FEATURED WINES IN THIS REVIEW

• Brookfields Barrique Fermented Viognier 2019, Hawke’s Bay
  Viognier from New Zealand - Hawke's Bay

  Review Date : 13-Aug-2020

  ☆☆☆☆☆

  Bright, medium yellow-straw colour, even throughout. The bouquet is delicate and elegant, nuances of lemon sherbet, apricots, peaches, entwined with orange blossom and spices. Medium-bodied, dry, concentrated fruit aromas of apricots, peaches and lemon sherbet, along with orange zest, orange blossom, ginger spices and toasty oak lingers to a long sustained finish. The mouthfeel has a smoothly seamless flow, on a creamy and oily texture line, compliments the toasty oak and spice elements, with a lacy acid drive. The palate leads to a long finish with creamy barrel notes and stonefruit flavours. This is an elegantly crafted Viognier with flavours of stonefruit, lacy acid drive on a creamy palate. Match with pork loin and chicken over the next 5 years. Fruit from Ohiti Estate. Handpicked, whole-bunch pressed. Fermented in a mix of new and seasoned barriques to 14% alc. Aged on its lees for 10 months. 19-/20 pts Aug 2020 RRP $27
• Brookfields Bergman Chardonnay 2019, Hawke’s Bay
  Chardonnay from New Zealand - Hawke's Bay

  Review Date : 13-Aug-2020

  ☆☆☆☆☆

  Bright, medium straw-yellow, even throughout. The nose has pleasant intensity aromas of lemon, stonefruit, rockmelon, enriched by toasty barrels element, baking spices, brioche and a buttery undertone. Full-bodied, flavours of lemon, peach and rockmelon have the intensity to complement the barrel spices and creamy lees details, entwined with brioche, baking spice and butteriness. The fruit is fresh and vibrantly dancing on the palate, without being overly fruity; integrated with the oak and MLF detail harmoniously, contributed to weight and texture. This is a well-balanced Chardonnay with flavours of stonefruit and rockmelon on a rounded palate with MLF and barrels details. Match with roasted chicken and baked camembert over the next 4-6 years. Fermented in French and American oak to 13.5% alc. Aged on lees, partial MLF, total time in oak was 9 months, small portion of new oak. 18.5/20 pts Aug 2020 RRP $21
• Brookfields Vineyards Marshall Bank Chardonnay 2019, Hawke’s Bay
  Chardonnay from New Zealand - Hawke's Bay

  Review Date : 13-Aug-2020

  ☆☆☆☆☆

  Bright, light yellow with some depth, youthful, even colour throughout. The bouquet is elegant with aromas of ripe stonefruit, peaches and nectarines, along with baking spices and toasty oak details. Medium-full bodied, the palate is filled with concentrated fruit notes of peaches, nectarines, lemons, entwined with hazelnut, toasty and nutty oak details. The mouthfeel is voluminous and textural, fine phenolic and buttery creaminess flow smoothly with lively acidity balance, carries spices and nutty oak detail to a long sustained finish. This is a harmoniously balanced medium-full bodied Chardonnay with stonefruit, spice and nutty oak details. Match with roasted chicken and cheese fondue over the next 4-6 years. Fermented to 14% alc, in 50% new, 50% near new French oak barriques and aged in barrels for 10 months. 20% MLF. 18.5+/20 pts Aug 2020 RRP $37
• Brookfields Vineyards Robertson Pinot Gris 2020, Hawke’s Bay
  Pinot Gris from New Zealand - Hawke's Bay

  Review Date : 13-Aug-2020

  ☆☆☆☆☆

  Bright, very light yellow, even colour throughout. The nose is gently full with aromas of fresh nashi pear, red apple, lychee, lemon, melded with spices and mineral element. Medium-bodied, dry to taste, nuances of nashi pear, lychee, red apple compote, entwined with crunchy mineral and five-spice lingers to a long finish. There is subtle sweetness on the palate added a honey tone and gave it weight; balanced by lively acidity, flows with good energy, carries crunchy rocky mineral throughout the palate, leaves a refreshingly dry finish. This is a medium-bodied dry Pinot Gris with the richness of ripe fruit, honey, spices on a crunchy mineral texture. Match with coconut base curry and white meat over the next 3 years. Cool fermented to 13.5% alc, 4 g/l RS. Aged on its lees and weekly lees stirring. 18/20 pts Aug 2020 RRP $21
• Brookfields Hillside Syrah 2018, Hawke’s Bay
  Syrah from New Zealand - Hawke's Bay

  Review Date : 13-Aug-2020

  ☆☆☆☆☆

  Deep, dark ruby with depth, lighter on the rim with a purple hue. The nose is dense and robust with aromas of ripe plums, blackberries, red blossoms, unveiling vanilla, cedar, smoke, liquorice and a dried meat note. Full-bodied, fragrances of violet fill the palate, along with flavours of red plums, blackberries, entwined with liquorice, dried herbs, cedar, black pepper and cured meat. The fruit has good concentration and intensity, balanced by the well-structured, fine-grained, velvety tannin, leaves a clean and drying sensation. Acidity is just right, enlivened the palate with brightness and energy, flow to a long sustained flavoursome finish. This is a well-structured Syrah with flavours of red plums and blackberries, complexing oak element and varietal identity on a velvety fine-grained palate, lingers to linearity. Match with lamb shoulder, venison ribs for the next 8-10 years. Destemmed and fermented in tanks to 14% alc. Aged in mainly new French oak barriques for 17 months. 19/20 pts Aug 2020 RRP $47 
• Brookfields Reserve Cabernet Merlot 2018, Hawke’s Bay
  Blended Red from New Zealand - Hawke's Bay

  Review Date : 13-Aug-2020

  ☆☆☆☆☆

  Deep, dark red ink, lighter on edge with a rich purple hue. The bouquet is powerfully full with aromas of cassis, blackberries, plums, along with leather, herbaceous vine leaves and spices. Full-bodied, a concentrated core of fruit, cassis, blackberries and plums, along with herbs, vine leaves, melded with leather and oak element. The fruit flavours are bright and lively with good concentration. Complexing leather and oak element unveiling cedar and herbaceous notes as it aerated, interweaved with smooth, fine-grained tannin extraction. Lacy acidity is well-balanced, contributed to the harmonious integration and liveliness. This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with complexing flavours, balanced acidity and elegant structure, worthy of cellaring. Serve decanted with beef tomahawk over the next 8-10 years. 80% Cabernet Sauvignon from Ohiti Estate, 15% Merlot from the Tuki Tuki Valley and 5% Cabernet Franc from Ohiti Estate. Tank fermented to 14% alc, pressed off free-run juice, added the best pressings to the blend then aged in new French oak barrels. 19/20 pts Aug 2020 RRP $57