Waipara Hills Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2015 $20.90 ★★★★★ This is a massive, tropical, truckload of tastiness powered by sweet lemon and passionfruit sorbet. It has all that crispy, crunchy acidity that we know and love in Marlborough sauvignon, yet it’s incredibly rich and complex and has strong, textural length of flavour. Simon McGeorge heads the … Read More
2015
Soho Betty Riesling 2015
Soho Betty Riesling 2015 $22 ★★★★½ There’s just 9.4% alcohol here, so expect a shwing of sweetness in this absolute cracker of a riesling that smells and tastes like crunchy green apple and lime sorbet. Named after the elegant Betty Ford this is an elegant wine indeed. With its intense, snappy acidity, sweet honeysuckle and … Read More
Tohu Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2015
Tohu Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2015 $20 ★★★½ This is a highly fruity and tropically-scented sauvignon that’s packed with passionfruit, peach and lovely lemony goodness on the palate as well. At just 10% alcohol it’s definitely one of the more generously proportioned low-alcohol styles I’ve tried and it has good length of flavour too. Widely available … Read More
Two Rivers L’ile De Beaute Rose 2015
Two Rivers L’ile De Beaute Rose 2015 $25 ★★★★ Here’s a rosé with great freshness and drive through the mid-palate and joined by herbaceous, spicy intensity, hints of musky red fruits fruit. It’s a really smart wine, tangy, vibrant and nicely balanced. Drink super-chilled and preferably with a heaving plate of sizzling garlic and chilli … Read More
Tiki Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2015
Tiki Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2015 $15-$19 ★★★★½ This is a cracker of a new release sauvignon that bursts with tangy lemon, lime and passionfruit all bound up in crushed basil and lemon verbena. It has a core of intense tropical fruit cloaked in vibrant, gum-tingling acidity followed by a finely textured finish. Darn lovely. www.blackmarket.co.nz … Read More
Natural Wine Co. Organic Gisborne Rosé 2015
Natural Wine Co. Organic Gisborne Rosé 2015 $19.99 ★★★½ Geoff Wright is the craftsman behind this wine which is grown and made according to organic and biodynamic principles. Super-herbal and spicy on the nose, with smoky, earthy characters and resinous complexity happening, yet in the mouth there are clean berry, melon and blackboy peach flavours. … Read More
Brightwater Vineyards Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2015
Brightwater Vineyards Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2015 $20 ★★★½ Gary and Valley Neale know a thing or three about growing tasty, aromatic white wines in sunny Nelson. This sauvignon is saturated with ripe limes, passionfruit, peach and tangy red capsicum flavours and a (classic for Nelson) round, fleshy, ultra-easy mouthfeel. It’s ultra-friendly, approachable and darn easy … Read More
Bladen Marlborough Gewurztraminer 2015
Bladen Marlborough Gewurztraminer 2015 $25 ★★★★ Brand new and bursting with all manner of spicy ginger and lychee-laden loveliness, this great little gewürztraminer is definitely on my ‘new favourites’ list. It’s quite high in alcohol (14.5%) so expect a touch of warmth in the mid-palate, but it works with the crisp, mineral notes, tangy peach … Read More
Ti Point ‘Tess’ White Merlot 2015
Ti Point ‘Tess’ White Merlot 2015 $15-$20 ★★★★ If you keep a couple of bottles of this in the fridge over your average spring weekend, you’ll find there’ll be no shortage of people knocking on your door armed with cheese and crackers and wanting desperately to be your friend. Crafted from merlot grown in Matakana … Read More
Natural Wine Co. Organic Gisborne Pinot Gris 2015
Natural Wine Co. Organic Gisborne Pinot Gris 2015 $19.99 ★★★★½ Crafted by Geoff Wright using organic, biodynamic methods or “chaos” as he calls it, this is about as “hands off” as you can get before basically expecting the grapes to turn themselves into wine. This straw-gold pinot gris shows a lifted, chalky, nutty aroma and a … Read More