Worried that you’re going to get something sweet and boring? For years I was too, but today Kiwi winemakers are super-skilled at creating clean, lean, deliciously dry and delicately fragrant pinot gris and these are the styles I love to look out for. This is a new brand crafted by Rod McDonald’s team at his … Read More
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Cottier Estate Gladstone Pinot Gris 2013 $17.50 (5 stars)
The rocky old Ruamahanga River in Gladstone nourishes Cottier Estate’s vineyards and helps them create classically full, generous pinot gris like this. Pinot gris that’s packed with pear, ripe juicy rose apple, nashi and a squeak of quince all crash across the tastebuds in this beautifully balanced aromatic white. Fat and sassy on the palate, … Read More
Haha Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2016 $13.99 (3.5 stars)
Highly scented and precise on the nose, fresh-cut pear, poached quince and powdery, talc-like characters leap from the glass. It’s also a very full, generous gris, soaking the palate with pipfruit, honeysuckle and spice. Don’t chill this down too much or you’ll stifle all those fruit layers. Sip with bacon-wrapped dates as a nibbly treat. … Read More
Mon Cheval Waipara Valley Riesling 2014 $25 4 stars
Whoever said owning racehorses was a great way to lose money, clearly weren’t fortunate enough to own ‘Under Cover Lover’, the champion racehorse who made her owners enough cash to start their dream of developing their dream of creating a tiny vineyard in Waipara’s Weka Pass. Tiny amounts of riesling are grown and this vintage, … Read More
Clos Marguerite Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2015
This tiny, tinsel-tastic little vineyard in Marlborough’s Awatere Valley is one of the regions’ best kept secrets. Marguerite and her husband, winemaker Jean Charles van Hove, have quietly been crafting exceptional sauvignon blanc on their tiny 8ha vineyard since arriving from France in 1996. You’ll be forgiven for not having heard of them, they fly … Read More
Domaine Paul Buisse Touraine Sauvignon Blanc 2015 $29 (4 stars)
Grown in the heart of France’s Loire region, this is a typically soft, fleshy sauvignon that’s stitched together with basil, hints of baked green capsicum and lime. Naturally concentrated and juicy, with tongue-prickling textural loveliness and a long, freshly floral finish. It’s so unlike what we in New Zealand are used to with sauvignon blanc … Read More
Stonecroft Gimblett Gravels Late Harvest Gewurztraminer 2016 375ml ($35) (4 stars)
I’ve loved Stonecroft gewürztraminer since aeons ago, yet this is the first time I’ve tried it made in a dessert style and I’ve got to say, it’s a real treat. I love the tangy, musky, ginger and lychee flavours, all wrapped up in a layer of manuka honey and spice. The acidity is super-refreshing and … Read More
Mahurangi River Winery Field of Grace Reserve Chardonnay 2014 $54 (5stars)
Oh wow! I love the seductive aromas of panetone, roast fig, grapefruit and buttered crumpets that erupt from this wine and the waves of grilled peach and butterscotch that wash across the palate are rather drool-inducing too. Ultra-fresh and bursting with textural goodness, it’s a gorgeous, super-lengthy example of an old-school, multi-layered chardonnay that’s worth … Read More
Black Estate Circuit Chardonnay 2016 $24 (4 stars)
If you’re looking for a chardonnay bursting with hazelnut, citrus and hints of toast and smoke then this is for you. North Canterbury has real talent for producing chardonnay that shows sensational minerality and combine that with a skilled winemaker who can create creamy, nutty notes in the palate spectrum – then you’ve got a … Read More
Urlar Gladstone Noble Riesling 2015
When it comes to sweet treats, if you cant beat ‘em, join ‘em. The organic and biodynamically-produced, Urlar Noble Riesling 2015 ($30) sings with Manuka honey, tangy nectarine and apple notes. The acidity is zingy and refreshing, balancing out the intense sweetness of the top notes and making it a superb partner for every possible … Read More