Ayrburn Homestead Central Otago Pinot Noir 2024 $65 Exotically spiced and roaring with dark cherry saturation, typical of fruit ripened under the baking Bendigo heat. Baked rhubarb, rooibos tea, heightened blueberry and blackcurrant characters merge with seductively spiced, smoky oak, juicy, grainy tannins and showing a strong, warming, muscular, sinewy finish. Deliciously drinkable now, yet … Read More
Central Otago
Ayrburn Central Otago Bonnet Rouge Nouveau Pinot Noir 2023
Ayrburn Central Otago Bonnet Rouge Nouveau Pinot Noir 2023 $45 The winemaking team at Ayrburn have opted to have a crack at crafting a lighter ‘nouveau’ style pinot noir that’s just as happy being chilled down to serve on a sizzling day, or sipped fireside during winter. Aromatically it’s ultra-bright, perky, roaring with redcurrant, raspberry, … Read More
Ayrburn Central Otago Pinot Gris 2024
Ayrburn Central Otago Pinot Gris 2024 $40 From one of the most exciting new wine businesses emerging from Central Otago comes a Pinot Gris that’s so beautifully balanced it’s been headhunted by the Cirque du Soleil tightrope team. No joke. Sourced from vineyards in Gibbston Valley, it’s scented with poached pear, softly spiced quince and … Read More
Lateral Gibbston Valley Pinot Noir 2022
Lateral Gibbston Valley Pinot Noir 2022 $40 Crafted by Austin Black and Pip Battley are the talented twosome behind this punchy, plucky pinot noir. Slightly unusual in that it comes in a Bordeaux bottle, but nothing unusual about its classic Gibbston Valley vavoom. Stacked with ripe rhubarb, dark cherry, bright berries, black tea and complex … Read More
Folding Hill Orchard Block Central Otago Pinot Noir 2021
Folding Hill Orchard Block Central Otago Pinot Noir 2021 $65 Named after the western boundary of the vineyard, which happens to be an orchard of cider apple trees and the most sheltered spot on the vineyard site. It’s a super-stylish example and more intensely aromatic and textural than the previous vintage. An extended 18-month maturation … Read More
Mt Difficulty Ghost Town Lowburn Valley Chardonnay 2020
Mt Difficulty Ghost Town Lowburn Valley Chardonnay 2020 $39 Crafted from small parcels of fruit sourced from Mt D’s Lowburn vineyards, this glossily golden chardonnay roars with roast nectarine, grilled grapefruit, buckets of toasted almonds, creamy complexity and bursts of buttery goodness. Beautifully balanced, nougat-nuanced oak notes combine with refreshing acidity and “drink me” personality … Read More
Rockburn Central Otago Pinot Noir 2023
Rockburn Central Otago Pinot Noir 2023 $42 Fruit harvested from Rockburn’s Gibbston Valley Back Road vineyard and their Parkburn vineyard has been shepherded from berry to bottle by winemaker Malcolm Rees-Francis, and every sip contains his signature, gum-tingling style. Prepare for baked rhubarb, dark cherry, 5-spice, black tea and redcurrant characters to wash across your … Read More
Folding Hill Ballasalla Central Otago Pinot Noir 2023
Folding Hill Ballasalla Central Otago Pinot Noir 2023 $35 (Gold Medal 5 stars – dish Magazine Issue 121) The new Ballasalla has excellent energy, power and stacks of spice that’ll soothe the throat and clear the nose. Powerfully perfumed with redcurrant, raspberry, rhubarb crumble and smoked cherry topping, this wine saturates the palate with all … Read More
Domain Road Defiance Central Otago Chardonnay 2021
Domain Road Defiance Central Otago Chardonnay 2021 $35 Graeme Crosbie grows three clones of Chardonnay in his Defiance Vineyard, 809, 1066 and 548, which are the three great clones used by the world-famous, French Grand Crus of Corton-Charlemagne in Burgundy. Central Otago chardonnay is rocking my socks right now and the Defiance is absolutely entering … Read More
Chard Farm Hawkesburn Vineyard Central Otago Pinot Noir 2022
Chard Farm Hawkesburn Vineyard Central Otago Pinot Noir 2022 $88 From a tiny site where four clones of vines grow high on a terrace above the Bannockburn Inlet, comes a Pinot Noir that erupts with vibrantly bright florals, fresh cherry, redcurrant and spice-dusted rhubarb on the nose. All that aromatic awesomeness osmoses through to the palate, … Read More