Beach House ‘The Levels’ Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2014 $35 ★★★★★ Crafted from the ‘Stony Beach Gravels’ of the Te Awanga coastline, this is a stonkingly good chardonnay that oozes smoked grapefruit, roast peach, juicy stonefruit intensity all rugged up in a blanket of vanilla, buttered cinnamon toast and cashew characters. Fresh, funky and quite simply … Read More
2014
Giesen ‘The Brothers’ Marlborough Gewurztraminer 2014
Giesen ‘The Brothers’ Marlborough Gewurztraminer 2014 $29.80 ★★★★ An explosion of lychee and ginger, peach and plush, musky sweetness is going to hit you in this ripe, rumpty gewürztraminer that’ll have you asking for another glass pronto. If the tropical, spicy, juicy flavours don’t wow you, then the pure, refreshing, finish definitely will. While it’s … Read More
Two Paddocks Central Otago Riesling 2014
Two Paddocks Central Otago Riesling 2014 $32 ★★★★½ How winemaker Dean Shaw manages to stuff the equivalent of an entire citrus orchard into a 750ml bottle is beyond me, but if you’re a fan of anything resembling a crunchy-crisp, lime and apple smash up, that also manages to be stylish and elegantly put together, then … Read More
Amisfield Central Otago Fumé Blanc 2014
Amisfield Central Otago Fumé Blanc 2014 $35 ★★★★★ If you’ve never ventured further south than Marlborough for your sauvignon blanc, then woah nelly! Prepare yourself for latitude 45 in all its loveliness. Smooth, toasty, biscuit and magic, mealy notes are stitched through incredibly rich, nectarine and lemon-like layers of flavour in this outstanding, barrel fermented … Read More
Artero Tempranillo 2014
Artero Tempranillo 2014 $14 ★★★★½ How crazy is it that a wine this cheap can scoop a gold medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards AND a gold medal at the NZ International Wine Awards. But it is absolutely deserving. This Spanish stunner has lovely, comforting aromas of blueberry, cherry and medicinal notes. Juicy and … Read More
Theory & Practice Gisborne Chardonnay 2014
Theory & Practice Gisborne Chardonnay 2014 $19.95 ★★★★ Crafted by Ant McKenzie, (wine consultant to the stars) and his viticulturist brother Bryce, this is a cracker of a chardonnay that’s jam-packed with juicy tropical fruit and grilled citrus notes alongside caramelised, toasty characters and edged with creamy, custard square pastry-like notes. Fresh and tangy. To … Read More
Taylors Clare Valley Shiraz 2014
Taylors Clare Valley Shiraz 2014 $18.50 ★★★★ Wow! Steady yourself for intense clove and Christmas cake spices on the nose alongside heady florals and sweet sandalwood notes. In the mouth it is smooth, fleshy and generously fruity, oozing berries and chocolate characters. It’s outstanding value and deeply satisfying. Widely available.
Brookfields Indulgence Dessert Viognier 2014
Brookfields Indulgence Dessert Viognier 2014 $25 ★★★★★ Beware. At a heartstoppingly huge 250g/l of residual sugar, you’ll be needing to get those cavities seen to before you even think about sipping this sexy thing. With incredibly intense aromas of candied mandarin, creamed honey and orange toffee and incredibly luxurious, yet crisp and tangy on the … Read More
Giesen The Brothers Marlborough Chardonnay 2014
Giesen The Brothers Marlborough Chardonnay 2014 $30 ★★★★ If you’re a fan of funky, full-bodied, stonefruit-soaked chardonnay that has a healthy vein of spice and smoke then this is definitely one to pop away in the cellar. With lovely layers of grapefruit and grilled pineapple, this wild-yeast fermented wine from Marlborough’s Wairau and Southern valley’s … Read More
Tony Bish Fat & Sassy Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2014
Tony Bish Fat & Sassy Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2014 $20 ★★★★½ When Tony promises more fat and more sass than the last release, he’s not wrong. Ultra-vibrant aromas of tangy pineapple and grapefruit, toasty roast pineapple, spicy biscuit characters and buckets of stonefruit. It’s a bold, biscuity and nicely balanced chardonnay that has a long, … Read More