The Wrekin Needle’s Eye Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014 $45 This is one of the first pinot noir’s to come from an old hill country sheep farm in the Fairhall region of Marlborough’s Southern Valley’s. It was, as the back label explains, named after a hill in east Shropshire, England which has an ancient Iron Age hill … Read More
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Vergence MK II Red by Pegasus Bay 2021
Vergence MK II Waipara Red by Pegasus Bay 2021 $40 For Mat Donaldson, winemaker at Pegasus Bay, his Vergence range is all about pushing the oeno-envelope, so steady yourself for an unusual blend of some whole-bunch pinot noir and whole-berry cabernet sauvignon that’s earthy, cherry-driven and laced with soft spearmint, plum, bay and tobacco leaf … Read More
Sorrell The Wrekin Marlborough Pinot Noir 2021
Sorrell The Wrekin Marlborough Pinot Noir 2021 $tbc Bright, exotic spices and layers of rooibos tea and rhubarb roll around a core of dark cherry and cranberry characters. It’s a fresh, youthful pinot noir from the certified organic Wrekin vineyard located in Fairhall, in Marlborough’s Southern Valleys sub-region, and it’s definitely going to be one … Read More
Greywacke Marlborough Pinot Noir 2019
Greywacke Marlborough Pinot Noir 2019 $48 Imagine a spiced cherry jus poured across a sizzling venison cutlet, and you’ll have something resembling this glorious thing’s exotic, meaty, savoury scent. The palate is laced with rooibos tea, sweet rhubarb and bright berryfruit soothed and smoothed with silky tannins and refreshing, youthful, buoyant textures. It’s lithe, lusciously … Read More
Giesen Clayvin Vineyard Marlborough Syrah 2021
Giesen Clayvin Vineyard Marlborough Syrah 2021 $55 This is one of those young red wines that tastes great on the first pour but tastes amazing the next day. Erupting with dark berries on the nose, blackberry, boysenberry and blueberry notes, alongside a vein of pepper and dark cocoa and smoky oak, this organically-grown wine is … Read More
Blackenbrook Nelson Pinot Rosé 2022
Blackenbrook Nelson Pinot Rosé 2022 $25 I love how this rosé sits up and starts singing from the moment you pour the first glass. Bright pink and bursting with ripe cherry, redcurrant and watermelon notes on the nose and palate, it’s fresh, squeaky-clean and roaring with personality. It’s also got decent weight and presence in … Read More
Elephant Hill Hawke’s Bay Hieronymus 2019
Elephant Hill Hawke’s Bay Hieronymus 2019 $125 A blend of 60% cabernet sauvignon, (clone 10), 29% cabernet franc (clone 326) and 11% merlot (clone 181) sourced from predominantly their ‘Stone’ Gimblett Gravels vineyard, this wine is the epitome of what the Elephant Hill team can achieve from an excellent vintage. Inky-dark and glossy, this wine … Read More
Elephant Hill Airavata Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2019
Elephant Hill Airavata Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2019 $125 From what’s fast becoming known as the holy trinity of Hawke’s Bay vintages (19.20,21) Airavata is the absolute pinnacle of what the Elephant Hill winemaking team can achieve with syrah. And I’ll tell you right now, it’s so gorgeously, garnet-hued, glossy and inky-dark, it wins stars on … Read More
Swift Wines Whole Bunch Bridge Pa Triangle Syrah 2019 – retaste
Swift Wines Whole Bunch Bridge Pa Triangle Syrah 2019 $40 – re-taste 30 Oct 2022 I first tasted this wine back in October 2021 (see notes below) 2019 will always be known as belonging in the Holy Trinity of vintages (2019, 2020, 2021) and three years on, this syrah is really starting to knit together … Read More
Swift Wines Maraekakaho Whole Bunch Gamay Noir 2022
Swift Wines Maraekakaho Whole Bunch Gamay Noir 2022 $36 The Lucknow Vineyard out west of Hastings in the Maraekakaho sub-region, has some of the oldest gamay noir vines in the country, and Lauren Swift’s taken advantage of those heritage vines for her shiny new vintage. Once harvested the bunches and any loose berries were sealed … Read More