New Zealand Wine Review – Church Road McDonald Series, Hawke's Bay, Syrah, 2015

Aroma: Strong caustic aroma. Plenty of cut grass. Earth and pepper spice.
Color: Inky opaque crimson. Solid and wide eyed.
Consistency: A nice round rim with good legs that evaporated quickly.
Taste: quite soft and tingly. A bit of balsamic, clove and raspberry. 
Cost: $NZ 25
Quality rating: 7/10
Value rating: 8/10
Final words: Not usually a fan of Syrah, especially on a warm day yet this was perfect with our Venison and Beetroot Salad. Would buy again.

New Zealand Wine Review – Poppies, Martinborough, Pinot Noir, 2014

Aroma: Initially very sweet, plum jam. Settled in the glass to become ticklish with pepper, pine and Asian spice.
Color: Light and slightly tawny. Nice and clear.
Consistency: slow and soft with sticky tear drops and straight legs.
Taste: soft and smooth, tart cherries and plums, green capsicum and habaneros.
Cost: $NZ 45 (we think - cellar door a while ago)
Quality rating: 8/10
Value rating: 8/10
Final words: very nice drop, went well with a steak on a hot hot summer day.

New Zealand Wine Review – Te Mata Estate, Hawke's Bay, Bull Nose Syrah, 2015

Aroma: dry earth and wood chips, a little minty
Color: dark and dramatic, blackberry ink
Consistency: lovely round curves with slow motion gelatinous gloopy legs
Taste: dry spice and wood, mouth tingling and fresh
Cost: $NZ 40 (on special)
Quality rating: 8/10
Value rating: 10/10
Final words: total bargain at the price. This felt like a $100 wine.

New Zealand Wine Review – Selaks, Hawke's Bay, Founders Limited Edition Pinot Gris, 2015

Aroma: Grapefruit, lavender and rose
Color: light and bright shiny yellow
Consistency: Slow evaporation no legs or run
Taste: waxy sweet and tart lemon and soap
Cost: $NZ 26
Quality rating: 5/10
Final words: rather average may need time

New Zealand Wine Review – Craggy Range, Hawke's Bay, Syrah, 2013

Aroma: Peppered vegetable
Color: Rich dark burgundy. glossy and virile
Consistency: soft and slow
Taste: Peppery and meaty savory herbs and rich winter fruit
Cost: $NZ 30
Quality rating: 8/10
Final words: Smooth and subtle strong but very drinkable

New Zealand Wine Review – Church Road McDonald's Series, Hawke's Bay, Pinot Gris, 2015

Aroma: Sweet Ripe stone fruit
Color: gold and glowing
Consistency: long fat first legs then craggy
Taste: front of tongue and mouth very sweet apricot and almond biscuit
Cost: $NZ 20
Quality rating: 6/10
Value rating: 3/10
Final words: overly sweet and lacked finesse, good for the Bogan party but there are better cheaper options available

New Zealand Wine Review – Church Road, Grand Reserve Syrah, 2014

Aroma: punchy plums and berry, spicy and bold
Color: inky royal blood purple
Consistency: languid and smooth evaporating to nothing
Taste: complex fruity and deep and warm. Berries,  herbs and grasses and wild game
Cost: $NZ 30
Quality rating: 8/10
Value rating: 9/10
Final words: yum. I liked this a lot.

New Zealand Wine Review – Rockburn, Otago, Pinot Noir, 2014

Aroma: savory beef, oregano and olive
Color: a tawny burgundy, clear and glowing
Consistency: a slow even melt
Taste: sharp top of mouth, fruity and herbaceous
Cost: $NZ 38
Value rating: 5/10
Quality rating: 7/10
Final words: A very nice drop, is it worth the price ...?

New Zealand Wine Review – Kura, Hawke's Bay, Syrah, 2011

Aroma: sherry and mushrooms
Color: light burgundy clear and unremarkable
Consistency: a light unmoving rim
Taste: front of mouth, rice wine, old zucchini
Cost: $NZ 12.99
Quality rating: 4/10
Value rating: 6/10
Final words: didn't enjoy it myself, if it has improved with age it must have been pretty bad to begin with.

New Zealand Wine Review – Babich, Hawke's Bay, Syrah, 2015

Aroma: grassy and acidic
Color: dark purple and garnet
Consistency: light and slender legs
Taste: sharp and grassy with chocolate minty tips
Cost: $NZ14
Quality rating: 6
Value rating: 8
Final words: bouncy and confronting but suprisingly enjoyable.

New Zealand Wine Review – The Admiral Reserve Estate, Central Otago, Pinot Noir, 2013

Aroma: woody and toasty coriander grass and bark potato chips
Color: Purple black, very dark, opaque
Consistency: a light round rim with no legs
Taste: font of mouth earth herbs, mushrooms and dark greens
Cost: $NZ 24
Quality rating: 7/10
Value rating: 8/10
Fnal words: Not a traditional Pinot Noir but I liked it a lot. Well worth the price and the calories

New Zealand Wine Review – Te Kairanga, Martinborough, Riesling, 2014

Aroma: Lots of oil and citrus
Color: Very light, translucent with olive hints
Consistency: A jagged but generally even fall
Taste: Sharp and fruity - deep and lively
Cost: $NZ
Quality rating: 7/10
Final words: Deceptively watery, wily and strong.

New Zealand Wine Review – Te Mata, Hawke's Bay, Chardonnay, 2015

Aroma: Chloroform, straight and sleep
Color: brilliant yellow gold and diamonds, very flashy
Consistency: Slow and round but inaccuracies
Taste: smoke toast and sicks
Cost: $NZ
Quality rating: 7/10
Final words: love it

New Zealand Wine Review – Church Road, Hawke's Bay, Grand Reserve Chardonnay, 2014

Aroma: mild and oaky
Color: glossy lime gold, clear and glowing
Consistency: slow jagged hills
Taste: lime and pear with subtle oak
Cost: $NZ30
Quality rating: 7/10
Value rating 8/10
Final words: I was a little fluey when I tried this but even so found it remarkably pleasant and would definitely try it again

New Zealand Wine Review – The Regent of Tatallon, Hawke's Bay, Merlot/Cabernet limited edition, 2009

Aroma: Rust and tobacco. Metrosexual.
Color: tawny and dark autumnal russets, a little dull
Consistency: persistent hill, yawnful slow legs
Taste: surprisingly sweet, strong back of throat and tip of tongue, spicy plum
Cost: $NZ 25
Quality rating: 4/5
Final words: Pleasant enough but I think it's overpriced. The shopper in the family tells me I need to go to the wine shop more often.

New Zealand Wine Review – Alana Estate, Martinborough, Rapture Pinot Noir, 2010

Aroma: Strawberry and summer fruit
Color: light and shiny auburn
Consistency: quick legs with ghost hills
Taste: sweet and fruity but no guts - was better when it was younger
Cost: $NZ30ish (from the cellar)
Quality rating: 6/10
Final words: I remember loving this wine on a fine autumn day at the vineyard. Not so sweet anymore and lacks a bit of depth but a good wine and worth drinking.

New Zealand Wine Review – Te Mata Awatea, Martinborough, Cabernet/Merlot, 2013

Aroma: scary berries and cherries - a hint of almond
Color: dark plum by red
Consistency: Fairly thiick and slow with holes
Taste: Tart apples and young plum, grassy and fresh, in a good way
Cost: $NZ 34
Quality rating: 6/10
Value rating 7/10
Final words: great with steak a bit young but very nice.

New Zealand Wine Review – Te Mata Estate, Hawke's Bay, Merlot Cabernet, 2014

Aroma: fresh grass and herb cuttings, dry grape leaves and licorice
Color: raspberry red, glossy and bloody, quite transparent
Consistency: slow, thin and even
Taste: meat tartin, nasal wasabi, salty
Cost: $NZ 30
Quality rating: 8/10
Value rating: 10/10
Final words: highly recommend

New Zealand Wine Review – Craggy Range Single Vineyard, Hawke's Bay, Syrah, 2013

Aroma: this is what I imagine Brad Pitt smells like. Savory, cummin spice, olive and tobacco.
Color: virulent crayon red, dense and not overly glossy.
Consistency: nice and even, quick evaporation
Taste: rich red spaghetti sauce with olives and chorizo spice. chilli bite.
Cost: $NZ30
Quality rating: 6/10
Value rating 6/10
Final words: not very imaginative but solid and dependable.

New Zealand Wine Review – Te Mata Awatea, Martinborough, Cabernet/Merlot, 2013

Aroma: scary berries and cherries - a hint of almond
Color: dark plum by red
Consistency: Fairly thiick and slow with holes
Taste: Tart apples and young plum, grassy and fresh, in a good way
Cost: $NZ 34
Quality rating: 6/10
Value rating 7/10
Final words: great with steak a bit young but very nice.