nelson’s alluvial Hope gravels. On the nose it shows green nectarine, mineral, quince and chalky notes that all osmose through onto the palate in a fresh, grigio-style example. Fresh, crunchy, lean, foot-stomped and fermented in a combination of tanks and old barrels, with … Read More
Sacred Hill Wine Thief Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2016
Sacred Hill Wine Thief Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2016 $29 I’m tasting this wine right as white flesh nectarines begin appearing in heaping quanitites on roadside fruit stalls around where I live, (Hastings, in case you were wondering) and this wine reminds me so much of their scent and the juicy intensity of biting into one. … Read More
Scout South Island Pinot x Pinot 2018
Scout South Island Pinot x Pinot 2018 $32 Greg and Sarah Lane are the team behind Scout, a trans-tasman brand turning out Adelaide Hills chardonnay and reds from the South Island of New Zealand. This little monster is a blend of 75% whole bunch Marlborough Pinot with 25% skin fermented Nelson Pinot Gris. Yep. I … Read More
Saorsa Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2016
Saorsa Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2016 $30 The name Saorsa is a Scottish Gaelic word that not only means but also represents a radical sense of freedom, liberty and salvation according to owner Alex Hendry. Crafting just viognier and syrah, his 2016 vintage of syrah is very soft, very earthy, very smooth and lightly structured. Savoury layers and hints of dried … Read More
Pick & Shovel Central Otago Pinot Gris 2018
Pick & Shovel Central Otago Pinot Gris 2018 $19.99 Created by the good folk at Dry Gully Vineyard in the summer heat-trap of Alexandra, this pinot gris will appeal to anyone walking on the dry side of the street. Sure you have hints of the usual suspects of pear and quince, yet there’s also a … Read More
Linden Estate Reserve Dam Block 2016
Linden Estate Reserve Dam Block 2016 $48 Trevor Shepherd has finally released his series of Reserve ‘Dam Block’ blends, and this is my favourite so far. Featuring 72.5% merlot, 17.5% cabernet sauvignon and 10% cabernet franc, this savoury black-olive-and-spice fest shouts ‘Make way for the King!’ to a parade of berries and plums on the … Read More
Rabbit Ranch Central Otago Rosé 2018
Rabbit Ranch Central Otago Rosé 2018 $22.95 Crafted from 100% pinot noir, this snappy little rosé resembles the styles of Southern France, skating down the dry and spicy-fresh side of the fence and leaving a comet tail of soft melon, cranberry and pink peppercorn characters on the palate. Clean, crunchy and built for serving super-chilled … Read More