Maison Noire Gabrielle’s Kiss Hawke’s Bay Red Blend 2023 $20 Hit hard by Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023, Guillaume Thomas at Maison Noire opted to get creative with their Cabernet Franc and Syrah grown high up on the Waimarama Road – and do some crafty blending. Highly floral, laced with bay, tobacco, green peppercorns, black … Read More
single vineyard
Tiki Single Vineyard North Canterbury Pinot Noir 2023
Tiki Single Vineyard North Canterbury Pinot Noir 2023 $23 – $28 This cracker of a gold medal-winning pinot hails from a single site in the Waipara Valley sub-region of North Canterbury. Most famous for its stunning examples of riesling, the region also cranks out truly spectacular pinot noir like this release from the fine folks … Read More
Tiki Single Vineyard North Canterbury Gewürztraminer 2023
Tiki North Canterbury Gewürztraminer 2023 $20 – $23 There’s something so pure and true in this expression of gewürztraminer. Sourced from the braided river gravels of the North Canterbury, it shows classic lychee, rosewater, and musky spice notes that add extra layers of loveliness to a palate that’s already sweet, generous, honeyed, luxurious, and just … Read More
Tiki Single Vineyard North Canterbury Sauvignon Blanc 2024
Tiki North Canterbury Sauvignon Blanc 2024 $20 – $23 The McKean family has been the force behind Tiki since planting an old Waipara sheep farm in vines in the early 2000s. Sauvignon blanc vines thrive under the baking North Canterbury summer sun, and their vigour is kept in check by those skin-mummifying brain-meltingly hot and … Read More
Tiki Single Vineyard North Canterbury Riesling 2023
Tiki Single Vineyard North Canterbury Riesling 2023 $20-$23 Get set for a nose erupting with fresh lime zest, Granny Smith apple, petrichor and green olive notes ok, and then prepare for all of that to osmose in tangy fashion across the tongue and gums in every sip. Generously dry, and showing crunchy-crisp textures, a solid … Read More
Maison Noire Single Vineyard Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Franc 2023
Maison Noire Single Vineyard Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Franc 2023 $29 Grown high up on the Waimarama Road in the deep limestone clays of the Tukituki Valley, in a tiny vineyard tended by French winemaker Guillaume Thomas, this cabernet franc is deeply savoury, laced with brick dust and smoked blueberry and has gently drying tannins, fresh … Read More
Maison Noire Reserve Single Vineyard Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2023
Maison Noire Reserve Single Vineyard Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2023 $29 It’s actually blowing me away how good some of the 2023 reds from Hawke’s Bay are despite coming from a cyclone vintage. Sadly there’s just so little of them available! Just 80 cases of this ultra-floral syrah were crafted and it’s a wine erupting with … Read More
Giesen Fuder Series Clayvin Marlborough Chardonnay 2017
Giesen Fuder Series Clayvin Marlborough Chardonnay 2017 $48-$52 Sourced from one of New Zealand’s OG and most famous certified organic vineyards, this chardonnay is like a bottled version of a headline act at Glastonbury. Dua Lipa, Coldplay or Janelle Monae for example. It’s supremely talented, crammed with energy and vitality, and is quite frankly, intensely … Read More
Whitehaven Block 11 Barrel Fermented Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2022
Whitehaven Block 11 Barrel Fermented Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2022 $32 How excellent that the team at Whitehaven have chosen to launch their new Single Vineyard series with the release of a shiny new barrel-fermented sauvignon blanc. Fruit from their Paul’s Road vineyard has been wild fermented and aged for 13 months in old French Oak … Read More
Tarras The Canyon Single Vineyard Central Otago Pinot Noir 2019
Tarras The Canyon Single Vineyard Central Otago Pinot Noir 2019 $80 Winemaker Hayden Johnston* is the talent behind Tarras Vineyards, a site located near the Central Otago town of Tarras. He utilises fruit grown in his organically-managed, home vineyard called The Canyon, located high on the Bendigo goldfield terraces. Deeply lush, moody, brooding aromas of … Read More