Carrick Organic Central Otago Sauvignon Blanc 2022 $28 I’d expect nothing less than a fun and funky sauvignon from winemaker Rosie Menzies and that’s exactly what she’s delivered in this handpicked, wild-fermented, barrel-and-tank-matured vintage. It has rich lemongrass, dried herb, preserved lemon layers, a burst of bruised basil, and some stylish gooseberry and green apple … Read More
Central Otago
Tarras Central Otago Pinot Noir 2020
Tarras Central Otago Pinot Noir 2020 $40 – $50 With beautifully lifted aromatics of rosehip tea and a buoyantly fresh, textural mouthfeel, this is already a very satisfying wine despite its youth. Grown on their home (Canyon) vineyard high on the Bendigo terraces, it’s a finely tuned example. Warming, smooth and cherry-driven with bold-yet-supple tannins … Read More
Kuru Kuru Central Otago Pinot Noir 2019
Kuru Kuru Central Otago Pinot Noir 2019 $45 Named in honour of winemaker Hayden Johnston’s Māori grandmother* (Ngai Tahu), this pinot noir is deliciously complex, freshly spiced, vibrant and layered with dark cherry, black tea, hints of rhubarb and raspberry and has a core of softly gripping tannins. Very nicely balanced, plump, juicy and very … Read More
Tarras Central Otago Pinot Gris 2022
Tarras Central Otago Pinot Gris 2022 $32 Erupting with spiced nashi notes on the nose and palate, this Central Otago stunner is super-fresh, super-rich and is a greatest hits album of flavour. So it’s basically Taylor Swift in a bottle. Made from fruit grown in the Alexandra sub-region and bursting with apple, pear and peachy … Read More
Tarras The Canyon Single Vineyard Central Otago Pinot Noir 2019
Tarras The Canyon Single Vineyard Central Otago Pinot Noir 2019 $80 Winemaker Hayden Johnston* is the talent behind Tarras Vineyards, a site located near the Central Otago town of Tarras. He utilises fruit grown in his organically-managed, home vineyard called The Canyon, located high on the Bendigo goldfield terraces. Deeply lush, moody, brooding aromas of … Read More
Lowburn Ferry Home Block Central Otago Pinot Noir 2021
Lowburn Ferry Home Block Central Otago Pinot Noir 2021 $115 Presented in a gift box inscribed with ‘150’ as a nod to 150 years of continual human interaction with the land which is now home to a biodynamically-farmed vineyard where regenerative farming is now the norm. A 1ha parcel from the original 23yo vines in … Read More
Rockburn Twelve Barrels Gibbston Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022
Rockburn Twelve Barrels Gibbston Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022 $99 Wow. This is one of those wines that cause you to stop, stare into the distance and contemplate the beauty in nature, the mastery of man and the meaning of life. It also makes you wonder if winemaker Malcolm Rees-Francis isn’t some sort of warlock of … Read More
Valli Bendigo Central Otago Pinot Noir 2021
Valli Bendigo Central Otago Pinot Noir 2021 $65-$75 A powerfully structured pinot noir comprised of a mix of Abel, 115, UCD 5, 667 and 777 clone fruit grown in the Chinaman’s Terrace where 65% of it was fermented hot (30°C) in 31% new French oak barrels, where it spent a quiet, sleepy 11.5 months maturing … Read More
Rockburn Eleven Barrels Parkburn Vineyard Central Otago Pinot Noir 2022
Rockburn Eleven Barrels Parkburn Vineyard Central Otago Pinot Noir 2022 $99 What happens when winemaker Malcolm Rees-Francis gets hold of amazing quality, Abel clone, Parkburn-grown fruit and throws it into a 7tonne fermenter for an eight-day cold soak, followed by a week-long ferment with daily hand plunging then a 10-day post-ferment soak before being aged … Read More
Carrick Bannockburn Organic Central Otago Pinot Blanc 2020
Carrick Bannockburn Organic Central Otago Pinot Blanc 2020 $36 Pinot blanc is a rare beast in New Zealand and I get super-excited whenever I see it, especially when it’s released by expert winemakers like Rosie Menzies at Carrick. With its white flowers, soft lemon and almond aromatics and rich, dry, generously juicy, stonefruit-saturated palate with … Read More