Maison Noire Home Block Hawke’s Bay Chenin Blanc 2020 $30 Crafted from fruit grown in a tiny coast-facing vineyard amongst the hills along the Waimarama Road, this chenin blanc has clean, creamy, almond and apple aromatics and a super-nice nougat and citrus custard character in the mid palate which I really really love. But the … Read More
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Mahi Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2019
Mahi Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2019 $24 I love how the splashy-splash of semillon and the portions of barrel-fermented juice (20%) and wild-fermented juice ($39%) add enormous complexity to this excellent wine. Harvested from six different vineyards a whole 5 days earlier than any other Mahi harvest, the conditions were excellent, however the berries were much … Read More
Delta Hatters Hill Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2020
Delta Hatters Hill Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2020 $29 After the first sniff and sip you’ll need to allow time for your face to adjust to the fact that your eyeballs have literally Ren & Stimpy’d on their stalks. What do I mean? Popped right out of their sockets. Ren & Stimpy? It’s a cartoon. From … Read More
Ra Nui Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2020
Ra Nui Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2020 $25 Well lather me up in lime, pummel me with passionfruit and peach, kick me around the chops with capsicum, bash me around the brain with basil, holler jalapeno in my ear and tickle my tongue with tomato leaf, if this isn’t one of the loveliest sauvignon blancs I’ve … Read More
Domaine Maurice Lecestre Grand Vin de Bourgogne Chablis 2019
Domaine Maurice Lecestre Grand Vin de Bourgogne Chablis 2019 $45 If you’re assuming Chablis will always be lean, mineral-driven and bony to drink, then Taylor Swift it and shake it off, because this is a fulsome, creamy example with almond and nectarine notes that’ll bring the grins. Gentle, juicy and laced with cashew, peach and … Read More
Domain Road Central Otago Sauvignon Blanc 2019
Domain Road Central Otago Sauvignon Blanc 2019 $23 Central Otago has well and truly proven that Marlborough is not always the centre of the sauvignon blanc universe, meaning I’m well-chuffed to be able to bring you this absolute banger from Bannockburn. Planted in three locations, Templars Hill, Doctor’s Flat and on a corner of their … Read More
Main Divide North Canterbury Pinot Gris 2019
Main Divide North Canterbury Pinot Gris 2019 $20.99 Golden in the glass and showing distinctive honeyed, beeswaxy aromas from some earlier-picked and later-ripened fruit being included in the mix. They’re aiming for ‘a classic Alsatian style with a North Canterbury twist’, so the grapes were all fermented in stainless steel tanks to preserve freshness and … Read More
Domain Road Defiance Central Otago Pinot Gris 2020
Domain Road Defiance Central Otago Pinot Gris 2020 $27 Grown on Graeme Crosbie’s ‘Defiance’ vineyard on Felton Road, this shiny new Pinot Gris is explosively fresh, frisky and fanging with flavour. Think white peach, Golden Delicious apples, quince and nashi niceness on the nose and palate and a clean, crunchy finish that’s like a luscious … Read More
Wither Hills Early Light Marlborough Pinot Gris 2019
Wither Hills Early Light Marlborough Pinot Gris 2019 $17.99 Weighing in at a positively demure 9.5% alcohol, this smooth, softly-juicy Pinot Gris was able to pack in solid amounts of peach, nashi pear and Golden Delicious apple into every sip without the heavy alcohol hit, by being harvested early to capture good flavours without the … Read More
Neck of the Woods Central Otago Pinot Gris 2020
Neck of the Woods Central Otago Pinot Gris 2020 $20 Snappy, crispy dry and chock full of classic Golden Delicious Apple, nashi and nearly-ripe quince characters, it’s an ultra-cleansing, tightrope-taut on the tongue wine that will perk up even the most flaccid food. Zesty and floral on the nose, it has a mineral-laced charm in … Read More