Tag Archives: New Zealand

Kelly Washington, Sauvignon Blanc, 2017 Marlborough, New Zealand

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Kelly Washington have produced this organic Sauvignon Blanc in Marlborough, New Zealand and its very good, nee excellent. Decanter gave it 92 points which is spot on, its a fresh youthful looking pale lemon in colour with plenty of sparkle. There are aromas of flint, lime, honey and a bit of smokiness in there, subtle. its not your typical sauvignon blanc from New Zealand but more french. You get flavours of gooseberry but the citrus notes and mineral freshness are what you pick up on more and its delightful.

We went to the Smokehouse in Maldon, Essex as their food is amazing and they allow BYO so the £20 a bottle retail made it worth the money, sure its not cheap but its worth it.

Kelly Washington, Sauvignon Blanc, 2017 Marlborough, New Zealand

Kelly Washington, Sauvignon Blanc, 2017 Marlborough, New Zealand

 

Lake Chalice, Falcon, Pinot Noir, 2016, New Zealand

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New Zealand has knack of doing SOME great Sauvignon Blanc and great Pinot Noir, but whats this “Falcon” Pinot Noir from Lake Chalice like?

Its light, dry and pretty smooth. You get aromas of cranberry and strawberry with redcurrant and vanilla. These feed into the taste with a little plum and cherry adding to it. All light and subtle with a beautiful smoothness that makes you want to savour this wine rather than gulp it. Its not that expensive at £15 a bottle, at the lower end of New Zealand pinot Noir and very good value.

Lake Chalice, Falcon, Pinot Noir, 2016, New Zealand

Lake Chalice, Falcon, Pinot Noir, 2016, New Zealand

Paddy Borthwick, Pinot Noir, 2014, New Zealand

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This Paddy Borthwick Pinot Noir is from Wairarapa on the south part of the north island of New Zealand. Light, smooth, dry and fabulous is how I can best describe this wine.

There are aromas of leather, cherry, redcurrant and strawberry with a oaky earthy notes in there. There are additional flavours of mushroom, plum, tobacco which are all in balance with each other, nothing too much poking through. This is a very enjoyable and very drinkable wine, recommend all year round with or without food. Cracking.

At £18 a bottle its good value for an excellent New Zealand Pinot Noir.

Paddy Borthwick, Pinot Noir, 2014, New Zealand

Paddy Borthwick, Pinot Noir, 2014, New Zealand

St Clair, Estate Selection, Sauvignon Blanc, 2018, Marlborough, New Zealand

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St Clair, Estate Selection is a Sauvignon Blanc to rival the Cloudy Bay and Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc’s, not so much for the sheer quality but for the sheer value. This is a great wine wine, nipping at the heals of the other but at a £11 a bottle, the others are double or 50% more respectively.

The aromas are grassy notes with gooseberry coming through but the tastes change that. You get ripe pineapple, followed through with gooseberry and then a bit of lime and grass poking through. Its reasonably dry but the full fruit flavours hide the dryness and the acidity. The secret is to allow the wine to warm up a little to release the flavours.

This got a bronze medal at the Internal Wine Challenage which is a little stingy, silver medal in my humble opinion evey time.

St Clair, Estate Selection, Sauvignon Blanc, 2018, Marlborough, New Zealand

    St Clair, Estate Selection, Sauvignon Blanc, 2018, Marlborough, New Zealand

Lansdowne Estate, Pinot Gris 2014, Wairarapa, New Zealand

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New Zealand already has a great reputation for good Sauvignon Blanc and excellent Pinot Noir. I recently tasted one of the finest Pinot Gris, it was Oastbrook vineyard in the UK. This one from Wairarapa in the North Island of New Zealand under pins my belief that cool climate Pinot Gris can be amazing. This got a well deserved silver medal at the IWSC awards.

There are aromas and flavours of lemon, pear, vanilla and honey. Its a rich golden yellow colour and rich in flavour. The length is a little short but it’s a small complaint. For the most part the intense flavour is wonderful, have it with cheese and just enjoy. There are no doubt better ones out there but I did like this very much. At about £14 a bottle its fair value.
Lansdowne Estate, Pinot Gris 2014, Wairarapa, New Zealand

Lansdowne Estate, Pinot Gris 2014, Wairarapa, New Zealand

 

Lidl’s Winemaker’s Selection, Aerate Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand.

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Lidl do some great and interesting wines, they do some ropy wine as well.

Is this a good and bad sparkling wine? The plastic cap that you have to peel off is not a good start and I would urge Lidl to get rid of that idea. The wine on the other hand is a surprise. Its really half decent. A sparkling NZ Sauvignon Blanc with all the usual flavours of gooseberry, citrus and with high acidity. Its dry, refreshing and at £10 a bottle very good value.

Lidl's Winemaker's Selection, Aerate Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand.

Lidl’s Winemaker’s Selection, Aerate Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand.

Mohua, Pinot Noir 2015, Central Otago, New Zealand

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First they did excellent Sav Blanc and now New Zealand do excellent Point Noir.

With notes on the nose of flora, roasted peppers and cherries with undertones of pepper and coco you get a sense that this is a fine Pinot Noir. Flavours are lighter than the aromas, red fruit and oak come through with a fair bit of acidity. The tannins are smooth and this makes it very enjoyable.

I would have liked to try it with food, chicken or beef but on its own its lovely. The only downside is the £20 price tag per bottle. Its the price you pay for New Zealand Pinot Noir but it will put many people off.

Mohua, Pinot Noir 2015, Central Otago, New Zealand

Mohua, Pinot Noir 2015, Central Otago, New Zealand

Clocktower, Pinot Noir 2015, New Zealand

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Light red fruit on the aromas and a browning of the colour points to this being a bit over it. 2015 Pinot Noir should have been fine but in reality this should have been drunk by year 2 or 3. There’s a fair bit of cherry, redcurrant, raspberry bit its very light. You get hints of coffee and coco but you have to really think about it.

It got a Commended at the Decanter Wine Wine Awards in 2017, which I would say was right for now but possibly a bronze back in 2017.

Clocktower, Pinot Noir 2015, New Zealand

Clocktower, Pinot Noir 2015, New Zealand

Russian Jack, Pinot Noir 2017, New Zealand

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New Zealand wine was made on the back of some excellent Sauvignon Blanc, Cloudy Bay and Greywacke to name 2.

Pinot Noir is another excellent wine that New Zealand produces and so far I’ve not had a bad bottle, you do get some poor NZ Sav Blanc now a days. Russian Jack is Majestic wine in house NZ Pinot Noir and at £13 a bottle it’s not a cheap NZ Pinot Noir.

You get a fair amount of red fruit, strawberry, redcurrant, plum, cherry, both on the nose and in the mouth. It’s dry with an earthy undertone but it’s a little light all round. There’s little tannins and it’s quite smooth. At £10 or under this would be great but for 3 or 4 pounds more you can get better. Personal I would say nice, but spend a bit more.

Russian Jack, Pinot Noir 2017, New Zealand

Russian Jack, Pinot Noir 2017, New Zealand

Wooing Tree, Pinot Noir 2014, Central Otago, New Zealand

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This was a winner of a Gold Medal at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2017 and a bronze medal winner from the 2018 Decanter World Wine Awards. The 2017 vintage of this got a Gold medal at the 2019 DWWA. The 2014 is better than bronze.

There’s ripe red fruit, cherries, plums with a vanilla and spice undertone. On the palate this wine has supple, soft tannins and a decant balance of dryness, fruit flavours and body. 

The only issue I have with is the £30 price tag. Its very good but your only going be drinking this on special occasions. Thats a real shame as very people will get to try this.

Wooing Tree, Pinot Noir 2014, Central Otago, New Zealand

Wooing Tree, Pinot Noir 2014, Central Otago, New Zealand LP