Wine: Fruity goodness

From Otago and California, there's something for all courses.

Give yourself a wake-up call with flavours that’ll have you dreaming of spring…

Ripponvale Lapins Central Otago Cherry Wine 2015 $24.95

Central Otago cherries are one of my favourite fruit and that they're now being made into wine puts me in my happy place. It's no tricked-up, sugar-soaked, fortified, fruit wine, either — rather, it's incredibly pure, clean and elegantly structured. The cherry flavours are natural, and the soft spices, berry notes and fresh acidity make this a gorgeous and gluggable new fave.

Sip with: chocolate mud cake.

Bald Hills Central Otago pinot gris 2015 $28
How clean, light, tangy and terrific is this wine? I'll tell you. It's excellent. Bursting with ripe pear, peach, quince and yummy yuzu flavours, it's delicious on every level. Central Otago has real talent for this variety.

Sip with: smoked chicken salad.

Cannonball California Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 $29
As Californian as tans, teeth and tiny dogs, this is a bold, bouncy cabernet that dials the spice and plushness up to high gear. Named after what we Kiwis call the "bomb", one sip of this and you'll definitely be in the deep end — with a cabernet crush that is. Made from fruit grown in Healdsburg, it's got cocoa, plum and bucketloads of velvety vavoom on the palate.

Sip with: rosemary-dusted lamb chops.

Yvonne Lorkin is a wine retailer, wine writer and member of the Wine Writers of NZ.