Reviews

A red blend, made of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, from a Hawke’s Bay label no longer in existence. A slightly opaque ruby-burgundy colour in the glass. A …

Matariki Anthology 1997 Read More

A wine from Moutere in the Nelson region – the top-level wine of this label, and only made four times in the last 20 years. A translucent, pale straw colour …

Synergy by Rimu Grove Chardonnay 2015 Read More

A wine from right down at the southern tip of what would be considered the Marlborough winegrowing region, on the coast at Kēkerengū. A pale, silvery yellow in the glass, …

Astrolabe Kēkerengū Coast Sauvignon Blanc 2024 Read More

A wine from the Gisborne Region – and a bit of leftfield option for a weekend wine, given that it is well over thirty years old! There’s not many New …

Villa Maria Private Bin Gewürztraminer 1991 Read More

I’m not one to turn down the opportunity to try wines side by side that have a few years age difference – wine is always a learning game, and the …

Framingham Select Riesling: 2016 vs 2024 Read More

A special project that I’ve only seen from this 2015 vintage. I understand it was a set of three wines, using 100% whole bunch ferments and the same 777 clone …

Gibbston Valley ‘Bendigo Uncut’ Pinot Noir 2015 Read More

At a lunch, the sommelier suggests that this wine is “the best Chardonnay on the island” – so I have to try it! A pale peachy-gold colour in the glass, …

Poderi Crisci Chardonnay 2022 Read More

A red blend, from Te Awanga in Hawke’s Bay, sealed under cork. A Merlot-dominant wine, it also contains the Bordeaux varietals of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. An opaque …

Clearview Estate Old Olive Block 2003 Read More

A single vineyard wine, from a hectare of vines that capture the last of the days sunlight in Bannockburn, Central Otago. A bright, pale straw colour in the glass. The …

Bald Hills ‘Last Light’ Riesling 2024 Read More