Zaria Hawke’s Bay Malbec Rosé 2021 $20 With bright, energetic, red apple and raspberry layers, cherry and zesty citrus characters and a long, vibrant, citrus-stacked finish, it just bursts with redcurrant and spice. Fresh and crunchy and punchy in all the right places, I really like this wine. A lot. Zaria
Hawke’s Bay
Zaria Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet Franc 2019
Zaria Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet Franc 2019 $25 If you’re looking for a softly-styled, berry, tobacco and toast-filled, fresh-as-a-daisy red wine, then you’ve come to the right place. Bright bay leaf and bouquet-garni herbs combine with cocoa, plum and a lick of blueberry to create a rather joyous thing to drink. Smooth velvety and exciting. … Read More
Zaria Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2020
Zaria Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2020 $30 Beautifully balanced and straight out the gate with soft grapefruity, apricot-edged loveliness, creamy, caramelised oak, perfumed with white peach and unveiling perfectly poised acidity on the finish. It’s so elegant and stylishly structured. Crafted by Bryce Edmonds, a winemaker with volcanic talent, this chardonnay is a darn lovely thing. … Read More
Sileni Advocate Grand Reserve Hawke’s Bay Albariño 2020
Sileni Advocate Grand Reserve Hawke’s Bay Albariño 2020 $24 There’s an old Spanish saying “when you want a tasty friend and not a foe, turn your face toward albariño”. Don’t fact-check it, no point, you’ll discover I made it up. But it could totally pass for an old Spanish saying. Yet one thing remains true … Read More
Tironui Above & Beyond Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2021
Tironui Above & Beyond Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2021 $25 Crafted from a handpicked, co-fermented blend of 54% malbec, 33% merlot and 13% cabernet sauvignon grown on a tiny, terraced vineyard high up on the limestone-laden soils of Sugar Loaf Hill, this shiny new rosé looks a million bucks in the glass. Coloured like a cross … Read More
Sileni Circle Grand Reserve Hawke’s Bay Semillon 2019
Sileni Circle Grand Reserve Hawke’s Bay Semillon 2019 $25 Sileni were one of the very first Hawke’s Bay producers to leap into making classlc dry semillon back in the early 2000’s. Before that, most wineries were using the variety to simply create sweet, dessert styles. The deep, iron-rich soils of the Bridge Pa Triangle sub … Read More
Monowai Hawke’s Bay Pinot Noir Rosé 2020
Monowai Hawke’s Bay Pinot Noir Rosé 2020 $24.99 Sometimes I make myself do a personal SWOT analysis and it’s never pleasant. The main reason I force myself through this excruciating exercise is so that I can reward-slash-console myself at its conclusion with something delicious made by Emma Lowe at Monowai. Her new rosé brings the … Read More
Collaboration Wines Aurulent Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2019
Collaboration Wines Aurulent Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2019 $36 Ever had that feeling, like when you’re watching a young sportsperson make a showstopping debut, or an underdog artist give the performance of a lifetime, that you’re witnessing history happen and they’re about to become seriously famous? That’s how I felt as soon as I sipped this … Read More
Canvas Drinks June 5 2021
Canvas Drinks June 5 2021 The Great Kiwi Cheeseburger I can’t think of anything nicer to wash down mouthfuls of juicy, beefy burger than the Esk Valley Artisanal Hawke’s Bay Malbec Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 ($24.99). It’s bursting with bright berries, omega plum, cherry and smoked blueberries on the nose and palate. Meaty, peppery, spice-saturated … Read More
Esk Valley Artisanal Collection Hawke’s Bay Chenin Blanc 2020
Esk Valley Artisanal Collection Hawke’s Bay Chenin Blanc 2020 $25 One of the things winemaker Gordon Russell knows about chenin blanc, is that if you give it an inch, it’ll take a mile. You’ve got to keep it semi-starved and its vigour in check in order to produce these gorgeous apple and honeysuckle-centric flavours. It’s … Read More