Category Archives: New Zealand

Deutz Marlborough Cuvée Brut NV

The old, trusty Deutz NV. Widely available for around the twenty-dollar mark and a crowd-pleaser at heart. 60% Chardonnay, 34% Pinot Noir and 6% Pinot Meunier with three years spent on lees. Typical house-style honeyed nut richness and autolysis derived depth … Continue reading

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2013 Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc

The last in a bracket of sub-twenty dollar Sauvignon Blanc reviews. I hope you’re all finding this as riveting as me. Tomorrow I’ll get to the new release Oakridge Chardonnays and Pinots but you need time to do them justice … Continue reading

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2013 3 Tales Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

Imported by De Bortoli wines. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em I guess. Faint aromatics, dilute palate. Passionfruit, capsicum and herbs. The usual suspects. No real length. Dry enough (3g/l rs). If you want to drink Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc … Continue reading

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2012 Church Road Hawke’s Bay Grand Reserve Chardonnay

The golden-yellow glow gives the game away as much as the ‘Grand Reserve’ moniker. Big-time winemaker input and a very showy result. 40% new oak, total malo and lots of lees work. The fruit is of a higher standard than … Continue reading

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2012 Church Road Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay

A creamy and slightly bulbous offering that sees 30% new French and Hungarian oak, wild fermentation (100% malolactic) and significant battonage. You have to be in the mood or like the style. A plate of something creamy and rich wouldn’t go … Continue reading

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2012 Drake Te Muna Martinborough Pinot Noir

A more overtly challenging Pinot Noir than the 2012 Drake Samson from the Yarra Valley although it is primarily destemmed. It opens with a flood of almost liqueur-like sweet raspberries before it settles down into a general red-fruited mode with … Continue reading

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2012 Mud House South Island Pinot Gris

A sweet, innocuous and pedestrian New Zealand Pinot Gris. Which probably means many will like it. Sherbet, stewed pears, sugar solution and the like. Lime candy and baking spice is as much complexity as it can muster. Has some length. … Continue reading

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2012 Waipara Hills Pinot Noir

This is a nifty little Pinot Noir for the price. I’d be happy to drink a couple of glasses just about anytime and the price is right. Light-bodied and vital. Red cherries/berries, refreshing acidity, cola, wild herbs and black spice. … Continue reading

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2010 Main Divide Pinot Noir

The second label of Pegasus Bay and quite a step down in quality. It’s still a good wine if not one that suits my stylistic bent. Malteser oak, dark cherries and plums. Very ripe fruit matched to bubbly acidity that sits slightly … Continue reading

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2010 Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir

One of my favourite New Zealand Pinots year in, year out and the 2010 does not disappoint. Matured in French barriques for 18 months but the high-grade wood still doesn’t outshine the fruit. A depth of morello cherries on the nose … Continue reading

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