Shop for wines by Country: New Zealand

Auckland

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  St. Nesbit 2007 08/18/08 NZD $74.95 NZD $69.95
  The second release of one of the cult wines of New Zealand. This is without doubt one of the most Bordelais styled reds in this country. The 2007 vintage is probably a little young at the moment but as always the case with St. Nesbit, it is capable of ageing extremely well. At the moment it expresses excellent acidity, good fruit with evenly ripe tannins and medium to full bodied it is still a little young but will develop for 7-8 years. The middle palate is almost reminiscent of a Rioja Gran Reserva with excellent offerings of mocca, tobacco, lead pencil and showing perfect balance and harmony. Drink now or cellar for another 8 years plus.
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  Kumeu River Chardonnay 2009 08/08/08 NZD $43.95 NZD $34.95
  When it comes to outstanding Chardonnay from New Zealand, Kumeu River is an obvious choice. It has been very much a family affair for the last half a century or so. Made by Michael Brajkovich (M.W.) in charge of Oenology and wine making and Chardonnay being his hallmark. Kumeu River Chardonnays as a whole, represent the most consistent and respected in the country, rated internationally by respected wine publications and wine writers. The 2009 vintage was perhaps one of the best in recent years enjoying ideal conditions from budburst to harvest. It represents a tight, well concentrated offering than previous years and shows hints of peach and typical mealiness which we have grown to love about this great wine. It is undoubtedly the closest you will get to a white Burgundy from New Zealand. The actual wines are also made in the tradition of white Burgundy's which are always wines made in the vineyard expressing their terroir. Drink now or over the next 2-4 years.
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  Kumeu River Matés Vineyard Chardonnay 2008 08/08/08 NZD $54.95 NZD $49.95

  Maté's vineyard sits just across the road from the winery, an outstanding enclave reminiscent of a "Clos". This is Maté's vineyard. Setting it apart from the normal or estate Kumeu River, Maté's shows a bolder and individualistic character and it also takes a bit longer to mature. Hand harvested and whole bunch pressed then 11 month barrel aging lead this to be an outstanding release. The Maté's vineyard always offers more concentration, better length and richness than the straight Kumeu River Chardonnay. This is reflected very well in this vintage that has generous fruit flavours, good organic and fruit acidity, depth and hints of minerality. This is as close to a Meursault as you are going to get. Cellar for 4-6 years.

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Central Otago

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  Valli Bannockburn Vineyard Pinot Noir 2009 12/12/11 NZD $64.95 NZD $54.95
  As is the case with Valli’s other Pinot Noirs, the aim is to capture the essence and terroir of Otago’s sub-regions. This is from Bannockburn from quite an elevated vineyard which is fairly cool in comparison to Bannockburn as a whole, obviously dry however situated in free draining soils with very little irrigation, close planted and fairly old vines. The result is a medium to full bodied Pinot Noir that reflects its terroir completely. At the moment it’s showing violets, spring flowers and lavender, very well balanced and elegant. This will also cellar for the next 4-5 years.
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  Schist Face Pinot Noir 2010 11/23/11 NZD $31.95 NZD $28.95
  A completely new vineyard and perhaps one of the ones that shows the most promise for the future. This is a relatively small vineyard of approximately 6-7 acres that has been close planted with the latest selected Pinot Noir clones that given time and with more vine age and adaptability to its terroir, there is no doubt that it will achieve wonderful results. This is the very first vintage and we have already tried this against other Pinot Noir’s on the market at about $40-$50 dollars and frankly it is just up there. It has very good texture, balance and structure yet it is displaying typical flavours and aromas of Central Otago such as thyme, red currant, violet etc. One thing is for sure that in its price bracket, it does offer excellent value for money which is not always the case with wines from this region.
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  Breaksea Sound Pinot Noir 2009 09/28/11 NZD $21.95 NZD $19.95
  This is a classic example of how the market has changed when it comes to Central Otago Pinot Noir. Only a few years ago you would expect to pay in the $30’s for a Pinot Noir like this however due to various factors and in particular, overproduction and overpricing, they finally came down to earth and at $19.95 we are starting to see some value here because this is wonderful Pinot Noir. Soft, perfumed, wonderful texture, light to medium body as most of them are however very characteristic of Pinot Noir and at the price, well worth it. For those of you who enjoy Central Otago Pinot Noir, this is a must.
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  Sleeping Dogs Reserve Pinot Noir 2008 05/04/11 NZD $46.95 NZD $39.95
  After 15 years of making outstanding Pinot Noir, Roger Donaldson decided to release his first Reserve label, this is made from a selection of the best barrels of the vintage and further aged to create this Reserve. Medium to full bodied with lovely, racy acidity, good concentration and depth can best describe this wine. Young at the moment but with the capability of aging for another 4-5 years but it already displays very good integration, excellent balance with an elegant, silky texture. If you are looking for a top notch Pinot Noir but without the exorbitant prices, this fits the bill.
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Gisborne

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  Old Vine Chardonnay 2008 02/04/09 NZD $13.95 NZD $12.95
  This is one of those super deals that do not come round that often but when they do, you should take it! Selected from old vines, this Chardonnay delivers an array of butterscotch, freshly baked bread but yet maintaining a lovely freshness and fruit flavours. Frankly you would expect to pay close to the $20 mark for a Chardonnay of this quality. It is ideal with white meats or fish, drinking very well now but will also keep for a year or two. Excellent value at $12.95.
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  Tui Vale Gisborne Chardonnay 2002 08/08/08 NZD $19.95 NZD $13.95 Out of Stock
  Perfectionist winemaker Keith Crone has excelled once again at producing an absolutely gorgeous Chardonnay that has got to be his best yet. This is a stunning vintage made from 100% Gisborne grown grapes. This has given this wine a smoother, silkier, more elegant style of wine than the normal Tui Vale blend that is made from just Hawkes Bay fruit.The wine is seamless from beginning to end. It is packed with ripe, melon and peach flavours that have an almond, nutty influence with a touch of oak to compliment the fruit. Extremely elegant and clean and the cellaring potential is very promising and will be an absolute treat around 2005-6. You can't say that about many other wines at this price.

Hawkes Bay

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  Lonestone Chardonnay 2009 04/19/11 NZD $21.95 NZD $19.95
  With so many exciting, sexy and outstanding wines from all over the world, the question nowadays has to be to Chardonnay, or not to Chardonnay, but there are always exceptions to the rule. This is made from a single vineyard in Hawkes Bay which has been barrel selected, 12 months matured in French oak with lee’s stirring. Having tried it against other top Hawkes Bay Chardonnay at $40+ frankly is just as good. It’s classy, generous, very well integrated and elegant. We like it because of its racy acidity and its intense stone fruit and slightly nutty flavours. Drink now or cellar for another 2-3 years.
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  Mt Hector Chardonnay 2009 11/04/10 NZD $15.95 NZD $13.95
  Hailing from the Hawkes Bay area, this relatively new vineyard produces Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. This is their Chardonnay which shows flavours of ripe stonefruit with a dash of sweet, spicy oak. Enjoy with vegetarian, chicken and lighter red meat dishes. Drink now or over the next 2-3 years.
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  Black Barn Tempranillo 2009 10/06/10 NZD $59.95 NZD $52.95
  Tempranillo it is very new to New Zealand, though it is showing some promise mainly in Hawkes Bay where weather conditions and soils seem to be very well suited to the grape variety. We have tried a number of them and without doubt this is the very best that we found, it is unmistakeably varietal in flavour and profile, leather, tobacco even dry saffron, everything that you would expect from a Rioja, in fact we tried it against some classical Rioja and it was surprising how well it compared. Black Barn is a leading Hawkes Bay producer and it is refreshing that they are prepared to push the boundaries and experiment with something out of the ordinary, they definitely hit the nail on the head with this one, lovely caressing ripe fruit, concentration, dry spice and vibrancy, starting to drink now but will also cellar for the next 3-4 years.
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  Te Mata Elston Chardonnay 2009 03/03/10 NZD $48.95 NZD $29.95
  Elston ‘09 has a light golden colour with intense fresh pineapple and peach characters combining with lemon, oatmeal, cream and vanilla notes. It is a rich, complex wine balanced with fresh acidity, leading to a long finish. Elston '09 will continue to evolve in bottle for five years from harvest and matching well with full flavoured dishes based on seafood, poultry and white meats as well as soft ripened cheeses. Elston ‘09 is bottled with leading technology ‘DIAM’ corks. When the wine is well cellared, these provide consistent evolution for every bottle.
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Marlborough

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  Breaksea Sound Pinot Gris 2010 01/18/12 NZD $17.95 NZD $16.95
  Made by master of wine Steven Bennett, this reflects what can be done with old vines, lees aging and not much over winemaking, just fantastic basic fruit, low cropped and fermented to complete dryness. This is really a very special offer as this used to be around the $20 mark and now for this month only at $16.95. An excellent deal on an outstanding Pinot Gris!
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  Breaksea Sound Sauvignon Blanc 2010 07/13/11 NZD $16.95 NZD $14.95 Out of Stock
  Another example, if more were needed, that classical Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc does not need to be expensive. Made under the guidance of Steven Bennett who has always shown to have a great understanding of winemaking and growing in its purest form, has produced a dry, flinty, focused and fresh Sauvignon Blanc that captures the essence of its true terroir, Marlborough. This is not your tutti fruity, sweaty, surgery lollipop but rather the classical guava, clean fruit, and racy Sauvignon Blanc that one would expect from Marlborough.
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  Kairos Pinot Gris 2009 06/30/11 NZD $32.95 NZD $29.95
  Having tried this Pinot Gris alongside the very best from NZ and also some very good ones from Alsace and Italy, it is just up there. From very low yielding vineyards and relatively old vines it is classical Pinot Gris, very fresh and rich with excellent texture and concentration, lovely complexity and perfect balance as Kiwi Pinot Gris goes they don’t came any better, excellent with food and it will also cellar for a further 2-3 years.
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  Kairos Sauvignon Blanc 2009 11/16/10 NZD $32.95 NZD $29.95
  I think they should make more Sauvignon Blanc like this in NZ, not your tutti frutti stuff that after glass your teeth fall off. No, this is different, balance, concentration excellent middle palate and well defined with vibrancy and freshness, you could in many ways compare it to an excellent white Bordeaux, it has body, it has structure and minerality and at the price it represents very good value. Excellent fruit from old vines, natural ferment, barrel fermentation, extensive lees contact and not too much intervention from the winemaker trying to re-invent the wheel and you are almost there.
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Martinborough

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  Kairos Fait Main Pinot Noir 2009 06/30/11 NZD $44.95 NZD $39.95
  Just like the rest of the Kairos range it is made from low-yielding and mature vines, natural yeasts and traditional wine making. Excellent concentration, soft and velvety tannins with perfect balance and structure, on the nose it offers an array of cherry, spring flowers and violets, you may confuse it with a young Gevrey-Chambertin but it is still very New Zealand with great up front fruit and typical varietal characteristics. What we really like about this wine is that it has complexity and staying power and it offers a harmonious, well balanced and textural Pinot Noir that is so often lacking in most NZ Pinot Noir. Excellent now but it will also cellar for 4-5 years.
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  Ma Maison Pinot Noir 2009 02/09/10 NZD $47.95 NZD $43.95
  There has been a lot of talk of terroir in New Zealand in the last few years and of course one thing is talk and the other thing is action. This is one of the closest wines that we came across with a true expression of its terroir. The wine has been neither filtered or fined with an aroma of violets, black cherry and ripe plum. Lovely middle palate which is quite warm and savoury but yet with an abundance of fruit. What we really like about this is its balance, complexity and the vibrant fresh middle palate. A little on the young side however it will cellar very well for the next 4-5 years.
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  Ma Maison Chardonnay 2008 02/09/10 NZD $52.95 NZD $46.95 Out of Stock
  This is one of the up and coming stars in Martinborough that has been able to capture the essence of true Chardonnay. For lovers of white Burgundy, in particular Mersault, you will find it very familiar. Made from a small holding of mainly Mendoza clone Chardonnay with an abundant aroma of white peach, melon and nectarine and left on its lees for an extended period of time but not stirred which gives it a bottle fermented Champagne character. Full malolactic is given to the wine with no fining or filtration resulting in a creamy, soft and well balanced texture with lovely acidity, focus and accuracy. Frankly one of the very best Chardonnay’s that we’ve come across in the last few years. Will also cellar for another 3-5 years.
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  James Pinot Noir 2006 08/08/08 NZD $44.95 NZD $42.95
  Named as a tribute to his son James, Colin Carruthers Q.C. has shown a keen interest not only in the consumption of wine but also in making it. As far back as the mid 90's, he purchased an 11.3 hectare block in the then unproven and unknown area of Te Muna Rd in Martinborough. Since then leading winemakers in the area have followed suit and the area has become extremely well recognised and established.  We came across this Pinot via one of our customers who had tried it and was impressed by it. We have tasted it and retasted it against some top flight New Zealand Pinot Noir and in its price bracket it offers unbeatable value for money. It is very well constructed with clean, racy acidity, structure and round middle palate yet displaying some very upfront fruits of dry cherry, wild strawberry and fungi. Drinking extremely well now but will also develop for another 2-3 years.
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Nelson

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  Neudorf Moutere Chardonnay 2010 10/26/11 NZD $79.95 NZD $58.95
  One of the pioneers in the Nelson region, Tim Finn has been making top flight wines for over 20 years. Their Moutere Chardonnay is pretty much their top tier Chardonnay, elegant with concentration and depth, natural ferments, overall a very classy Chardonnay that is also able to develop for a number of years. 2010 is still very young obviously however if you are looking for a New Zealand Chardonnay, this is among the very best. Drink now or over the next 3-4 years.
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  Neudorf Moutere Riesling 2007 08/08/08 NZD $41.95
  Layers of sweet citrus curled around a taut, sinewy centre of minerality.
  A wonderfully satisfying wine to enjoy on release, or to cellar for years and years. We always bang on about cellaring Riesling - this is because it offers so much satisfaction as a mature wine. Right now you can glimpse the future - the fruit is full and rich, balanced with some finely textured phenols and a supporting thread of mineral acid, which banish any possibility of cloying sweetness. In fact the wine can taste remarkably dry with an attractive perfumed earthy talc quality.
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  Neudorf Pinot Noir "Toms Block" 2007 08/08/08 NZD $42.95
  Enticing pinot colour, clarity and hue. Deep complex earthy nose with a lick of leather around wild berry, forest floor notes. Search for touches of liquorice, coffee, cream, cherries and plums. With a broad palate the wine sweeps around the mouth leaving a long lingering after taste.
  This is a serious, sumptuous wine with a slinky component and linen textured phenolics. Oak handling is subtle and tannins are fine and rich and spread through the wine. Tom's Block can be enjoyed at all levels it is a generous Pinot to share over grilled lamb rack and garlicky potatoes or as a more intense experience with Confit of duck or a braise of rabbit.
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  Neudorf Moutere Pinot Noir 2006 08/08/08 NZD $69.95
  Youthful, purple hue in the glass with a complex nose of cracked pepper, dark summer berries, black cherry and chocolate, combined with visceral, earthy characters, dried wild herbs and excellent but unobtrusive supporting oak.
  Palate: Initial savoury / black fruit entry carries through a mouth filling, richly structured palate, the texture of soft leather. An underlying mineral acidity supports this richness, adding a certain juiciness and considerable length. Overall a wine of complexity and finesse.
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North Otago

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  Black Stilt Pinot Gris 2009 06/01/10 NZD $27.95 NZD $24.95
  It’s not often that Pinot Gris like this is made in New Zealand, very few exceptions. From the Waitaki Valley in North Otago, this is something that we really like. A dry Pinot Gris with the influence of limestone, high altitude and marginal terroir, crisp, flinty and fresh, almost reminiscent of an Italian Pinot Grigio. Not just your usual in-your-face tutti fruity but with depth, acidity and middle palate. Lovely focus, clean and beautiful concentration. Frankly this has to be one of the very best that we have seen from New Zealand.
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Waiheke

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  Pleasant Valley Merlot Cabernet Franc 2006 08/08/08 NZD $21.95 NZD $18.95
  Pleasant Valley Red All This came on a St. Emilion tasting which was thrown in purely by chance and we really didn't have a clue where it was from, in fact none of us picked it as being from New Zealand and when we looked at the price definitely not from Waiheke, it was far to cheap to be from there. Cabernet Franc is not the easiest grape to ripen and not the easiest grape to grow either that's why we didn't think that it would be from New Zealand. It really exhibits a wonderful perfume of dry earth and truffle, great acidity, pure and yet still concentrated. Lovely richness and succulent with an array of wild berries but still very well integrated, vibrant, fresh with excellent finish, this is really equal to many $40-$50 wines out there. Enjoy now or over the next 3-4 years.
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  Pleasant Valley Malbec 2006 08/08/08 NZD $19.95 NZD $14.95
  We came across this wine purely by chance in fact it came right in the middle of a Malbec tasting from Argentina. We knew that it wasn't Argentinean but we were very surprised to find out that it was from Waiheke Island and then even more surprised to find out its price. This is Malbec as it should be reminiscent of an Argentinean from San Juan rather than Mendoza, floral with lots of dark chocolate, leather and dry spice, excellent tannins, ripe, subtle and soft, full bodied with well integrated acidity, tannin and alcohol, very good length on the finish and is an absolute steal at its price! We are always quite wary and critical of New Zealand red wines purely because of their price but it is good to see something like this which offers very good quality at an excellent price. There should be more producers out there like this and they wont have any problems selling their wine! Drink now or over the next couple of years.
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Waipara/Canterbury

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  Kairos Riesling 2010 06/30/11 NZD $32.95 NZD $29.95
  One of the best examples that we have ever tried from NZ, again made from very low-yielding vineyards from Waipara and old vines, it has poise, elegance and wonderful texture, mainly from maturation on lees and indigenous yeast fermentation. It is dry with hints of petrol and spring flowers, generous with lovely middle palate and structure, once again like the Pinot Gris it is excellent with food. Even though it is drinking very well now, it will also cellar for 4-5 years.
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  Valli Waitaki Vineyard Pinot Noir 2009 11/24/10 NZD $64.95 NZD $54.95
  One of the most promising regions for Pinot Noir in the country situated in North Otago and with some very promising sites that feature active limestone within its soils which is one of the key ingredients for Pinot Noir growing. Very different to the Gibbston Valley, fantastic perfume, freshness, violets, spring flowers but sexier than the Gibbston Valley. On a commercial sense it would be very difficult or impossible to make wine in this area so you will always have to focus on the quality side, cropping just a little above one and a half tonnes per acre, it will not make you a millionaire but you don’t go into wine production to become one anyway! Again a little young at the moment but with potential to age another 3-5 years.
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  French Bay Pinot Gris 2009 03/10/10 NZD $18.95 NZD $17.95
  Our latest addition to the French Bay family! Pinot Gris, again made by Alan McCorkindale, who really knows aromatics very well, a complete varietal expression of Pinot Gris that is concentrated, succulent, rich and very aromatic especially of pear, fig and ripe melon. This is superb with fish and white meats but also excellent as an aperitif. A wine that suits the summer weather and considering its quality it delivers well above its price level. Drink now or over the next couple of years.
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  Alan McCorkindale Rose Brut 2002 12/11/08 NZD $53.95 NZD $49.95 Out of Stock
  His flagship label from a single vineyard that expresses the essence of superb Method Sparkling. A blend of 95% Pinot Noir and 5% Meunier and aged for 4 years of yeast lees. This is just sensational, lots of fruit, strawberries, marzipan, nutmeg, wild berries with lots of concentration, excellent middle palate and terrific bubbles. If your budget doesn’t allow for a top Rose Champagne, this is a great substitute.