As we are a relatively young wine-producing nation, wineries are experimenting with a number of varieties that may turn out to be perfectly suited to our climate/soils!
Along the way, they are providing another palette of flavours to tempt our taste buds, which has got to be a good thing!
2018 Domain Road The Water Race Dry Riesling
Price: $27
Rating: Excellent
Stonefruit, gum, honey, fruit
jube, rosewater. Delightful
freshness, tangy and zesty
with just ripe nectarine,
apricot and lemon drop
flavours, growing in the
glass. A dry, but not
searingly so, long citrus
and honey inflected finish
picks up a fruit cordial
nuance. Develops a
bittersweet, sweet ’n’ sour
aspect that really refreshes
the palate.
2019 Villa Maria Single Vineyard
Braided Gravels Hawke’s Bay Albarinho
Price: $29.99
Rating: Excellent
Expressive nose of lime,
smoke, cut herbs and
stonefruit. Texturally rich
with powerful flavours of
herb/cut grass, smoke, a
core of citrus flitting from
grapefruit to lemon,
wisps of salinity on the
close. Tingly acidity,
focused, crisp, initially
crying out for food, but
this softens and grows
in volume with aeration.
A nice example of this
less common variety.
2018 Saint Clair
Pioneer Block 28
Camp Block
Waihopai Pinot Blanc
Pioneer Block 28
Camp Block
Waihopai Pinot Blanc
Price: $27
Rating: Very good to excellent
Peachiness, ground black
pepper, wine gums, zesty
piquancy with time. The
palate adds greengage plum
and herbs with a musky hint
framing it, the ripe, sweet
fruit balanced by an
attractive tanginess,
closing dry. This garners
added textural richness
and flavour intensity while
retaining lovely
crunchiness. Vibrancy and
intrigue capture the
attention.
2020 Jules Taylor
Marlborough Gruner
Marlborough Gruner
Veltliner
Price: $24.99
Rating: Very good to
excellent
The nose gives an impression
of richness, stonefruit, straw,
gooseberry and caramel
leading. The palate follows
up with apricot, nectarine,
fruit pastille, spice and a
growing grassy note,
lighter bodied than the
nose intimated yet no
shortage of flavour and
depth. Develops extra
palate interest with a
chewy character, with a
fine, herb-tinged finish.
2019 Main Divide
North Canterbury
Gewurztraminer
Price: $20.99
Rating: Very good to
excellent
Typical gewurz notes of
Turkish delight and rose petal
with a struck match
backdrop. Richly creamy
palate with real weight and
fatness bringing in notes of
apricot kernel, grilled nuts
and citrus peel, while a
bittersweet note on the
close cuts nicely through
that fatness. An
expressive, value for
money intro to this variety.
2019 The Landing
Boathouse
Bay of Islands Chardonnay
Price: $32.99
Rating: Very good to excellent
Fascinating florality, jasmine,
lemon sherbet, grilled nuts,
oak nuances, the fruit in
support. A cooler feel to the
palate, ebbing between
creamy, butterscotch
richness and coolmint
freshness. Some input
has gone into this,
pronounced oak for now,
backed by peach, citrus,
nuts and a tangy fruit
kernel note. Fresh, bright
and with lots of appeal.
