Elephant Hill Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2018

October 8, 2021By Yvonne

Elephant Hill Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2018 $27 Quick word. Peel your eyes away from this necktag and let them bathe in the sight of this dark, glossy, gorgeous thing pouring into your glass. Impenetrably inky, and smelling like saddle leather rubbed with baking spices, blackberries and dark cocoa. This wine was made by the scarily … Read More

Monowai Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2020

September 30, 2021By Yvonne

Monowai Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2020 $24.99 Softly spiced, perfumed with plum, light liquorice and a dusting of cocoa, it’s a velvety-smooth, refreshingly ripe style of merlot from the Matapiro region west of Hastings. Slinky and slightly smoky, it’s a satisfyingly juicy sip. Monowai

Monowai Upper Reaches Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2020

September 28, 2021By Yvonne

Monowai Upper Reaches Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2020 $26 Well well well. Straight out the gate, I’m calling this the best merlot I’ve ever tasted from Hawke’s Bay’s Matapiro subregion. Clearly the grape gods were shining down on husband and wife winegrowing team Emma Lowe and Marcelo Nunez in 2020, because those vines have produced a … Read More

Brookfields Burnfoot Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2018

September 22, 2021By Yvonne

Brookfields Burnfoot Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2018 $20 Peter Robertson’s been making wine in Hawke’s Bay since 1974. 1974! So he knows a thing or or twenty about turning great weather into great wine. 2018 was a bit special for Brookfields. It produced merlot full of juicy spices and supple tannins that create just the right … Read More

Stonecutter Martinborough Merlot 2019

September 19, 2021By Yvonne

StoneCutter Martinborough Merlot 2019 $48 The name Merlot comes from its resemblance to the blue-black plumage of the blackbird (merle). Born of a cross between Cabernet Franc and Magdeleine Noire des Charentes (they don’t name grapes like they used to right), Merlot was once called Crabutet Noir – not exactly sexy, so a name change … Read More

Le Grá Wairarapa Merlot 2018

September 15, 2021By Yvonne

Le Grá Wairarapa Merlot 2018 $30 This is a super-fresh style with youthful acidity that I’m sure will soften out over the next year or two. Intense boysenberry and blackberry flavours join forces with spicy oak notes and lengthy, elastic tannins. If you’re looking for bigand meaty, this is more fresh and leafy, but an … Read More

I taste the 2018 Gimblett Gravels Annual Vintage Selection

August 26, 2021By Yvonne

It’s one heck of an exciting feeling cracking open the box containing the newest Gimblett Gravels selection wines. Twelve of the greatest red wines to come from New Zealand’s most famous red wine region, selected independently by Andrew Caillard MW. They’re also selected from a talent pool consisting of dozens of hopefuls from dozens of … Read More

Zaria Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet Franc 2019

August 15, 2021By Yvonne

Zaria Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet Franc 2019 $25 If you’re looking for a softly-styled, berry, tobacco and toast-filled, fresh-as-a-daisy red wine, then you’ve come to the right place. Bright bay leaf and bouquet-garni herbs combine with cocoa, plum and a lick of blueberry to create a rather joyous thing to drink. Smooth velvety and exciting. … Read More

Canvas Drinks June 5 2021

July 6, 2021By Yvonne

Canvas Drinks June 5 2021 The Great Kiwi Cheeseburger I can’t think of anything nicer to wash down mouthfuls of juicy, beefy burger than the Esk Valley Artisanal Hawke’s Bay Malbec Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 ($24.99). It’s bursting with bright berries, omega plum, cherry and smoked blueberries on the nose and palate. Meaty, peppery, spice-saturated … Read More

Esk Valley Artisanal Collection Hawke’s Bay Malbec Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

June 24, 2021By Yvonne

Esk Valley Artisanal Collection Hawke’s Bay Malbec Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 ($24.99) Paired with Annabel Langbein’s The Great Kiwi Cheeseburger Canvas Magazine NZ Herald June 5th 2021 I can’t think of anything nicer to wash down mouthfuls of juicy, beefy burger than the Esk Valley Artisanal Collection Hawke’s Bay Malbec Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 ($24.99). … Read More