Grüner Veltliner (groo-ner felt-leener) is the signature white grape of Austria, and the Langenlois-based Steininger family have been producing it in the beautiful Kamptal Valley for generations. Incredibly brisk and bracing and bursting with Golden Delicious apple, elderflower, pure white pepper and a flick-flack of fennel on the tongue, this is a crisp, precise and … Read More
Archives
Kahurangi Estate Nelson Dry Riesling 2016 $15.80 (3.5 stars)
Wow this riesling is so dry and bony it’s practically skeletal – so those who love masses of lime in their wine will be happy campers with every sip. It has intense green apple notes, buckets of squinty acidity and acres of zesty, quartzy minerality on the finish. www.kahurangiwine.com
Cloud Break California Chardonnay 2017 $23 (4 stars)
Here’s a barrel-fermented chardonnay that doesn’t feel like you’re licking a plank. Created from fruit sourced from different sites across Clarksburg, Lodi and Madera. The toastiness is there, yet it swings toward the creamy, buttery style while edged with white peach, hints of grapefruit, nutty nougat notes and caramelised characters. Made by Mark Rasmussen and … Read More
Tony Bish Golden Egg Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2017 $40
Immediate creamy nougat notes waft up the nostrils, followed by cashew butter, roast peach and plucky, pineapple and citrus layers that all osmose onto the palate. Fresh, frisky yet smooth and silky to sip, it proves without shadow of doubt that Bish is basically the Gandalf of good stuff, the Tsar of taste, the Obi … Read More
Tahbilk One Million Cuttings South Australian Chardonnay 2016 $18 (3 stars)
This is a new brand to hit our shores from one of Australia’s iconic brands. If you’re looking for a tangy, lemony, grapefruity chardonnay with creamy, nutty and soft melon and guava flavours, then this will fit. It’s a touch broad, but fruity enough to give you a tropical kick for everyday quaffing. www.wineandmore.co.nz
Delibori Pinot Grigio delle Venezie 2016 $19.95 (4 stars)
Pinot gris Italian-style, is what we’ve got here and dang is it delicious! Delicate, fresh and frisky, it bursts with apple, lemon and fresh-cut pear notes combined with a hint of seabreeze and crushed shells on the finish. Mineral and white pepper characters make this a winner with seasoned sardines on toast. www.stvincentscave.com
Maui Marlborough Pinot Gris 2017 $14.99 (3.5 stars)
Crafted by the team at Tiki Wines, this tight, slender, delicately dry pinot gris has subtle white peach, apple, yellow plum and white pepper aromas. Flavour-wise, expect a flash of dried herbs, a hint of honeysuckle and peach, followed by racy acidity and a round, powdery, textural finish. A good quaffer if you err on … Read More
Ostler Lakeside Vines Waitaki Valley Pinot Gris 2017 $29.99 (4.5 stars)
Jeff Sinnott is the winemaker at Ostler, and together with his brother-in-law Jim Jerram, they’ve snaffled fruit from Jeff’s father Paul Sinnot’s vineyard on the banks of Lake Waitaki to create a luscious, quince and apple-saturated gris that zings with freshness and roars with life. The vineyard sits on land once named ‘Lemon Springs.’ Lemon … Read More
Earthkeepers Waitaki Otiake Blend #1 2016 $29
Grant Taylor, one of my favourite winemakers has turned his hand to crafting this bracing, tangy, citrus and spice-fuelled blend of pinot gris, riesling and gewurztraminer – and it’s just sensational. From one of the harshest winegrowing regions in NZ comes this dynamite, zesty, threesome, boasting a chalky-dry texture and a green apple finish. It’s … Read More
Moutere Hills Nelson ‘Chendoza’ Chenin Blanc 2015 $34
While it says ‘chenin blanc’ on the front label, this is actually a curious blend of chenin blanc and Mendoza-clone chardonnay, grown on the Moutere clay gravels of Rusty Rayne and Lisa Goodson’s Nelson vineyard. Toasty, apple-pie aromas merge with roast peach, almond meal and rich, grilled-grapefruit characters come from 11 months maturation in French … Read More