Smith & Sheth Cru Mangatahi Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2018 $60 In a word. Phenomenal. They call the boulders that litter the soils of the Mangatahi sub-region, west of Hastings, ‘Mangatahi swedes’, which is a bit of a dig at the ‘Gimblett Gravels’ or ‘Te Awanga pebbles’ monikers out there. The vines thrive on sun-saturated, … Read More
Hawke’s Bay
Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2017
Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2017 $22 If it’s the soft, peppery, violet-soaked style of syrah that wets your whistle and shivers your timbers, then get set for some shakin’ because this new release from the good folk at Maison Noire is the business. Lightly-styled and luscious (rather than a spicy, tannic, muscle-bomb) it’s a … Read More
Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Arneis 2019
Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Arneis 2019 $22 Hailing from northern Italy and nicknamed ‘little rascal’ because of it being notoriously tricky to grow, Guillaume Thomas has given it a very happy home in the limestone and clay soils behind the Te Mata Peak range on the way to Waimarama Beach. Chock full of floral intensity, … Read More
Coopers Creek Select Vineyards Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Merlot Malbec 2015
Coopers Creek Select Vineyards Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Merlot Malbec 2015 $23.75 Previously sold under the ‘Metals and Gravels’ label, this 57:43 M & M blend is showing how fantastic 2015 was in Hawke’s Bay for merlot-dominant, Bordeaux-style red wines. Elegant, statuesque and stacked with buckets of black fruits, masses of Christmas pudding spices and … Read More
Sacred Hill Single Vineyard Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2018
Sacred Hill Single Vineyard Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2018 $25 Sourced from their ‘Riflemans’ vineyard (which is fast becoming known as a national treasure) this new chardonnay ticks all the boxes for fruit weight, bright acidity, caramelised, coconutty oak and citrus complexity in the mid-palate and finish. It’s richly structured, toasty and shows a whisker of … Read More
Mills Reef Reserve Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2018
Mills Reef Reserve Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2018 $24.95 If you’re a fan of butter, cashews, cashew butter and all manner of buttery toasty things, then this new release will have you spreading the love. Ripe stonefruit notes merge with said roasty, nutty, buttery layers and build a smooth, peachy finish and generally give you a … Read More
Askerne Hawke’s Bay Pinot Noir 2016
Askerne Hawke’s Bay Pinot Noir 2016 $22 This is a wine that really benefits from some ‘swirl-time’ in the glass. It may appear a tad closed when first poured, but lordy be, y the time you get to the second half of the glass, she’s a disco queen. Dried herbs, baked cherry, all manner of … Read More
Hancock & Sons Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Hancock & Sons Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 $29.50 From John Hancock and his son Willy, comes this deliciously drinkable blend of cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon that shows blueberry, blackberry, boysenberry, in fact, everything berry in the glass and apart from the bottle itself looking like absolute money on the table, this … Read More
Pask Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2018
Pask Gimblet Gravels Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2018 $18 If this wine was a person it’d be Sergeant Pepper!! If it were fizzy it’d be Dr Pepper and if it were a British cartoon character, it’d be Pepper Pig – I think you dig. Classic, peppery pepperiness on the nose of this Gimblett Gravels goodie. Violet … Read More
Pask Gimblett Gravels Chardonnay 2018
Pask Gimblett Gravels Chardonnay 2018 $18 With its attractive aromas of peach jam on a buttered crumpet, this shiny new chardonnay from the team at Pask is bound to be a big hit. Not hugely toasty, just a sliver of sawdust amongst the buckets of citrus and stonefruit makes this nutty glass of niceness really … Read More