Winemaker Alan Collinson has unleashed a wine that literally had me leap around yelling at people in my office to taste it. Perfumed, plush, plump and packed with sexy berries and concentrated cocoa, spices and sarsaparilla characters, it’s my new favourite thing. Fresh acidity and soft, stretchy tannins and luscious length of flavour. Gorgeous. Sip … Read More
Canvas column week commencing 15th July, 2017
Your ususal reds appearing a tad samey-samey? Get wallet, grab keyboard and let your fingers take a walk on the wild side… Karikari Estate Pinotage 2013 $42 Winemaker Alan Collinson has unleashed a wine that literally had me leap around yelling at people in my office to taste it. Perfumed, plush, plump and packed … Read More
Sugar Loaf Marlborough Riesling 2016 $20
This such a lovely riesling I just had to tell you about it pronto! Crafted by genius young winemaker Kate Acland, this deliciously juicy riesling has a splash of natural sweetness, luscious lime and crunchy granny smith apple characters. This is modern Marlborough riesling at it’s best. Beautifully structured and ultra zesty, it’s one of … Read More
Chard Farm Central Otago Riesling 2016 $25
How do I love thee Chard Farm riesling? Let me count the ways. For starters your honeysuckle, baked apple, mandarin and seriously slamming citrus flavours are mouth puckeringly perfect. Then it’s the twang of toffee which combines with awesome acidity to give me goosebumps. And THEN it’s the sneaky splash of lime that lingers on … Read More
Ataahua Waipara Riesling 2016 $26
There’s a really intense, lemon-pith, lime zest, honeysuckle and apple skin character on the nose of this mineral-driven, chalk-and-citrus laden riesling. With a whiff of crushed seashells and a whack of acidity in the mid palate, it’s a bottle of niceness from North Canterbury. Cheek-slappingly dry and citrusy to taste, the texture is the thing … Read More
Aotea Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2017 $29 (5stars)
If this is any indication of how Nelson’s sauvignon blancs are going to be from 2017, then I’m a giddily happy girl. Crafted by the talented team at Seifried, it’s an incredibly aromatic example that erupts with sweet lawn clippings, tomato leaf, a hint of man-sweat, passionfruit and peachy notes. Saturated with citrus, it’s magically … Read More
Matawhero Gisborne Pinot Rose 2017 $23 (4stars)
Elevated scents of creaming soda, raspberry, strawberry, soft cherry and apple rise out of the glass and what follows are layers of ultra-tangy, crunchy-crisp, fruit-soaked flavours. Despite 2017 being a challenging vintage in Gisborne, this pinot noir was grown in the Tietjen vineyard grew nicely and got to good ripeness levels, resulting in rose with … Read More
Wine column week commencing 8th July, 2017
So we’re into the first week of July and typically it’s this time of year that the first wave of new wines from the 2017 vintage start pouring across my desk. Normally it’s an exciting time and I do that really uncool, gleeful little dance that (according to my teenagers anyway) makes me look alarmingly … Read More
Babich has just won the inaugural organic masters!
Organic Masters 2017: results and analysis
Natural Wine Co. Organic Gisborne Gewurztraminer 2015 $19.99 (3.5 stars)
This is about as natural as it gets for gewurztraminer production. Nicola and Geoff Wright are organic pioneers in Gisborne and alongside not adding any herbicides, insecticides or fungicides, they’re also not adding any yeast, opting instead for wild, ‘natural’ yeasts to conduct the ferment. This results in a funkier, dryer style, laced with lychee … Read More