SPRING WINES IN NZ

Spring is definitely in the air in Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland). Pink cherry blossoms abound, and Spring lambs are nearly as big as their mums after ripping into the lush green pastures in the rural areas.
And here’s another excellent lineup of wines to usher in the warmer months.

 

Main Divide North Canterbury Sauvignon Blanc 2023 $NZ 23
A fresh young thing from this year’s vintage. Very approachable with medium acids, lashings of ripe gooseberry, passionfruit, rock melon and green tomato. Crisp, clean finish with a skerrick of sweetness.
Available: blackmarket.co.nz  maindivide.com

Main Divide North Canterbury Riesling 2022 $NZ 22
Bargain. A very easy drinking fruit-burst style with soft acids and medium sweetness. Lemon squash, honeysuckle, jasmine and rock melon, with a hint of passionfruit.
Available: Pt Chev Organic wines maindivide.com

Main Divide North Canterbury Pinot Gris 2021 $NZ 22
A very different style from the Main Divide riesling, as above. Dry and complex with dominant funky, yeasty flavours. Spiced pear, quinine, rock melon and a hint of clover honey.
Available: finewinedelivery.co.nz  maindivide.com

Millton Te Arai Vineyard Gisborne Chenin Blanc 2021 (vegan/organic)  $NZ 35
Biodynamic winemakers, Millton have been famous for chenin blanc and were the first certified organic winery in NZ. Gorgeous wine. Opening up just nudging medium sweet creamy palate of fresh cut pineapple, clover honey, stewed apple, and a soft tangy yeasty finish.
Available: Pt. Chev Organic Wines  millton.co.nz

Pegasus Bay North Canterbury Bel Canto Dry Riesling 2022 $NZ 37
At a deceptive 14% alcohol, an intensely flavoured wine made from low cropping vineyard management. Citrus blossom, green apple, funky and flinty. Dried apricot, orange peel, and Manuka honey, with a dry finish.
Available: Glengarry, Caro’s  pegasusbay.com

Poppies Martinborough Gewürztraminer 2020 $55
Shayne and Katy ‘Poppy’ Hammond, the viticulturist/winemaker husband and wife team at Dry River, launched their own Poppies label in 2013. This wine is lush, floral and gorgeous. Flavours of lychee, jasmine and Turkish delight in an off-dry style with a crisp citrus finish.
Available: poppiesmartinborough.co.nz

Main Divide North Canterbury Pinot Noir 2021 $NZ 26
Very much on the savoury, funky umami pinot spectrum. Truffle, mushroom, and smoky bacon with cigar, vegemite and cassis. Medium bodied.
Available:  finewinedelivery.co.nz  maindivide.com

Parés Baltà Materia Prima Orange (vegan/organic/sulphite-free) Penedès Spain 2022 $NZ 39
Copper blush colour. Made with biodynamic indigenous xarel-lo grapes and fermented on gewürztraminer skins. Astringent, tangy and yeasty. Dry and crisp with mandarin citrus, orange marmalade and medium tannins.
Available: Dhall & Nash vinofino.co.nz

Parés Baltà Materia Prima Pét-nat (vegan/organic/sulphite-free) NV Penedès Spain $NZ 30
Unlike the Champagne method, where there is a second fermentation in the bottle, a pét-nat is simply bottled before the initial fermentation has ended. This wine is clear, clean, crisp and yeasty. Slightly funky and almost astringently dry, with a hint of apple and clover honey, and fine beaded frothy bubbles. 11.5% alcohol.
Available: Dhall & Nash

Phil Parker hosts wine tours and food tours in Auckland New Zealand #2 Food & Wine Tripadvisor

Dream Team Wines

 

Dream Team Selection

Some truly impressive, gorgeous wines this month. From premium South Island producers to an Aussie rosé, four classic French fine wines, and the very first English sparklers that I have ever sampled. I love my job.

Rockburn Central Otago Fumé Blanc 2022 $32
Oak ageing has added softness and complexity to this 100% sauvignon blanc. Gooseberry flavours and roasted red bell pepper. Flinty and mineral with creamy medium acids and a nudge of sweetness on the finish.
Available: Glengarry rockburn.co.nz

Penfolds Adelaide Hills Max’s Rosé 2022 $35
Light and delicate. With watermelon, raspberry, red skin apple and herbaceous passionfruit. Bone-dry.
Available: Liquorland.

Esprit Gassier Southern France Rosé 2021 $24
Very savoury and bone-dry Provence style. A blend of Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault and Rolle grapes. Slightly funky flavours of baked meat, but also cherry, strawberry, mushroom, and truffle.
Available: Dhall & Nash, Fine O Wine, blackmarket.co.nz

Domaine Tetsut Chablis Vielles Vignes 2021 $40
Fab wine. 100% lightly oaked chardonnay from the traditional Chablis region of Burgundy in France. Vielles Vignes translates as ‘old vines.’ Creamy, rich and very approachable as a young wine.  Ripe apricot and peach, with a hint of Manuka honey and a mineral, tangy long finish.
Available: Dhall & Nash, Fine O Wine, blackmarket.co.nz

Domaine Tetsut Petit Chablis 2022 $35
Restrained and elegant, compared to the Vielles Vignes. Produced from the Masalles clone of chardonnay. Mineral, crisp and yeasty with lemon citrus, fresh cut pineapple, and a hint of herbal thyme.
Available: Dhall & Nash, blackmarket.co.nz

Pegasus Bay North Canterbury Pinot Noir 2021 $57
Ripe, gorgeous and inky. Dark berry fruits, with crème de cassis and dark chocolate. Umami soy and truffle/mushroom savoury flavours, with fruitcake spicy lengthy finish.
Available: Pt Chev Organic wines, Fine O Wines, pegasusbay.com

Pegasus Bay North Canterbury Cabernet Franc 2020 $35
Another stunningly good wine from the South Island. Cab franc is normally blended into Bordeaux style reds, but it is emerging in NZ as a single variety wine. Spicy, ripe, full-bodied, and generous with plum, savoury umami, black berry fruits, medium tannins, and a lengthy finish. 
Available: vinofino.co.nz  pegasusbay.com

Pegasus Bay North Canterbury Merlot Cabernet 2020 $35
And ….other ripper from Pegasus Bay. Ripe, generous, bold and spicy. Earthy mushroom and a hint of truffle. Ripe blackberry, boysenberry, Cuban cigar, raspberry, spicy anise, black olive, and fruitcake.
Available: Fine O Wines, Pt Chev Organic wines, Caro’s blackmarket.co.nz pegasusbay.com

Digby Fine English Vintage Reserve Brut 2013 $98
From southern England. I kid thee not. Frothy mousse of fine bubbles, with delicate melon and straw, crisp lime citrus acidity and a big hit of yeasty brioche, and a creamy dry finish.  Highly recommended. Huzzah!
Available: Dhall & Nash

Charles Le Bel ‘Inspiration 1818’ Champagne NV Brut $84
Delicate and elegant dry style, with a restrained palate of poached apple, yeasty croissant, a hint of rock melon and lemon curd.
Available: Dhall & Nash

Digby Fine English Vintage Leander Pink NV Brut $98
Savoury aromas, with a hint-of-a-tad of smokiness on the palate. Strawberries & cream, and bone-dry with sour cherry, almond and yeasty tangy finish. Jolly good.
Available: Dhall & Nash

Rockburn Central Otago Tigermoth Riesling 2022 $30
A sweet dessert style at 10% alcohol. Flavours of beeswax, ginger in syrup and apricot, with a crisp lemon citrus finish. Creamy medium acids and a lengthy finish.
Available: Glengarry rockburn.co.nz

 Phil runs wine & food tours in Auckland New Zealand

 

Spring has Sprung in NZ

Okay – here we go folks.  Winter is on the wane and spring flowers are starting to appear. This week I celebrated my 67th birthdy and my late Mum always told me there were spring blossoms on the trees the day I was born.
Here's a great line-up from Aotearoa/NZ and USA. All prices in $NZD. Cheers!

Giesen ‘The August’ Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2021 $40
Oak barrel fermented, and lees aged, this is a crisp and elegant take on Marlborough sav. Medium acids and a deceptive 13% alcohol. Subtle flavours of fresh black currant, gooseberry, green tomato, and a hint of fresh cut herbs.
Available: Glengarry

Bogle Clarksburg Chenin Blanc 2021 $30
Another winner from California’s Bogle label. Flavours of spiced apple crumble, pink guava, clover honey, fresh cut pineapple and poached pear. Kind of like a muscular Vouvray chenin blanc. Tangy and complex.
Available: Dhall & Nash, Pt Chev Organic Wines, blackmarket.co.nz 

Clayvin Single Vineyard Marlborough Chardonnay 2017 $53
Elegant and suitably mature as a 6-year-old chardonnay. Medium bodied, biscuity and creamy, with toasted almond, grapefruit, lemon citrus and ripe nectarine. Crisp dry, lengthy yeasty finish.
Available: Glengarry, Caro’s finewinedelivery.co.nz

Francis Coppola Sofia Monterey County Rosé 2020 $45
Lightly blush pink in an elegant bottle. Restrained nose with a hint of toffee apple, but opens up with delicate raspberry coulis, strawberry and layers of red berry fruits in a bone-dry style.
Available: Dhall & Nash, Fine O Wine stores, blackmarket.co.nz 

Clayvin Single Vineyard Marlborough Pinot Noir 2019 $57
A premium Giesen brand from low cropping vines. Soft and savoury, medium bodied style. Tamarillo, black cherry, plum and earthy savoury mushroom with a dash of smoky lapsang souchong tea.
Available: Caro’s, thegoodwine.co.nz

Ara Resolute Organic Marlborough Pinot Noir 2021 $35
Vegan, and BioGro certified. Lean and elegant. Savoury dominant and dry, with soy and mushroom. Cranberry fruit and liquorice, plum and cigar. 
Available: www.arawines.co.nz

Bogle Clarksburg Pinot Noir 2021 $29
Medium bodied in classic Burgundian style. Dark berries, mocha coffee notes, with a nudge of umami savoury. Medium acids and tannins. Dry finish.
Available: Dhall & Nash, Pt Chev Organic Wines, Fine O Wines, blackmarket.co.nz 

Giesen Ridge Block Single Vineyard Marlborough Pinot Noir 2017 $56
Multi-awarded. Simply gorgeous. Classic Burgundian medium bodied style. Ripe, fruity and generous. Hints of cigar, spiced plum, ripe black cherry, black tea, mocha and boysenberry.  .
Available: giesen.co.nz

Francis Coppola Director’s Cut Dry Creek Valley Sonoma Zinfandel 2019 $56
Big, bold and fabulous. What one would expect from a Californian zinfandel. Especially from the director of The Godfather. Intense cassis, spiced plum, ripe black cherry, dark chocolate, fruitcake, stewed prune, and a lengthy tannic finish. 15.5% alcohol.
Available: Dhall & Nash, regionalwines.co.nz

Francis Coppola Director’s Cut Alexander Valley Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 $56
Full-bodied and ripe at 14.5%. Typical cab flavours of cassis, black olive, juicy black summer berry fruits, Ghana dark chocolate, and plum pudding. Lengthy, dusty tannic finish.
Available: Dhall & Nash

Phil operates Auckland Fine Wine & Food Tours NZ