Mishas Vineyard Dress Circle Central Otago Pinot Gris 2015 $27 ★★★★ If you think you’re ready to take your pinot gris appreciation to the next level then here’s your stepladder. Crafted by guru winemaker Olly Masters from vines growing on the vertigo-inducingly steep slopes of Bendigo overlooking Lake Dunstan, this wine has powerful roast pear, … Read More
Central Otago
Amisfield Central Otago Dry Riesling 2014
Amisfield Central Otago Dry Riesling 2014 $25 ★★★★½ Winemaker Dr Stephanie Lambert and her team have absolutely cracked it with this ultra-clean, dry riesling that bursts with crunchy granny smith apple, juicy lime and flinty, wet stone minerality. It’s intensely vibrant, mouthwatering even, and I love the gum-tingling texture on the finish. www.amisfield.co.nz
Domain Road Defiance Central Otago Pinot Gris 2015
Domain Road Defiance Central Otago Pinot Gris 2015 $25 ★★★★½ Lovers of sweeter pinot gris are sure to go doolally over this honeysuckle-soaked style. Think nectarine, nashi pear, mandarin and the pungent tang of quince, make this Bannockburn-grown gris downright gorgeous. Superb with your next chicken tikka marsala. www.domainroad.co.nz
Terra Sancta Central Otago Mysterious White 2014
Terra Sancta Central Otago Mysterious White 2014 $24 ★★★½ Well there’s nothing I love more than a good mystery, and this cheek-slappingly tasty blend of muscat, gewürztraminer, pinot gris and riesling has plenty of that. With aroma of musk and apple skin, chalky mineral-like notes, powdery florals and punchy, white peach it’s a complex task … Read More
Bannock Brae Goldfields Central Otago Pinot Noir 2014
Bannock Brae Goldfields Central Otago Pinot Noir 2014 $30 ★★★★ This is one heck of an exotically perfumed pinot made for the Bannockbrae team by world-class winemaking wahine, Sarah-Kate (SK) Dineen. Boasting plum, black tea, hedgerow fruits, savoury, peppery notes and a chunk of cherry on the palate, it has freshness, buoyancy and real character. … 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
Quartz Reef Central Otago Methode Traditionnelle 2010
Quartz Reef Central Otago Methode Traditionnelle 2010 $40 ★★★★ Produced organically and biodynamically by Rudi Bauer down in Bendigo, this southern star has soft, smoky, flinty aromas and a rich, nutty, marshmallow-like texture in the mid palate. Very precise and cleansing it is too. www.vinofino.co.nz
Ceres Composition Central Otago Pinot Gris 2014
Ceres Composition Central Otago Pinot Gris 2014 $29 ★★★★ Ceres (seh-rez) is a Bannockburn-based company run by Central Otago royalty, the Dicey family. They know that pinot gris comes in a vast array of styles, so they’ve helped pinpoint the flavour of this by including a helpful ‘fuel gauge’ on the label telling us that … Read More
Sam Hunt Central Otago Pinot Noir 2013
Sam Hunt Central Otago Pinot Noir 2013 $24 ★★★★ Our favourite bard of the black jeans and shaggy hair has collaborated with some bright young things to create a range of his own wines and this is the southernmost example. Beautifully aromatic, it shows red rose, wild thyme, black cherry, berries and sweet tea up … Read More