Young winemaker Renée Dale managed to secure some rare cabernet franc fruit from the Twin Totara vineyard out in Waimauku, and then rose every day at 4am to plunge the ferment before heading over to her other job at Westbrook Wines. Were those red-eye starts worth it? Yessir! The palate has glorious dark berries, blackcurrant, … Read More
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Domaine Boutinot Les Six Cairanne 2014 $45
‘Les Six’ is a new, six-grape style of Cairanne (an appellation in the Rhone) featuring Cairanne Noir (Grenache) 40%, Mourvèdre 15%, Syrah 15%, Carignan Noir 10%, Cinsault 10%, Counoise 10%. Hand-picked grapes are co-fermented with wild yeasts aided by manual pigeage (punching down), gentle remontage (pumping over) and maturation in tronconiques (large oak vats) for … Read More
Bannock Brae Goldfields Central Otago Pinot Noir 2016 $35
This new vintage is un-fined and unfiltered, so you’re simply getting pure flavours of cherry, baked strawberry, wild thyme, tamarillo and hedgerow fruit notes. Grown in the desert-scape of Bannockburn’s Cairnmuir Road, this is a gorgeously gamey, elegant pinot noir with soft, fruit leather layers and deserves to be consumed by pinot noir lovers across … Read More
Pukeora Estate Ruahine Range ‘The Benches’ 2013 $28
From what was heralded as the ‘vintage of the century’ comes this powerfully built blend of merlot, malbec, syrah and cabernet sauvignon from the limestone-laden hills of Central Hawke’s Bay. Sweet saddle-leather, pepper, mocha, hints of prune, liquorice and showing bold, juicy tannins – it’s a muscular, sinewy sip that has loads of life in … Read More
van Asch Pyro Central Otago Syrah 2009 $40 (3.5 stars)
Nine years on from harvest and this wine is a freak of nature for two reasons. The first being that it’s syrah grown in one of the southernmost winegrowing regions in the world (highly unusual) and when a fire ripped through the winery not long after vintage, just a couple of barrels of syrah were … Read More
French Peak Banks Peninsula Pinot Noir 2016
French Peak Banks Peninsula Pinot Noir 2016 $30 Beautifully aromatic, floral and perfumed with exotic spices and hints of wild game, cherry cola, juicy redcurrant and even has that flavour of those red, loveheart lollies that you buy in a classic pick n mix selection. Super-complex and ready to rumble! www.frenchpeakwines.com
Urlar ‘The Mediator’ Gladstone Pinot Noir 2016 $32.50 (4 stars)
I love that the back label of this wine says to ‘put away until the cosmos tells you to enjoy it’ although I think it’s one to definitely be enjoyed now. Produced organically and biodynamically by Angus Thomson and their talented team, this is a bright-as-a-button pinot noir, bursting with cherry, raspberry and rosehip tea … Read More
Escarpment ‘Noir’ Martinborough Pinot Noir 2017 $30 (3 stars)
This is Larry McKenna’s (or Larry McPinot as he’s affectionately known) first foray into organic, minimal intervention, ‘natural’ winemaking and its, it’s ok. Unfined, unfiltered and minus any additions like sulphur (to prevent premature oxidation), this wine was fermented in a clay amphorae and left on its skins for around 9 months before being pressed … Read More
Brodie Estate Martinborough Pinot Noir 2011 $27.50 (4 stars)
Seven years on from vintage and this wine is at peak. The great thing is that it’s beautifully made and at under $30 is a bargain. Seriously juicy and woven through with wild strawberry, cherry and hints of pepper, it’s also got black tea and cranberry characters which lead to a long, tangy, spicy finish. … Read More
Xanadu DJL Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
Xanadu DJL Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 $29.90 Holy blackberries Batman! This is a concentrated, grippy, muscular, cocoa and tobacco-tustle on the tongue. As my dad would say, ‘this’ll put hairs on ya chest’ – so get the wax strips out and prepare for a ripper! Crafted by kiwi-born Glenn Goodall (named Winemaker of the … Read More