Ahoy wine fans! It's time to feast your faces on our second annual summing-up of the most delicious sips of the year. Tasting wine is my full-time job (awful, I know) and while I could fill this whole newspaper with spectacular examples, space dictates only a teensy fraction of them
Wine: The great Canvas 'Cheers To The Year' awards
By Yvonne Lorkin
Canvas·
29 mins to read
Write writer Yvonne Lorkin. Photo / Warren Buckland
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★ ★ ★ ★ ★
This big, ripe, juicy, generously tropical, snappy-fresh sauvignon is large and in charge. Deliciously concentrated, loaded with lemon and lime and heaving with herbaceousness, it's feisty, fragrant and fanging with flavour. Sex is great and everything, but sipping this with freshly steamed asparagus spears? Now that's a knee-wobble-and-a-half.
yealands.co.nz
Greywacke Marlborough Wild Sauvignon 2019 ($36)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Want to sip more sauvignon but struggling with grassiness and squinty acidity? Problem solved. This "wild" wine has an extra injection of toasty, smoky notes from fermentation with indigenous ("wild") yeasts in French oak barrels.
It's also deeply complex, pouring pine pollen, marzipan and smoked passionfruit across the palate, followed by terrific tension and pops of lemongrass and lime leaf to finish.
greywacke.com
Ara Single Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2022 ($18)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Bursting with basil and roaring with lemongrass, passionfruit and capsicum characters, a glass of this grassy goodness will soothe any situation. With hints of peppermint and lemon tea, this sauvignon is so flash that it could seriously send you sideways if you don't exercise restraint and responsibility. Basically every glass of this gorgeous thing is unputdownable.
arawines.co.nz
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Carrick Organic Bannockburn Sauvignon Blanc 2020 ($28)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
100 per cent wild fermented in barrel and aged for seven months, this juicy, complex, crazy-good sauvignon oozes smoked passionfruit, marzipan, lemongrass and lime. Sourced from their Cairnmuir Terraces block, this wine is a multi-dimensional masterpiece laced with rhubarb and fresh-cut herbs. The finish is generous and juicy and I think this is one of winemaker Rosie Menzie's greatest wines.
carrick.co.nz
BEST CHARDONNAY
Jules Taylor OTQ Chardonnay 2019 ($39)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Ahoy chardonnay lovers! This incredibly toasty, salivatingly stonefruit-stacked chardonnay from superstar winemaker Jules Taylor is beyond stunning. Rich, ripe and gorgeously golden, it boasts butterscotch and popcorn complexity up the wahzoo (technical term) and it'll impress with every sip. Stylish and saturated with citrus, it's delicious, luscious and all sorts of other words ending in "cious".
julestaylor.com
The Landing Bay of Islands Chardonnay 2020 ($48)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Crafted from fruit grown on the gentle slopes of the Purerua Peninsula, above Rangihoua Bay, this is one jawdropping chardonnay. Imagine buttery cinnamon toast drizzled with grapefruit juice and you've nailed the nose, while the palate bursts with baked nectarine and nutty notes. With elegant acidity and intense minerality, it's precise, energetic, a joy to drink and a total touchstone for the region.
thelandingnz.com
Domain Road Defiance Central Otago Chardonnay 2020 ($33)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Slow down, find a spot, indicate and do your best parallel park, because you're going to want to have all your wheels pointing forward to appreciate this Central Otago stunner. Intense grapefruit, roast peach, pineapple and caramelised, toasty oak notes roar out of the glass and combine with rich, ripe tropicality on the palate, clean, zesty acidity and a long, creamy, almond and cashew finish.
domainroad.co.nz
Clearview Estate Reserve Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2020 ($40)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Best you beg, steal, sell, borrow or do something that your parents might frown upon in order to scrape together $40 and buy this wine immediately. Awarded the Champion Chardonnay trophy and the Champion Wine of the Show trophies at the NZ International Wine Show, this wine is colossal. Crammed with roast peach, juicy grapefruit and scorched pineapple, alongside caramelised, spicy, smoky, toasted oak, it also boasts a drool-inducingly creamy, buttery backbone.
clearview.co.nz
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 10 Twin Hills Marlborough Chardonnay 2020 ($28)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Grown in the deep, clay-based soils of Saint Clair's Omaka Valley vineyard, this chardonnay was given an excellent kickstart to life by a superbly sunny, dry summer before being shepherded into the bottle by seriously talented winemakers. Aromas of fig, roasted hazelnuts and cinnamon toast open the door to a core of grapefruit and nectarine in the mouth. Textural, creamy and soothing to sip
saintclair.co.nz
Kokako Farms Awen Ohiti Valley Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2019 ($55)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Possibly the best chardonnay you've never heard of, this wine erupts with stylish stonefruit, toasty complexity and superstar citrus. Finely tuned and unfurling a textural mid-palate with delicious tension, it also proves why Ohiti Valley is one of Hawke's Bay's most exciting sub-regions. Named after the druidic spirit of creativity, this hard-to-find chardonnay is sipsational sorcery in the bottle.
kokakofarms.co.nz
BEST DRY RIESLING
Te Mania Nelson Riesling 2021 ($23)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
I wanted two dogs. My husband shook his
head and said, "I'm the man of this house!" And that's the story of how we came to have two dogs. I also tasted this riesling and immediately wanted two more tastes. It was unputdownable. With vibrant acidity, stacks of lime, apple, and mandarin intensity, this wine roars with life. Crafted organically, it's a zesty Nelsonian riesling that'll bring all the niceness.
temaniawines.co.nz
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Brockenchack MacKenzie William 1896 Eden Valley Barossa Riesling 2021 ($29)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
You don't get named Eden Valley Riesling Winery of the Year just for turning up. This tiny winery has been taking riesling super-seriously since forever ago and they grow some of the oldest riesling in Australia. Their vines date back to 1896, vines that add lime-laden, crispy complexity to a deliciously dry spine of zesty apple, plucky mandarin and magical minerality.
brockenchack.nz
BEST SWEETER RIESLING
Framingham F Series Old Vine Marlborough Riesling 2021 ($49)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
One simply can't have a conversation about local riesling without mentioning, in hushed tones of awe and reverence, Framingham Wines. There's nothing you can do with riesling that they haven't done, except make a sparkling. That's a step too far for the Frammers. Their "old vines" are now 40 and have produced a wine with lashings of lime, green apple, and honeydew melon. I love its energy and depth of flavour.
framingham.co.nz
Tinpot Hut Turner Vineyard Marlborough Riesling 2021 ($26)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
My dad would likely say, "This'll put hairs on ya chest," when tasting this wine. Which is why he's the stock truck driver and I'm the wine writer. I adore the mandarin piquancy, pep, and punch of this citrus-saturated style. It's incredibly fresh and perky — like a ponytailed cheerleader somersaulting across your senses.
tinpothut.co.nz
BEST PINOT GRIS
Ngā Pari Wairarapa Pinot Gris 2020 ($20)
★ ★ ★ ★
Pete Mason and Karen Delehanty led past lives in the corporate sphere and in interior design, and now they're reinvigorating this lovely old vineyard. Ngā Pari translates to "the cliffs"; a name derived from its location, adjacent to escarpments carved sharp by the Ruamahanga River. Intensely aromatic, quince, baked apple and hints of anise add to this wine's complexity, lusciousness and perfectly prickly textures. Lovely.
ngapari.co.nz
Three Miners Miner's Right Central Otago Pinot Gris 2020 ($28)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Kristin and Paul Wright ditched construction and plant pathology to dive headfirst into vineyard life in Alexandra in 2014. Six years later, they turned out this fabulously floral, seductively fragrant, ultra-juicy pinot gris. With stacks of stonefruit and punchy poached quince, there's a clean, zesty character to the palate allowing a nip of natural sweetness to wash through.
threeminers.com
Mount Michael Central Otago Pinot Gris 2021 ($26)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
In 1994 I had bleached hair and an instant-gratification attitude. Not so the founders of Mount Michael. They were smarter. They were dreaming, far into the future, of winning trophies for their pinot gris. And lo! It happened. Dry, textural, and fabulously full-bodied, this wine absolutely smashes those sweet, blousy commercial styles right out of the paddling pool. With hints of ripe apple and perky pear dusted with baking spices, it boasts chalky textures and excellent length.
mountmichaelwines.com
Starborough Sons Of The Soil Pinot Gris 2021 ($20)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Starborough is a tiny, one-pub hamlet just south of Blenheim. I stayed the night there once (unfortunate), and thankfully I made it out alive (fortunate), albeit with a few flea bites and PTSD. Ahh, life's rich tapestry. And richness is what this gris gives generously, with gorgeous nashi, peach and rose apple mid-palate fatness. Bold, juicy, and saturating, it's incredibly long on flavour and darn lovely.
starborough.co.nz
BEST GEWURZTRAMINER
Pegasus Bay Waipara Gewurztraminer 2021 ($30)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
This wine is so beautifully balanced it's like the liquid equivalent of a Simone Biles beam routine. Released in the 30th anniversary year of Peg Bay brilliance, this gewurz glows with candied lychee, crystalised ginger, a whiff of white pepper and persimmon and shows a soft, creamy, peachy undertone. Clean yet richly complex, laced with mānuka honey and gently, luxuriously oily to finish. Exotically excellent.
pegasusbay.com
Kinross Miners Delight Gibbston Gewurztraminer 2021 ($33)
★ ★ ★ ★
The team at Kinross in Central Otago aren't just experts at giving folks a complete Gibbston Valley hospitality experience; they're also total gurus at crafting complex, dry gewurztraminer that sits on the smoky side of the street. This particular gewurz boasts a subtle lift of lychee combined with white pepper and white peach, creating a fresh, floral-edged white wine that's fab with spicy friends and spicy food.
kinross.nz
Cicada Marlborough Gewurztraminer 2022 ($25)
★ ★ ★ ★
Every spring I turn up on Riverby Estate's doorstep, clutching a glass and holding a sign saying, "Please tell me you have a new Cicada gewurztraminer. I won't leave until I taste it." This year I waited for ages and had to set up camp. 'Twas worth it though, just to experience the turkish delight, lashings of lychee and sackloads of spice in this glorious wine.
riverbyestate.com
BEST ROSÉ
Te Kano Central Otago Rosé 2021 ($30)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Te Kano (Māori for "seed") celebrates the lone surviving kōwhai tree — affectionately known as "Old Man Kōwhai" — on the Northburn slopes above Lake Dunstan. Winemaker Dave Sutton and viticulturist Mike Winter are behind this pink gold rosé that boasts whispers of watermelon, raspberry, and classic creaming soda characters. It's deliciously sultry and generously proportioned, and shows serious finesse and electricity on the palate.
tekanoestate.com
Pyramid Valley Colours Collection North Canterbury Rosé 2021 ($40)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Crafted from some of the oldest, organic, biodynamically-grown pinot noir vines in New Zealand, the image on the label is of mallow flower, a plant endemic in Pyramid's vineyards and gardens. I love how it offers soft florals, cherry tones and strawberry patch sensations on the nose and it's peachy, juicy and richly structured from a natural ferment in old oak barrels. Lithe acidity and mineral-laced length of flavour — glorious.
pyramidvalley.co.nz
McArthur Ridge Lilico Central Otago Pinot Noir Rosé 2021 ($25)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Grown in soils known as the Brassknocker Alluvial Gravels, this rich, peachy, creaming soda and cherry-stacked rosé is an Alexandra star. Morganite-hued, beautifully balanced and substantial in its concentrated fruit spine and ribs of spiced citrus, this is a take-no-prisoners style that will make it hard to put down your glass. Delicious.
mcarthurridge.nz
BEST PINOT NOIR
Blackenbrook Family Reserve Nelson Pinot Noir 2019 ($45)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Clearly 2019 was a year where Tawhirimatea, Māori god of the weather, gave out the good behaviour awards to Blackenbrook's vines. The resulting wine is plucky, plush and showing ripe raspberry, redcurrant, wild strawberry and cherry complexity on the nose and palate. Juicy, refreshingly spicy, bright, vibrant, yet deeply flavourful, it'll absolutely make a good day great, but also soothe any stressy situation. blackenbrook.co.nz
Valli Bendigo Vineyard Central Otago Pinot Noir 2020 ($75)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
With aromas that remind me of the lush, leafy, mossy scent of walking through native bush after it rains, this pinot is awash with forest floor earthiness, black tea, tamarillo and concentrated cherry characters. Bright, fleshy, energetic and stylishly crafted, it's delicious in its youth and yet has the spine to evolve beautifully in the cellar. The length of flavour is impressive and it's worth every cent — and more.
valliwine.com
Rockburn The Chosen 777 Central Otago Pinot Noir 2021 ($99)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Just 1000 bottles were made of this eye-poppingly lovely pinot noir crafted entirely from clone 777 grapes grown in Parkburn, beneath the Pisa Range, and it's a riot of flavour. Roaring with rosehip tea, black guava, baked cherry and raspberry liquorice straps, it's silky, energetic, supple and buoyant. it heaves with exotic perfume. If The Chosen were a dance move, it'd be jazz hands. rockburn.co.nz
St Pauli Vineyard Moutere Pinot Noir 2019 ($35)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
UK expats, midwife and roofer Robyn and Gareth Reid opted to scoot across the globe in 2017 to have babies and adopt a much more stressful life making wine in Moutere. This, their gold medal-winning pinot, comes from land previously farmed in hops and deer. It's gamey, spicy, stacked with redcurrant and black guava goodness and offers fine sandy tannins, cheek-puckering textures, and excellent length of flavour. stpauli.co.nz
Gladstone Vineyard Dakins Road Wairarapa Pinot Noir 2019 ($65)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
I love the Gladstone style because their pinot noirs are deceptively soft. Just when you're wondering where the oomph is, it creeps up and charges across your palate like a berry-driven game of bullrush. Intensely fresh and layered with juicy redcurrant, raspberry, spiced cherry and black tea, it boasts suede-like tannins and wild energy on the finish.
gladstonevineyard.co.nz
BEST CLASSIC REDS
Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels The Gimblett
2020 ($40)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
This eye-poppingly lovely blend of 50 per cent cabernet franc, 33 per cent cabernet sauvignon and 17 per cent merlot from one of Hawke's Bay's greatest vintages hits all the spots and doesn't stop. Inky-dark and oozing tar and roses intensity, blackberry and blueberry notes, cocoa, tobacco leaf and smoky complexity, it also introduces a juicy, plush, soothing mouthfeel with warming, woolly tannins to finish. Stylish, sophisticated and seriously lovely to sip.
trinityhill.com
Tironui Above & Beyond Hawke's Bay Malbec Merlot Cabernet 2020 ($39)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Magenta-black and heaving with smoked blueberry, plum and blackberry notes on the nose and palate, this blend of 51 per cent malbec, 42 per cent merlot and 7 per cent cabernet is dense, delicious and dangerously sexy to sip. From the spectacular 2020 vintage for Hawke's Bay reds, its tannins are bold and chewy and add acres to its superb
length of flavour.
tironuiestate.com
Mills Reef Reserve Gimblett Gravels Merlot
2020 ($24)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
If there's a range of wines that consistently over-delivers for the money, it's the Mills Reef reserves and this plump, plush, mouthcoatingly rich and cocoa-crammed merlot is proof of that. Laced with soft, smoky oak, pepper and allspice wound around a core of boysenberry and cherry, it's a style also boasting refreshing acidity and silky, toast-dusted textures to finish. Outstanding. Get it while you can.
millsreef.co.nz
Orlando Jacaranda Ridge Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 ($65)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
A huge, heady lift of spice, herbs and florals gives this wine a deliciously distinctive perfume and the palate is super-smooth. Concentrated redcurrant, black tea and liquorice layers lead to a divinely delicious beautifully balanced finish. Pinotage is a South African cross between pinot noir and cinsault grapes and this is one of the best examples I've ever tasted. Definitely one of the best ever produced in New Zealand.
blackmarket.co.nz
BEST SHIRAZ
Grant Burge Filsell Old Vine Barossa Shiraz 2019 ($30)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
This corka, rippa, cracka, bonza beauty from the Barossa is all sorts of excellent to drink. Inky-dark and crammed with cranberries and cream on the nose, it also boasts blackberries, pepper and is generously plumped up with gum-swelling, grippy tannins. Warm, generous and sweetly-fruited, it's bold, buoyant and beautifully made. blackmarket.co.nz
Dune Mingsha Shan McLaren Vale Shiraz
2020 ($25)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Co-fermented with a splash of fiano (an Italian white grape), the folk at Dune have created a superb shiraz that erupts with rosehip, redcurrant, peppered cherries and exotic spices in every sniff and sip. Grown organically in the Blewitt Springs sub-region, it's lightly styled and deliciously silky, with refreshing acidity and juicy textures that deserve your attention.
fineowine.co.nz
Taylors Clare Valley Shiraz 2020 ($17)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
It's hard to keep track of how many international awards this ultra-affordable shiraz has won since it was released. With its sweet vanillin oak, dark berry intensity, tobacco and roast plum complexity, this shiraz is immediately impressive. With berry-blossoms on the nose, a gently plump, plush palate and tannins prickling under your front lip, it's pretty darn fabulous.
Available in supermarkets.
BEST SYRAH
Stonecroft Reserve Gimblett Gravels Syrah
2020 ($60)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
From New Zealand's original syrah vineyard comes an organically-grown mindblowing example that roars with classic, cracked-pepper punchiness and gamey complexity. Boasting violet-scented vibrancy, juicy blueberry, dense dark cocoa and seasoned leather layers dusted with spice, it's elegantly structured, with statuesque, sinewy tannins and shows beautiful balance of every dark fruit element. It's gorgeous now but will reward patient cellaring.
stonecroft.co.nz
Brookfields Hillside Hawke's Bay Syrah
2020 ($46)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
From 26-year-old vines growing on the sun-baked slopes of the Lyons' family Hillside vineyard in the Bridge Pā Triangle district, comes a dense, perfumed syrah with pink peppercorn, violets, red rose and raspberry liquorice covered in dark chocolate. It's plump and powerful on the palate with seasoned leather and baked blueberry notes. Fresh, juicy and super sexy, it's only made in years when the fruit is perfect.
brookfieldsvineyards.co.nz
Squawking Magpie Stoned Crow Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2020 ($49)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
The "Stoned Crow" is one of New Zealand's most highly awarded syrahs and as soon as you tear yourself away from this scintillating tasting note in order to buy a bottle and take a sip, you'll see why. Selected for the prestigious 12-bottle, 2020 Gimblett Gravels Collection from dozens of candidates, its bold violet and pepper notes jostle for attention among brooding berry and earthy layers. It's a supremely elegant, sensual wine.
squawkingmagpie.co.nz
BEST TREASURES FOR THE CELLAR
Church Road Church Road 1 Hawke's Bay Malbec 2020 ($120)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
When it comes to crafting mind-warpingly great red wines, Chris Scott is like a 10th dan blackbelt. The trophy cabinet at Church Road has accumulated so much heavy metal since Chris took over winemaking, they've had to reinforce it with bigger bolts. This malbec is inky-dark, lithe, youthful and loaded with luscious berries, cocoa and soy notes alongside smooth, muscular tannins and smoky, scorched oak notes. Amazing vibrancy, texture and concentration mean it's a decades-long keeper.
church-road.com
Elephant Hill Salome Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2020 ($75)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
If you're looking for chardonnay to spin your wheels then this is Nascar, Formula 1, Bathurst and MotoGP all roaring around in a bottle. From its glittering gold colour, to its roast peach and buttered cinnamon toast aromatics and its decadently rich, citrus, popcorn and pineapple intensity on the palate, this multi-layered masterpiece of a chardonnay will satisfy every need. The acidity is en pointe, the textures creamy and soothing, and there's every reason it'll develop deliciously to 2028.
elephanthill.com
Craggy Range Le Sol Syrah 2020 ($150)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
When it comes to syrah aristocracy, "Le Sol" (the soil) now ranks in the world's finest. Only made in excellent years (none was made in 2003 or 2012) the 2020, apart from looking beautifully glossy and garnet-hued in the glass, is also lithe, willowy and confident in its skin. Scented with buxus hedge, violets, soft pepper and cocoa-dusted blueberries, it's awash with exotic spices, fresh blackcurrant and tannins that both soothe and fortify the finish. A supermodel of a wine.
craggyrange.com
Coal Pit The Leo Central Otago Pinot Noir
2019 ($140)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Named after the grandson of owner Rosie Dunphy, and blended from seven of their best barrels, it's also their first vintage crafted from grapes under organic conversion. Scented with baked tamarillo, exotic, earthy spices and smoked cherry layers, this energetic, vibrant pinot noir oozes prettiness and power. Juicy tannins, refreshing acidity and moody, brooding, truffle-laced length of flavour make The Leo an incredibly delicious wine to enjoy now, or to squirrel away for another seven-eight years somewhere cool and dark.
coalpitwine.com
Te Mata Estate Hawke's Bay Coleraine
2020 ($130)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
This is the 36th release of New Zealand's most famous red wine and the one that the Buck family are calling "the best in Te Mata's history". They're not wrong. This midnight-dark, cedar-scented, cocoa-laced colossus is crammed with dark plums, blackcurrants and bouquet-garni herbs. it has a lick of leather, a soothing, suede-like texture and showstopping length of flavour. I can't overstate how monumentally excellent the 2020 Coleraine is. Sublime doesn't do it justice, but flawless and spellbinding come close.
temata.co.nz
Dry River Craighall Vineyard Martinborough Riesling 2020 ($55)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Just tiny amounts were made of this super-classic Kiwi icon. Grown on old vines planted on Puruatanga Rd, this riesling absolutely roars with magical mandarin, luscious lime, and incredible apple acidity. It's finely tuned, supremely elegant, and built for the long haul (if you can discipline yourself, that is). Oh, and once you take that first sip, the wine will cast a spell on you — the "can't put it down" spell from winemaking wizard Wilco Lam. Enjoy with lime and chilli calamari or cellar until 2035.
dryriver.co.nz
BEST OTHER RED STYLES
House of Ball Waipara Pinotage 2020 ($45)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
A huge, heady lift of spice, herbs and florals
gives this wine a deliciously distinctive perfume and the palate is super-smooth. Concentrated redcurrant, black tea and liquorice layers lead to a divinely delicious beautifully balanced finish. Pinotage is a South African cross between pinot noir and cinsault grapes and this is one of the best examples I've ever tasted. Definitely one of the best ever produced in New Zealand.
houseofball.co.nz
Matavino Matakana Dolcetto dei Matakana
2020 ($30)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Matavino are a tiny winery with big ambitions to bring lesser-known lovelies into the limelight. A local version of a Northern Italian classic, this is an incredibly pretty, glossy wine in the glass, it boasts sweet dark plum and pepper aromatics, and makes an instant impression. With vibrant acidity and marathon-like length of flavour, it has balance and richness alongside juicy, luscious fruit and great complexity on the finish. matavino.co.nz
Obsidian Waiheke Island Estate Montepulciano 2019 ($46)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Obsidian are absolute masters of montepulciano. Normally found in the Italian region of Abruzzo, it's now found itself a happy home on sunny Waiheke Island and is responsible for glossy, rich, spicy, highly complex wines like this. Very pretty and highly fragrant, it's sweet fruited and boasts incredible berry structure The tannins are muscular and elastic, its spine is solid and its drinkability? Well it'd be dangerous.
obsidian.co.nz
BEST OTHER WHITE STYLES
Astrolabe Southern Valleys Sec Marlborough Chenin Blanc 2022 ($25)
★ ★ ★ ★
We should all thank our lucky tonsils that Simon Waghorn chucked in a promising career in seaweed science to pursue winemaking instead. Otherwise, we'd not experience the floral, feisty intensity of this certified organic chenin blanc and that would be tragic. This sec (seck), chenin has a touch of sweetness and absolutely screams fresh apple, elderflower, and white peach and offers punchy, bracing, lemony acidity. Serve chilled and savour.
astrolabewines.co.nz
Misty Cove Landmark Series Marlborough Gruner Veltliner 2022 ($24)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
When the Misties release a new gruner, I have to remember to be cool about it. Which is tricky because I tend to get a bit excited and struggle to focus on the task at hand because their apple-centric, peach-packed, fabulously floral style is always intensely fresh, frisky, crisp and so attractive it's hard not to get a bit giddy. Sunny day sipping at its finest.
mistycovewines.com
Akitu Central Otago Pinot Noir Blanc 2021 ($40)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
This wine exists only because owner Andrew Donaldson says he was sick of going to wine shows and spending hours looking at the ceiling because he didn't have a white. Thank heavens for boredom! Crafted from pinot noir with precious-little skin contact, this pale apricot-hued beauty bursts with apple, elderflower, white peach and bracing acidity. Plus it offers nuclear amounts of nashi niceness on the nose and palate and finishes with richly textured minerality.
akitu.wine
BEST SWEET WINE
Riverby Marlborough Noble Riesling 2018 ($30)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
This wine has collected so many gold medals, owner Kevin Courtney's had to add extra support brackets to the trophy cabinet. Glossy-bronze and erupting with caramelised citrus, marmalade, allspice and apricots on the nose, there's driving citrus toffee across the tongue. Crystallised mango and honey add to its complexity, and vibrant, zesty acidity creates perfect balance and poise. Make no mistake, this is an absolute New Zealand icon that should be knighted for its services to the taste buds of the nation.
riverbyestate.com
Askerne Late Harvest Hawke's Bay Gewurztraminer 2019 ($24)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Over recent decades Askerne have turned out some of the greatest gewurztraminers in the country, and this new dessert version is no exception. With honeyed apricot, spiced quince and orange marmalade aromas and a palate plush with caramelised citrus and rose toffee, it's an absolute superstar. You may wish to visit the dentist first however, otherwise your cavities are going to go crazy.
askernewines.co.nz
Whitehaven Noble Marlborough Riesling
2021 ($35)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
The second you sip this incredible wine you'll understand how it came to amass gold medals and 5-star ratings galore. Fresh from also scooping the Sweet Wine Trophy at the NZ International Wine Show (the largest show in the country), this rich, unctuous, citrus-saturated dessert wine heaves with toffee, honey and lemon sorbet sensations. Bright, refreshing acidity counters its candied mango, lime curd and layers of luxurious complexity on the finish.
whitehaven.co.nz
BEST WINE YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF
Maison Noire Hawke's Bay Freisa ($25)
★ ★ ★ ★
Freisa is Latin for "strawberry" and it's a very rare little Italian grape that grows mainly in the Monferrato and Langhe areas in the Piemonte region. It dates back to the Middle Ages, but more recently it's found a happy home in Hawke's Bay. It's dry, spicy highly aromatic and very savoury to sip. The tannins are hefty and gripping, while youthful acidity means it's very perky on the palate and hungry for protein.
maisonnoire.nz
Seifried Nelson Wurzer 2019 ($26)
★ ★ ★ ★
This famously juicy, intensely floral wine is stacked with ripe stonefruit and dusted with white pepper. Pronounced "vertz-er", I'm imagining the dad jokes now. "For better or wurzer", "It was the best of times, it was the wurzer of times", "You're a bit wurzer for wear", "Its bark is wurzer than its bite". Such fun. But give it some love, because it's lonely. The Seifrieds are the lone growers of wurzer in New Zealand and globally, less than 100ha exist.
seifried.co.nz
BEST UNDER $20 BARGAIN RED
Esk Valley Artisanal Collection Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2020 ($19)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Now how on earth winemaker Gordon Russell manages to cram so much dark berry intensity, so many deep layers of spice and cocoa, and such complex plum, blueberry and boysenberry power all in one bottle, I'll never know. And for this price? Craziness. It's rich, and spice-crammed, the tannins are warming, woolly and every sip is laced with soft smoky, liquorice layers. Selected as one of the 12 Gimblett Gravels Annual Vintage Selection wines, it's truly outstanding.
eskvalleywines.com
BEST UNDER $20 BARGAIN WHITE
Wairau River Summer Riesling 2021 ($17-$20)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Sit down and strap on a helmet because this lightning bolt of lemon and lime lusciousness is going to shake your brain. It scooped the trophy for Champion Riesling at the prestigious 2021 Marlborough Wine Show and as soon as you sip, you'll see why. Stacked with apple and lemonade and hoisted high with honeysuckle and heavenly acidity, it offers a demure 9.5 per cent alcohol and a splash of natural sweetness saturates the mouth. Heavenly.
wairauriverwines.com
BEST SPARKLING
Lindauer Special Reserve Rosé NV ($15)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
With its ultra-pretty, pale coral colour and mindbendingly generous mouthfeel and not to mention it's ridiculously excellent price, this rosé crafted from pinot noir, chardonnay, pinot meunier and pinotage will well and truly wow you. Supremely elegant and showing charming red fruits and delicate, shrewsbury biscuit characters, it's a rich, satisfying wine with delicate beading, vibrant acidity, creamy complexity and beautiful balance. Outstanding.
Available in supermarkets
Tiki Hariata Marlborough Methode Traditionnelle NV ($45)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
This wine looks utterly sexy in the glass with perfect the little necklaces of bubbles that snake skywards from the base and pillowy foam that settles on top. Don't even try to resist its lemony litheness, its soft biscuity layers, or its crisp-yet-creamy finish. It's pointless. Awarded multiple gold medals and ratings in the high 90s, it's dedicated to Hariata McKean, the much-loved matriarch of the Tiki family.
tikiwine.com
Tohu Rewa Blanc De Blancs Methode Traditionnelle ($40)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Made exclusively from chardonnay grown in Marlborough's Awatere Valley by Tohu, a 100 per cent Māori-owned wine company, this fizz offers complex toasted brioche characters on the nose and a mouthwateringly delicate, chalky, citrus laced layers in the mouth. I love its creamy marshmallow and peachy tones and clean, textural length of flavour. Stunning.
tohuwines.co.nz
BEST ORGANIC
Akarua de Bettencor Single Vineyard Central Otago Sauvignon Blanc 2020 ($40)★ ★ ★ ★ ★
This certified organic sauvignon blanc is named after Boaventura de Bettencor, a Portuguese explorer in the late-1800s who made his way to Central Otago for the gold rush and became a successful sluicer in the spot where the vineyard now sits. This mystery, ungrafted, sauvignon blanc clone is fermented in old barrels to create a clean, lemongrassy, lime-laden wine with lacy minerality, superb freshness and terrific tension.
akarua.com
te Pa Organic Marlborough Pinot Noir
2021 ($30)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Grown in te Pa's certified organic, Raupo Creek vineyard in Marlborough's Southern Valleys region, this pinot erupts with rosehip and cherry aromas, hints of black tea and tamarillo and shows a juicy, redcurrant and cranberry-crammed palate. Laced with spices, it's rich, earthy, yet incredibly buoyant and fresh to drink. A tweak of smoky oak on the finish rounds this wine out beautifully. Love it.
tepawines.com
Decibel Wines Hawke's Bay Testify Red 2018 ($56)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
From a certified organic site in the Gimblett Gravels comes a malbec-dominant masterpiece that has intensely rewarding fruit saturation, elegant lines, bold, peppery layers, juicy acidity and supple, textural tannins. It's graceful, compelling, well-textured and boasts loads of sweet oak on the palate. Is this wine warming, woolly and stylish? I'll testify to that.
decibelwines.com
Bostock Airini Hawke's Bay Rosé 2021 ($47)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Crafted from certified organic syrah grapes grown in the iron-rich soils of the Bridge Pā Triangle sub-region, this new rosé bursts with apple, raspberry and pink peppercorn aromas and washes across the tongue and tonsils with a wave of crunchy crisp, juicy watermelon and redcurrant characters. Cleansing and richly structured, it's an absolute palate saturation of style and substance right from its glass-stoppered top to its last pink sapphire-hued drop. Glorious.
bostockwines.nz
Loveblock Marlborough Pinot Gris 2021 ($22)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Prepare for baked apple, nashi, lime, a splash of spice and all things nice. Using a combination of concrete "egg" vessels and oak barrels to ferment 20 per cent of the juice (which then also went through a "wild" malolactic fermentation) has injected rich, creamy layers of terrific texture. Moving to lightweight 417g glass bottles (made locally from 70 per cent recycled glass) instead of the standard 555g, has shaved almost 15 per cent off their carbon footprint. Nice one.
loveblockwine.com
BEST BECAUSE YOU'RE AMAZING WINE
QUARTZ REEF METHODE TRADITIONNELLE VINTAGE ROSÉ 2016 ($110)
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
When Quartz Reef declares a vintage for one of its sparkling wines, you know that the Quartz kids are 100 per cent infatuated enough with the fruit from that year to excitedly create a snapshot of that point in time in fizzicle form. Aged for five years before being carefully disgorged by hand, then sealed and bottled, this berry bagel-scented sparkler shows a rich, finely tuned palate with ultra-delicate beading, crisp-yet-biscuity textures, and a long "I really don't deserve you" finish. Just 900 bottles were made.
quartzreef.co.nz
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The winemakers who chose to advertise in this feature had no input into the independent judging process.
