Tarras The Canyon Single Vineyard Central Otago Pinot Noir 2019

October 4, 2023By Yvonne

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

Trinity Hill Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2022

June 6, 2023By Yvonne

Trinity Hill Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2022 $22 Paired with: Hot Smoked Salmon and Goat’s Cheese Omelette in dish Magazine Issue 109 ‘Dinner for Two’ Pair the rich, oily texture of this hot smoked salmon and the soft, saltiness of the goat’s cheese with this deliciously dry pinot gris. Grown in the sun-baked Ohiti sub-region, … Read More

Astrolabe Comely Bank Marlborough Pinot Noir 2020

February 20, 2023By Yvonne

Astrolabe Comely Bank Vineyard, Waihopai Valley Pinot Noir 2020 $44 Plush, lithe and lengthy. These are hallmarks of the pinot noir which comes off Jeff and Vanessa Hammond’s Comelybank site near the confluence of the Waihopai and Wairau Rivers, where the Southern Valleys meet. Its handpicked fruit is wild-fermented, hand-plunged, and oak-matured to create an … Read More

Villa Maria The Attorney Marlborough Pinot Noir Rosé 2022

February 19, 2023By Yvonne

Villa Maria The Attorney Marlborough Pinot Noir Rosé 2022 $30   Paired with: CHICKEN CURRY ROLLS dish Magazine Issue 108 Something seductively light and zesty and stacked with clean berries and classic spices is exactly what you need to wash down every crumb of these curry rolls. Bursting with watermelon, raspberry and laced with dry, … Read More

Forrest Marlborough Lagrein 2020

February 18, 2023By Yvonne

Forrest Marlborough Lagrein 2020 $35 Normally when it comes to chilli, I recommend steering clear of the big reds, however the Forrest Estate Marlborough Lagrein 2020 ($35) – a local version of northern Italy’s Alto Adige classic – is generously juicy, cherry-stacked, sweetly structured and superb with black pepper and chilli lamb ribs. It’s sourced … Read More

Riverby Estate Marlborough Cyrene 2016

February 18, 2023By Yvonne

Riverby Estate Marlborough Cyrene 2016 375ml $35 Crafted just like a classic Sauternes, this blend of 75% sauvignon blanc and 25% semillon is aged for 11 months in at least 50% new oak barrels and weighs in at a tooth-screamingly sweet 145g/l of residual sugar. It’s incredibly rich and luxurious, turning on toffee, marmalade and … Read More

Te Mata Estate Awatea Cabernets Merlot 2020

December 8, 2022By Yvonne

Te Mata Estate Awatea Cabernets Merlot 2020 $40 If I were in a hostage situation and the gunman said “Somebody better tell me what’s the greatest local Bordeaux-style red wine that I can buy for under fifty bucks, in the next five seconds or the granny gets it!” I would be hollering “Te Mata Awatea … Read More

Mills Reef Reserve Gimblett Gravels Merlot Malbec 2021

December 1, 2022By Yvonne

Mills Reef Reserve Gimblett Gravels Merlot Malbec 2021 $25 One thing will become super-obvious when inhaling the scent of this Bordeaux blend from Hawke’s Bay’s famous Gimblett Gravels region. Meatiness. It’s rich, savoury and roaring with roasting pan juices on the nose. Combine that with dark blueberry, plum, pepper and bay leaf layers, black olive … Read More

Forrest Estate Marlborough Albariño 2022

September 20, 2022By Yvonne

Forrest Estate Marlborough Albariño 2022 $28 Ultra-vibrant nectarine, apple, lime and white peach will up and punch you in the kisser with every sip. The acidity is whipcrack sharp, like swallowing a sword, yet the underlying citrus and peachy plushness smooths and soothes it all out. It’s like an incredibly tasty exfoliation for your oesophagus … Read More

Bald Hills Last Light Central Otago Riesling 2021

September 12, 2022By Yvonne

Bald Hills Last Light Central Otago Riesling 2021 $30 At a positively demure 11.5% alcohol this riesling romps in with magic mandarin and apple aromatics, a palate draped in honeysuckle and a finish that’s laced with fresh lime layers. A lick of grapefruit and a teensy tweak of creamy nougat features in the background, making … Read More