Wine review NZ Spring 2024

Spring sipping – wine reviews

September 14, 2024

PHIL PARKER celebrates the hint of warmer temperatures and the slow segue into summer with another selection of tasty wines.

Here’s to daffs and jonquils and cute wee lambs!

Pegasus Bay Bel Canto Dry Riesling 2023 $40
Slightly funky. Dry and mineral, with herbal thyme, beeswax, orange peel, mandarin citrus and a long complex dry flinty finish.
Available: Caroโ€™s pegasusbay.com

Whyteย  Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2023 $16
Soft and herbal, restrained and elegant. Fresh picked black currant, guava, and passionfruit, with a hint of citrus and feijoa.
Available: Dhall & Nashย  blackmarket.com

Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay 2022 $44
A tad of flinty struck match on the nose. Pear and nectarine stone fruit, raw cashew nut, a hint of spicy oak, and mandarin citrus. Flinty mineral tangy yeast finish.
Available:ย  kumeuriver.co.nzย  finewinedelivery.co.nz

Wine review NZ spring 2024Postage Stamp Ariki Waiheke Special Release Chardonnay 2020 $70
Mineral and full-bodied, from a great year for grapes. Hints of sandalwood and flinty salinity, backed up by stone fruit, lime citrus, raw almond. Bone dry, lengthy finish.ย 
Available: postagestampwines.co.nzย  Case offer $69/bottle, 6 units per case

Pegasus Bay Vergence White Mk3 NV $27
A non-vintage white blend of about 60% semillon, with sauvignon blanc, gewรผrztraminer, muscat and riesling. Grassy, herbal, and slightly sweet. A hint of toffee apple, guava, frangipani, makrut lime and grapefruit marmalade.
Available: pegasusbay.com

Valli Waitaki Vineyard North Otago Pinot Noir 2021 $84
Stunningly good wine. Definitely in my personal top ten. Velvety and full-bodied, with spiced Black Doris plum, black cherry, cassis, liquorice, grilled umami mushroom. Silky tannins segue into a lengthy memorable finish.
Available: regionalwines.co.nzย  accentonwine.co.nz

Ogier Hรฉritages Cรดtes du Rhรดne Rouge 2022 $25.00
Founded in 1859, Chateaux Ogier is located in the Chรขteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhรดne region of France. 80% unoaked. Syrah Mourvรจdre dominant. This is a good value blended red. Black cherry, Black Doris plum, cassis, violet florals, and Cuban cigar. Hints of black pepper, juniper and spicy oak. Drink now style.
Available: Farro Fresh, Dhall & Nashย  blackmarket.com

Pegasus Bay Vergence Red Mk3 NV $40
A totally fab non-vintage red from Pegasus Bay. Predominantly pinot noir with 5% malbec. Ripe black berry fruits, with cherry, cassis, Christmas cake spices and a gorgeous soft medium mouthfeel. Aged in French oak for about 16 months. Soft tannins and an umami savoury long finish.
Available: pegasusbay.com

Postage Stamp Camino Tempranillo Waiheke Island 2021 $57
Spicy, tannic, and full-bodied. Has spent 15% in new American Oak, thereafter in old American oak barrels. Deep purple and dark, with intense flavours of cassis, Christmas cake spices, blackberry summer fruit and some herbal notes. Bone dry, smoky, tannic, oaky, lengthy finish.
Available: postagestampwines.co.nz

Wine review Spring NZ 2024Pegasus Bay Aria Late Picked Riesling 2023 $45
Lots going on โ€“ intense honeysuckle, raisin, apricot jam, marmalade and mandarin citrus. Segues into an off-dry, lengthy finish.
Available: pegasusbay.com

Pegasus Bay Finale Noble Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 375ml 2021 $34
Definitely a dessert style, but a deceptive 13.5% ABV. A kaleidoscope of luscious flavours including fresh-cut pineapple, canned pink guava, apricot jam, quince paste and ginger in syrup with a hint of grassy herbs.
Available: Herne Bay Cellars pegasusbay.com

 

Avatar photo

Originally a physiotherapist, Phil's fascination with the fermented grape juice led to the launch of his wine tour company Auckland Fine Wine & Food Tours at the turn of the century. A seasoned and well-respected wine writer, Phil's oenophilia led to the publication of his wine region guide to New Zealand, The Mad Keen Wine Buff's Road Trip (Random House).

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Give a little to support Witchdoctor's quest to save high quality independent journalism. It's easy and painless! Just donate $5 or $10 to our PressPatron account by clicking on the button below.

Witchdoctor straight to your inbox every 2nd week

Authors

Panasonic Fire TV Be Mesmerised with next gen AI TV
Advance Paris - Designed with French flair. Amplifiers, Streamers, CD players and more www.pqimports.co.nz
Previous Story

Stuck between rock and a hi-fi space

Technics_SL1300G_turntable
Next Story

Audiophile-grade Technics SL-1300G turntable ups the ante

Latest from Food & Drink

Crafty Corner: winter hops

ASHTON BROWN proves that hops put a spring in your step even in the depths of winter by supping on crazy, hazy and even

Korero Te Reo

PHIL PARKER is all for embracing diversity, especially when it comes to wine varieties from all over the world.
Go toTop