Spade Oak Voysey Gisborne Syrah Tempranillo 2013 $23 ★★★½ Tempranillo might be the signature red grape in the Spanish Rioja wines, yet over in Gisborne, Steve Voysey has had a crack at blending it with syrah which has its h0me in France’s Southern Rhone region. It’s resulted in a wine with sweet, almost medicinal aromas … Read More
gisborne
Theory & Practice Gisborne Chardonnay 2014
Theory & Practice Gisborne Chardonnay 2014 $19.95 ★★★★ Crafted by Ant McKenzie, (wine consultant to the stars) and his viticulturist brother Bryce, this is a cracker of a chardonnay that’s jam-packed with juicy tropical fruit and grilled citrus notes alongside caramelised, toasty characters and edged with creamy, custard square pastry-like notes. Fresh and tangy. To … Read More
The Family Gisborne Merlot 2013
The Family Gisborne Merlot 2013 $25 ★★★★ Pioneer winemaker John Thorpe and his family are really making a name for themselves with this family brand and lovers of soft, plummy and plush merlot will fall all over themselves when they taste this wine. Bright berries, cherries chocolatey spices and a long, silky finish make this … 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
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
Sam Hunt Gisborne Chardonnay 2013
Sam Hunt Gisborne Chardonnay 2013 $21.95 ★★★★ There’s a subtle, creamy lift on the nose, while waves of green nectarine and grapefruit wash across the palate with every sip, which is nice considering there are lines from Hunt’s poem Wavesong printed on the bottle. Just a tweak of toasty oak adds to the experience and … Read More
Sam Hunt Gisborne Pinot Gris 2014
Sam Hunt Gisborne Pinot Gris 2014 $21.95 ★★★½ Rich nashi pear and spicy apple strudel aromas sit alongside caramelised stonefruit flavours and a creamy, toasty complexity on the finish of this deliciously dry drink. This would be a great match for a smoked chicken and almond salad. www.lacantina.co.nz
Mead and Millton
I’d like to start this column with a pun. It’s one of a collection of puns that won comedian David Kearse (a ‘Kearse on humanity’ as he calls himself) the Rubber Chicken award for Britain’s Top Pun Artist at Dave’s Leicester Comedy Festival held last week. It goes “Marvin Gaye kept a sheep in my … Read More
MATAWHERO MAGIC
Has it been six years? Really? When I first met Kirsten and Richard Searle they were a fresh-faced young couple bursting with nervous excitement having just taken possession of the iconic Matawhero Wines in Gisborne. It was 2008, they had three babies, a whopping mortgage, a rundown, rambling wine estate and wide-eyed dreams for the … Read More
Vinoptima Noble Gisborne Gewürztraminer 2007
Vinoptima Noble Gisborne Gewürztraminer 2007 $250 375ml Could this wine be the most delectable thing ever? (I think that’s the first and only time I’ve ever used the word ‘delectable’) Yes, it is an indulgence, and one of the most expensive things I’ve ever tasted, but its aromas of rose-caramel, toffee, candied mandarin and golden syrup … Read More