Regular readers will know what a treat it is for me when I get a mystery mixed box from the wine-subscription service www.Laithwaites.co.nz. I never know in advance what’s coming, and the pick-and-mix selection always has something in there that I would never usually try… and often has wines that are completely new to me. The last box arrived just as I got back from a ‘field trip’ to the top of the South Island, but the first wine put a smile on my dial, as Picpoul was a very trendy item on winelists and in conversations when I was away in the UK in 2024. A family member there works in the wine trade and ordered a couple of bottles on a night out – so the taste of this took me right back to that event.
One of Laithwaites’ strengths is having the finger on the pulse of wine trends across the world, and giving you a chance to try things before they really emerge in New Zealand. And the prices are very keen – as well as a money-back guarantee. Check out my thoughts on the first half of this box – the rest will be online in the next week as well. Today it is four whites, a rosé, and three reds.
Vignobles Canet Picpoul de Pinet 2023
Picpoul, from the south of France, has really taken off in Europe – it was on many tables when I visited the UK last September. A light to mid-bodied wine, with a combination of gold and green aromas and flavours. It has lime, nectarine, grapefruit and green apple notes as well as a savoury edge of fennel and pea pod. A great aperitif wine, or with lighter dishes on your lunch or dinner table. 92pts
Marauding Vintners Ms Sauvignon 2023
Sourced from the Adelaide Hills in South Australia, this Sauvignon Blanc offers an alternative take on the flavours that New Zealander’s will be used to, with our own ‘Marlborough expression’ of this varietal. The tropical flavours are all there, but with the explosive green notes we’re used to dialled down to a crisp elegance. Good energy through the palate and plenty of zing that lasts through to a zesty, dry finish. 91pts
RedHeads Moonlighters White Blend 2022
This Australian white wine is a blend of un-named white varietals. If I had to guess, I’m going for Chardonnay and Viognier as key components – a mix that I have had before, and the combination richness, acidity and texture work very well together. Although a blend, it is relatively straightforward and mouthwatering, with generous citrus, stonefruit and spice flavours. Some cashew nut and lemon curd notes at the finish. 90pts
Trimboli Saverio Big Rivers Vermentino 2024
A single-vineyard wine, sourced from the Big Rivers region of New South Wales. Common in the south of France and in parts of Italy, Vermentino is a great wine to try if you love Sauvignon Blanc. Pink grapefruit, apple, white peach and a signature almond note carry through to the taste from the aromas. Bright – almost prickly – with acidity, but with a note of lemon oil and zest. A nice minerality through to the dry finish too. 91pts
Flor de San Martin ‘Garnacha Rosada’ Navarra Rosé 2023
A rosé-style wine from vineyards high in the mountains of the Navarra region – just over the French border in the north of Spain. Made from juicy Garnacha, it is a very crisp and bright style, bursting with summer berry and cherry fruits. A perfect coral pink colour, the plush fruit is balanced by some equally-summery fresh herbal flavours. 89pts
Way & Cat Shiraz 2023
A Shiraz compiled from “fine parcels of wine, individually sourced from various sites across South Australia” A broodingly dark purple colour in the glass. A bouquet of boysenberry, plum, dark chocolate, mulberry, mint and pomegranate. Sumptuously smooth into the palate, with a dry tickle of tannin and juicy acidity in equal parts. The plush fruit is king, and the finish is soft, jammy and sweetening. 89pts
Bartolomeo Lorenzi Rosso Verenese 2021
Made by Cantina di Negrar, the Italian ‘Winery of the Year’ in 2019, this has a cool, funky label and is a big step sidewards from the heavy Amarone-style wines of the region. Although a lighter weight (for an italian red), there’s plenty of juicy fruit to savour – black cherry, bramble, damson plum, with baking spice and bitter chocolate too. Quite agile through the palate, brimming with energy and then with a silky texture at the finish. 91pts
Pillastro Susumaniello 2022
A wine from the deep south of Italy, in Puglia. It is a classic example of the big-bodied wines of the region – think Primitivo and Negaromaro as neighbours. Dark flavours of plum, cherry, blackberry and rosehip jelly mix with vanilla and woodsmoke on the nose. Weighty, ripe and smooth-textured, it is fully-loaded with toasty spice and dense juice. Although you may think of rich italian wines as ‘winter wines’ – the ripe lushness is also quite summery, and goes well with an evening BBQ. 90pts
