Extremely aromatic with pear, white flower and stone fruit characteristics. Barrel fermentation adds complexity. Zesty citrus fruit notes on the palate with soft, acid freshness. A light, well balanced wine. 

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. 

We're big fans of dry Chenin Blanc and this is one of the best made in New Zealand with its ripe flavours of green apples, clover honey and notes of dried grass and hay  aromas. This is a great wine to drink with fish 'n chips by the river, on the beach or in the backyard. It's also a delicately refreshing drink on its own as an aperitif or late nightcap. John and Beth Forrest are Chenin Blanc devotees and it shows. 

Machine harvested grapes were fermented in large oak barrels (1000 litres) and extended lees ageing brings depth and layers of flavour to this wine.

Chenin Blanc is one of the great white wines of the world, traditionally from the Loire Valley in central France, and also a grape that has found its home happily in many cool climates of the wine world, such as parts of New Zealand.

Winemakers James and Annie Millton were the first in the country to produce a certified organic wine in 1984 and have since pioneered biodynamic grape growing and winemaking practices, along with retaining a strong loyalty to lesser known great classic grapes, such as Chardonnay, as well as lesser known ones (Chenin Blanc, but that's another story).

Opou Vineyard Chardonnay is an outstanding wine that foots it with the best.

Elston is the top Chardonnay of Te Mata Estate and is a powerfully long lived dry white with a full body, aromas of cream, hazlenuts and almonds leading into a rich citrusy, textural wine. 

Elston takes its name from the ancestral home of Charles Darwin, Elston Hall in Nottinghamshire, the UK, and tastes dry with ripe stone fruit flavours of peach and nectarines, balanced by a citrusy, creamy and lingering finish. 

A great wine to enjoy now and to keep.

Here's a surprising fact - nearly one third of Germany's vineyards are planted in red grapes – but until quite recently most of these wines were made specifically with the country's own tastes in mind.

Now there is a generation of winemakers producing riper, fuller bodied Pinot Noirs made in a modern style - and one which takes both Burgundy and New Zealand Pinot Noir styles into account. Winemaker Gerd Stepp is at the forefront of this cultural change and this fabulous Pinot Noir illustrates this in this savoury, smooth and finely tuned Pinot Noir, which tastes like the ultimate match with roast duck or aubergine and then again, is equally beautiful on its own. 

This is a thought provoking Pinot Noir which offers exceptional value for money.

A traditional Rioja. Full bodied. Rich, red fruit aromas with noticeable oak influence. Very fruit forward on the palate.

Beautiful dark juicy Portuguese red made from indigenous grapes; Touriga Nacional, Castelao, Camarate and Tinta Muida, which are grown on a combination of clay and limestone soils. 

Soft, smooth and with structure, this wine has ripe blueberry flavours, which are nicely balanced by the bold dark fruity flavours of the other three grapes in the blend. All of the grapes in this wine were fermented in temperature controlled tanks up to 30 degrees C and aged for three to four months in oak; a relatively brief time, which allows the rich fruit flavours to shine and be the hero.

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.

Chateau Thivin is the oldest estate on Mont Brouilly, which has remained in family hands for several generations. Grown on steep slopes, harvested manually and vinified using low intervention techniques so as to maximise terroir expression. 

The Brouilly appellation is capable of producing excellent and complex wines, quite unlike the maligned Beaujolais Nouveau. Brouilly produces fruit forward, medium bodied wines, typically from the Gamay grape. 

Le Sept Vignes is a blend of the seven plots of Chateau Thivin, in an effort to represent the region's terroir. This is a delicious, medium bodied red, with slight tannins and a persistent, juicy red-fruit character. Complex yet easy-drinking in it's youth. This wine will grow in elegance given a few years age. 

Founded by Gaston Hochar in 1930, Chateau Musar lies in a 17th century Mzar castle in Ghazir, just North of Beruit overlooking the Mediterranean sea. One of the great wines of the world Chateau Musar has been run by Gaston's sons, Serge (who studied winemaking under the great Emile Peynaud at the University of Bordeaux) and Ronald since 1959. The grand vin is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, Carignan, Grenache and Mourvedre with the white wine being a blend of native varieties including Merwah and Obaideh. With glowing reviews from international wine critics, Chateau Musar produces an earthy complex range of wines that age beautifully and Serge Hochar was awarded the first Decanter magazine "Man of the Year in 1984".

Chateau Musar is typically a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and Carignan. It pours a deep ruby colour with high viscosity. Red cherries, plums, carob and figs dominate the nose with a hint of eastern spice. Kirsch and plums follow through to the palate with blackcurrant and chocolate. The tannins are velvety soft and this wine has a lot of depth and fruit concentration with a long finish.

All the grapes in Ata Rangi Sauvignon Blanc are hand picked and sorted into portions, many of which go through whole bunch fermentation on skins in large oak barrels which provides smooth, dry flavours and textures. The remaining portions are fermented in stainless steel to retain fruit freshness and crisp characters, which make for a vibrant and complex expression of Sauvignon Blanc from the Wairarapa. 

This is an exceptional wine which shines a new light on New Zealand's well worn Sauvignon theme. Try it!

The name Ata Rangi is Maori for dawn sky and was chosen to portray the new beginning that the start of this winery represented for founder Clive Paton in the late 1970s.

Lifted notes of floral and ripe white peach with succulent flavours of red apple, pear and spice with a refreshingly crisp finish.

In Essential Awatere fashion the finish is lively, crisp and lingering. A delicious wine that brings together ?new world? fruit and ?old world? elegance and minerality.

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.