Phil ParkerPHIL PARKER attunes his tastebuds to pass judgment on some white wines for winter drinking. Believe it, or not.
Who says cooler weather is all about red wines? Here’s a selection of totally fab white wines for the cooler weather with food match suggestions. Cheers and bon appétit!
Seifried Special Selection Nelson Gewürztraminer 2023 $20
Nudging off-dry. Soft acids and tangy yeast. Floral honeysuckle, jasmine and rosewater. Grapefruit marmalade citrus and a lengthy finish. 5 Stars.
Food match: Thai, Malaysian, and Vietnamese cuisine.
Available: Limited for 2023, but the 2024 vintage is widely available. vineonline.co.nz vinofino.co.nz
Pegasus Bay North Canterbury Riesling 2024 $30
Elegant, crisp and just off-dry style, with beeswax on the nose. Herbal sweet basil, with floral honeysuckle and jasmine. Ripe canned peach stone fruit and crisp mandarin citrus, lengthy finish. Fruit had a portion of ‘noble rot’ influence. Fab! 5 Stars.
Food match – Spicy pork dishes. Also, Thai and Japanese cuisine.
Available: pegasusbay.com
Pegasus Bay North Canterbury Sauvignon Blanc 2024 $28
Clean and crisp, light-bodied and elegant. Not the OTT typical acidic style. Fresh blackcurrant and passionfruit pulp, with hints of herbal thyme. Has a small portion of barrel-aged semillon to add extra texture and richness. 13.5% ABV, lengthy finish.
Food match: Seafood, especially fresh oysters or mussels. 5 Stars
Available: pegasusbay.com
Bourillon Dorléans Vouvray La Bourdonnerie Loire Valley France Demi-sec 2022 $30.00
Chenin Blanc is one of my favourite obscure white varieties, and Vouvray always delivers a complex, mouth-filling experience. This is a demi-sec, i.e. off-dry to medium-sweet style that smells like clover honey and pineapple juice with a whiff of funky yeast. On the palate it’s a cocktail of flavours, from fresh cut pineapple to toffee, ginger, mandarin and a hint of fennel. The finish isn’t overly sweet but lingering and slightly mineral. 5 stars.
Food Match: Slow-cooked pork winter casserole. Aperitif with cheese board, or Vietnamese cuisine. Available: Glengarry
Pegasus Bay North Canterbury ‘Aria’ Late Picked Riesling 2024 $45
And to finish… Medium sweet and citrussy. Orange marmalade, and Roses lime juice, with floral jasmine and honeysuckle. Lime sherbet crispness and a tiny bit of spritzy CO2.
Food match: Cheese board, fruit platter. 5 Stars.
Available: Caros, pegasusbay.com
