Mills Reef Estate Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2018 $19 Bright and floral and fanging with violets and cherry and all sorts of spices on the nose, this fresh and feisty syrah has ripe plum, raspberry and cranberry characters on the palate. The tannins are easy, elastic and ever-so-powdery, plus there’s a softness on the finish. Superb … Read More
Hawke’s Bay
Petane Station Hau Hau Block Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2018
Petane Station Hau Hau Block Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2018 $27 This tiny estate located out Eskdale-way, manages to turn out pinot gris that’s consistently mammoth in the personality-stakes. With its new vintage offering a creamy, apple pie and cashew character on the nose, followed by a poached quince and roast pear punch on the … Read More
Master of Ceremonies MC Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2018
Master of Ceremonies MC Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2018 $19 While it looks like it’ll be a sweetie in the glass, you’ll find your Hawke’s Bay-grown goblet of goodness has a dollop of dryness, a kick of pepper and buckets of spice on the finish. It’s got some tannic texture in the mouth and make sure … Read More
Squawking Magpie The Chatterer Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2018
Squawking Magpie The Chatterer Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2018 $19.95 This is one of my sure-fire, never-fail, no-hold-barred, people pleasing pinot gris choices. There’s a ripeness and robustness in the Squawking Magpie style that promotes a pear, quince and quick-fix of spiced apple awesome into every sip. It’s crisp, clean, cranking with honeysuckle and heaving … Read More
Te Aro Wine Co Toil and Trouble Hawke’s Bay Pét Nat 2018
Te Aro Wine Co Toil and Trouble Hawke’s Bay Pét Nat 2018 $27.50 Created by Jules Van Costello (owner of Cult Wines and Te Aro Wines) from sauvignon blanc sourced from the Bridge Pa sub-region (with a teensy splash of Marlborough sauvignon blanc to kickstart the ferment, this is a hyper fizzy, crown-sealed firecracker to … Read More
Cypress Terraces Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014
Cypress Terraces Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2014 $42 Mel and Gus Lawson knew their terraced hillside vineyard would produce some of the most sensational syrah in the region, I’d say they could feel it in their waters, but truth be told, water is not something they see much of and the vines border on dehydration and … Read More
Waiana Estate Indian Summer Private Blend Hawke’s Bay Rosé
Waiana Estate Indian Summer Private Blend Hawke’s Bay Rosé $35 This is the flagship rosé from the Plowman family and their Waiana Estate winemaking team. A step beyond their Indian Summer and Summer Sault rosés, this classically dry, Provençale style is crafted from a blend of Tukituki Valley-grown merlot and cinsault which has been left, post-ferment … Read More
Sacred Hill Wine Thief Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2016
Sacred Hill Wine Thief Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2016 $29 I’m tasting this wine right as white flesh nectarines begin appearing in heaping quanitites on roadside fruit stalls around where I live, (Hastings, in case you were wondering) and this wine reminds me so much of their scent and the juicy intensity of biting into one. … Read More
Saorsa Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2016
Saorsa Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2016 $30 The name Saorsa is a Scottish Gaelic word that not only means but also represents a radical sense of freedom, liberty and salvation according to owner Alex Hendry. Crafting just viognier and syrah, his 2016 vintage of syrah is very soft, very earthy, very smooth and lightly structured. Savoury layers and hints of dried … Read More
Linden Estate Reserve Dam Block 2016
Linden Estate Reserve Dam Block 2016 $48 Trevor Shepherd has finally released his series of Reserve ‘Dam Block’ blends, and this is my favourite so far. Featuring 72.5% merlot, 17.5% cabernet sauvignon and 10% cabernet franc, this savoury black-olive-and-spice fest shouts ‘Make way for the King!’ to a parade of berries and plums on the … Read More