Saorsa Cornerstone Vineyard Hawke’s Bay Viognier 2016 $30 Pronounced “Sore-Sha”, the name Saorsa is a Scottish Gaelic word that not only means but also represents a radical sense of freedom, liberty and salvation according to owner Alex Hendry, one of Hawke’s Bay’s most exciting and ‘one-to-watch’ winemakers. Crafting just viognier and syrah, his 2016 vintage … Read More
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
Classic fresh-cut apricot aromatics, white nectarine, ripe peach and white pepper and loads of character coming through in this wine from southern France, an area extending from Provence to the Pyrenees Mountains and the border with Spain, which is now part of Occitani. The length of flavour is outstanding – clean, fresh and frolicksome. http://www.planetwine.co.nz
Looking for something lipsmackingly dry, apple-driven and crunchy-fresh? Then you’ve come to the correct cul de sac in the Moulin de Gassac. A blend of Grenache Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and a squeak of Terret and Viognier from the village of Villeveyracin the Thau Lagoon area of the Languedoc – it’s like a charge of … Read More
One thing I’ve been treating myself to, as my family scoffs its way through our enormous 10+kilo Christmas ham, is some really excellent viognier. Viognier has the spicy floral aromatics of say, pinot gris, combined with the tropical, toasty richness of chardonnay, which makes it absolutely divine with any type of swine. This is one … Read More
I LOVE the nose of this wine – it seduced me right from the first sip with its exotic orange zest, jasmine, citrus oil and classic caramelised complexity. It’s my favourite style, all rich, cuddly and luxuriously spicy and ready to morph into a meal in itself. But if you insist on pairing it with … Read More
Hands down, this is one of my favourite drinks of the season. Owner-slash-winemaker Christine Kernohan has done it again with this fresh, intensely floral viognier that just screams spiced citrus, jasmine and classic apricot kernel characters in every mouthful. Luxuriously tropical, it also hits that sweet spot of beautifully balanced, zingy acidity that so many … Read More
It was 1999. I was earning $11 an hour working at Havelock North Wines & Spirits and I was in my first year of studying wine. I was extremely nerdy about it, never content to be one of those “C’s get degrees” folk. I wanted to ace that course, to soak up as much knowledge … Read More
It’s not often we see a local interpretation of this famously versatile Rhone-style blend. Pretty and golden in the glass and bursting with fig, flint, smoky stonefruit and smashed stones. In the mouth there’s a lovely layer of citrus and white peach, just-ripe apricot and oh-so-subtle honeyed notes. It’s a deliciously dry yet generously proportioned … Read More
Millton Les Arbres Clos de Ste Anne Gisborne Viognier 2013 $60 ★★★★★ Make no mistake; this is a wine you must try before you die. If you’re looking for the epitome of what can be achieved with viognier in this country then this is it. Deeply golden in the glass, this viognier socks you with … Read More