New Zealand
-
Amisfield Lake Hayes Pinot Noir 201991/100 & "Buy of the Week" (Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review Jan 2021)
Lake Hayes Pinot Noir is named after the namesake lake at the foot of Queenstown's Wakatipu basin. One of the most photographed lakes in the country and a striking place to make wine. Made by the crew at Amisfield, just down the road, so you know it will over-deliver and it does.
Forward and plush in style but with of that Otago grunt that kicks along into the more serious side of thing. Damson plums and purple berry fruits with velvety tannins that ultimately deliver and immediately enjoyable wine. PWS
2019Pinot noirNew Zealand373$35.00 As low as $31.50 -
Black Estate Home Chardonnay 2020
More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2020chardonnayNew Zealand502$80.00 As low as $72.00 -
Bilancia Tiratore Chardonnay 2019
This was sourced from the whole property, picking the highlights from the site to make the wine.
Quite potent, full and waxy but with flinty elements in the mix and a good lick of river pebble through it all. Lemon on green apple, slate notes, brown spice and faint honey toast, plus savoury almond detail, with supple texture through the finish and yet a cool, and again, almondy finish. Generous, but balanced, proper flavourtown stuff. Very good. MIKE BENNIE, The Wine Front
A very composed and complex chardonnay with fresh peach and grapefruit, as well as almond and hazelnut. Complex and exuberant style. The palate has a very plush, fleshy and cooly composed style with ripe peach and pear and a spicy, nutty finish. Drink now. Screw cap. NICK STOCK, jamessuckling.comRich and intense, but with a drive of acidity that is pure linear energy. Complex, and develops beautifully on opening – I’d surely decant this. Plenty of vanilla oak influence – strudel, nougat and baking spices. A deliciously silky mouthfeel – unctuous yet with a stony minerality underneath. A floral, spiciness develops in the mile-long, sweetening finish. 97pts. Would rank among the best of any New Zealand wines. (97) DAVID WALKER BELL, www.winefolio.com
2019chardonnayNew Zealand403$120.00 As low as $108.00 -
Corofin Wrekin Vineyard Chardonnay 2019
More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2019chardonnayNew Zealand434$64.00 As low as $57.60 -
Bilancia Syrah 2019Bright raspberry and red plum on the nose with distinctive herbal edges, as well as leaves, clove, anise and pepper. The palate has a smoothly rendered feel with medium body and ripe-plum and licorice flavors. Drink or hold. Screw cap. NICK STOCK, www.jamessuckling.com2019shirazNew Zealand403$44.00 As low as $39.60
-
Sato Northburn Pinot Noir 2018From the Northburn Station vineyard on a lakeside terrace, this sees no whole-bunch or new oak. Only 20 barrels were made.
This is a fragrant and lithely composed pinot with an underlying power that drives the wine. Its sinewy structure is laden with maraschino cherries, plums are rosemary tones. While it feels light and fluid on the palate, it doesn't forsake flavour. Its perceived fragility is beguiling. Fine and sleek tannins sign off the wine. An eloquent expression of Central Otago pinot. GABRIELLE POY, PWS
2018Pinot noirNew Zealand373$67.00 As low as $60.30 -
Maude Wines Sauvignon Blanc 2021Elegant, mineral centric with scents of fresh citrus and orchard fruits, herbs and hay, grapefruit and yellow flowers. Flavours on the palate are a mix of lemon and peach which transition into gooseberry and fresh herbs. Excellent texture and length with a fine mealy mouthfeel emphasising rocks and clay, fine fruit tannins and acidity. A delicious, salivating expression ready as an aperitif or with fresh shell fish. Lengthy finish, balanced and well made. Best drinking from 2022 through 2027. CAM DOUGLAS MS2021sauvignon BlancNew Zealand373$24.00 As low as $21.60
-
Blank Canvas Escaroth Chardonnay 2019
More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2019chardonnayNew Zealand434$54.00 As low as $48.60 -
Neudorf Home Block Moutere Pinot Noir 2020The nose has a deep and dark winter stone fruit note. The palate is a woven series of dark plum and cloves. Nelson pinot celebrates an underlying umami or savoury note and this is no exception. "It caresses the mouth with its round, chocolatey tannins that leave you licking your cheeks. If KFC’s chicken is finger licking good, Tom’s is palate-licking good. This is a pretty freaking delicious and super young wine. REBECCA GIBB MW2020Pinot noirNew Zealand448$76.00 As low as $68.40
-
Lauregan Enigma Central Hawkes Bay Pinot Noir 2016
More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2014Pinot noirNew Zealand403$51.00 As low as $45.90 -
Black Estate Damsteep Pinot Noir 2020Deep Ruby hue. Fragrant aromas of wild raspberry, dark plum, sandalwood, vanilla and sea spray. Flavours of silken and bright wild forest fruits and graphite. Supple and elastic mid pallet tannins that are contained with bright and pure minerality. Typical white rock tension creates a long and vibrant finish.
Three organic and biodynamically certified hillside vineyards on the warm northern slopes of the Waipara Valley, North Canterbury. The vines grow through a diverse range of clay and limestone soils to produce intense wines completely expressive of each site. The family recently purchased a beautiful 7 hectare hillside vineyard names Damsteep, 10km north of Black Estate. It has quiclkly become the jewe in their crown and rightly so.2020Pinot noirNew Zealand502$60.00 As low as $54.00 -
Novum Pinot Noir 2020An initial impression revealed predominantly floral and violet notes. They were joined by fruit, cherry and berry characters, while on the finish there was spice and a suggestion of hazelnut. An elegant wine with an appealing supple, fine-grained texture. BOB CAMPBELL, The Real Review2020Pinot noirNew Zealand434$65.00 As low as $58.50
-
Dicey Bannockburn Gamay 2021
More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2020GamayNew Zealand373$60.00 As low as $54.00 -
Bryterlater Brambles Rose 2021
More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2021shirazNew Zealand367$51.00 As low as $45.90 -
Bilancia Syrah 2020
Predominately from the neighbouring property, but also contains la Collina pressings also. Just about no oak, and no new oak for sure.
Sappy, savoury, crisp and refreshing. Red fruited, super bright and slinky with fine weave of tannin, sour-sweet red fruits, a touch of maraschino, a lick of malt and some game meat with white pepper on top. It’s so vibrant, kind of refreshing/thirst-quenching, has almost a pinosity to the experience and yet gentle savoury elements in the mix. So lovely. A delightful, pure expression. (94) MIKE BENNIE, The Wine Front
2020shirazNew Zealand403$44.00 As low as $39.60 -
Bilancia Chardonnay 2021Aromas of flint, ground ginger, grapefruit and pears. Medium-bodied with a tight structure and juicy finish. Fresh, with wet stone notes adding depth to the apple and pear fruit. Rosemary and thyme, too. Drink now. Screw cap. JAMES SUCKLING
2020chardonnayNew Zealand403$44.00 As low as $39.60 -
Te Mata Elston Chardonnay 2021
A gorgeously composed chardonnay with a great degree of elegance, showing nectarine, rockmelon, lemon peel, oatmeal and roasted hazelnut characters on the nose, followed by a superbly structured palate that’s laced with ripe fruit intensity and stylish oak infusion. Bright acidity provides balance and frame, while richly textured mouthfeel leads to a persistent sensual finish. SAM KIM, Wine Orbit
Almond, cinnamon, nutmeg, green tobacco, a little gun smoke, nashi pear and nectarine. There’s some real lemonade flavour along with dried pear, a pleasing crunch and freshness to acidity, a friand and dried coconut richness, and a bright finish of excellent length. Very good Chardonnay. Ticks a lot of boxes, you might say. GARY WALSH, The Wine Front2021chardonnayNew Zealand403$64.00 As low as $57.60 -
Kumeu River Village Chardonnay 2022
More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2022chardonnayNew Zealand416$29.00 As low as $26.10 -
Unkel La De Da Light Red 2021
More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2021Pinot Gris, Pinot noirNew Zealand$36.00 As low as $32.40 -
Unkel Life's a Beach blend 2021
More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2021chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot noir, RieslingNew Zealand$36.00 As low as $32.40 -
Pyramid Valley North Canterbury Rose 2021
More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2021SavagninNew Zealand434$53.00 As low as $47.70 -
Neudorf Amphora Rosie's Block Chardonnay 2021
More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2020chardonnayNew Zealand448$66.00 As low as $59.40 -
Charteris Central Otago Pinot Noir 2021In regional style, overflows with plums and black cherry, tannins rippling alongside this precocious pinot. A burst of spices will make their appearance over the next few years before settling down for the long haul. 13.5% alc (95) JAMES HALLIDAY, theaustralian.com
A compote of berries on the nose mixes with amari accents and seductive spicy notes. The palate is finely tuned, layers of spice, florals and berries appear. Whole bunches season the bold core, adding Campari-like sappy tones to the medley of berries; boysenberries, strawberries and blackberries. Succulent tannins frame the cool fruits adding a fine scaffolding to this supremely elegant pinot. GABRIELLE POY2021Pinot noirNew Zealand373$61.00 As low as $54.90 -
Dicey Bannockburn Pinot Noir 2020
Softer and more fragrant than most Bannockburn pinot noir from this vintage. Medium-bodied with cherry, berry, fresh herbs, struck-flint and spicy oak flavours. An appealing wine made with a light touch. BOB CAMPBELL, The Real Review
Forward in its appeal, this highly attractive red was grown at two sites and matured for a year in oak barrels (21% new). Ruby hued, with a hint of development, it is mouthfilling and supple, with generous, ripe cherry, herb and spice flavours, showing considerable complexity, and a harmonious, well-rounded finish. WINESTATE
This is a spicy and sensual pinot with savory aromas of truffles, ash, grilled herbs, plums, bluebells and cloves. Supple and well-integrated, with a medium to full body and rich array of dark fruit and spice. Sustainable. Drink or hold. JAMES SUCKLING
2020Pinot noirNew Zealand373Special Price $43.00 Regular Price $51.00 -
Unkel 'Jurassic' Red 2021
More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2021RedNew Zealand448$36.00 As low as $32.40 -
Te Mata Coleraine Cabernet Merlot 2021
The 2021 Coleraine exhibits a commanding presence and majestic poise. The bouquet reveals classic aromas of cassis, dark plum and violet with whispering nuances of cedar and cigar. There are hints of warm spices, compounding the pleasure upon inhalation. The palate is bold and graceful at once, enhanced by plush texture and multi-layered mouthfeel, beautifully framed by refreshing acidity and fine chalky tannins. Robust and substantial with a great line and length, which seem to go on to infinity. This youthful wine is already impossible to resist, but time will reward those who can wait. In sports, they often talk about ‘The Greatest of All Time’, or 'The GOAT'. This 2021 Coleraine is undeniably THE GOAT of New Zealand wine. (100) SAM KIM, Wine Orbit
56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc. Because I care, I just nipped down to the cellar to open a bottle of the 2020 Coleraine to compare and contrast with the 2021. The 2020 is packed with tannin, texture, earthiness, and power, while the 2021 is brighter, a bit more frisky in acidity, with more leafy perfume. A little more flamboyant, but equal. It’s not a competition, more of a love in. The 2021 may well be the ‘better’ wine in time, though it’s kind of hard to tell, and may just come down to personal preference.
Dark and intense, lots of perfume, red and black fruits, tobacco, a leafy pop that’s pure varietal class, creamy oak, lead pencils, aniseed and spice. Medium to full-bodied, a flood of flavour, super ‘mineral’ feel to the acidity, tannin is superb, and the finish is so long. Light but so dense. There’s a fresh raspberry juiciness here too, and an extra dimension of tension and energy. All the graphite and presence. Incredible wine. (97+) GARY WALSH, The Wine Front2021Cabernet BlendsNew Zealand403$165.00 As low as $148.50 -
Dry River Pinot Noir 2020A powerful and seductive bouquet with a core of pinosity then aromas of dark red berries, mineral soil, a fine savoury, dried herb quality and youthful energy. Toasty barrel and dark spices of oak are noticeable, but not misplaced. Fantastic on the palate with a core of youthful energy, baking spices and dark berry fruit flavours, firm tannins and plenty of acidity. The heartbeat of pinosity is strong, holding my attention. A lovely wine that should be locked away in your cellar till 2024 then taste again. Best drinking likely from 2025 through 2040. CAMERON DOUGLAS MS
Spice, dried roses, a pleasing earthy bass, bright cherry and cranberry fruit. It's medium-bodied, firm and bright, with a distinct 'mineral' crunch and freshness, spicy too, earth and floral notes mingling to great effect. Almost that sort of bloody character you get in Pommard (apologies for the reference, in a way), and a long crisp finish that offers a pleasant amount of orange peel bitterness. Beautiful wine... GARY WALSH, winefront.com
2020Pinot noirNew Zealand435$170.00 As low as $153.00 -
Escarpment Noir Pinot Noir 2021This an immediately appealing perfume here, with bright red fruits interlaced with savoury herbs and bitter orange citrus. There's a burst of energy and vitality on the palate with those lush, ripe cherry and strawberry fruits spliced with succulent acidity. Perhaps the real star here though are the tannins which rise up from under that fruit, dense, fine and polished as the wine tapers leaving a lovely delicate spice on the finish. ALEX DOBSON, PWS
This has fragrant fruit with notes of raspberries, pomegranate, orange slices, cloves and herbs. Tightly-wound tannins support a fresh and wild core of berry fruit and herbs. JAMES SUCKLING2021Pinot noirNew Zealand435$38.00 As low as $34.20 -
Te Mata Awatea Cabernet Merlot 2019
The 2020 vintage will be released around March 2022, though there still may be some of this floating about. It’s Cabernet Sauvignon 46%, Merlot 32%, and Cabernet Franc 22%. It’s the best Awatea I can recall tasting. I’m tasting it alongside the 2019 Coleraine as a point of reference.
Blackcurrant, raspberry leaf, spice and perfume, dark chocolate and black tea. Medium-bodied, dense, firm and concentrated, a subtle herbal fragrance through red and black fruits, with an umami edge of black olive tapenade, a distinct ‘mineral’ ironstone feel to it, crisp raspberry acidity and flavour, a tight mesh of fine chalky tannin to close out a long bright finish. Wonderful. GARY WALSH, The Wine Front
A blend of 46% cabernet sauvignon, 32% merlot, 22% cabernet franc from Gimblett Gravels, Dartmour and the Bridge Pa subregions. A dense, lush red with cassis, ripe berry and cedar wood flavours. Seriously good and very accessible red that offers great value at this price. BOB CAMPBELL, MW2018Cabernet BlendsNew Zealand$51.00 As low as $45.90 -
Amen Break Pinot Noir 2020From two vineyards, one in Cromwell, the other in Bannockburn. Used oak only. Gee, $30 is pretty spiffy for a CO Pinot.
Black fruit, spice, a little thyme and grilled meat. It's medium-bodied, but dark and savoury, with gentle pumice stone tannin, a little Campari-like bitterness, and a frisky finish of good length. Really pleasing weight and texture, not least ease of drinking. GARY WALSH, winefront.com
2020Pinot noirNew Zealand373$30.00 As low as $27.00 -
Lauregan Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2017
More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2018Pinot noirNew Zealand403$29.00 As low as $26.10 -
Ata Rangi Pinot Noir 2020
Our top New Zealand wine of 2022 is the Ata Rangi Pinot Noir Martinborough 2020. It is textural, deep and seamlessly balanced, as well as supremely perfumed and vibrant. Made from the estate's oldest parcels planted 42 years ago, it demonstrates the power of pinot noir coming out of Martinborough. (98) JAMES SUCKLING
The big one, made from 39 year-old Abel clone vines. Doesn't sound like much but in New Zealand terms this spans the country's development as a serious, wine-producing nation. Very aromatic, but into the spectrum of dried herbs, chamomile, and cedar box. An impressive, very plush, palate - big, with an incredible "structure" on the finish: it's expansive and velvety but it ends, running on with the acid and the fine, fine tannin. An umami, lush, structured, beautiful wine. (98) OLLY STYLESThe 2020 Pinot Noir reminds me of walking into a cathedral - that quiet, cool hush that falls as you walk through its doors. This is harmonious, supple, unshowy and unforced. Hailing from old vines and delicately textured despite the abundance of fruit concentration. Refined tannins with the finest of gravelly textures, akin to licking a stone. Scented yet restrained, with a fragrance of sweet red fruit, tea leaf and cedar spices with persistent acidity that carries it. Very complete and already approachable. (96) REBECCA GIBB MW
2020Pinot noirNew Zealand435$140.00 As low as $126.00 -
Two Paddocks Estate Pinot Noir 2022
More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2022Pinot noirNew Zealand373$63.00 As low as $56.70 -
Trinity Hill Chardonnay 2021Light, soft, fresh, fruit-focused chardonnay with grapefruit, nectarine, vanilla and pineapple flavours supported by slightly hard acidity and subtle, ripe tannins. A well-priced wine. BOB CAMPBELL MW2010chardonnayNew Zealand403$29.00 As low as $26.10
-
Trinity Hill 'Homage' Syrah 2018This is a complex and very intense syrah that offers a deeply ripe yet fresh and clear-cut impression of blackberry and pepper, with other layers of spice, graphite and gently meaty notes. The palate is silky yet powerful with really finely layered tannins that cast a long, evenly built finish. Drink or hold. Screw cap. (98) JAMES SUCKLING
The 2018 Homage Syrah includes a mere 0.4% Viognier, yet it boasts distinct scents of stone fruit on the nose, backed by red and black raspberries and hints of peppermint. It's only medium-bodied, in line with the trend over the past few vintages toward less power and (presumably) more finesse. In this vintage, it comes off a bit lacking in richness on the palate, although the wine's complexity—marrying mixed berries, violets, spice and herb notes, plus hints of licorice and coffee—makes this still a very enjoyable drink. Give it another couple of years in the cellar and drink it over the following decade or so. JOE CZERWINSKI, The Wine Advocate
Ultra floral scents, strawberry too, whiffs of flint and wet stone, clove and cedar in tow. The palate is sinewy, lightly chewy, very long, finely wrapped in a web of firm, ribbons of tannin. Feels very composed, almost a little mouth perfume and floral ‘flavours’ emerging too. Suitably elegant in its vibe. Great red. MIKE BENNIE, The Wine Front2008shirazNew Zealand403$185.00 As low as $166.50 -
Te Mata Gamay Noir 2022An electric, candy-apple red, fresh, and full of appeal, Estate Gamay Noir ’22 charms with intense wild strawberry, bubble-gum aromatics, and notes of ripe watermelon and red cherry. The palate is goose-down soft, creamy, and lightly spiced with clove, anise, and cinnamon. Estate Gamay Noir ’22 is a marriage of tempting textures, and summer-bright, ultra-ripe, red-fruit freshness.2021GamayNew Zealand403$34.00 As low as $30.60
-
Ata Rangi McCrone Pinot Noir 2020
2020 Ata Rangi McCrone Pinot Noir
A lovely nose of sliced strawberry, grated nutmeg, suede and rose. Negroni. Orange. Medium- to full-bodied with silky, fine tannins. Nuanced and concentrated with an array of subtle spice and herbs decorating the beautifully fresh red berries. Spice. Iron. Rust. Savory undertones provide depth and complexity on the palate and evolve and oscillate as time goes on. Open grain tannins at the end. New single vineyard bottling. Sustainable. Best after 2025. Screw cap. JAMES SUCKLINGThe 2020 Pinot Noir McCrone Vineyard fills the mouth with ripe fruit and structured tannin without becoming heavy on the palate. Produced off a richer site than the estate Pinots, this is a robust, firm style leaving behind a chunky frame of tannins…REBECCA GIBB MW
2020Pinot noirNew Zealand435$190.00 As low as $171.00 -
Palliser Estate Pencarrow Pinot Noir 2020
An approachable, bright and lively Pinot Noir with beautiful juicy red fruits and good structure.
Smoky, fruity and savoury; aromas of dark cherry, charred oak, bramble, plum and charcuterie float from the glass. On the palate is liquorice and black forest fruits- cherry, blackberry, plum and boysenberry- kissed with smoky, toasty oak and a hint of dark chocolate. The tannins are supple and fine, teasing out the long, mouth watering finish.
2020Pinot noirNew Zealand435$34.00 As low as $30.60 -
Two Paddocks Picnic Pinot Noir 2022
More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2022Pinot noirNew Zealand373$43.00 As low as $38.70 -
Valli Gibbston Vineyard Pinot Noir 2021
A fine-tannined pinot with silky texture that sets up an attractive palate of strawberry and black cherry as well as orange peel. Medium body. Bright finish. Drink or hold. Screw cap. JAMES SUCKLING
Two thousand twenty-one was the smallest Gibbston harvest ever for Valli, but what it made is worthwhile. As always, this 2021 Pinot Noir Gibbston Vineyard is balanced and refined. Long hang time in this cool district gives finesse and aromatic details. While delicate, there’s supple flesh on the palate, giving a sense of ripeness rather than edginess. REBECCA GIBB, Vinous2019Pinot noirNew Zealand373$94.00 As low as $84.60 -
Valli Bendigo Vineyard Pinot Noir 2021The 2021 Pinot Noir Bendigo Vineyard is a round, full style as you’d expect from this part of Central Otago. However, it is seamless: there's an abundance of tannin that coats the palate with chalkiness. There’s plenty of structure, richness and power and a certain warming sensation, but it's not out of balance. Well managed, holding its shape and reining it all in. REBECCA GIBB MW, Vinous2020Pinot noirNew Zealand373$90.00 As low as $81.00
-
Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay 2022
Aromas and flavors of sliced apples, lemon curd and hints of stone. Oyster shell. Lime undertones. It’s medium-bodied. Firm and fine phenolics. Tension and focus. Impressive (95) JAMES SUCKLING
Such lovely stylish Chardonnay from this producer. White peach, almond meal, subtle floral and fennel/mint perfume, light cinnamon spice. It’s fluid and mellifluous, almond biscuit with some citrus and apple, fine powdery texture, flecked with pleasant green things, a slight oyster shell flavour and a cool and creamy finish of excellent length, with a subtle sappy aftertaste. Calm, composed and such a lovely thing to drink. Highly recommended GARY WALSH, Wine Front
This is Kumeu River's calling card. Made from a selection of six different sites of which they own four. Whole-bunch pressed and barrel-fermented (20% new). Vines planted from 1989 to 2005.
Some real richness on the nose. Then a green streak. Very fine texture! With Puligny savour and lift. Creamy yet fresh. Bullseye for the style. Good light grip on the end. Convincing. JANCIS ROBINSON MWThe ever-reliable Estate Chardonnay is a success again this year. Very pale in colour with a highly refined perfume of fresh pear, white peach and a little sandalwood. It has already opened up in the last six months and is showing a beautiful light smokiness from reduction. The palate has a superb sheen, with white fruits and flowers slick and refined, harmonious with a kick of savoury spices from well-judged use of oak. There is depth to the fruit, and a gentle creaminess that should build as this ages in bottle. Limes and a hint of charred wood drive to the finish, which is long and focused. This will drink well over the coming decade - I'd be tempted to decant now, or wait six months before approaching THOMAS PARKER MW
The 2022 Estate Chardonnay is nutty and svelte, with white peach, pastry, apricot kernel, brine and even a hint of malt biscuit through the finish. The wine has breadth and girth to it; it's not at all compact, but it's tight in texture. So, all things being equal, it's an exciting Chardonnay. This is from six different sites in the Kumeu area, with wine aging on lees in 20% new oak (just about all François Frères) for approximately 11 months. Lovely acid ERIN LARKIN, Wine Advocate
2022chardonnayNew Zealand416$53.00 As low as $47.70 -
High Garden Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022Medium deep crimson. Classical dark cherry, strawberry, hint negroni aromas with underlying vanilla/ marzipan notes. Beautifully focused pinot noir with fresh strawberry, dark cherry, marzipan flavours, fine slinky bittersweet textures, lovely mid-palate viscosity and fresh long indelible acidity. Lovely feathery plume at the finish. Very good tension, vinosity and freshness. A brilliant follow up vintage, to the 20 and 21, highlighting an exceptional year. Maturation in 30% new French oak barriques for 11 months. No fining no filtration. Best to decant to enjoy its aromatic complexity and texture. Wonderful. 13.5% alc (98) ANDREW CAILLARD MW2022Pinot noirNew Zealand373$95.00 As low as $85.50
-
Te Mata Bull Nose Syrah 2019
A little more Gimblett Gravels fruit makes it into the blend this year. 35% new oak. Tasted alongside the 2019 Awatea and Coleraine, and you can see that deep, dark, intensity of flavour that 2019 delivered.
Pretty, floral, red and black fruit, a sneaky grid of pepper, dried roses and violet. Medium-bodied, concentrated, a little liquorice and spice, nutty, dense and clenched, very graphite and ‘mineral’ character, beef stock and meaty flavours too, and a long finish packed with silty tannin, coffee bean and violet. Beautiful Syrah here. All just so. GARY WALSH, The Wine Front
2019shirazNew Zealand403$95.00 As low as $85.50 -
Craggy Range Sophia Merlot Cabernet Franc 2021A polished red with currant, chocolate and hazelnut aromas and flavors. It's medium- to full-bodied with a lovely finish. Delicious now but can age. A blend of cabernet franc and merlot. Drink or hold. Screw cap. JAMES SUCKLING
Fragrant complex bouquet, dried herbs, red plum, hint of earth and charcuterie. Medium bodied, earthy, and savoury, very fresh, still very young but lots of attractive layers and beautiful fine-grained tannins. 83% Merlot, 17% Cab Franc. Made from single blocks of both, kept separate then blended together. Elegant and refined. ANDREA PPRITZKER MW, The Vintage Journal,2021Cabernet BlendsNew Zealand403$155.00 As low as $139.50 -
Trinity Hill The Gimblett Bordeaux Blend 2019Aromas of dark berries and hay, tobacco and gravelly soils, there’s a core of concentration and power with new oak and violets, red berries and energy. Complex, youthful and engaging. On the palate - though very primary still there’s a silky textured core of fruit contrasted by polished tannins and salivating acidity. The sweetness of new barrel adds depth and complexity. As the wine relaxes in glass the flavours and textures become more intense and focused coating the palate with flavour and concentration. A lengthy finish, lovely mouthfeel and length. Excellent drinking from late 2023/2024 through 2035. (96) CAM DOUGLAS MW
Trinity Hill's 2018 The Gimblett is a 50-50 blend of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in 100% new French oak for 21 months. The floral overtones of the Franc really show up on the nose, while the palate is more about cassis and a streamlined, concentrated, linear presentation. Medium to full-bodied, it adds softly dusty tannins on the finish, along with hints of mocha and vanilla. Approachable now, it should still be going strong in a decade's time. JOE CZWERWINSKI, The Wine Advocate2019Cabernet BlendsNew Zealand403$56.00 As low as $50.40 -
Craggy Range Gimblett Gravels Chardonnay 2021SILVER MEDAL DECANTER WORLD WINE AWARDS, 2022
White peaches, toasted hazelnuts, flint, spiced pears, lemons and white grapefruit. Clove and nutmeg, too. Beautiful tension and phenolic texture, with a medium to full body, driven by bright acidity. Drink or hold. Screw cap. JAMES SUCKLING2021chardonnayNew Zealand403$58.00 As low as $52.20 -
Trinity Hill The Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2019
Wow. The white-pepper and black-fruit combination here is impressively fresh and vibrant. Really bursting from the glass. The palate has such fine-cut tannins that form a crisp outer shell around very juicy red and dark berries. Cascading, grainy finish. Superb. (96) JAMES SUCKLING
Wonderfully fruited and composed, the wine shows blackberry, sweet cherry, floral, warm spice and game characters on the nose. It's concentrated and plump offering terrific fruit power and persistency backed by loads of polished tannins, finishing impressively long and refined. (95) SAM KIM, Wine Orbit
The 2019 Syrah Gimblett Gravels is suave and fluid, flowing across your palate like a surfer on a wave. It unfurls in the mouth, expanding and caressing the palate with its silken raspberry essence, cracked pepper and agave notes. The tannins are very fine in their powdery texture and coat the palate like honey – no surface escapes. And yet this has just 13% alcohol, retaining a sense of lightness on its feet. It finishes fragrant and long, with bright acid drive, reminding us that it’s on the margins for Syrah to thrive. This can be approached now but will be interesting to reevaluate in 5-8 years. VINOUS2019shirazNew Zealand403Special Price $47.00 Regular Price $56.00