Gisborne & Hawkes Bay - Other

2009 Alluviale Gimblett Gravels Merlot/ Cabernet

One of Metro Magazine's 100 Wines for Summer. " The 2009 just scored a massive 93+/100 from Parkers Wine Advocate. We have had customers now drinking their 2004 vintage and raving about the quality. "A blend of 63% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Franc and 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2009 Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon was aged for 16 months in French oak, 40% new. Deep garnet-purple in color, it gives moderate to intense aromas of ripe plums and mulberries, dark chocolate, spice cake and licorice, with hints of dried leaves and menthol. Medium to full bodied, it has a good backbone of high acid and firm, fine-grained tannins fleshed out by mouth-filling rich fruit. The finish is long and spicy. Approachable now, it should drink best 2012 to 2021+." 93+/100.

2006 Vinoptima Gewurztraminer

Having steered his family company to one of New Zealand's successful producers, Nick Nobilo could have enjoyed a peaceful retirement after the company was sold to BRL Hardy. But instead he has dedicated his life to producing New Zealand's finest Gewurztraminer from his 9.7-hectare estate in Gisborne, split into two blocks, the first planted in 2000 and the second in 2007 using budwood that Nick had been propagating for over 25 years. The winery is so clean you could eat your breakfast off it, the 1,200L oak German oval foudres playing a key role in extracting the best out of this aromatic grape. The good news is that Nick is well on his way to achieving his dream because this was a stunning expression of Gewurztraminer, the wine adopting an Alsatian style rather than anything from the New World.

2007 Newton Forrest Cornerstone Gimblett Gravels Cab/Merlot

2009 Beach House Hawkes Bay Chardonnay

Normally $22 -from a small hands on, boutique winery whose chardonnay has been in the Cuisine Top 10 Chardonnay's three times before and a personal favourite of ours because it delivers superb quality ( even at the $22 price point we were selling it for! ) and now we have a huge deal on it. Beach House have supreme vineyards at Te Awanga in the Hawkes Bay. Alll the fruit is micro managed right through to bottling. "Aromas of manderin, pineapple and peach with a nutty seductively powerful ripe citrus palate. Barrel fermented, full maloatic fermentation and lees stirred for a year, this is a fine textured and complex wine." Beautiful chardie.

2006 Esk Valley The Terraces

Without doubt one of NZ finest Bordeaux blends with a track record to prove it. 96/100 from Bob Campbell "Legendary wine made from grapes grown on a tiny terraced hillside vineyard. Super-dense red that's like liquid fruitcake. An almost chewy and incredibly complex wine with very ripe dark fruit and spice flavours."

2010 Odyssey Reserve Iliad Gisborne Chardonnay

Normally $34. Michael Cooper has classified the Odyssey Reserve Iliad Gisborne Chardonnay as an Icon Wine, in his book 'Classic Wines of New Zealand' saying "From one vintage to the next, Rebecca Salmond makes one of Gisborne's classiest wines. "The 2010 ( 5 Stars ) is hand-picked from mature vines in the Kawatiri Vineyard at Hexton and fermented and aged in French oak barriques ( 30% new ), this wine has a creamy, toasty bouquet. Very elegant, youthful and harmonious, it has concentrated stonefruit, grapefruit and slight spice flavours, finely integrated oak and a long, poised finish." M.Cooper

2008 Coopers Creek 'Little Rascal' Gisborne Arneis

Elsewhere $21. Gold and Trophy at the Aromatics Show. An ancient variety grown near Alba in Piemonte (northwest Italy). Recently saved from extinction by a few notable Barolo (Nebbiolo) producers. Arneis is sometimes referred to as Barolo Bianco although never labeled as such. Difficult to grow, "Arneis" in the regional dialect means "little rascal." It is often used as a blender to soften tannins in the red wines of the area, much as the French use Viognier in the Northern Rhone. "Richly scented and mouthfilling, it is powerful and vibrant, with refreshing acidity. The flavours are concentrated, citrusy and spicy, with hints of herbs and almonds." A charming aperitive and sipping wine and a good companion for shellfish and fish. Try something new in kiwi whites.

2008 Bridge Pa reserve Syrah

"From a small Hawkes Bay producer, this is a very stylish wine, dark, rich and smooth. Still youthful, with vibrant, well-ripened fruit flavours seasoned with new oak, it's a deliciously harmonious wine, unfolding well."

2009 Beach House Reserve Merlot Gimblett Gravels

Its not often we find $20 NZ red we can hang our hat on but this is an incredibly good value merlot. This vineyard is surrounded by such stella vineyards as Craggy Range and Stonecroft. Close planted, leaf plucked, hand plunged and oak aging. Incredible merlot value for this intense hands on wine. "Intense aromas of plum, forrest berries and cedar. On the palate dark chocolate, fruit cake and leather with strong silky tannins lingering and lasting."

2007 Villa Maria Reserve Syrah