PHOTO
Sweet wines in small bottles are usually little gems, sometimes lusciously sweet, sometimes intensely poised between sweetness and acidity that makes them taste almost dry on the finish. Sip them decadently on a long summer holiday evening.
Te Mania Nelson Koha Ice Wine 2010, $22
Hints of lime and orange marmalade, sweet but with a steely acidity and nicely balanced finish, this riesling is good by itself, or with a rich blue cheese.
Rating: Three and a half stars
Good value
Valli Dolce Vita Central Otago Late Harvest Riesling 2011, $45
Rating: Four stars
Average value
Wonderful hints of apricot and honey, orange and grapefruit zest, sweet with a silky texture and an intense, poised, almost dry finish.
Will develop with bottle age.
Brancott B Late Harvest Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010, $37
Rating: Three and a half stars
Average value
Floral and honeyed with hints of dried apricot and guava, an unctuous texture and a fresh finish. Drinking nicely now.
Seresin Marlborough Noble Riesling 2008$35
Rating: Three and a half stars
Average value
At three years old, this hints of golden syrup with ripe peach, and dried raisins and dates.
Its texture is unctuous and its finish bright and crisp. Drinking deliciously now and for a few more years yet.
Alpha Domus Noble Selection Hawkes Bay 2010$50
Rating: Four and a half stars
Average value
Oozing honey, marmalade, mango and dried apricots, this thick, unctuous wine feels as though it's been squeezed from raisined muscat grapes. It's intensely sweet, but complex and textural with a wonderful, intense, dryish finish.
Wooing Tree Tickled Pink Central Otago 2011$38
Rating: Three and a half stars
Average value
A pink sticky made from pinot noir, this is fragrant with suggestions of strawberries and cherries. It's sweet with ripe fruit hinting of apples and peaches, and finishes with a crisp aftertaste.
All bottles reviewed are 375ml.
• Although wine sent for review is tasted blind to eliminate preconceptions, all wine tasting and evaluation is subjective. These are personal recommendations.