Petane Kōura Block Hawke’s Bay Pinot Blanc 2022 $28 Pinot Blanc is a marvellously tasty mutation of pinot noir and its spiritual home is over in the Alsace region of France. You’ll also find it in Germany, Italy, Hungary and now Hawke’s Bay. This is the debut pinot blanc for winemaker Philip Barber, who has … Read More
Petane Station
Petane Tracks Block Hawke’s Bay Viognier 2021
Petane Tracks Block Hawke’s Bay Viognier 2021 $30 If you prefer your viognier with less of the oily texture and apricot overload, then chances are this style is for you. Dry and mineral-focused, it has a dash of white pepper and soft peach on the palate. Lighter-styled than its predecessors, it’s on the leaner end … Read More
Petane Station Late Harvest Edelzwicker 2020
Petane Station Late Harvest Edelzwicker 2020 $30 375ml Taken from the German words ‘edel’ (noble) and ‘zwicker’ (blend), edelzwicker is an old Alsatian name for a blend of ‘noble’ or important grapes harvested from the same vineyard on the same day and made into a wine that truly reflects the season and the site. 2020 … Read More
Petane Station Edelzwicker 2020
Petane Station Edelzwicker 2020 $27 How it looks is exactly how it’s pronounced my little edel’s! Edelzwicker is a very old German/Alsatian wine name created from the word ‘edel’ (noble) and ‘zwicker’ (blend) where different ‘noble’ grape varieties are all picked on the same day from the same vineyard to create a wine that truly … Read More
Petane Station Bellbird Block Gewürztraminer 2020
Petane Station Bellbird Block Gewürztraminer 2020 $36 With just 70 dozen made of this lychee-laden little lovely from out Esk Valley way, by the time I finish writing this review it’ll possibly all be gone! My individually numbered bottle (the gorgeous no. 915) poured a perfectly pale gold wine, bursting with baking spices, mango, rosewater … Read More
Petane Station Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet Franc 2018
Petane Station Hawke’s Bay Merlot Franc 2018 $30 Well kachango my mango, if this merlot blend isn’t by far the most saucy, seductively-spicy, fruit-soaked thing to sniff and sip, then I’ll be a cross-eyed coyote. I also need to stop watching so many spaghetti Westerns on Netflix. Ahem. In all seriousness however, this wine is … Read More
Petane Station Single Vineyard Edelzwicker 2019
Petane Station Esk Valley Single Vineyard Edelzwicker 2019 $30 Edelzwicker wine is essentially made from white grapes which are harvested and fermented together. It’s all a bit loose and there are no set rules with what grapes can be used and those grapes can also be made into wine separately and then blended together. Historically, … Read More
Petane Station Hawke’s Bay Gewürztraminer 2018
Petane Station Hawke’s Bay Gewürztraminer 2018 $30 Golden and glossy in the glass and one swirl will reveal exotic aromas of ginger, rose water, white pepper, guava and a hunt of musk. To drink, it has a splash of natural sweetness, yet it’s crisp and juicy, not blowsy and broad – like a lot of … Read More
Petane Station Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2018
Petane Station Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2018 $30 If you’re not familiar with the eye-rollingly lovely ‘petrichor’ perfume, then stick your nose deep into a glass of this shiny new syrah from one of Hawke’s Bay’s brightest producers and relish that rain-on-hot-asphalt aroma. Boosted with black currant, bay leaf, violets and a smorgasbord of savory layers … Read More
Petane Station Tracks Block Viognier 2018
Petane Station Tracks Block Viognier 2018 $30 Viognier (pronounced ‘vee-yon-YAY’) is one of my favourite things. Like clean, sunshine-dried sheets and emails saying ‘remittance advice.’ It’s a scary, lots-can-go-wrong grape, yet Philip Barber at Petane Station appears to have some sort of shamanistic supremacy over his vineyard, because the resulting wine is crunchy-fresh to taste … Read More
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