Reviews

From Tempranillo grown on a single 0.6 hectare block in the Te Awa Vineyard, in the Gimblett Gravels. An early-ripening, quite rare, variety in New Zealand that is well suited …

Esk Valley Tempranillo 2021 Read More

One of Felton Road’s earlier vintages (in the first ten years) and not an easy year for the vineyards – yields were low but high quality. An opaque dark ruby …

Felton Road Pinot Noir 2005 Read More

It has been a couple of months since my last ‘wine adventure in a box’ from laithwaites.co.nz arrived – and it is funny how you can just drop back into …

A midwinter box from Laithwaites Read More

From Herzog’s organic vineyard in Marlborough comes this white Rhône blend of Viognier 50%, Marsanne (30%) and Roussanne (20%) – often regarded as a classic New Zealand version of this …

Hans Herzog Mistral 2018 Read More

From New Zealand’s northernmost vineyard – on the Karikari Peninsula. Sealed under cork, with a garnet-ruby colour in the glass. Plum, root beer, boysenberry, balsam, tamarillo, peppercorn, mocha and rose …

Karikari Estate Syrah 2019 Read More

I had the chance this afternoon to taste through the 2021 wines that have just been released from Escarpment, with Chief Winemaker Tim Bourne. 2021 was ‘a small yet exceptional’ …

Escarpment – single vineyard 2021 releases Read More

From organic Syrah fruit grown at Bridge Pa, Hawke’s Bay – an early pick and bottled unfined, unfiltered and not disgorged. Rosé in style, a cloudy copper-pink in the glass, …

Known Unknown ‘Roses’ Pet Nat 2022 Read More

A deep garnet-ruby red in the glass, with a vibrant perfume redolent of redcurrant, bramble, chocolate, black pepper, mint and boysenberry. The palate mirrors the aroma, adding more savoury flavours …

Mission Estate Syrah 2021 Read More

Auburn set out, in 2009, to be the only winery in New Zealand to specialise solely in Riesling. Sadly, this was an experiment that lasted only a handful of vintages …

Auburn Bendigo Riesling 2012 Read More