Today’s assortment offers three pairs of wines across three very different wine styles. First we have a pairing of Rose, the wine style that was once a summer staple but is now truly a style to be enjoyed year round. The second duo continues my recent journeys a little off the beaten path as we have two Pinot Blancs from Central Otago. No “blanc looks’’ here (forgive the terrible pun) as these are wines of depth and texture worthy of exploring. Finally we have Syrah from both the North and South islands. Gimblett Gravels in Hawke’s Bay leads with a cracking example; Marlborough far less known for Syrah, yet this is another wine to turn heads. Enjoy exploring. 2025 Tohu Nelson Pinot Rose Price RRP $18.99 Rating Very Good to Excellent Attractive perfume, strawberry, rose petal florality, a little cranberry. Crisp with bright acidity which provides contrast to the fruit sweetness on the mid-palate, nice texture and good length. Air time sees that fruit sweetness grow but there’s a matching development in juiciness and crunchy zestiness which keeps it all neatly in balance. www.tohuwines.co.nz 2025 Mondillo Central Otago Rosé Price RRP $35 Rating Excellent Fragrant in a deeper register, almost musk, summer berries, a suggestion of minerality. Lovely depth of flavour, again summer fruits, a hint of apple, stony minerality, savoury nuances, comes across as a more serious example. Super balance, the flavours hang long in the mouth. Would be a great food option while also great depth for sipping alfresco. So nicely done. www.mondillo.com 2024 Nevis Bluff Central Otago Pinot Blanc Price RRP $39 Rating Very Good to Excellent Sweetly fruited, hazelnuts, a lightly herbal quality, lifted flower petal notes. The palate takes the fruit cordial/fruit pastille path, a note of fresh grapes too, nutty aspects, a touch of lightly chalky phenolic grip adding to the texture. This has drinkability writ large on it, but I suspect will also be rather good with food. www.nevisbluff.co.nz 2025 Carrick Organic Bannockburn Pinot Blanc Price RRP $42 Rating Excellent Teases with a hint of wildness/funk, then grilled nuts, herb-tinged perfume, lemon squash, exudes dryness and richness. Those characters flow on to the palate which is supple yet retains lovely freshness with those lemon and herb notes adding lift; almost an earthy quality too. A great food wine, full of interest, with characters that take it away from the “same old, same old”. www.carrick.co.nz 2024 Astrolabe Beacon Hill Vineyard Southern Valleys Marlborough Syrah Price RRP $65 Rating Outstanding Wonderfully fragrant and floral, violets, berry compote, smoke, sweet oak scents. Another nose to draw you in. Fleshy, juicy and vibrant, a crunchy feel, great balance and integration, the tannic backbone coming into play nicely. Fills every crevice in your mouth, ripe yet dry, long, long close. Earth and gravel on the nose now; spice, oak, black pepper on the palate, with added grip. Smart wine. www.astrolabewines.co.nz 2024 Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Syrah Price RRP $39.99 Rating Outstanding Simply lovely nose, freshly squished berries, plums, spices, hints of oak, woodsmoke. Captures your attention. The palate is still quite youthful, fine, dry, taut with good grip, tar, iodine and pepper. There’s real structure here just crying out for cellar time, serious, classy wine with so much upside. Now smouldering bonfire embers on the nose, clearly impressive but all about the future. www.trinityhill.com
