Pegasus Bay Waipara Gewürztraminer 2014 $30 ★★★★★ Wow! The glittering yellow diamond colour of this wine is quite mesmerizing. It smells like the most delicious combo of lemon Turkish delight, ginger, rose water, Christmas lilies, toffee, runny honey and spice. Rich, unctuous, generously fruity and tangy it is too, making this an irresistibly un-put-downable example.
waipara
Main Divide Waipara Merlot Cabernet 2014
Main Divide Waipara Merlot Cabernet 2014 $20 ★★★½ If you thought only the North Island could create good Bordeaux-style reds then best you wrap your gums around this southern sip pronto. Highly fruity on the nose and all manner of raspberry, boysenberry and spicy, cocoa-like characters crash across the palate. Yet the mouthfeel and finish … Read More
Pegasus Bay Waipara Barrique Fermented Noble Semillon Sauvignon 2011 375ml
Pegasus Bay Waipara Barrique Fermented Noble Semillon Sauvignon 2011 375ml $37 Wow! I love the amber-topaz colour of this glossy dessert wine. It smells like honey drizzled over oatcakes and there’s an exotic toffee note cloaking baked stonefruit and an intense sweetness encasing a monster 14.5% alcohol. Wild yeast fermented and aging for two years … Read More
Go Go Greystone!
If you thought great New Zealand pinot noir only poured out of Central Otago, then here’s a nugget of knowledge for you. Waipara is fast becoming where it’s at. Well, this week it was anyway, with the announcement that the Greystone ‘Brothers Reserve’ 2012 ($69) scooped the prestigious International Pinot Noir Trophy at the Decanter … Read More
Sherwood Estate RD1 Waipara Syrah 2010
Sherwood Estate RD1 Waipara Syrah 2010 $29 ★★★½ Dayne and Jill Sherwood have been growing grapes and making wine in Canterbury for 25 years, and with expert guidance from winemaker Petter Evans they’ve managed to add a tasty little southern syrah to their repertoire. Lots of sweet, juicy red fruits on the nose and palate with … Read More
Sherwood Estate No.8 Wire Waipara Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Sherwood Estate No.8 Wire Waipara Sauvignon Blanc 2009 $24 There’s a lot of sauvignon blanc planted in the North Canterbury region of Waipara, but it’s good to see some producers testing the boundaries of what it’s capable of, rather than staying in the safe old stainless steel camp. Fermented with wild yeasts in old french … Read More
Terrace Edge Waipara Riesling 2010
Terrace Edge Waipara Riesling 2010 $19 White peach, lemon peel and fresh floral aromas lead to an ultra-clean, bracingly fresh mouthfeel that smacks of citrus and lime-laden loveliness. The finish is sorbet-like, crisp and lengthy, it’s truly superb stuff and it’s quite unbelievable that it costs less than twenty dollars. www.terraceedge.co.nz Terrace Edge Waipara Riesling 2010 … Read More
Sherwood Estate Waipara Syrah 2009
Sherwood Estate’s 2009 Syrah ($28) was the lucky last wine in the line and I loved its classic blackcurrant, pepper and violet aromas, concentrated fruit sweetness and layers of spice and texture.
Bellbird Spring Block 8 Sauvignon Blanc 2010
Bellbird Spring ‘Block Eight’ Sauvignon Blanc 2010 ($31) Beautifully aromatic, showing soft, finely tuned oak influence, elderflower, white peach and lemony characters. It’s a stunning exercise in restraint with all the flavours and textures working in harmony, finishing with complex minerality and excellent persistence of flavour. www.bellbirdspring.co.nz
Black Estate Omihi Series Chardonnay 2010
Black Estate Omihi Series Waipara Chardonnay 2010 $31 If this is the standard of chardonnay Waipara is capable of then that makes me a very excited girl indeed. I love the way it smells like fresh peach and pineapple spread on a buttered crumpet. In the mouth it’s vibrant, concentrated and creamy, with silky … Read More