A collection of writing about New Zealand Wine
Made by roving winemaker Ant Mackenzie from Hawke’s Bay fruit. A dark ruby with burgundy edges and a lovely savoury bouquet – mocha, blackcurrant and black pudding. Full bodied with …
Theory & Practice Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2018 Read More
Sitting down to taste the brand new releases from “an exceptional Vintage of unsurpassed quality” at Kumeu River this weekend – we’ve been looking forward to the 2019s for well …
Kumeu River 2019 Chardonnay releases Read More
A single vineyard wine, one of three chardonnays created by Brian Bicknell and team at Mahi in Marlborough. Pale golden with a lemon-yellow glow in the glass. Crisp, fresh aromas …
Mahi Single Vineyard ‘Alchemy’ Chardonnay 2018 Read More
A single vineyard wine from pioneering Bendigo person of note – Rudi Bauer; with fruit from their Demeter-certified biodynamic estate on Loop Road. 2018 was a hot, hot year, and …
Quartz Reef Bendigo Estate Pinot Noir 2018 Read More
During a recent visit to Hawke’s Bay, I had the opportunity to put two of the regions iconic red blends together in a head-to-head clash of these two special wines …
Esk Valley – ‘The Hillside’ 2010 vs ‘The Terraces’ 2016 Read More
One of my big discoveries of the last couple of years, and led by this particular wine, is Central Otago Chardonnay. Revisiting the 2019 vintage of this, after falling in …
Maude Chardonnay 2019 Read More
My first try of this Syrah, made from a couple of vineyard sites in Hawke’s Bay by NZ Wine Hall-of-Famer and all-round New Zealand wine legend, Kate Radburnd. Now focussing …
Radburnd Cellars Syrah 2018 Read More
A classic combination of two Bordeaux varieties, and in many ways, a typical Hawke’s Bay red with the merlot a touch dominant over the inky Malbec spine. Gimblett Gravels fruit …
Mills Reef Reserve Merlot Malbec 2018 Read More
Bright lemon-yellow, greening at the edges. Crisp and fresh citrus is joined with aromas of pear and peach with a smokey flintiness. Concentrated fruit on the palate – nectarine and …
Te Awa Single Estate Chardonnay 2018 Read More
From organic vineyards in Marlborough’s Southern Valleys – rare to see a wine labelled so overtly ‘organic’ in big lettering across the label. Fair play to Giesen for a push …
Giesen Organic Marlborough Pinot Noir 2015 Read More