RED WINE - New Zealand

91/100 & "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

Bright 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.com

From 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

The 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 MW

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Deep 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.

An 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 Review

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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

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In 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 POY

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

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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 Front

 

A 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

This 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 SUCKLING 

 

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, MW

From 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

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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 STYLES

The 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

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This 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 Front

An 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.

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 SUCKLING

The 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

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.

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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, Vinous

The 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, Vinous

Medium 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 MW

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

A 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,

Aromas 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 Advocate

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. VINOUS

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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!

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!

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!

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!

From vintage 2021 our Moonlight Race comprises three sites that we farm ourselves: our estate vineyards Burn Cottage Vineyard in Lowburn, and Sauvage Vineyard in Bannockburn, along with the Luna vineyard in Bannockburn. The blend of these three special sites produces our vibrant expression of classic Central Otago Pinot Noir. Bright cherry and plum notes complement spice, pepper and savoury earthy complexity. Layered and expressive, there is a core of supple fruit and fine textural tannins extending through the palate. Whilst approachable now, expected cellaring potential is up to 7 years. – CLAIRE MULHOLLAND Burn Cottage

Supple, elegant pinot noir with floral/red rose supported by fruit and alcohol sweetness. Deliciously drinkable now but with the potential to become even more interesting with age. (95)BOB CAMPBELL, The Real Review

Medium ruby-purple in color, the 2012 Pinot Noir has a very earthy nose over notions of blackcurrants, blackberries and red plums with accents of anise and pepper. Intensely flavored in the medium bodied mouth with tight-knit concentration and sturdy tannins, it finishes long and earthy. LISA PERROTTI-BROWN, The Wine Advocate

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Ripe, pure, vibrant, varietal. Aromas of dark plums and cherries, layers of savoury spices, barrel spices and a mix of red flowers including roses. A lovely bouquet with a youthful energy and power. On the palate an equally vibrant wine touches first with tannins and acidity making their presence known, then a core of dark red berry fruits and savoury baking spice qualities take over. Tannins are in abundance, are firm-ish and acidity all set the structure in place. A lovely wine that will age well, best drinking from late 2024 through 2030+. CAMERON DOUGLAS MS

The 2022 is a wonderfully red fruited and aromatic Pinot Noir. Spice notes of cardamom and ginger combine with rosehip and pomegranate. A savoury note reminiscent of manuka smoke and prosciutto mingle enticingly with the red fruits. The palate has an array of flavours ranging from raspberry compote to rhubarb and orange zest. Smooth and supple on the entry, fine tannins are buoyed by freshness to a long-sustained finish. Mid ruby in colour, with an almost transparent hue, the 2022 is charming and fresh, while remaining supple and delicious. Drink now to 2030. HELEN MASTERS, winemaker

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Beautiful and fruity with ripe strawberries, some dark cherries it's a fantastic pinot with dried strawberries, orange peel, terra-cotta, and dried leaves. It’s full and very layered with creamy and fine tannins that go on for minutes. Plenty of depth and very long with tension and a beautifully creamy, velvety finish. (97) JAMES SUCKLING

The 2022 Home Vineyard Pinot Noir is possessed of a most exciting display of red fruits and ductile tannin in concert. The tannins have a much closer, more densely packed feeling than the unfurling/spooling Olearia. There’s pomegranate, red and black cherry, licorice, star anise and even a hint of cumin seed. It's a wonderful wine that I know from experience benefits from a decant, which allows the fruit to stretch its legs, so to speak. Supple, throaty and full but not big. Still composure. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under ERIN LARKIN, Wine Advocate

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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!

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!