St John’s Road Motley Bunch Barossa Valley GSM 2013 $20 ★★★★ Loving this blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Mataro which is made by Phil Lehmann, son of Peter Lehmann who is a Barossa Valley legend. It boasts vanilla, spiced plums and cherry notes, smoke, bright berries and stacks of fresh acidity. It’s a lovely, layered … Read More
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Maretti Barbera & Nebbiolo 2013
Maretti Barbera & Nebbiolo 2013 $30 ★★★½ This is a classic spicy red with bounce and buoyancy from Piedmont in Italy’s north-east, Barbera is famous for intense acidity and freshness, while Nebbiolo steadies the blend with it’s sold structure and length. I like the toasty, leather, spiced plum and bright berry flavours alongside the tangy, … Read More
Angove Organic Shiraz Cabernet 2014
Angove Organic Shiraz Cabernet 2014 $18.99 ★★★½ A really interesting series of flavours here, caramelised plum, super-ripe berry and cherry notes all bounce around in the glass. There’s a soft, meaty character in the mid-palate that extends to the finish. Smooth, easy and super-sippable. www.villagewinery.co.nz
Hãhã Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014
Hãhã Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014 $19.99 ★★★½ Bright cherry, raspberry and spices waft from the glass and merge with gentle cola and cocoa notes in the mouth. Youthful and fruity, it’s easy, fresh and silky to drink. www.hahawine.co.nz
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Gimblett Gravels Grenache 2014
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Gimblett Gravels Grenache 2014 $24 ★★★★ Grenache is super-rare in this country, and Villa Maria have just one solitary hectare of vines planted smack bang in the middle of New Zealand’s most prestigious red wine region. This is also the only New Zealand grenache made on it’s own, not blended with … Read More
Vidal Reserve Gimblett Gravels Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Vidal Reserve Gimblett Gravels Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 $19 ★★★★½ The gold medals are already swinging off the neck of this wine crafted by the ridiculously talented Hugh Crichton. A blend of 57 % merlot, 35% cabernet sauvignon, 7% malbec and 1% cabernet franc, this wine hits that sweet spot between delivering muscular, meaty, dark … Read More
Esk Valley Gimblett Gravels Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec 2014
Esk Valley Gimblett Gravels Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec 2014 $19 ★★★★★ Super-glossy and garnet-black in the glass, this seriously-overdelivers-for-the-price wine has racked up an impressive pedigree of awards at major wine shows in recent years. I love the aroma of soy, blackcurrant leaf, dried herbs and carob. Black plum, biscuit oak and a backbone of … Read More
Falua Terciua Touriga Nacional 2011
Falua Terciua Touriga Nacional 2011 $22 ★★★★ “I reckon it’s an absolute star, and is my go-to red wine right now.” Says Richard Sherriff of Wellington’s Regional Wines & Spirits – who isn’t easy to impress. “Dollar for dollar there isn’t much that comes close to it” – and I’d have to agree. This excellent … Read More
Cantine Menhir ‘Il Mardorlo’ Negroamaro 2014
Cantine Menhir ‘Il Mardorlo’ Negroamaro 2014 $16.95 ★★★½ Sniffing this wine for the first time is like walking into a delicatessen where every available piece of ceiling space has a hunk of drying meat or salami hanging from it. Rich, meaty and spicy, this superb-value sip is sourced from the Salento region in Puglia, Italy, … Read More
Luna Argenta Appassimento Negroamaro Primitivo 2013
Luna Argenta Appassimento Negroamaro Primitivo 2013 $24 ★★★★ The ‘Appassimento’ style is made from grapes that are partially dried or ‘raisining on the vine’ That dessicating fruit produces a rich, spicy-sweet spectrum of flavours and textures that are incredibly approachable and dangerously easy to enjoy. It’s a Puglia-grown blend of Negroamaro and Primitivo, otherwise known … Read More