There is a theme of fresh vibrancy that carries through this wine like a golden ribbon, beginning in its youthful, glowing, yellow hue and gliding right through a finish of considerable persistence. Along the way it laces together fresh apricot, lemon zest and peach flavours, nuanced with ginger and mixed spice. It’s at once rich […]

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Off-dry riesling at this price from anywhere is a hard find, and this is no simple sweetie. Like all truly great sweet wines, acidity is the key, and Nelson delivered in spades in 2012. This bargain style faithfully captures the primary fruit finesse of the vintage in lemon blossom, lime zest and granny smith apple […]

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Two years in the bottle have allowed this value-for-money riesling to build layers of toast, honey, mixed spice and baked apple complexity. It retains a primary core of lemon and lime zest fruit and a hint of pepper, which linger with impressive persistence and balance. Zippy acidity and finely mineral structure are toned by a […]

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There’s a primary purity to this enticing, earlier-drinking style, with a lick of sweetness played carefully to offset its soft acidity rather than adding any impression of sweetness to the palate. Delightfully pristine granny smith apple, lime blossom and kaffir lime are highlighted with appealingly juicy white peach and fleshy pear accents. $16.50 at Cracka.

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In the cold and difficult Marlborough vintage of 2012, avoiding hard acidity proved to be a challenge. It’s refreshing to find a finely poised acid line in any sauvignon, let alone one that can be yours for the princely sum of $11 at Dan Murphy’s this week. Crunchy lemon and lime zest are the themes […]

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One of the cheapest sauvignons out of Nelson this year also happens to be one of the best. The zest of grapefruit meets the exotic allure of guava and star fruit, the pretty fragrance of orange blossom and the crunch of golden delicous apple. A restrained and softly textured sauvignon – just the thing for […]

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Marlborough’s keenest minds are tweaking sauvignon and elevating it above the wide, vast gooseberry plain. A tiny one-fifteenth of this blend was cleverly fermented and aged in old French oak barriques, reinforcing the poise and internal harmony of its fruit and contributing texture, fullness and persistence without a hint of oak flavour. Genius! Granny smith […]

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Exclusively sourced from family vineyards dating from 1983, there’s a wonderful persistence, seamless line and textural appeal to this wine that proclaim the maturity and confidence of its vines. These are traits juvenile vines can only dream of. Pink lady apple, gooseberry and passionfruit are underlined by clean acid on a persistent, lemon zest-accented finish. […]

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Invivo has conjured a masterfully crafted sauvignon of honed refinement, building impressive texture through fermentation of one quarter of the blend in oak barrels. This has taken nothing from the lively purity and seamless persistence of its wonderful red apple, lemon and lime zest flavours. A delightfully appealing style that lingers with subtle, spicy complexity. […]

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In a line of more than 120 New Zealand sauvignons, it’s remarkable just how much a touch of barrel fermentation can lift the texture and appeal of a young wine. Line it up with some fusion action on your table, and this same refined texture and seamless persistence will work its magic again. In a […]

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