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
maison noire
Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Franc 2015
Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Franc 2015 $25 Cabernet Franc is just the sexiest wee red grape, and yet it’s very rarely made into wine on its own. Crafted by Guillaume Thomas from his tiny vineyard on the Waimarama Road, this new 2015 vintage is ultra-floral and rock-solid with spices and racy, raspberry/cranberry characters. The … Read More
Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2018
Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2018 $25 With its nectarine and peachy creaminess and with cashew characters abound, this new chardonnay from Guillaume Thomas has got instant crowd-appeal. Richly structured, but showing fresh, frisky acidity, it’s a juicy, easy drink with solid stonefruit complexity on the mid-palate and finish. www.maisonnoire.nz
Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Chenin Blanc 2018
Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Chenin Blanc 2018 ($29) Golden, glossy in the glass and heaving with crisp, lipsmacking acidity, toasted coconut and grapefruit characters alongside roasted apples and all manner of mineral-induced magic in the mouth. Chenin blanc hails from the Loire Valley in France (which is where its winemaker Guillaume Thomas is also from) … Read More
Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2015
Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2015 $12 Here’s where you need to get your thoughts away from the words ‘sauvignon blanc’ and think about it more as being a white wine made in a reduced, funky style, that’ll definitely spark debate if you took it along to a blind tasting. A splash of viognier … Read More
Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Late Harvest Arneis 2018
Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Late Harvest Arneis 2018 $22 Arneis created in a dessert wine style is not something you see every day – especially not here in New Zealand. It’s rare to even find arneis in its normal, dry form, let alone fashioned into a tantalisingly sweet, mandarin and quince-like triumph such as this. … Read More
Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2018
Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2018 $20 Made by French winemaker Guillaume Thomas, this cabernet franc-based rosé is bursting with redcurrant, cranberry and pomegranate aromas and flavours. It’s pretty and trout-pink in the glass and there’s even a touch of creaming soda and tamarillo in there, too. Fresh, succulent, saucy, and with a hint of … Read More