Eaton Marlborough Merlot Malbec Cabernet 2014 $48 Straight out, I’ll say this 85/10/5 blend (created by Mike Eaton) may need decanting as it’s un-fined and unfiltered and natural sediment and tartrate crystals (or ‘wine diamonds’) may appear. This means all the natural anise, blueberry, pine needle, white pepper, sweet vanilla and smoke notes shine through. … Read More
malbec
Brookfields Sun-Dried Hawke’s Bay Malbec 2018
Brookfields Sun-Dried Hawke’s Bay Malbec 2018 $25 Peter Robertson, owner and winemaker of Brookfields is one of New Zealand’s most experienced winemakers, accumulating huge knowledge of techniques since beginning his career in 1974. Drying grapes in the sun prior to fermentation dates back to the early Greek and Italian times (like 6th century BC early!) … 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
Taiao Reserve Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc Malbec 2015
Taiao Reserve Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc Malbec 2015 $49.95 So deliciously decked out with dark chocolate, cherry, plum and soft pepper on the nose and palate, this exceptional wine from the Bridge Pa Triangle Winegrowing District has a deep, dark, smouldering personality, liquorice-licked layers of complexity in its statuesque structure. Earthy, wild at heart … Read More
Alpha Domus Special Reserve ‘The Aviator’ Hawke’s Bay 2016
Alpha Domus Special Reserve ‘The Aviator’ Hawke’s Bay 2016 $69 This is the flagship Bordeaux blend for the Alpha Domus team led by winemaker Barry Riwai, and this vintage is a blend dominated by cabernet sauvignon that’s boosted by cabernet frand, merlot and malbec from the famous, iron-rich, red gravels of the Bridge Pa Triangle … Read More
The Hay Paddock Pitchfork Classic Hawke’s Bay Red 2016
The Hay Paddock Pitchfork Classic Hawke’s Bay Red 2016 $34 Blended from a selection of classic Hawke’s Bay red varieties with Malbec and Syrah being the main stars, this has been supervised by Chris Canning, artist, writer, winemaker extraordinaire and its loaded with classic savoury peppery meaty notes that wrap around the prune, baked berries … Read More
La Celia Single Vineyard Heritage Uco Valley Malbec 2013 $70
La Celia Single Vineyard Heritage Uco Valley Malbec 2013 $70 So incredibly complex and multi-layered, this magically meaty, spice-driven malbec has seasoned leather, soy and black olive notes, anise, Irish moss and sandy, fine-grained but ferociously lovely tannins abound in this meal-in-itself wine. This wine has great palate presence and superb length of flavour, with … Read More
Tamari Mendoza Malbec 2016 $15.99
Tamari Mendoza Malbec 2016 $15.99 The native language of the Mendoza region in Argentina is knows as ‘Huarpe’ and in that language, Tamari means ‘to be passionate’. I tell you what, after a glass or two of this meaty little malbec then you’ll be feeling more than a little amorous I’m sure. Smooth, velvety and … Read More
Rod McDonald ‘One Off’ Hawke’s Bay Malbec 2014
Rod McDonald ‘One Off’ Hawke’s Bay Malbec 2014 $31 ★★★★ If you’re someone who gets weak at the knees when they see a beautiful colour, then strap yourself into your support-hose because this wine has the most gorgeous garnet, ruby hue. It also boasts tobacco leaf, dried herbs, cocoa, blueberry and a gentle meaty character … Read More
MATAWHERO MAGIC
Has it been six years? Really? When I first met Kirsten and Richard Searle they were a fresh-faced young couple bursting with nervous excitement having just taken possession of the iconic Matawhero Wines in Gisborne. It was 2008, they had three babies, a whopping mortgage, a rundown, rambling wine estate and wide-eyed dreams for the … Read More