Maison Noire Single Vineyard Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Franc 2023 $29 Grown high up on the Waimarama Road in the deep limestone clays of the Tukituki Valley, in a tiny vineyard tended by French winemaker Guillaume Thomas, this cabernet franc is deeply savoury, laced with brick dust and smoked blueberry and has gently drying tannins, fresh … Read More
Hawke’s Bay
Hawkesridge Hawke’s Bay Viognier 2023
Hawkesridge Hawke’s Bay Viognier 2023 $25 (not rated) While on the nose this wine has some apricot and jasmine promise, sadly the palate is out of balance, with a sweet-sour note and it finishes short. Not great. But 2023 was a very difficult cyclone vintage, so that could have been an issue.
Maison Noire Reserve Single Vineyard Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2023
Maison Noire Reserve Single Vineyard Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2023 $29 It’s actually blowing me away how good some of the 2023 reds from Hawke’s Bay are despite coming from a cyclone vintage. Sadly there’s just so little of them available! Just 80 cases of this ultra-floral syrah were crafted and it’s a wine erupting with … Read More
Alpha Domus Leonarda Late Harvest Semillon 2022
Alpha Domus Leonarda Late Harvest Semillon 2022 $28 A blend of partially and fully botrytis-infected, organic Semillon grapes from Alpha Domus’ original vineyards were used to craft this lusciously luxurious dessert wine. A long, slow, three-week fermentation occurred and was only stopped when winemaker Barry Riwai was satisfied that the balance of alcohol (12.5%), acidity … Read More
Elephant Hill Salomé Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2021
Elephant Hill Salomé Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2021 $95 Crafted from a 100% handpicked blend of clone 15 and Mendoza fruit from their Sea (Te Awanga) and Earth (Bridge Pa Triangle) vineyards, this, their flagship chardonnay is a powerfully structured wine erupting with complex baked stonefruit and scorched citrus, layers of cleverly balanced, caramelised oak notes, … Read More
Trinity Hill Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2023
Trinity Hill Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2023 $24 The Trinity Hill team overcame a tricky season, including a devastating cyclone (Gabrielle) to craft a pinot gris with energy and edginess. Generously textured and dry, it erupts with classic baked quince and cut nashi complexity and finishes with a vein of exotic spices. Trinity Hill
Atypical and super-sippical – Bay Buzz Magazine Sept/Oct 2024 by Yvonne LorkinSeptember 24, 2024 Greg Collinge, Supernatural. Photo: Florence Charvin [As published in September/October BayBuzz magazine.] Hawke’s Bay is New Zealand’s oldest and second-largest wine region boasting over 200 vineyards and 76 wineries. It’s also an incredibly diverse region and one that I unashamedly call ‘the … Read More
Petane Maraekakaho Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2023
Petane Maraekakaho Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2023 $31 If you’re a fan of crispy-dry pinot gris sourced from a lovingly-tended organic vineyard grown in the shelter of the Kaweka and Ruahine Ranges, then you’ve driven down the correct cul-de-sac my friend. Aromatically it sings with green apple, soft pear, a lick of lime, feijoa zest … Read More
Bostock Airini Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2022
Bostock Airini Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2022 $48 Māori princess Airini Karauria was one of Hawke’s Bay’s most highly respected and influential women, and in her honour the Bostocks created this impactful organic rosé. This is the second vintage and it’s crafted from syrah and merlot grapes grown in the iron-rich soils of Bridge Pa, her … Read More
Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Tempranillo 2022
Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Tempranillo 2022 $39 The team at Trinity Hill have been growing Tempranillo in their Gimblett Gravels vineyard since forever ago, and if I had a dollar for how many times this wine has scooped gold medals and trophies in the ‘other reds’ category in local wine shows, I’d probably have enough … Read More