If you wanted a crash course in what great tasting ‘natural’ wine tastes like – then here’s your opportunity. Organic and biodynamically certified, this fantastic Francais blend of 40% grenache, 40% syrah and 20% carignan has bright, sweet red cherry, boysenberry and smooth, peppery characters and a juicy, succulent mouthfeel. I absolutely love this wine. … Read More
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Sacred Hill Halo Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 $25
Holy moly! How do I even begin describing how glorious this wine smells? Here goes: Vanilla bean, ultra-ripe berries, dark cocoa powder and plum – almost like a liquid Jelly-Tip inside the glass. To drink, it’s incredibly fresh, vibrant and boasts sinewy, muscular tannins and a marathon-like finish. Sip with: Garlic studded Roast Lamb www.caros.co.nz
Beach House Gimblett Gravels Cabernet Malbec 2014 $25
2014 was a slightly cooler in the ‘Gravels than 2013, and that’s good for blended reds like this. They’re more likely to retain elegance, freshness and that all-important fragrance-factor. There’s a lift of dried herb, blackberry and classic sweet tobacco, cocoa and violet notes into the warming, meaty mouthfeel. Sip with: smoked venison salami www.beachhouse.co.nz
Maude Central Otago Pinot Noir 2014 $36
If you’re a sucker for colour saturation then this will have you ogling. Ultra-bright and boasting incredibly pure aromas of rosehip tea, fresh cherry and raspberry leaf, it’s a floral and fabulous pinot. Super-succulent and plumped up with plums, dried herbs and complex, spicy layers, this is a Central Otago stunner. Sip with: Duck a-la-anything … Read More
Kirrihill Clare Valley Shiraz 2014 $16.50
Saturated with inky-dark garnet red, this Clare Valley shiraz oozes classic cocoa, prune, pepper and blackberry characters. Hearty, ribsticking and velvety-smooth, this is a plump, plush, buxom example that’ll have you rooting around in your freezer for home kill and the pantry for your crockpot. Sip with sticky lamb shanks and polenta Distributed by www.mthillary.com
Mudbrick Reserve Syrah 2014 $60
Fresh peppercorn, cherry, violet, pomegranate and liquorice layers kind of ‘peacocks tail’ it out across the palate, leaving dried herb and dark berry flavours cloaked in furry tannins. Unlike some Waiheke syrahs that tend to the chunky side, this is an elegant example – the cigarette pants of syrah if you were to get fashionista … Read More
Matawhero Church House Gisborne Malbec 2015 $26
A huge lift of berries and cocoa on the nose lead to a fulsome and lush impression in the mouth. The Searle family are building quite a reputation for magic malbec with fresh acidity, rosehip, cranberry and pepper flavours and a smooth, incredibly textural spicy finish. Sip with: Rare Beef Tataki. www.matawhero.co.nz
Middle Earth Nelson Pinot Noir 2014 $24
Ryan O’Connell did a very clever thing naming his wines after the Tolkien-inspired locale, because now they’re a firm favourite with hobbit fans. The 50-year-old family dairy farm was converted to grapegrowing some year’s back and they contract grew for big brands until deciding to hold the best fruit and have a crack at bottling … Read More
Chard Farm Mata-Au Lowburn Pinot Noir 2014 $47
Chard Farm are an aristocrat amongst Antipodean pinot producers, and there’s a reason for that. It’s all about elegance and balance at Chard even in a brand new pinot like this. Very pretty, with hints of cherries and cream, succulent spices, lifted dried herb and cranberry characters, it’s a wine it’s a concentrated, layered and … Read More
Main Divide Te Hau Reserve Waipara Pinot Noir 2014 $33
With its gently juicy strawberry and raspberry characters on the nose, pillowy-fresh palate feel edged with cherry and softly clinging tannins, it’s a dangerously easy to drink pinot. Produced by the talented team at Pegasus Bay, the Te Hau has hints of smoke and game meats followed by luxurious length of flavour. Sip with: tuna … Read More