Showcasing the diversity of Waitaki Valley wines

I think this happens to me every year: one minute it’s early spring, the next Christmas feels like it’s knocking on the door.

Dwindling columns until the break meet a backlog of wines yet to be published.

A quintet of Waitaki Valley wines that are well overdue are joined by a Central buddy today.

Te Kano winemaker Dave Sutton is the current head of the Waitaki Valley winegrowers body and is striving to further the visibility of this tiny wine region with regular mail-outs of wines to writers.

A Waitaki/Central blend riesling joins a rare muscat, a pinot gris and two roses to showcase the diversity of the region, sharing the honours with a Central rose.

 


2022 Te Kano Life Riesling 
Price RRP $33
Rating Very Good to Excellent
 
The nose gives an impression of dryness with lime, blossom and apple, fragrance swelling as it gets into its stride. 
 
Rich in the mouth, the sweetness now more evident as apple and honey notes fill every crevice, there’s a roundness to the mouthfeel, pleasure in every sip, that makes this open and ready to enjoy now.
 
 
 
 
 
 


2023 Run 23 Waitaki Valley 
Muscat a Petit Grains 
Price RRP $25
Rating Excellent


Delightfully fragrant, fresh cut grapes, musk, spice, fresh, bright and engaging.

With time, lemon verbena and a wisp of struck match. 

Carries those characters on to the palate, adding preserved lemon. 

Deliciously different, fruit sweetness, closing just off-dry.

An almondy bittersweet note adds to the finish, bringing that dryness.

I’m won over by its immediacy and its charms.

(No website)

 


2023 Valli Waitaki Vineyard Pinot Gris 
Price RRP $39
Rating Very Good to Excellent


Fragrant, the fruit quietly in support, grape and red apple with a touch of spice, a hint of struck match later.

Cool and fresh, crisp acidity, picking up lemony citrus and a little almond bittersweet quality with a cooling feel to the close.

A drier style that with its bright acidity should make a nice accompaniment to food.

www.valliwine.com

 

 

 

 

2023 Q Waitaki Valley Rose
Price RRP $35
Rating Excellent to Outstanding


Exuberant and inviting nose, dried strawberry, peach, fruit pastille, a little spice too, immediate appeal, youthful.

There’s some nice grip to this, fine tannins, riffing on the fruits with a stony/gravelly aspect in the background, developing a touch of orange zest on nose and palate with air.

Excellent flavour depth, great balance, elegant, finishing nicely dry.

www.qwine.co.nz

 

 

 

 

2023 River-T Wines Waitaki 
Valley Pinot Rose
Price RRP $30
Rating Excellent


The nose suggests tanginess and dryness, subtlety but quite a bit going on.

The palate moves between stonefruit and red apple, minerally too, allied with that tangy quality and very fine tannins.

Deceptive power under the hood with lovely length. 

Certainly can be enjoyed on its own, but likely to be an excellent food partner too.

Nicely expressed.

www.rivertestate.co.nz

 

2024 Roaring Meg by Mt Difficulty Central Otago 
Pinot Noir Rose
Price RRP $22.99
Rating Very Good to Excellent


Fragrant nose, quite expressive, hard candy and red berry fruits.

Sweetly fruited front palate, medium-weight with savoury touches, perhaps a little spice. 

There’s juiciness and crunchiness to the palate which is quite engaging, adding to the freshness.

That contrast between candied sweetness versus zestiness works very well on the close.

www.mtdifficulty.nz

 

 

 

Seasons - By Alison Lambert  - Available for purchase now!

The Otago Daily Times and Alison have collaborated to bring you her first cookbook – Seasons.  

This book is the ultimate year-round cookbook. Seasons is filled with versatile recipes designed to inspire creativity in the kitchen, offering plenty of ideas for delicious accompaniments and standout dishes that highlight the best of what each season has to offer.  

 

$49.99 each. Purchase here.

$44.99 for ODT subscribers. Get your discount code here.