If you’re a fan of buttery chardonnay, this brand new vintage from Martinborough’s Parkinson family will have you grinning. With roasty, toasty, nutty notes gleaned from barrel fermentation, soft, creamy layers from the full malolactic ferment and tangy nectarine and peach flavours soaking through to the finish, it’s a ‘thinkers’ chardonnay. I’m also certain it’ll … Read More
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Bladen Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2015 $21
The thing that I really like about this wine is that it doesn’t have any thing OTT about it. All the citrus layers of lemon, lime and feijoa are contained in layers of sweet, grassy goodness. Elegant and herbaceous, it’s a wine that Christine and Dave MacDonald have done themselves proud with this snazzy, pea-pod … Read More
Matetic Corralillo Chardonnay 2013 $25
Sourced from the region of Rosario in Chiles San Antonio Valley this chardonnay grows in decomposed granite soils studded with quartz and volcanic material; which probably explains the vein of minerality stitching the stonefruit, yellow plum and slivers of grapefruit together. Pronounced ‘matt – eh – cheech’, it’s nutty, slightly creamy on the finish, and … Read More
Ma Maison Martinborough Chardonnay 2014
Ma Maison Martinborough Chardonnay 2014 $45 Wellington-based dentist-by-trade Edward Leung has worked incredibly hard to produce small amounts of high quality chardonnay from his How on earth winemaker Wendy Potts manages to inject layers of crème caramel, roast nectarine, cinnamon and juicy, grilled grapefruit into this wine I’ll never know. She’ll tell you it’s all … Read More
Wairau River Marlborough Chardonnay 2014 $20
Gently juicy, peachy, zesty grapefruity goodness, followed by beautifully balanced tropical tautness and punchy acidity are all bunched up into a quadratic equation of excellence in this cracker of a wine. The Rose family behind the Wairau River business are all in this thing, every one of them – and the wines keep getting better. … Read More
Craggy Range Gimblet Gravels Chardonnay 2015 $31.95
This is a sexy example of how restraint can be applied to quality Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay fruit. People assume that because a wine is from the rockstar region of the Gimblett Gravels that it’s going to be a monster. Yet this wine proves the opposite is just as impressive. It shows really artistry at play, … Read More
Fuedi Lacryma Christi Bianco 2013 $30
This wine reminds me of a sea breeze, all crisp, bracing and slightly briny. Lovely lemon pith and peach notes underpin the chalky mineral layers too. Made from Verdeca and Coda di Volpe grapes grown on the fertile lower slopes of Mt Vesuvius, the name ‘Lacryma Christi’ comes from the story of when Lucifer fell … Read More
Two Rivers Wairau Selection Marlborough Pinot Gris 2015 $25
There’s a sea of pinot gris out there and it can feel like a bit of a lottery trying to find one that ticks all your boxes. Yet here’s one that somehow manages to pack ripe, musky pear, quince and strudel spices into the bottle alongside a canon of crunchy-crisp nashi notes, a bright, mineral … Read More
Nga Waka Martinborough Dry Riesling 2013 $25
Lemongrass, lime and tangelo zest aromas osmose onto the palate in a wave of cheek-puckering dryness in this tang-fest of a wine. There’s also a waft of beeswax and honeysuckle sneaking through as you take the glass away from your lips. A couple of years in the bottle has this wine developing nicely into a … Read More
Allan Scott Marlborough Riesling 2014 $18 ★★★½
Aromas of green apple, carrot cake spices and musky, honeysuckle and apricot kernel characters all merge together on the palate and crash into a wave of sweetness. There’s a soft, grainy texture to the finish of this tangy example that’ll definitely appeal to those who prefer a more honeyed style of riesling. Sip with: spicy … Read More