Section 94 is one of New Zealand great white wines, made from a small portion of vineyard land that was named Section 94 on the country's original lands and survey map. It's the brainchild of the highly experienced viticulturist-winemaking duo, Ivan Sutherland (one time Olympic medal winning rower) and James Healy, the grapes are 100% barrel fermented in new French oak followed by aging in oak. Complex, great and long lived maverick wine.

Layers of depth with nutty aromas and full bodied with dry flavours. Drinks well on release and can also age, as this example shows. It is 100% Sauvignon Blanc but is not labelled with the varietal as Sutherland and Healy want to highlight what's possible from the land first and foremost.

Lovely lighter Pinot Noir but with earthy depths of flavour that marry nicely with plum, cherry and spicy notes, made from northern Wairarapa winery Matahiwi Estate, which uses a blend of grapes from its vineyards to produce this medium bodied, beautifully red fruited wine. Notes of spice and fresh summer berries add layers of interesting flavour to this lively, beautifully balanced wine. It's great value for money. 

Martinborough Pinot Noir at its best with earthy aromas, dried red fruit flavours and freshness. Kereru is the brainchild of lawyer-winemaker, John Porter, who donates a portion of the proceeds from the sale of every bottle of Kereru Pinot Noir towards the upkeep and maintenance of a block of restored land with the aim of retaining its restoration into native forest for future generations.

This is a lighter Pinot style which still possesses lovely ripe fruit, gentle spice and driving acidity.

John Martin is the name of the top Pinot Noir of the three produced at Te Kairanga Winery in Martinborough each year. It's named after the founder of Martinborough township and is a great Pinot Noir, which drinks well now but has a good eight to nine years of evolution up its vinous sleeve - and will unfold more in time, rewarding those who invest in cellaring it. 

Winemaker John Kavanagh has breathed new life into the Te Kairanga Winery when he began in 2012. His broad winemaking experience at top wineries around the country (including Neudorf in Nelson) is strongly felt at TK today where his winemaking philosophy places a premium on the character of the site. The grapes are harvested block by block and vinified individually with punch-downs and gentle pressing with balanced oak followed by no fining or filtration, all of which expresses both varietal character and complexity along with the exploration of site. 

This outstanding expression of Pinot Noir comes from one of the smallest wine regions in New Zealand, the cool climate Waitaki Valley in North Otago. 

Flavours of ripe plums, red cherries and a very subtle but noticeable smoky aroma all intermingle in this beautifully complex Pinot from the outstanding, if challenging climate in Waitaki - a tiny and great quality wine region. 

Located on the north facing slopes of the Brancott Valley, Clayvin Vineyard takes its unique name from the clay based soil profile that lies beneath the vineyard. The complex clay profile varies across the vineyard, allowing a number of different varieties to be grown, including Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

The clay soil gives our Clayvin Pinot Noirs richness and generosity and an immediately appealing soft texture.

High density planting allows for very low yields per vine. Low yielding vines tend to produce wines of great concentration and richness.

This vineyard consistently produces grapes of outstanding quality.

Great Esk Valley blend from the great 2020 vintage and made entirely from grapes grown on stony soils of Gimblett Gravels. This wine is one of the top 12 Gimblett Gravels Annual Vintage Selection wines for 2020. It's a blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, fermented in open top concrete fermenters and hand plunged. Deeply coloured and complex with jammy and plummy notes.

The Malbec provides smoothness and depth with soft plummy flavours from the Merlot and structure from the Cabernet.

This top drop drinks well now and will also age well for seven to eight years.

Soft plush Merlot with the black olive flavours of Cabernet Sauvignon’s impressive structure both add great balance to this powerful wine from Clearview Estate in Hawke’s Bay. Flavours here are dark and brooding black olives, dried woody thyme with all its aromatic intensity, supported by the velvety smoothness of Malbec, which makes up a small portion of this wine. 

This is a wine that drinks well now and can age to evolve even more impressive flavours for up to 10 years. 

About Clearview Estate

Clearview Estate is one of oldest, most well established wineries in Hawke's Bay and is situated on the Te Awanga Coast, south of Napier. It's a great place to visit for tastings at the cellar door as well as lunch in the dappled shade of the established courtyard area. The winery was founded by Tim Turvey, winemaker and co-owner. The current winemaker is the multi talented Matt Kirby.

Crushed shell, specifically reminiscent of green mussels. While some might say oyster shell, it’s not quite that. Saline, yes. Sundried lime zest dances in the background. A reduction of coal dust, saffron, and Belgian spice promotes the essence of Craighall’s stones, tightening the parameters and focusing the power for length rather than width. Precise. Crème brûlée, lemon honey, and yellow peach ripple across the palate, while pure acidity flows like a swift stream, elongating the palate and experience. White florals, particularly alyssum, make a delightful appearance. A hint of macadamia graces the finish, complemented by a refreshing green crunch and phenolic notes like the delicate skin of a cucumber. A richness that is utterly moreish.

96pts – The Real Review
95pts – Wine Advocate

The new Dicey Wine brand is the brainchild of the well experienced Dicey brothers, Matt and James, whose parents were among the pioneers of viticulture and winemaking in Bannockburn, Central Otago, when they co-founded Mt Difficulty Wines.

Bright, straw-yellow colour with an aromatic, intense nose with rose and honeyed notes. This is a dry Gewurztraminer with a crisp and zesty palate with great, lively acidity and notes of rose petal and steely minerality.

This is a very fragrant, full-bodied Gewurztraminer. The nose is concentrated and intense, with notes of rose petals, Turkish delight, musk and ginger. The palate is medium dry and textural, with a bright acidity to balance the gentle sweetness.

A great wine made in tiny quantities from the cool North Otago Waitaki Valley where hot days, cool nights and a long growing season produce high quality grapes in small volumes. The Valli winemaking team of Grant Taylor, Jenn Parr and Karl Coombes hand harvest all their grapes, whole bunch pressing them to barrel, including 22% new oak. Full solids with lees stirring during maturation for 12 months gives this wine body to burn and a lingering flavoursome finish comes from the high acidity from this edgy cool climate, nicely balanced by all that lees aging. A beautiful complex Chardonnay to drink now or to cellar. 

Winemaker Karl Johner has a foot in at least three wine camps; the lime-clay hillside slopes of Lime Hill Vineyard is the smallest of them and is situated on the road to Castlepoint in the northern Wairarapa.

An outstanding New Zealand Chardonnay made from that site; its production is tiny but its fleshy, full body and creamy style more than make up for that. 

He also makes wine every year at Gladstone in the Wairarapa and, since the seasons are reversed in each hemisphere, in Germany.

Classical Hawke's Bay take on Bordeaux using 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc, 21% Merlot, 7% Melbec

A complex aroma of berry fruits, spice, cassis, cedar and cigarbox notes, complemented by fine oak.

Sweet rounded berry-fruit flavours of blackberry and wild brambles, mocha, spice, savoury olive notes and fine oak tannin. This wine shows a complex bouquet, silken texture and firm structure.