Lawsons Dry Hills Marlborough Pinot Gris 2014 $23 ★★★★½ Tangaliciously tasty quince, crunchy apple, roast pear and spicy, strudel-like flavours make this a definite new favourite for me. Full-flavoured, rich and luxurious to drink – it’s fresh and has a splash of sweetness on the finish. Fantastic with aromatic Indian dishes. www.lawsonsdryhill.co.nz
2014
Haha Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2014
Hãhã Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2014 $16 ★★★★ Wow! Bursting with intense passionfruit, lime and peach flavours bouncing around in a bucketload of classic grassy, herbaceous notes, this is a juicy, generous sauvignon that finishes tangy and taut. Great value. www.hahawine.com
Johanneshof Marlborough Gewürztraminer 2014
Johanneshof Marlborough Gewürztraminer 2014 $29 ★★★★½ This delicious wine smells like a spring bridal bouquet of white flowers sprinkled with fresh ginger, lychee and exotic spices. The Johanneshof team are absolute gewürztraminer gurus and the 2014 has a luxurious yet tangy-fresh mouthfeel and an elegant, generously plush finish. Gorgeous stuff. www.johanneshof.co.nz
Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Marsanne Viognier 2014
Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Marsanne Viognier 2014 $30 ★★★★½ I LOVE this local version of a French favourite. With lifted, lemon verbena, crushed herbs, anise and white pepper characters on the nose followed by rich, juicy stonefruit and spice layers in the mouth, it’s just a joy to drink. “2014 was a great year for … Read More
Angove Organic Shiraz Cabernet 2014
Angove Organic Shiraz Cabernet 2014 $18.99 ★★★½ A really interesting series of flavours here, caramelised plum, super-ripe berry and cherry notes all bounce around in the glass. There’s a soft, meaty character in the mid-palate that extends to the finish. Smooth, easy and super-sippable. www.villagewinery.co.nz
Hãhã Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014
Hãhã Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014 $19.99 ★★★½ Bright cherry, raspberry and spices waft from the glass and merge with gentle cola and cocoa notes in the mouth. Youthful and fruity, it’s easy, fresh and silky to drink. www.hahawine.co.nz
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Gimblett Gravels Grenache 2014
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Gimblett Gravels Grenache 2014 $24 ★★★★ Grenache is super-rare in this country, and Villa Maria have just one solitary hectare of vines planted smack bang in the middle of New Zealand’s most prestigious red wine region. This is also the only New Zealand grenache made on it’s own, not blended with … Read More
Esk Valley Gimblett Gravels Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec 2014
Esk Valley Gimblett Gravels Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec 2014 $19 ★★★★★ Super-glossy and garnet-black in the glass, this seriously-overdelivers-for-the-price wine has racked up an impressive pedigree of awards at major wine shows in recent years. I love the aroma of soy, blackcurrant leaf, dried herbs and carob. Black plum, biscuit oak and a backbone of … Read More
Cantine Menhir ‘Il Mardorlo’ Negroamaro 2014
Cantine Menhir ‘Il Mardorlo’ Negroamaro 2014 $16.95 ★★★½ Sniffing this wine for the first time is like walking into a delicatessen where every available piece of ceiling space has a hunk of drying meat or salami hanging from it. Rich, meaty and spicy, this superb-value sip is sourced from the Salento region in Puglia, Italy, … Read More
Burn Cottage Moonlight Race Central Otago Pinot Noir 2014
Burn Cottage Moonlight Race Central Otago Pinot Noir 2014 $45 ★★★★ Way back in the early years of European settlement of Central Otago, hundreds of water races were built to direct water from the mountains down to the prospectors, and this pinot is named after one which still flows through the property. Unlike its brooding, … Read More