New Zealand Wine Review – Cloudy Bay Pelorus (Methode Traditionelle)

Aroma: Croissants with butter and jam.

Color: Lemon yellow.

Body: Very light and even bubbles were large and quite unenthusiastic. A bit of a quiet Sunday on the motorway.

Taste: Sharp lemon and apple.

Cost: $29 from Karori Road Bottle Store

Quality rating: 2

Value rating: 2

Final words: A little disappointing. Expected more from this wine.

New Zealand Wine Review – Daniel Le Brun Methode Traditionelle 2008

Aroma: Fruit cake and brown sugar.

Color: Tawny gold.

Body: Light with streaming effervescent chains of small even bubbles.

Taste: Buttery and sweet like shortbread.

Cost: $39 from Karori Road Bottle Store

Quality rating: 3

Value rating: 3

Final words: Very lively, perfect for pre-dinner drinks on a sunny afternoon.

New Zealand Wine Review – Sacred Hill, Marlborough, Pinot Noir 2013

Aroma: Musty spiced cardamon and late season dark cherries.

Color: Rusty red.

Body: Thin and jagged.

Taste: Stringent and savory. Lean meat and zucchini. Braeburn apples and dark chocolate later.

Cost: $15.

Quality: 2.

Value: 4.

Final words: A pretty good quaffing wine.

New Zealand Wine Review – Dry River, Martinborough, Pinot Noir 2011

Last night my other half decided to play a trick on me by decanting one of my beloved Dry River Pinot Noir's for a blind tasting. My first thought was that it was too young. I hoped it might blossom over drinking time but it didn't. All I got was straw and grass with just a few tantalizing hints of the deep complex flavors I love in these wines.

Aroma: Sharp, green vines, too young.

Color: Cherry red. Dark opaque.

Body: Slow and thick with rocky peaks.

Taste: Oak polish. Tart cranberry and almond .

Cost: $45-60 by mail order.

Quality rating: no rating.

Value rating: no rating.

Final words: Too soon to be drinking it.

New Zealand Wine Review – Craggy Range Gimblet Gravels Te Kahu, Hawke's Bay, Merlot/Cab Franc/Cab Sav/Malbec 2011

Aroma: Sugary sweet aroma of berries and marshmallow.

Color: Dark and dense magenta and purples.

Body: Medium bodied. Soft and round.

Taste: Front-of tongue. Cherries, walnuts and apples. Nutmeg and blackberries later.

Cost: $NZD24 from the Glengarrys.

Quality rating: 3/5

Value rating: 4/5

Final words: Interesting and enjoyable for a good price.

New Zealand Wine Review – Mission Estate, Hawke's Bay, Gewurztraminer 2013

Food match: Turkey Sandwich on home-made bread.

Aroma: Fresh citrus and Grapefruit. Floral and lavender notes.

Color: Slightly murky and dull lemon yellow.

Body: Light-bodied but a bit cloying.

Taste: Initial flavors of olive oil, quite acidic and bitter. Became more delicate with floral blooms over drinking time.

Cost: $NZD14 from Pak 'n' Save Kilbirnie

Quality rating: 2/5

Value rating: 3/5

Final words: Pleasant enough for cheap drop. Made me think of clean sheets on the washing line.

New Zealand Wine Review - Rapara Springs, Central Otago, Pinot Noir 2011

Food match: Slow cooked chilli pork and cannellini beans with home made bread and sour cream.

Aroma: Great smell of fresh straw and raspberries with hints of spice.

Color: The color was excellent, clear and starry with ruby-red edges and a deep garnet middle.

Body: Light and clear like a Pinot Noir should be.

Taste: Initially sharp and refreshing flavours, cooling against the chilli pork. Cherry and raspberry and strong acidity on the middle-tongue.

Cost: $NZD23 from Pak 'n' Save Kilbirnie

Quality rating: 3/5

Value rating: 4/5

Final words: A really good wine at a good price. Made me think of velvet curtains, warm quilts and swimming in Cancun. Would definitely buy it and drink it again.

Oyster Bay Marlborough Pinot Noir 2013

Aroma: Sweet and summery. Raspberry and cinnamon.

Color: Hints of apricot and strawberry. Light and clear with a crystal sheen.

Body: Very light.

Taste: Sweet berries and icing sugar. Very nice.

Cost: $20 from Pak n Save.

Quality rating: 3.5

Value rating: 4.5

Final words: Lovely and soft. Like marshmallows.  

Cross Roads Talisman, Hawke's Bay, Secret Blend 2007

Food match: Chocolate Brownie and ice cream.

Aroma: Vanilla and wood smoke. Cranberry and almond notes.

Color: Deep boysenberry purple.

Body: Medium bodied. Quite thick, almost bloody.

Taste: Initial taste was soft and dry. Slight acidity. Apple and cinnamon flavours. Very smooth.

Cost: $NZD40 from the cellar.

Quality rating: 3.5/5

Value rating: 2.5/5

Final words: Definitely a very nice drop but quite expensive.

Montana South Island Pinot Noir 2013

Food match: Pan-fried salmon and chips.

Aroma: Very faint aroma of dried cranberries.

Color: Rusty red with dark, orange hints.

Body: Medium.

Taste: Very watery savory taste with peppers and spice.

Cost: $15 from Pak n Save (? not sure)

Quality rating: 2.5

Value rating: 4

Final words: Very drinkable. Inoffensive.  

Alana Estate Martinborough Rapture Pinot Noir 2010

Aroma: Sweet raspberries and cherries.

Color: Very light and clear rub red.

Body: Medium with very even film.

Taste: Very complex flavours. Berries, cherries, sultanas and smoke with hints of Italian herbs and vanilla.

Cost: $30 from cellar door (approx)

Quality rating: 3.5

Value rating: 3

Final words: Quite expensive but lives up to the title of rapture for me.  

New Zealand Wine Review – Waitiri Creek, Central Otago, Chardonnay 2003

Food match: Seafood jumbalaya.

Aroma: Very strong aroma. Raisins and sugar. A nasal assault.

Color: Deep yellow brown.

Body: Thick and jagged.

Taste: Classic Chardonnay flavours. Toast and old socks with sultanas and musk. Sugars came through over time.

Cost: found it at the back of a cupboard.

Quality rating: 3

Value rating: ?

Final words: This Chardonnay has held up surprisingly well for it's years.

New Zealand Wine Review – Villa Maria, Marlborough, Pinot Noir 2012

Food match: Lamb chops with boiled potatoes, peas and butter.

Aroma: Almost no discernible odour on first pour. Faint musty, stewed plum scent evolved over drinking time.

Color: Very dark claret. Quite murky.

Body: Medium bodied, heavier than expected.

Taste: Strong taste of alcohol. Chilli flavours. Bitter in the nose and the back of throat.

Cost: $NZD12 from Pak 'n' Save Kilbirnie

Quality rating: 1.5/5

Value rating: 3/5

Final words: This ANZ Silver Medal Winner had a sharp, sand paper quality. Okay for a cheap drop.

New Zealand Wine Review – Ara Single Estate, Marlborough, Pinot Gris 2013

Food match: Spaghetti Bolognese

Aroma: Sweet mandarins and honey.

Color: Apricot blonde.

Body: Medium light, even.

Taste: Honey and green pepper.

Cost: $NZD20 from Pak 'n' Save Kilbirnie

Quality rating: 3/5

Value rating: 2/5

Final words: A nice wine but overpriced.

New Zealand Wine Review – Coopers Creek, Marlborough, Reisling 2013

Food match: Asian beef stir-fry.

Aroma: Lemons.

Color: Transluscent, nearly clear, slight apricot tinge.

Body: Deceptively light.

Taste: Clean and light, green apples.

Cost: $NZD15 from Pak 'n' Save Kilbirnie

Quality rating: 3/5

Value rating: 4/5

Final words: A good buy for the price, probably better with seafood.

New Zealand Wine Review – Mondillo, Central Otago, Pinot Noir 2012

Aroma: Smokey bacon.

Color: Deep purple. Blackberry juice. A little murky.

Body: Medium body. Very ripe. No legs.

Taste: Smooth and strong. Wasabi and oranges.

Cost: $NZD25 from the Pak N Save.

Quality rating: 3/5

Value rating: 3/5

Final words: Very slick but not memorable.

New Zealand Wine Review – Mission Estate Winery Gimblett Gravels Reserve, Hawke's Bay, Syrah 2012

Aroma: Raspberries, vanilla and cinnamon.

Food match: Pan-fried duck breast with plum sauce and boiled baby potatoes.

Color: intense and inky black red.

Body: very thick and clingy.

Taste: tobacco and wasabi, fine cigars, blackberries.

Cost: $NZD29 Pak 'n' Save, Kilbirnie.

Quality rating: 3/5

Value rating: 3/5

 

Final words: very satisfying full bodied red.

New Zealand Wine Review – Allan Scott, Marlborough, Reisling 2013

Aroma: tangy lime and lavendar.

Color: clear summer lemon.

Body: medium light with an even film and no legs.

Taste: sweet and substuntial, winter oranges, dried apricots and a suprising musk.

Cost: $NZD16 Pak 'n' Save, Kilbirnie.

Quality rating: 3/5

Value rating: 4/5

Final words: this one's for lovers of sweet wines.

New Zealand Wine Review – Toi Toi, Central Otago, Pinot Noir 2013

Aroma: savoury Italian herbs, oregano and thyme.

Color: ruby red, shiny like costume jewellery.

Taste: spicy, capsicum and paprika. Hot.

Cost: $NZD19 Pak 'n' Save, Kilbirnie.

Quality rating: 3/5

Value rating: 4/5

Final words: very enjoyable, a good match for spicy food.

New Zealand Wine Review – Pencarrow, Martinborough, Pinot Noir 2011

Food match: Asian Pork Stir-Fry

Aroma: cigars, vinegar and cinnamon.

Color: cloudy garnets.

Body: medium-light.

Taste: sharp with apples and blackberries.

Cost: $NZD20 (approx) from cellar door.

Quality rating: 2/5

Value rating: 3/5

Final words: a nice easy drinking wine.

New Zealand Wine Review – Poppies, Martinborough, Pinot Noir 2012

Aroma: light strawberries.

Color: dark russet red, murky.

Taste: sharp, unripe cherry, high acidity, more sugar by the second glass.

Cost: $NZD30 (approx) from cellar door.

Quality rating: 2/5

Value rating: 2/5

Final words: I remember loving this on the day, now it seems over priced, has pedigree so may mature over time.

New Zealand Wine Review – Mission Estate Winery Gimblett Gravels Reserve, Hawke's Bay, Cabernet Merlot 2012

Aroma: spicy, dense fruit and boysonberry.

Color: russet red, deep and murky, a little oily.

Body: medium-light, no legs.

Taste: tart berries, hint of vanilla and plenty of back palette.

Cost: $NZD19 from Pak 'n' Save Kilbirnie, Wellington.

Quality rating: 2/5

Value rating: 2/5

Final words: nothing to write home about here.

New Zealand Wine Review – Mission Estate Winery, Hawke's Bay, Reisling 2013

Aroma: honey, icing sugar and sweet peach.

Color: deep, warm golden amber. Nice and clear.

Taste: Sweet grapefruit, lychees and lemons.

Cost: $NZD15 from Pak 'n' Save Kilbirnie, Wellington.

Quality rating: 3/5

Value rating: 4/5

Final words: well priced and enjoyable.