Zaria Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2019

September 12, 2020By Yvonne

Zaria Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2019 $30 Winemaker Bryce Edmonds has crafted this chardonnay from hand-picked, Mendoza-clone fruit that was whole-bunch pressed into 33% new oak and the lees were regularly stirred for 10 months to inject creamy complexity. The aromatics scream roast peach and pineapple, while hints of brulee and nougat also sneak through on … Read More

Hunting Lodge Tennessee Red Hawke’s Bay Merlot Malbec 2019

August 31, 2020By Yvonne

Hunting Lodge Project X Tennessee Red Hawke’s Bay Merlot Malbec 2019 $36 Well yippee ki yay, if it isn’t the deepest, darkest, inkiest red to hit my stirrups in ages.  The Project X is big, bold and muscular in all the right places, supersized into the realms of smoke and vanilla from being aged in … Read More

Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Arneis 2020

August 18, 2020By Yvonne

Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Arneis 2020 $22 Guillaume Thomas has been crafting some of the best local Arneis I’ve ever tasted, and clearly this Italian variety (nicknamed Little Rascal due to its fussy, tricky nature) thrives in the lime and clay soils of his tiny vineyard on the Waimarama Road.  Crammed with creamy nectarine, peach … Read More

Trinity Hill Homage Syrah 2018

August 9, 2020By Yvonne

Trinity Hill Homage Syrah 2018 $150 THE TECHNICAL: This is the new vintage release of one of New Zealand’s most sought-after syrah’s.  Produced only in years when the fruit is exceptional, the 2018 Homage was crafted from 99.6% syrah and 0.4% viognier hand-harvested from three different Gimblett Gravels sites including 70% Gimblett Estate, 19% Tin … Read More

Tiki Koro Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2019

July 20, 2020By Yvonne

Tiki Koro Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2019 $34.99 Crafted by Evan Ward, this is the signature chardonnay by the team at Tiki Wines. It’s fermented in 55% new French oak barrels before going through a full malolactic ferment to increase its creamy, nutty complexity and then a ten-month maturation period injects more toasty, smoky textures just … Read More

Tiki Single Vineyard Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2019

July 20, 2020By Yvonne

Tiki Single Vineyard Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2019 $24.99 If you’re looking for seriously juicy chardonnay that powers pineapple, peach, citrus oils and a luscious lick of spicy, caramelised oak across your olfactories, then this is the business.  Beautifully balanced, deliciously smoky (from a full barrel ferment) and showing a raft of fresh, tropical, terrificness, cleansing … Read More

Hills & Rivers Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2019

July 17, 2020By Yvonne

Hills & Rivers Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2019 $18.99 Well if it doesn’t just look like spun gold in the glass right?  This shiny-new release from the folk at Ash Ridge wines has well and truly James Brown’ed it and got on the good foot with grilled grapefruit, punchy, ripe peach and lemon zest zappiness.  Clearly … Read More

Brookfields Ohiti Estate Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

July 15, 2020By Yvonne

Brookfields Ohiti Estate Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 $20 If I were going to choose the most exciting cabernet sauvignon wines from New Zealand that swing in for $20, then the Ohiti Estate from Brookfields would be right up there.  Bold, plummy, bursting with earthy, roasting pan meatiness and showing a plumpness on the finish … Read More

Hāhā Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2019

July 15, 2020By Yvonne

Hāhā Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2019 $24 If you’re hunting for a ripe, friendly, pepper-sprinkled sensation to sip on a chilly night or a hot afternoon whilst working the BBQ, then this will rock your casbah. Smooth, velvety and tastes like its been in the bottle for ages despite being brand new, this quaffably good introduction … Read More

Trinity Hill Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2019

June 30, 2020By Yvonne

Trinity Hill Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2019 $19.99 That so much pure, Hawke’s Bay syrah-ness is able to be crammed inside a bottle for just $20 just blows my mind. Yet in the hands of the team at Trinity Hill, any syrah grape can feel confident that it’ll be shepherded into the bottle with the best … Read More