CJ Pask Declaration Syrah 2013 $50 ★★★★★ An ultra-bright, intensely aromatic example, which oozes fruitwood smoke, cracked pepper, rose and violet notes alongside an underlying earthy character on the nose. Flavour-wise it boasts juicy dark fruit, vanilla and cocoa, tannins with grip and chew and a long, warming finish. It’s an incredibly satisfying drink now, … Read More
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Big Sky ‘Provenance’ Te Muna Road Pinot Noir 2013
Big Sky ‘Provenance’ Te Muna Road Pinot Noir 2013 $54 ★★★★★ The ancient Te Muna Terraces are home to some of New Zealand’s most prestigious pinot noir vineyards. There’s something about those soils which impart such huge depth of character into the wines – so prepare yourself for masses of sweet black tea, baked cherry, fresh … Read More
Wild South Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014
Wild South Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014 $18 ★★★ This super-soft, lightly structured pinot has berries-and-cream characters on the nose alongside a sniff of smoke, sweet cherry and a hint of plum. If you’re looking for a beginners guide to pinot noir (or even to red wine) then this could be just the thing to swing … Read More
Rod McDonald ‘One Off’ Hawke’s Bay Malbec 2014
Rod McDonald ‘One Off’ Hawke’s Bay Malbec 2014 $31 ★★★★ If you’re someone who gets weak at the knees when they see a beautiful colour, then strap yourself into your support-hose because this wine has the most gorgeous garnet, ruby hue. It also boasts tobacco leaf, dried herbs, cocoa, blueberry and a gentle meaty character … Read More
Mr Riggs ‘The Truant’ McLaren Vale Shiraz 2013
Mr Riggs ‘The Truant’ McLaren Vale Shiraz 2013 $17.99 ★★★½ If you like your shiraz with meat on its bones then this will be an instant hit. Deeply earthy on the nose and showing ultra-ripe plum, blackcurrant, smoky tar and molasses complexity in the mouth – it’s a rich, peppery wine and a meal in … Read More
Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Montepulciano 2014
Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Montepulciano 2014 $30 ★★★★ There’s less than 1ha planted of this super-savoury Italian red in Trinity Hill’s Gimblett Gravels vineyard – and there’s precious little planted elsewhere in the country. It’s a hearty, ribsticking red with really interesting meaty, leathery notes, lovely hints of coughdrop and cocoa alongside pepper and smoky, … Read More
Elephant Hill Hieronymus 2013
Elephant Hill Hieronymus 2013 $95 ★★★★★ Named after a famous ancestor of the Weiss family, Hieronymus Ebner von Eschenbach (Lord Mayor of Nuremberg 1514-1524 apparently) – this inaugural release of a flagship red is a blend of the best Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Malbec (20%) and Merlot (20%) from their Gimblett and Bridge Pa Triangle Vineyards that they … Read More
Elephant Hill Airavata Syrah 2013
Elephant Hill Airavata Syrah 2013 $95 ★★★★★ This wine was 3.5 years in the making. Choosing the best possible syrah rows, adopting a specific canopy management strategy to grow ‘super syrah’ and then working on it with kid gloves in the winery to create the first ‘Icon’ syrah since 2009. This Airavata (meaning ‘the king-god of … Read More
Elephant Hill Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2013
Elephant Hill Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2013 $69 ★★★★★ According to winemaker Steve Skinner, they did 33 different picks across their syrah vineyards, which, for a smallish, 200-odd tonne winery is a huge effort “but it was so worth it because we were able to single out some absolutely stunning parcels to make wines like this … Read More
Saint Clair Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2013
Saint Clair Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2013 $23 ★★★½ Being a pioneering Marlborough producer hasn’t stopped the Saint Clair crew from forging further into northern climes to nab themselves some prime red wine territory in Hawke’s Bay. This syrah has all those classic plum, violet and pepper-driven spice characters that you’ll be asking for, alongside good … Read More