Look out for the Taste Top Wine Award stickers on these bottles at supermarkets and selected liquor retailers.
White wines
Forrest 2017 Chenin Blanc Marlborough $25
Very textural wine with real weight and richness. Classic hay/straw, apple, toasted nut and brioche autolysis flavours together with a savoury influence.
Blank Canvas 2015 GV Gruner Veltliner Marlborough $28
Weighty, richly textured gruner that was fermented in oak puncheons and aged on the lees for 10 months. Mandarin, orange zest, root ginger and nutty lees.
Mudbrick 2017 Reserve Viognier Waiheke Island $59
Rich, textural viognier with toasted nut/almond, ginger nut, honeysuckle, apricot and spicy oak flavours. Ripe and complex wine that’s deliciously drinkable now but should also develop well.
Forrest 2017 Albarino Marlborough $25
Rich, weighty wine with a characteristic oily texture and classic mandarin zest, apricot, mineral and subtle floral flavours. Concentrated wine with good acidity adding a nervy energy.
Neudorf 2017 Moutere Albarino Nelson $33
Delicately scented albarino with distinct floral and citrus/orange characters, plus a hint of salty minerality. The wine has a delicious texture – silken smooth and with nice weight.
Red Wines
Dry River 2015 Tempranillo Martinborough $59
Dense, ripe Tempranillo with dark berry, liquorice, spice/anise and nutty oak flavours. There is also a suggestion of violet but it is dominated by riper black fruit characters.
Elephant HIll 2015 Earth Tempranillo Hawke’s Bay $75
Dense, juicy Tempranillo with wood smoke, black currant, plum, pepper, spice/anise and a suggestion of floral/violet characters.
Paritua 2015 The Platinum Collection Cabernet Franc Hawke’s Bay $95
Rich, ripe Cabernet Franc with dark berry, violet, new leather and plenty of spicy French oak character. Seamless wine with sweet fruit nicely counterpoised by rounded tannins.
Hans Herzog 2014 Zweigelt Marlborough $53
The most widely planted grape variety in Austria. Deep-tinted, flavoursome red with plum, spice, dark berry/black berry and spicy oak flavours. Rich, warming red with impressive power.
Coopers Creek 2015 Guido in Velvet Pants Montepulciano Huapai $27.99
Plush, rich and fruity Montepulciano with dark berry, liquorice, fresh herb and vanilla/oak flavours. Moderately concentrated wine with an almost syrupy texture.
