Rose from New Zealand – Hawke’s Bay    17.5-/20
Bright, pale cerise-pink colour with some depth and slight
purple hues, lighter on the edge. The nose
is fresh, bright and fragrant with aromas of strawberries and cream and
raspberries, along with lifted red florals and a subtle thread of confectionary
and fermentation esters that unfold with aeration. Dry to taste and light-medium bodied, the
palate has a slender heart with elegantly concentrated flavours of strawberries
and cream, raspberries and cherries, along with lifted confectionary. The wine flows along a light,
phenolic-textured, thirst-quenching line with fresh, lacy acidity providing
energy, leading to a lingering finish of cherries and confectionary. This dry rosé has an aromatic bouquet with a slender presentation
on palate with strawberries and cream, raspberries and cherries on a
thirst-quenching palate. Serve with
antipasto over the next 2 years. Hawke’s
Bay fruit, 88% Syrah with Merlot and Tempranillo, direct to press and
cool-fermented to 12.5% alc. and 5.75 g/L RS.
17.5-/20 Aug 2018 RRP $13.99
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Pinot Gris from New Zealand – Marlborough    17/20
Bright, light straw-yellow colour, a little lighter on the
edge. The nose is full with a rounded
core of white and yellow stonefruits, and lifted stonefruit kernels, melded
with nutty lees notes. This has depth
and presence, revealing mineral elements that build in depth. The mineral notes lend a degree of firmness
and austerity. Dry to taste and
medium-full bodied, the palate has good weight and presence, but the wine is
somewhat restrained in expression, showing integrated flavours of stonefruits, soft
nutty and minerally lees elements. The
palate is harmonious in construction and unfolds a little unctuousness, as the
wine carries along a light-textured line with balanced, fresh acidity. This dry Pinot Gris has a firm nose but an
integrated and harmonious palate with stonefruit, nutty and minerally lees
notes. Serve with poultry and pork over
the next 3 years. Fruit from the company’s
Blind River, Awatere vineyard, cool-fermented in stainless-steel to 13.1% alc.
and 7 g/L RS, the wine aged on lees. 17.0/20 Aug 2018
RRP $13.99
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Chardonnay from New Zealand – Hawke’s Bay    17/20
Full, even, light golden-hued yellow colour, paler on the
rim. The nose is full and voluminous
with deep aromas of white stonefruits harmoniously melded with a layer of nutty
notes with hints of flinty minerals, unfolding a little smoke. The aromatics retain good freshness. Medium-bodied, the palate has an elegantly
concentrated core of white stonefruits along with nutty notes and subtle flinty
and minerally complexities. The flavours
are up-front and gently mouthfilling. As
the wine flows, the flavours become more slender, and carry on a smooth palate
with fresh acidity, leading to a crisp, clean finish. This is a fresh, clean, up-front Chardonnay with
stonefruit, nutty and flinty flavours that carry to a slender finish. Match with most white meat courses over the
next 3 years. Hawke’s Bay fruit,
predominantly Mendoza and clone 15, fermented to 13.1% alc., the wine given light
oak contact, spending 6 months on lees without MLF. 17.0/20
Aug 2018 RRP $13.99
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Syrah from New Zealand – Hawke’s Bay    16+/20
Dark, deep ruby-red colour with slight black hues, lighter
on the rim. The nose is elegant and
fresh in expression with light aromas of dark-red berry fruit entwined with
white pepper and subtle notes of violet florals along with fresh and dark
herbs. Medium-bodied, the palate has an
elegant and fine core of red berries, redcurrants and plums intermixed with
white pepper, subtle notes of red florals, with fresh and dark herbs. The fruit is in the cooler spectrum. The flavours form an easy flowing line with
light, grainy tannins and balanced acidity lending some dry grip. The textures carry the wine to a light and
slender finish. This is a light Syrah
with cool-spectrum red cherry and berry fruit with white pepper and herbs on a
grainy-textured palate. Serve with pasta
and pizza, and Mediterranean fare over the next 2-3 years. Syrah fruit from inland sites including the
Gimblett Gravels, destemmed and fermented to 12.4% alc., the wine aged in tank
with oak stave contact. 16.0+/20 Aug 2018
RRP $13.99
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Cabernet Sauvignon from New Zealand – Hawke’s Bay    16.5-/20
Very dark, deep, near impenetrable black-red colour with
slight purple hues at the rim. This has
an elegantly packed nose with aromas of blackcurrants, dark herbs, a little cassis
with notes of olives and mint. The
aromatics form a firm core with the aromatics in the cool-spectrum. Medium-full bodied, the palate has a
concentrated and dense core of blackcurrants and blackberries, with cassis
elements, and fresh and dark herbs. A little
earthiness emerges. The mouthfeel has
grainy textures with the extraction and grip underlining the fruit. Fresh acidity lends energy and zestiness, and
the wine carries to a finish with hints of stems and stalks to the currant and
herb flavours. This is a cool-spectrum
Cabernet Sauvignon with blackcurrant, herb, stalk and stem notes on a grainy,
extractive palate. Match with
herb-marinated lamb and beef dishes over the next 3 years. Hawke’s Bay Cabernet Sauvignon fruit, 22% from
the Gimblett Gravels, fermented to 13.2% alc., the wine aged 56% in tank and
44% in barrel for 18 months. 16.5-/20 Aug 2018
RRP $13.99
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Sweet Wine from New Zealand – Hawke’s Bay    17+/20
Brilliant, light golden-hued straw-yellow colour with lemon
tints. The nose is elegant and firm with
a core of fragrant lime fruit intermixed with subtle notes of honeysuckle and
musk, unfolding refreshing herbal nuances, with a suggestion of minerals. Sweet to taste and light-medium bodied, the
palate is a little restrained, but possesses a lusciously honied core with lime
and lemon fruit, with notes of apricots and musk. The fruit core is underlined by some phenolic
textures with soft acidity balancing the sweetness with a light grip. The flavours carry to a long and sustained
finish. This is a sweet Late-Harvest
Riesling with citrus fruit along with musky botrytis on a slightly grainy,
phenolic palate with good length. Serve
with fruit desserts over the next 3+ years.
Late-picked Riesling fruit with some botrytis, from the Ohiti Road
vineyard blended with 2% late-harvested Viognier, fermented to 10.8% alc. and
90 g/L RS, TA 801 g/L and pH 3.25. (375
ml) 17.0+/20 Aug 2018
RRP $13.99
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