Sacred Hill Riflemans Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2019 $69.99 Sure you could spend seventy dollars on groceries, school fees or a 30minute neck and shoulder shiatsu – but will they deliver the same unparalleled taste-joy as sipping the new Riflemans with a large bowl of bacon and prawn spaghetti? Fat chance. Grilled grapefruit, roast nectarine and … Read More
Hawke’s Bay
Ash Ridge Premium Bridge Pa Triangle Malbec 2018
Ash Ridge Premium Bridge Pa Triangle Malbec 2018 $32 Black Doris, Omega and Damson plums are all fighting for space in this dark, glossy, thing of goodness. Malbec is the signature red of Argentina, yet it’s clearly made a happy home at Ash Ridge in the sunbaked soils of Hawke’s Bay’s Bridge Pa Triangle sub-region. … Read More
Crab Farm Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2019
Crab Farm Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2019 $23 Since 1987, the Jardine family have been growing grapes and making wine in their crab skeleton riddled site in Bay View in Napier. Those mineral rich soils are superb for chardonnay, and this new release carries buckets of ripe peach and honeydew melon skyward to the nose and … Read More
Crab Farm Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2018
Crab Farm Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2018 $23 Seriously golden in the glass, this chardonnay oozes scorched peach, roasted almonds, vanilla high notes and a soft edge of pineapple on the finish. There’s a lick of butterscotch and spice, refreshing acidity and a creamy, textural backbone. A hint of popcorn, apricot, soft pepper and nougat notes. … Read More
Maison Noire Home Block Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Franc 2019
Maison Noire Home Block Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Franc 2019 $28 Sourced from their tiny vineyard located high up on the Waimarama Road, this is a local take on a French favourite grape from the Loire Valley. This is Cabernet Franc crafted in a softer, more restrained style than most with fine-grained astringency in the mid-palate. … Read More
Maison Noire Single Vineyard Paki Paki Chardonnay 2020
Maison Noire Single Vineyard Paki Paki Chardonnay 2020 $28 Just 75 cases were produced of this uber-refreshing chardonnay which is grown in the deep, limestone-laden soils of Hawke’s Bay’s Paki Paki sub-region, just south of Hastings. With its lifted almond, peach and lemon aromatics and creamy, softly oaky mid-palate and saturation of citrus on the … Read More
Maison Noire Home Block Hawke’s Bay Chenin Blanc 2020
Maison Noire Home Block Hawke’s Bay Chenin Blanc 2020 $30 Crafted from fruit grown in a tiny coast-facing vineyard amongst the hills along the Waimarama Road, this chenin blanc has clean, creamy, almond and apple aromatics and a super-nice nougat and citrus custard character in the mid palate which I really really love. But the … Read More
Tironui Above & Beyond Hawke’s Bay Malbec Merlot Cabernet 2019
Tironui Above & Beyond Hawke’s Bay Malbec Merlot Cabernet 2019 $35 This absolute mouthquake of a blend is comprised of 78% Malbec, 14% merlot and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and I am absolutely in love with it! Scented with cedar, blueberry, black doris plum and smoky vanilla vavoom, the palate is saturated with boysenberry, licks of … Read More
Unison Merlin’s Reserve Gimblett Gravels Merlot 2015
Unison Merlin’s Reserve Gimblett Gravels Merlot 2015 $38 22 months of careful barrel aging in the first instance, combined with another couple of years of sleepy years in the bottle, this classic Gimblett Gravels merlot is fleshing out in fabulous fashion. Leather layers merge with soft pepper, damson plum and blueberry notes to create a … Read More
Wither Hills Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2018
Wither Hills Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2018 $21.99 If plump, plush, earthy-edged, fleshy merlot is your bag, then get set for a tote-ally (geddit) smooth and saucy experience with this super sipper from Wither Hills. Soft caramelised oak gives a hint of smoke and plummy, red berry notes round out the palate. Nicely done. http://www.witherhills.co.nz