Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc
A relatively new name but Dog Point's owners have years of experience in Marlborough and this label is much sought after. This release is beautifully textured rich and delicious.
Carillion The Crystals Chardonnay
Glowing green gold in colour, Carillion The Crystals Chardonnay displays aromas of lean fig and pineapple with a subtle layer of grilled cashew. Lean mineral complexity leads into fresh lime and grapefruit held up with hints of vanilla from quality French oak. Perfect for a summer picnic.
Capital Wines The Senator Chardonnay
A perfect example why chardonnay has been one of Australia's most popular whites. This is a beautiful expression of the exquisite cool climate fruit from the Kyeema Vineyard. Peach and melon with good length.
Craggy Range Avery Sauvignon Blanc
Craggy Range Avery Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc is a true star in the field of New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. This is a wine with quite brilliant structure consisting of a fine line of acid and great minerality. Flavour notes of herbs, wet slate and gooseberry to give some varietal lift.
Kumeu River Village Chardonnay
Under the winemaking direction of Michael Brajkovich, MW, the village label is the first tier in the Kumeu River portfolio. From vineyards around the Kumeu area, it is a wild yeast ferment Chardonnay with 100% whole bunch pressing and malo. One third is barrel fermented and the whole package seeks to highlight the white peach and flintiness that makes the area famous.
Simonnet-Febvre Chablis
Simonnet-Febvre has a dedication to quality Chardonnay that is unsurpassed in the Chablis region. Old vines are entrenched in limestone soil that produce some of the most evocative examples available. Clean, zesty citrus lines of flavour all surrounded by the unmistakable line of acid so prevalent in this classically styled wines. Superb!
Leeuwin Estate Prelude Chardonnay
An elegant, vibrant and fragrant nose with lemon, lime and pear in the foreground. Notes of peach blossom and subtle jasmine create lift and combines with cardamom pod, almond meal and roasted cashew. The palate has immense purity, with power and persistence. Lime and lemon pith define the palate, which carries through to a delicately layered middle, threaded with a fine mineral spine. Sesame seed and blanched almonds enhance complexity, finishing with a sparkling acid structure. This wine has energy in its youth, and will build texture with cellaring.
Forrest The Doctors' Marlborough Rose
Dr Forrest and his wife Brigid (also a doctor) use techniques in the vineyard to allow the grapes to obtain maximum flavour, but keep sugar (and therefore alcohol) levels down. No fancy winery or laboratory tricks – just some very clever canopy management and timing as to when they pick. This delicious lower alcohol (9.5%) Rosé melds Pinot Noir with the white grape Arneis to create a delightfully fresh and lively pink, bursting with fresh strawberries, ripe red cherry, and just a hint of aromatic herbs like sage and thyme.
Greywacke Pinot Gris
An exotic Middle-Eastern mélange of poached quinces, sticky dates and tree-ripened figs, laced with vanilla bean, cardamom and hints of black licorice. This is a ripe, opulent expression of the pinot gris grape in a voluptuous off-dry style that has considerable concentration and a long, luscious finish. The three clones were hand-picked separately at high ripeness levels and whole-bunch pressed using very low maceration press cycles. The resulting juice was cold settled, then racked to fermentation vessels. Most of the juice went through a natural indigenous yeast fermentation in old French oak barriques and the balance was fermented in stainless steel tanks using cultured yeast. Towards the end of fermentation all the wine was transferred to stainless steel tanks where the fermentations were stopped, retaining 10 g/l residual sugar. The wine then spent a year on yeast lees (seven months in old barrels and the remaining time in stainless steel tanks) prior to blending and bottling. Kevin Judd is one of Marlboroughs pioneer winemakers whose career is intrinsically linked with the global profile of New Zealand wine. Kevin was born in England and grew up in Australia, where he studied winemaking at Roseworthy College and first made wine at Reynella in South Australia. He moved to New Zealand in 1983 and joined Selaks Wines. Subsequently, he became the founding winemaker at Cloudy Bay, a pivotal role during which he directed the companys first 25 vintages. In 2009 he established his own label, Greywacke, named after New Zealands prolific bedrock. The Name: New Zealand does not have a designated national rock, but if one was ever chosen it would have to be greywacke (pron: grey-wacky). This drab grey stone is found everywhere in New Zealand on the mountains, in the rivers, on the beaches. It consists of layers of hard, muddy grey sandstone alternating with thinner layers of darker mudstone (argillite). Technically the term greywacke refers to the sandstone (wacke is a German name for a type of sandstone), but it is also used as a general term for the entire rock.
Louis Latour Mâcon-Villages Chameroy
Sourced from neighouring vineyards in the Maconnaise area Burgundy, Latour produces a vibrant and zesty French Chardonnay without the hedonistic price tag. The flavours are mouthfilling and lingering and clean acidity rounds out the finish - a perfect seafood wine.