A collection of writing about New Zealand Wine
From a warm, dry vintage. The handpicked fruit (42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Tempranillo, 24% Cabernet Franc) was sourced from established vineyards in the stony river bed soils of the Gimblett …
Smith & Sheth CRU Cantera 2019 Read More
The latest vintage of a Hawke’s Bay wine that I signed up to receive ‘en primeur’ on its first release and have been reviewing, and drinking every year since. This …
Helio Chardonnay 2025 Read More
This is the first vintage of Onetangi Chardonnay from the Jomara Vineyard, situated in Waiheke’s Onetangi Valley. The fruit is from a chardonnay clone from Dijon (B95). In terms of …
Sam Harrop ‘Onetangi’ Chardonnay 2019 Read More
From the vineyard planted by the Wilson family in 1994 in Maungawera Valley, Wanaka. This is the second of the bottles that I had put away, but decided to drink …
Maude ‘Mount Maude’ Pinot Noir 2000 Read More
Made with fruit from 25+ year old vines from the Howell Vineyard in the Bridge Pa sub-region of Hawke’s Bay, which has a silty, clay soil over free draining red …
Smith & Sheth CRU Heretaunga Cabernet Franc 2019 Read More
Fruit from the Te Makiri Road vineyard, in Waiheke Island’s Onetangi Valley. A site that is warm, with free-draining soils and long autumn ripening which suits the late-ripening Montepulciano, helping …
Obsidian Estate Montepulciano 2018 Read More
From a relatively even growing season that didn’t have the heat of 2003. Under cork in good condition especially considering age. Amazing depth of medium garnet colour, with little signs …
Dry River Pinot Noir 2004 Read More
A wine from the Talon vineyard in the Dillons Point sub-region in Marlborough’s Lower Wairau Valley. This area produced five of the top seven wines in our last Top 10 …
Lake Chalice ‘The Falcon’ Sauvignon Blanc 2025 Read More
A fairly rare red grape variety in New Zealand – the wines from it are perhaps best known from Italy. This one is from Marlborough – sourced from a tiny …
Forrest Lagrein 2024 Read More
From the Tin Shed vineyard located at 125 Gimblett Road in the Gimblett Gravels sub-region of Hawke’s Bay. 71% Clone 95 and 29% Clone 548 fruit was hand harvested and …
Trinity Hill 125 Gimblett Chardonnay 2019 Read More