Butterfish Bay Pinot Gris 2015
Pinot gris is something the Far North does extremely well and this is no exception. Don Muir has recently revitalised this 12ha site overlooking Mangonui Harbour and his efforts to bring back style and freshness into the wines are really paying off. This is a clean, dry, "grigio" style that's lifted and lean with hints of lime, green apple and quince. The palate is refreshingly complex and bony. Pair with light fish dishes.
$20
Brookfields Backblock Hawkes Bay Syrah 2015
How pretty is the colour of this wine? Glossy and inky-purple in the glass, it's also chock-full of violets, bouquet-garni herbs and loads of dark berries. There's a classic hit of pepper - but it's only there to cuddle the fruit. It's a fresh and youthful wine in which winemaker Peter Robertson (who's also fresh and youthful) has worked really hard not to mask the freshness with too much oak and it's worked beautifully. Pair with rare beef - carpaccio or tartare.
$21
