Rapaura Springs Reserve Pinot Noir
Rapaura Springs have turned plenty of heads with their current releases - the Reserve Pinot Noir is little short of jaw dropping. Drinking beautifully now expect a nose that's ripe, plush and jammed full of seductive fruit and spice smells, while textbook silky mouth-feel leads to a long fine finish. Drink it with five spice duck and rice.
Mount Difficulty Roaring Meg Pinot Noir
This wine highlights the slightly cooler season with lovely perfumed dark red forest berries and cherry fruits along with a hint of dried herb, adding complexity. The wine has a sweet berry entry which displays these same characters in abundance. Lovely ripe textural tannins rise gracefully out of the mid-palate to finish the wine. These are balanced by the wines acidity and fruit, to produce a long fruit-driven finish.
Deviation Road Pinot Gris
Deviation Road Winery produces exciting cool climate wines and this one is a stunner. Partial barrel fermentation has added texture and depth to the sweet floral and pear characters. Silky body, mouth-filling and balanced.
Scorpo Bestia Pinot Grigio on Skins
Attractive coppery pink in the glass. The nose has notes of musk, candied orange peel, fresh blood orange, sour cherry, fresh herbs and a slight Campari twist. Bitter-edged on the palate with that blood orange note, with musky pear, peach and strawberry fruit. It has a soft phenolic texture along with zesty tannins that add a pleasant grip. Finishes dry, clean and tangy. Engaging and moreish, with impressive finesse for this style of wine, and with a good volume of fresh fruit to balance the phenolic and savoury skinsy elements.
Field of Stones Sauvignon Blanc
Forrest Estate now have vineyards in premium Otago and Gimlett Gravels but grapes for Field of Stones Sauvignon are pure Marlborough, grown on the very stony soil adjacent to the Forrest winery, hence the name ‘Field of Stones’. The fruit is harvested in the cool of the night and early morning to maximise the mineral freshness and the lemon thyme, elderflower and guava flavours. Bring on the seafood platter!
Novum Chardonnay
Small-batch Chardonnay from Marlborough negociants Novum. Stonefruit, cream and mineral on the nose. Flintiness meets fruit on the palate, making for a distinctive medium-bodied wine. An appealingly long finish shows this to be a top tier Chardonnay. Novum use small parcels of fruit from specially selected sites on established Marlborough vineyards to craft the best wines and expressions of terroir possible. Their first vintage arrived in 2016. Novums primary focus is on Syrah, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Quartz Reef Methode Traditionelle Brut
Vibrant, crisp green apple, pear and peach flavours are accented by notes of lemon zest, toasted biscuit, honeycomb and dried white flowers. Finishes with a refreshing jolt of acidity. Drink now
Nanny Goat Vineyard Pinot Noir
Nanny Goat Vineyard is the clear leader of the pack when it comes to affordable Central Otago Pinot Noir. Made in a fruit forward style with mounds of fresh berry fruit and intense lifted perfume notes of violet and blueberry. Still medium-bodied on the palate with soft, powdery tannin, this is a Pinot for the moment.
Amisfield Pinot Gris
This exceptional Pinot Gris from Amisfield shows pronounced aromatics of roasting quince, bees wax and orange blossom. The palate is broad, complex, rich and textured while remaining elegant, with a dry finish.
Nanny Goat Chardonnay
A core of yellow stone fruit, orange blossom and lemongrass surrounded by subtle savoury nutty notes.