The Tutton family are deeply connected to the Waipara River which runs through their property and has, over the years, offered up a smorgasbord of fossils. The Riverbone has a Megalodon tooth on the label, a tooth as big as owner Vic Tutton’s hand “It’s so lovely with perfect striations down each side of the … Read More
waipara
Silver Wing Nada Reserve Waipara Chardonnay 2015 $38 (3.5 stars)
Think you’ve tasted every kind of chardonnay? Well this’ll have you scratching your head while nodding at the same time. This wine is called NADA because of what it doesn’t contain and that’s absolutely no preservatives (sulphites) or any other chemical additions were used by winemaker Andrew Fox in this chardonnay. Hand-picked, whole bunch pressed … Read More
Pegasus Bay Waipara Chardonnay 2015 $41 (5stars)
If you can catch a whiff of struck match on your first sniff then welcome to the world of sulphide complexity, something I love o see a little bit of in my chardonnay. With smoked pineapple, grapefruit and grilled peach characters zigzagging across the palate and erupting on the finish – it’s a super stylish … Read More
Black Estate Waipara Rose 2016 $24 (4 stars)
Sweet cranberry, rhubarb and cherry notes on the nose, it’s ultra fruity-fragrant and has instant wham bam appeal. Bursting with cherry and raspberry intensity in the mouth, here’s a rose you won’t forget in a hurry. There’s even a peppery, slightly dense, meaty note which gives it real strength and presence. Sip with warm, spicy, … Read More
Black Estate Circuit Chardonnay 2016 $24 (4 stars)
If you’re looking for a chardonnay bursting with hazelnut, citrus and hints of toast and smoke then this is for you. North Canterbury has real talent for producing chardonnay that shows sensational minerality and combine that with a skilled winemaker who can create creamy, nutty notes in the palate spectrum – then you’ve got a … Read More
Greystone Waipara Sauvignon Blanc 2015
Greystone Waipara Sauvignon Blanc 2015 $22 ★★★★½ This is one seriously tropical, juicy, succulent sauvignon blanc from the nor-wester buffetted, limestone-laden slopes of North Canterbury. Deeply textural, powdery and mineral-edged, there’s a wildly tasty wave of nectarine, preserved lemon and crushed green herbs in every mouthful too. Winemaker Dom Maxwell is an evil genius and … Read More
Pegasus Bay Waipara Gewürztraminer 2014
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.
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