Craggy Range Te Muna Road Riesling 2014 $25 ★★★★½ Crunchy green apple, mandarin and lime flavours leap out of the glass in this ultra-tangy riesling. Vibrant, zesty acidity, a twang of lemon in the mid palate and a cleansing, chalky-dry texture on the finish will awaken even the most jaded of tastebuds. Terrific stuff. www.craggyrange.com
Greenhough Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2014
Greenhough Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2014 $28 ★★★★ I love the clean-cut, snappy, summer fragrance of lucerne fields, white pepper and passionfruit and the rush of rich citrus, crushed basil leaves and watercress on the palate. Beautifully balanced and lengthy, it’s a delicious example from sunny Nelson. www.greenhough.co.nz
Real Compania De Vinos Tempranillo 2013
Real Compania De Vinos Tempranillo 2013 $16 ★★★½ Super-fruity and packed with dark berries, cocoa nib and smoky, coconut and coffee notes, there’s a gentle, spicy, velvety mouthfeel in this Spanish sip which finishes with solid, chewy tannins. www.winesale.co.nz
Fantini Farnese Sangiovese 2013
Fantini Farnese Sangiovese 2013 $19 ★★★½ Prepare yourself for really unusual aromas of smoky ham hock, vanilla, nutmeg and pepper, which all merge into a rich, leathery palate. Smooth and savoury, it’s an interesting, meaty sip sourced from Italy. www.atouchofitaly.co.nz
Pirramimma McLaren Vale Petit Verdot 2012
Pirramimma McLaren Vale Petit Verdot 2012 $32 ★★★★ Petit Verdot is one of just six permitted varieties allowed in Bordeaux, but it’s a rare find outside of France, and even more so as a single example. With aromas of dusty tobacco leaf, white pepper, cherry and dried herbs, followed by blueberry and fruitcake spice flavours … Read More
La Crema Monterey Chardonnay 2013
La Crema Monterey Chardonnay 2013 $30 ★★★★ Fans of big, buxom, oaky chardonnay will love this California girl. Creamy, mango and spicy peach-driven aromas lead to a flood of fig, dried pineapple and cinnamon-buttered toast flavours. Soft, coconut characters round out the finish. Make sure there’s a corkscrew in the house when you snap this … Read More
Elephant Hill Reserve Chardonnay 2013
Elephant Hill Reserve Chardonnay 2013 $45 ★★★★½ An ultra-creamy example which washes caramel, marshmallow and roasted peach characters across your tastebuds. There’s a hint of honeyed toast in there too. Slippery and silky to drink and finishing with a splash of melon and mango, it’s a gentle giant. www.elephanthill.co.nz
The Humble Apple
Published NZME Regional Newspapers Sat 8 Aug 2015 The humble apple is a tight package of huge potential, you can bake, stew and fry them, juice, crumble and mousse them. Thankfully we also have a hugely innovative craft cider industry, so there’s no shortage of people out there who are dedicated to fermenting them. When … Read More
Nuggets of Chardonnay
Published NZME Regional Newspapers Sat 8 Aug 2015 Right now, New Zealand’s most expensive white wine happens to be a chardonnay. This little nugget of news doesn’t surprise me because crafting great chardonnay can’t be done on the cheap. First you need to find the perfect piece of land, then you need to source the … Read More
A Tasty Trifecta for under $20
Published NZME Regional Newspapers Sat 1 Aug 2015 It’s about that time of year when couples the length and breadth of the country start to freak out because their spring wedding is just around the corner and they still haven’t organised the drinks for the reception! If your budget happens to be on the … Read More