10 November 2019By Yvonne

Black Estate Home North Canterbury Pinot Noir 2017 $45 Mushroom Paté – matched in dish magazine Summer 2020 You don’t have to say mushroom paté twice to get me opening a bottle of the Black Estate Home North Canterbury Pinot Noir 2017 ($45).  With 75% whole berries in the 100% wild ferment (kickstarted in the … Read More

Kono Nelson Chardonnay 2018

10 November 2019By Yvonne

Kono Nelson Chardonnay 2018 $19.99 Sweetcorn fritter Bacon and Avocado burgers (paired for dish magazine Summer 2020) Holy bacon burger batman!  A sweetcorn fritter inside a burger has me absolutely in my happy place.  But give me a glass of the Kono Nelson Chardonnay 2018 ($19) and the grilled grapefruit and roast peach flavours send … Read More

Tohu Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2019

10 November 2019By Yvonne

Tohu Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2019 $17 Leek and Greens Frittata (dish magazine Feb Mar 2020) Reading the list of ingredients alone (leek, turmeric, coriander, cumin, chard, spinach, kale, lemon, mint, parsley, dill and shallots etc…) had me instantly reaching for a bottle of Tohu Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2019 ($17) Why?  Because it has … Read More

Peckham’s Phantasmic 2018 Artisan Cider 750ml

22 September 2019By Yvonne

CIDER PHANTASIES The multi-award winning folk at Peckham’s cider have really gone spiritual on it and created ‘Phantasmic 2018’ a truly wild cider available in 750ml ($19.99) where Kingston Black, Knotted Kernel, Browns, Harry Master’s Jersey and Chisel Jersey Cider apples are fermented on their skins with Torulaspora Delbrueckii and Prise de Mousse yeasts, then … Read More

Mount Michael The Mountaineer Central Otago Pinot Gris 2019

22 September 2019By Yvonne

Mount Michael The Mountaineer Central OtagoPinot Gris 2019 $24.99 While it’s been crafted in a ‘dry’ style, this new addition to the Mountaineer range is actually incredibly rich and shows great nashi, apple and peachy intensity on the nose and palate. Clean, precise, focused and flavoursome, it’s perky and pure and has great cellaring potential … Read More

Blank Canvas Escaroth Marlborough Pinot Noir 2017

22 September 2019By Yvonne

Blank Canvas Escaroth Marlborough Pinot Noir 2017 $49 Here’s a wine showing total class and elegance and you should own it immediately because that’s you in a nutshell right?  Grown by Andy and Kyna Laurie, in their dry-farmed, north-facing Taylor Pass vineyard (named after the fictional lake town where the elves in The Hobbit sourced … Read More

Te Awanga Estate The Loom Hawke’s Bay Reserve Chardonnay 2018

30 July 2019By Yvonne

Te Awanga Estate The Loom Hawke’s Bay Reserve Chardonnay 2018 $34 Glossy, golden and going gangbusters on the pineapple and peach front, this Rod McDonald creation just powers across the palate leaving a comets tail of caramelised spices, buttered crumpet crumbs, grapefruit zest and tropical tastiness abound.  It’s silky, succulent and seriously sexy to sip. … Read More

Mischief Waipara Pinot Noir 2017

11 June 2019By Yvonne

Lamb and Chorizo Sausage Plait (dish Aug Sept 2019) A fruit-forward, soft, plush pinot noir is exactly what this spicy, family-sized sausage roll.  The Mischief Waipara Pinot Noir 2017 ($28) ticks all those boxes and more.  Ripe cherry, raspberry and even a tiny squeak of beetroot all erupt from the glass and the flavours are … Read More

Dog Point Marlborough Chardonnay 2016

5 June 2019By Yvonne

Dog Point Marlborough Chardonnay 2016 $40 Well, I’ll be pounded, egged and covered in crumbs Batman.  In fact, any chicken recipe just screams out for the finest chardonnay you can lay your hands on.  I was incredibly fortunate to have a bottle of the stunning Dog Point Marlborough Chardonnay 2016 within arms reach as I … Read More

Mischief Waipara Pinot Noir 2017

5 June 2019By Yvonne

Mischief Waipara Pinot Noir 2017 $28 The Mischief Waipara Pinot Noir 2017 ticks all the boxes for plushness, fruit-forwardness and is one of those wines that’ll inject life into any occasion.  Ripe cherry, raspberry and even a tiny squeak of beetroot all erupt from the glass and the flavours are soft, easy, plump and gentle … Read More