Vidal Soler Gimblett Gravels Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 $34.99 Do you know what? I’ve been pacing, literally pacing around waiting for the new Soler cabernet to cross my desk. The wait was worth it. Bursting with black guava, blueberry, dark cherry, bay leaf, dark cocoa and liquorice layers, it’s supremely elegant, freshly structured and seriously frisky. … Read More
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Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Maison Noire Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 $28 Winemaker Guillaume Thomas managed to secure cabernet sauvignon fruit exclusively from the famous Gimblett Gravels district for the 2018 vintage, and egads and forsooth! Has it made a difference! His style is still typically super-elegant and smooth (and that’s just his hairstyle and dress sense) yet the … Read More
Eaton Marlborough Merlot Malbec Cabernet 2014
Eaton Marlborough Merlot Malbec Cabernet 2014 $48 Straight out, I’ll say this 85/10/5 blend (created by Mike Eaton) may need decanting as it’s un-fined and unfiltered and natural sediment and tartrate crystals (or ‘wine diamonds’) may appear. This means all the natural anise, blueberry, pine needle, white pepper, sweet vanilla and smoke notes shine through. … Read More
Pask Declaration Gimblett Gravels Cabernet Merlot Malbec 2014
Pask Declaration Gimblett Gravels Cabernet Merlot Malbec 2014 $50 (not yet released) Inky dark and oozing that gorgeous menthol, bay and concentrated boysenberry notes that give me the cabernet-dominant goosebumps, this classic blend cries out to be sipped and savoured over a slab of steak or a Lada-full of slow-cooked lentils, or a mountainous plate … Read More
Charles Wiffen Marlborough Pinot Noir 2018
Charles Wiffen Marlborough Pinot Noir 2018 $29 Very lightly coloured and very fruity, it’s a lightly styled, very juicy pinot noir that is good, but in my view is overpriced for the quality of the vintage. It’s pleasant enough but lacks the depth and focus you’d expect at this price range. www.charleswiffenwines.co.nz
Cottier Gladstone Pinot Noir 2016
Cottier Gladstone Pinot Noir 2016 $28.50 Grown on that famous stretch of Wairarapa wine country, Dakins Road, this pinot noir captures the classic liquorice character which glows in many Gladstone district examples. It boasts an earthy backbone, loads of savoury character and a tonne of spice to cloak powdery tannins. Cherry and wild rhubarb dominate … Read More
Wairiki Estate The Redeemer Hawke’s Bay Pinot Noir 2018
Wairiki Estate The Redeemer Hawke’s Bay Pinot Noir 2018 $39.99 Crafted out in Mangatahi, on terraces high above the Ngaruroro river in the Maraekakaho area of Hawke’s Bay, it’s a seriously fragrant, cherry and dried herb-hefty style from a brand so small and under the radar, they’re practically subterranean. There’s a black tea and cranberry … Read More
Linden Estate Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2016
Linden Estate Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2016 $20 I love how on the back label it says this wine would pair perfectly with charcoal-cooked muttonbird. And I thought my food matches pushed the envelope! This syrah is hits that balance between bright, vibrant florals and fruit and a deeply savoury spectrum that’s edged with white pepper … Read More
Ash Ridge Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2018
Ash Ridge Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2018 $22 Reviewed for dish Magazine July/Aug 2020 – Paired with Lamb Shank Pie Combining two of my absolute favourite things, lamb shanks and pies, this meal is given a leg up (shank, leg, ahem) by the delicious Ash Ridge Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2018 ($22). With its vibrant, plummy perfume, … Read More
Ara Single Estate Marlborough Pinot Noir 2019
Ara Single Estate Marlborough Pinot Noir 2019 $18.99 Grown in a dry-farmed site on the confluence of the Wairau and Waihopai Rivers, these pinot noir vines need to send their roots way down deep to extract any moisture from gravelly soils, this means they pick up valuable nutrition and mineral notes from those lower layers … Read More