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Review Date: 02-Mar-2010
The Te Mata Showcase is one of the most important wine tasting events on the wine lover’s calendar. Conducted at the start of each year, it serves as a benchmark for looking at the rest of the country’s wines that year. This year’s event was special, as the new 2008 reds were tasted alongside the 1998 reds.. More...
Review Date: 23-Feb-2010
Our annual tastings of Craggy Range wines are always eagerly anticipated. The wines are truly representative of the site and region. The cool-climate wines, highly expressive of aromatic character are particularly clear and pure in this, and as such, are wonderful to taste... More...
Review Date: 17-Feb-2010
Domaine Albert Mann must be considered one of the rising stars of the Alsace wine scene. Along with the likes of Schoffit, this producer is making immaculate wines that rival the very best, but at around half the price. It was a real pleasure to have Maurice Marthelmé present a range of his wines at Regional Wines. The tasting was focussed on the 2008 vintage... More...
Review Date: 11-Feb-2010
With 30 years of operation, Martinborough Vineyard has in its 60 hectares of holdings. The grape growing and winemaking team has the resource of well-established sites and systems to allow the making of first-class wine. The vineyards are under biological management, which gives considerable credit to biodynamics. This tasting was an opportunity of presenting the current releases of Riesling and Pinot Noir, the two most successful varieties of the region. More...
Review Date: 05-Dec-2009
Regional Wines conducts a tasting of the top wines from the Air N.Z. Wine Awards every year. It is interesting to see the attendees reactions to the wines. While most of the wines are appreciated for their quality, the styles of the wines do not always find favour. It is a sign of our growing maturity that wine enthusiasts feel confident in their own preferences More...
Review Date: 30-Nov-2009
The tasting of the Rousseau range was yet again a lesson in vineyard sites and terroir, as can be expected. The 2006s in following the magnificent 2005s were going to find it tough, but the finding was that the 2006s have improved by putting on weight and showing gorgeous fruit sweetness. But also the freshness and acidity were remarkable, adding to the liveliness and indicating good potential. 2006 is turning out to be a little cracker of a vintage! More...
Review Date: 17-Nov-2009
It was a privilege to meet and taste the wines of Jean-Guilliaume and Jean-Philippe Bret, the young and talented brothers who run the Bret Brothers negociant business and their domaine La Soufrandiere at Vinzelles in the Macon, southern Burgundy. More...
Review Date: 04-Nov-2009
It must be gratifying for the Milltons, once alone, now joined by a groundswell of other winegrowers who have embraced the biodynamic approach to making wine; a greater broad understanding acceptance of organics, and the official recognition of sustainability. More...
Review Date: 02-Nov-2009
First producing a Syrah in 1992 and a Viognier in 1997, Te Mata Estate is one of the most experienced producers with these exciting Rhone varieties in this country. Te Mata Estate has developed their styles very successfully and their wines from these Rhone varieties have now joined the ranks of the very top level as their ‘Elston’ has with Chardonnay and the ‘Awatea’ and ‘Coleraine’ with the Bordeaux varietals. More...
Review Date: 29-Oct-2009
As one of the largest landowners in Burgundy with 40 hectares in Chablis and over 70 hectares in the Cote d’Or, as well as having a strong negociant business, Domaine Joseph Drouhin can offer a perspective of any particular vintage across different appellations and from village level to grand cru that few other producers can. The 2006s were certain to suffer in appreciation following the stupendous 2005 vintage, but their delightful fruitiness is becoming more highly regarded as the wine evolve in the bottle... More...