Seven years on from vintage and this wine is at peak. The great thing is that it’s beautifully made and at under $30 is a bargain. Seriously juicy and woven through with wild strawberry, cherry and hints of pepper, it’s also got black tea and cranberry characters which lead to a long, tangy, spicy finish. … Read More
Xanadu DJL Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
Xanadu DJL Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 $29.90 Holy blackberries Batman! This is a concentrated, grippy, muscular, cocoa and tobacco-tustle on the tongue. As my dad would say, ‘this’ll put hairs on ya chest’ – so get the wax strips out and prepare for a ripper! Crafted by kiwi-born Glenn Goodall (named Winemaker of the … Read More
Chain of Ponds The Cachet Adelaide Hills 2013 $100AU
Chain of Ponds The Cachet Adelaide Hills 2013 $100AU This outrageously sippable blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz & Merlot crafted by winemaker Greg Clack is so morishly meaty, savoury and loaded with black olive, graphite and iodine notes that it’s practically unputdownable. Well-tuned oak and a gloriously smoky character injects incredible layers of complexity and … Read More
Urbn Vino Central Otago Pinot Noir 2016 $40 (4 stars)
While the fruit might originate from the barren, schisty landscapes of Bendigo and Bannockburn, the resulting wine actually has ‘city kid’ written all over it. Crafted by Brendan Seal in Dunedin’s central city, ‘urban’ winery, it has soft cherry and berry characters, earthy layers, a slippery, silky texture in the mouth and a decently dusty, … Read More
Kuen Hof Kaiton Südtirol Eisacktaler Riesling 2016 $47 (4 stars)
If you’re a fan of the aromatic, white-wine spectrum, then get your laughing gear around this ravishingly good riesling from the Pligers family at Kuen Hof estate. They’ve been producing wine since the 12th century in Eisacktal in Südtirol, Italy’s northernmost wine region. Kaiton is a celtic word for the area surrounding the estate, which … Read More
Yvonne Lorkin wine column for week beginning Sat June 30 2018
Urbn Sprawl Brendan Seal first heard of urban wineries whilst working as a winemaker in the USA and he immediately thought Dunedin would be a cracker of a location to do it himself. Making wine from Central Otago fruit, cellaring it and selling it all in the central city might seem like a logistical nightmare … Read More
Babich Irongate Gimblett Gravels Cabernet Merlot Franc 2014 $37.99
So when toothpaste commercials come on the tv announcing they’ll rid you of that “furry feeling”, you can throw the remote at the screen and shout “bring it on!” The Irongate has masses of blackberry, tobacco, vanilla and meaty layers, piles of pepper and cocoa and warming, fuzzy, furry, leathery tannins that gently exfoliate the … Read More
Ash Ridge Premium Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Merlot 2016 $31
From what’s fast becoming known as a very elegant vintage in Hawke’s Bay, comes a cabernet-dominant blend that reflects the iron-rich red gravels of the Bridge Pa Triangle. Shepherded into the bottle by winemaker Lauren Swift, this brisk, racy red wine benefits from a big, swirlable glass to allow the plum and pepper aromas to … Read More
Giesen The Fuder Clayvin Marlborough Chardonnay 2014 $55.99
If there’s such a thing as a taste orgasm then this incredible wine delivers them relentlessly. In multiples. Sipping it rendered me incapable of commanding the English language save for mumbling the occasional “oh wow” and “more please”. Sourced from Clayvin, one of the nation’s most famous vineyards, it bursts with grapefruit, ripe nectarine and … Read More
Yvonne Lorkin Canvas Column for Sat June 30 2018
You’ve been a good human all week. Sit back, relax and reward your tonsils with something ludicrously tasty… Giesen The Fuder Clayvin Marlborough Chardonnay 2014 $55.99 If there’s such a thing as a taste orgasm then this incredible wine delivers them relentlessly. In multiples. Sipping it rendered me incapable of commanding the English language save … Read More