Bright, herbaceous and with honkingly good length of flavour, it’ll come as no surprise upon your first sip why this wine walked away with a gold medal at the 2017 Air New Zealand Wine Awards. Classic passionfruit, lemonade and lime curd characters’ jostle with jalapeno, blackcurrant leaf and peapod notes to create a glass of … Read More
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Hunter’s Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2017 $21 (4.5 stars)
I really love the elderflower, lemon pith and passionfruit aromas and its plethora of deeply punchy and pungent flavours. Hunter’s are an absolute aristocrat when it comes to creating darn delicious sauvignon blanc, because they’ve seen it all and been through everything nature could possibly throw at them, so they know how to ensure that … Read More
Ara Single Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2017 $15.99 (4 stars)
Steady yourself for some serious citrus intensity here from the very first sip. Freshly-juiced lime, bashed lemongrass and passionfruit compete for attention on the nose, while layers of lemon and green apple wash across the palate. Piercing acidity, a squeak of white pepper and a strong, mineral spine, make this a must-feature in your fridge … Read More
The Family Company Gisborne Gewurztraminer 2017 $25
This wine erupts with lychee, mandarin, ginger and buckets of stonefruit on the nose and palate. It’s juicy, spicy and has a luxurious unctuosity about it. Gisborne is essentially the spiritual home of gewürztraminer in this country and this is testament to that. Stunning stuff indeed. Sip with: Pork, coriander and ginger pot stickers. www.thefamilywines.com … Read More
Arthur Metz Steinklotz Alsace Grand Cru Pinot Gris 2013 $40
It’s not an easy thing to find Grand Cru Pinot Gris here in Godzone, but this one was well worth hunting for. Steinklotz translates to ‘limestone block’ and that’s what contributes to the deliciously dry, cleansing, mineral-driven mouthfeel of this wine. Perfumed with lanolin, nashi pear a squeak of honeysuckle adds to a rather sexy, … Read More
Mills Reef Reserve Hawke’s Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2017 $24.95 (3.5 stars)
Crafted from fruit sourced from Crownthorpe (or as the locals call it “the RD9”) this sauvignon has gentle lemongrass and basil and peach aromatics followed by soft tropical layers on the palate. Freshly herbaceous and a winner with beer battered terakihi. www.millsreef.co.nz
Gladstone Vineyard Riesling 2016 $25 (3.5 stars)
There’s something about the subtle, apple blossom, lime and floral notes that’ll hook you immediately. Here’s a wine with rich, dry, minerally layers which are a hallmark of the vineyards growing on the terraces of Martinborough’s Ruamahanga River. The team at Gladstone are rowdy riesling fans, and as their vineyards are now certified organic, you … Read More
Urlar Gladstone Riesling 2016 $25 (4 stars)
Angus and Davina Thomson sold up everything they owned in Scotland back in the early 2000’s to find themselves some prime vineyard land, grow grapes, make organic, biodynamically crafted wine, have a tribe of children and live happily ever after on the other side of the world. Urlar is Gaelic for ‘The Earth’ and yet … Read More
Johner Estate Wairarapa Riesling 2016 $20 (4 stars)
Karl Heinz Johner makes wine in opposite hemispheres, with family estates in Baden, (in Germany’s Kaiserstuhl region) AND in Martinborough’s Gladstone sub-region. Riesling is a hero grape for him and he loves the crunchy green acidity, pear notes, baked pipfruit, lime zest and honey characters that Martinborough grapes give. So much so that he’s decided … Read More
Yvonne Lorkin wine column for week beginning Sat Dec 30 2017
The day I wrote this column everything went wrong. That morning, in a rare moment of Nigella Lawson domestic goddessness, I decided to make a cake. I’d creamed my free-range eggs, sugar and butter, had my organic oranges, lemons and sour cream on standby, and I’d even greased the tin. Then I picked up the … Read More