Deliciously spicy, aromatic red fruit are captured in this silky Pinot Noir from Astrolabe Wines, which is a blend of grapes from four Marlborough sub regions, the Brancott and Waihopai, the Awatere and Kekerengu on the southern coast of the broader region. 

The grapes in this wine were fermented with wild yeasts in open top vats, including a portion of whole bunches to provide structure and add complexity to the pristine red fruit flavours in this wine. Wild yeasts and hot ferments are followed by aging in old French oak barrels where the wine gains its smooth mouthfeel and savoury flavours.

The story of Astrolabe

Diversity, history and family ownership are among the reasons to try the outstanding range of wines from Astrolabe, which was founded in 1996 in Marlborough by winemaker Simon Waghorn and his partner in life and wine, Jane. 

Simon has forged a reputation for being one of New Zealand's most respected producers of aromatic white wines after winning an almost embarrassingly long string of awards for his Sauvignon Blancs. He has also forged a name for adventurously diverse winemaking - he produces dry flinty whites from the most southern vineyard in Marlborough at Kekerengu on the coast about an hour's drive south of Blenheim. He is the only winemaker to produce wines from here. 

He is also one of the few in this country to make Albarino, Chenin Blanc and a consistently outstanding range of wines from the organically certified hillside sloping site that is the Wrekin Vineyard in Marlborough. 

The winery remains family owned and is now run by two generations, including Simon and Jane as well as their adult daughters. 

The Prophet’s Rock Pinot Gris comes from both the Home and Rocky Point vineyards. Planting in these warmer areas of Central Otago and practising careful viticulture allows for the production of a very aromatic style of Pinot Gris, while retaining the trademark freshness of the region. This wine has achieved an avid following and wide acclaim, despite very limited production.

The vinification is heavily influenced by winemaker Paul Pujol's time in Alsace where use of wild yeast, multiple small vessels and long ageing are the norm. After long slow ferments the various components are aged on their yeast lees before bottling.

A cracking sparkler from Marlborough's Cloudy Bay. This has more weight and fruit sweetness than the standard Pelorus thanks to a higher percentage Pinot and offers strawberry and biscuit elements on the nose and palate. 

94/100 Bob Campbell
“Reasonably deep copper colour. Full-flavoured wine with hints of biscuit and strawberry. Dry, but not austere, with a rich texture and lengthy finish. Classy sparkler with character.”

Pegasus Bay has an excitingly diverse, if sometimes surprising, array of different grapes growing in its vineyards in the Waipara Valley, the heart of North Canterbury, many of which were planted to see what would fit. And thanks to the long dry autumn growing season, quite a number of different grapes can ripen fully here. This enables varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet Franc and even Cabernet Sauvignon to ripen and produce wines such as this full bodied, juicy, age worthy red. If climate change continues, who knows what we will see coming from this stellar, family owned wine producer.

This wine drinks well now and can age and improve for the next five to seven years. 

"Deep red with purple tints.  Rich and concentrated dark fruits, with charry oak and mocha notes.  The palate shows dense plum and mulberry with dark chocolate and savoury oak tannins.  The wine is intense, balanced and shows great length on the palate." - Winemaker's notes.

This wine was fermented using only indigenous yeasts, natural to the vineyard, allowing for excellent terroir expression. Lees ageing and regular batonnage for 10 months has increased the complexity and creaminess of the wine and further heightened the palate weight.

The nose shows apricot, honeysuckle and orange zest aromas. The palate offers a long, luscious texture and notes of orange zest, with a touch of honey and toast. A long, rich and luscious palate finishes with a citrussy freshness.

Hill & Valley is all about highlighting the ripe and balanced flavours of great wines, such as this full bodied red, from the warmth of the Barossa Valley in South Australia. From the cooler Adelaide Hills to the elevated Eden Valley vineyards to those situated on the Barossa Valley floor, these ancient soils provide the base for great wines that speak of their origins.

"Dense with a bright red edge, there are dark brooding fruit aromas with hints of blueberry and choc-mint. The palate is medium-bodied with blue fruit and fine grained tannins for a very soft finish."

Dark and delicious Tempranillo comes from Toro DO, a wine region where this great red grape is known as Tinto de Toro and is typically a more deeply coloured, tannic variation on the Tempranillo theme. 

This wine is made with grapes grown on several different vineyards in Toro and was fermented with native yeasts then aged for six months in stainless steel tanks.

The result is a smooth, full bodied, unmistakably dry and savoury red wine with earthy notes and firm big tannins, which are suggestive of a region with hot days and cool nights, which lengthen the ripening season and enhance the balance in this wine by providing refreshing acidity to its smooth, rich, full bodied style. 

Telmo Rodríguez is one of Spain’s most dynamic wine pioneers, using native grapes, biodynamic growing methods and old bush vines to express a wide range of flavours from this vast and diverse wine country.

A delicious dry and savoury Chenin Blanc with crisp apply acidity and a full body, showing off the fleshy citrus and stone fruit flavours in this wine, which comes from South Africa - the world's headquarters of Chenin Blanc, in terms of volume of grapes planted. 

Chenin Blanc is the leading grape variety in South Africa and is made in a wide range of styles. This is one of the best and was made by A A Badenhorst in South Africa's Swartland region, where Chenin grows superbly well. With a smattering of Palomino, the grape typically used for sherry, this wine is deliciously dry and savoury with crisp apply acidity and a full body, showing off fleshy citrus and stone fruit flavours.

Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico is a fabulously affordable expression of Tuscany's great Sangiovese grape, which makes up 95% of the blend here with 5% Merlot providing a softness and supple texture to the wine as well as adding smooth plummy flavours. 

This is a savoury little number with bright acidity adding freshness and length to every sip. This is a tasty little number for drinking now or in the next couple of years.

THE CHIANTI CLASSICO APPELLATION

Chianti Classico is the heart of the wider Chianti production zone and its wines are distinguished by a trademarked black rooster on their labels. The wines of Chianti Classico are higher in quality and noticeably so in taste than wines labelled Chianti, which come from a broader area in Tuscany. The wines taste better because the vines are planted on hillsides with a higher degree of  iron rich soils and a greater diurnal temperature range, which provides more powerful, riper fruit flavours, which are balanced by higher acidity thanks to the cooler night time temperatures. 

The Sangiovese grape must make up 80% of all wines labelled Chianti Classico compared to 70% Sangiovese for wines labelled Chianti. 

Chianti was first defined as a wine producing sub region within Tuscany in 1716 by the Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo III, whose wanted to protect the integrity of the wines and prevent fraud. The Chianti Classico Wine Consortium was formed in 1924 with the distinctive Black Rooster trademark chosen to feature on the labels. 

This is a top notch everyday sparkling wine from the epicentre of the world's most popular bubbles today, the Veneto, in north east Italy - home to Prosecco.

Clean, fresh and lemony in taste, it offers a medium bubble and lingering lightly fruity finish, making it very good value for money for high quality Prosecco.

Hand harvested grapes were selected to make this lovely dry, next level Prosecco, which is produced by the Bortolin family - now in its fourth generation of winemaking. 

This wine comes from the Piana Rotaliano area in the Adige Valley, tucked between the Dolomites. Despite numerous attempts to acclimatise it in other regions, Teroldego remains deeply bound to its mountains and the unique environment of the Piana Rotaliana. Think Cru Beaujolais in terms of style, with plenty of fruit but enough structure and complexity to back it up. This is a fruit forward wine with complexity, length and structure. Biodynamic and organic.

Amaranta is a cru wine obtained from Abruzzo's most important red grape, the Montepulciano D'Abruzzo. This is a deep red wine with an intense perfume of red fruit and complex spice characters. The palate is well structured, complex and elegant, with a long, rich finish. 

Excellent value red from Domaine De La Charbonniere, with Grenache leading the way in this full bodied beauty, which is 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah.

The Domaine de la Charbonniere is owned by Eugene Maret, who owns 19 hectares in the Chateauneuf du Pape appellation, nearly six hectares in Vacqueryas and two hectares in the Cotes du Rhone appellation.

This is an outstanding Cotes du Rhone red with body to burn and flavours of approachable, soft and smooth spicy red fruit notes supported by a tannin structure of impressive velvet smooth framework and complex savoury, clean notes on the finish.

This fresh and fruity wine, made from 100% Chenin Blanc is a perfect match for white fish or an excellent aperitif. The nose is lemony and fresh, with green apple, honey notes, and a touch of floral complexity. This is a dry and mineral Vouvray, with moderate acidity and a medium-full body. Champalou embraces sustainable farming methods and biodynamic principles in their vineyards, producing elegant wines with great finesse.