Petane Station Edelzwicker 2020

December 2, 2020By Yvonne

Petane Station Edelzwicker 2020 $27 How it looks is exactly how it’s pronounced my little edel’s! Edelzwicker is a very old German/Alsatian wine name created from the word ‘edel’ (noble) and ‘zwicker’ (blend) where different ‘noble’ grape varieties are all picked on the same day from the same vineyard to create a wine that truly … Read More

Esk Valley Winemakers Reserve Hawke’s Bay Chenin Blanc 2019

April 24, 2020By Yvonne

Esk Valley Winemakers Reserve Hawke’s Bay Chenin Blanc 2019 $29 Returning to his dry-style roots not seen since 2013, winemaker Gordon Russell has taken fruit for the first time from Ian and Linda Quinn’s Two Terraces Vineyard located west of Hastings in Maraekakaho where they grow two clones of chenin, 220 and 880.  Handpicked, cooled … Read More

Petane Station Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet Franc 2018

March 19, 2020By Yvonne

Petane Station Hawke’s Bay Merlot Franc 2018 $30 Well kachango my mango, if this merlot blend isn’t by far the most saucy, seductively-spicy, fruit-soaked thing to sniff and sip, then I’ll be a cross-eyed coyote.  I also need to stop watching so many spaghetti Westerns on Netflix.  Ahem.  In all seriousness however, this wine is … Read More

Petane Station Single Vineyard Edelzwicker 2019

July 27, 2019By Yvonne

Petane Station Esk Valley Single Vineyard Edelzwicker 2019 $30 Edelzwicker wine is essentially made from white grapes which are harvested and fermented together. It’s all a bit loose and there are no set rules with what grapes can be used and those grapes can also be made into wine separately and then blended together.  Historically, … Read More

Linden Estate Reserve Dam Block 2016

December 9, 2018By Yvonne

Linden Estate Reserve Dam Block 2016 $48  Trevor Shepherd has finally released his series of Reserve ‘Dam Block’ blends, and this is my favourite so far. Featuring 72.5% merlot, 17.5% cabernet sauvignon and 10% cabernet franc, this savoury black-olive-and-spice fest shouts ‘Make way for the King!’ to a parade of berries and plums on the … Read More

Petane Station Hawke’s Bay Pét-Nat Chardonnay 2018

December 5, 2018By Yvonne

PETANE STATION HAWKE’S BAY PÉTILLANT NATUREL 2018 $38 “Pet Nat” is the thing.  Everyone’s doing it – but not everyone is doing it well. Petane Station have crafted their debut example from chardonnay and while it’s got citrus hallmarks of classic chard, grapefruit, lemon et al, there’s a soft funkiness and spritzig.  In fact beware the … Read More

Petane Station Esk Valley Pinot Gris 2015

April 5, 2016By Yvonne

Petane Station Esk Valley Pinot Gris 2015 $27 ★★★★½ Hot off the bottling line, winemaker Philip Barber has created a pale gold, pear and peach-laden pinot gris that has absolutely lovely layers of dried pineapple, caramel, anise, rockmelon and fig.  Yes, you heard me correct – there’s THAT much in this wine.  Pronounced ‘Pea-tarny Station’, … Read More

Northern Hemisphere Niceness

September 26, 2015By Yvonne

Published NZME Regional Newspapers Sat 26 Sep 2015 There’s a place in Italy called Salento.  It’s located in the Puglia peninsula region of southern Italy, the one that looks like the heel of a boot, and it’s exceptionally good at growing a red grape that I’m fast becoming a serious fan of.  That grape is … Read More

Esk Valley Gimblett Gravels Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec 2014

September 14, 2015By Yvonne

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