Win-win dry Pinot Gris with a medium body and dialled up flavours of fresh white pear held in a smooth wine - and it's certified organic. Tastes good and is good. 

Organic certification

The organic story at Seresin

One of the greatest things about Seresin Estate is the organic certification. This came relatively early on for Seresin, who was dismayed by the amount used and the impacts of man made chemicals, which were routinely and frequently sprayed on vines. His early adopting philosophy of organic certification paved a positive path for the integrity of the wines as well as leading others to follow suit.

The jewel in the Esk Valley crown, made from one of this country's most distinctive plots of land at Bayview, north of Napier, at the original Esk Valley Winery.

The Terraces has long been associated with excellence and the best wines from Esk Valley Estate's iconic sun drenched hillside terrace vineyard - the first place that Malbec was ever grown in New Zealand.

The philosophy behind this wine is to express the single vineyard Since its inaugural 1991 vintage, only 13 vintages have been produced and, for the first time in its history, this is the winery's third consecutive vintage. Which is testament to winemaker Gordon Russell's quest to make the best and to the winery's ongoing conversion to organic production. 

The wine is a blend of Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. All grapes were dry farmed, hand harvested and co fermented in one concrete fermenter with wild yeasts. The wine was bottled without fining or filtration. 

This wine represents the pinnacle of Esk Valley wines and is considered the jewel in the winery's crown. It is a keeper for the wine cellar and also makes a special gift. 

Pale gold in colour, Waipara Downs Chardonnay opens with ripe nectarine, lemon zest and white peach. Subtle toasted French oak and almond meal add savoury depth, while leesy texture builds mid-palate weight. Fine, chalky acidity drives a long, mineral finish. A poised, cool-climate style showing purity, elegance and gentle creamy richness. A stunner at the price.

Hand-picked and fermented with natural vineyard yeasts and aged in 20% new French oak barrels and 38% in a concrete Tulipe for 12 months before settling in a concrete Tulipe on light lees for a further 5 months. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Slightly hazy, lemon golden hue. Complex aromas of grilled nuts, citrus fruits, florals and a hint of lemon rind. Mouth-watering acidity drives the wine with laser focus, flavours of citrus fruits, toasted nuts and a creamy texture gives the wine body and weight. A classic North Canterbury Chardonnay that is fully ripe and saline.

Domaine Pattes Loup is a 24 hectare certified organic vineyard owned by Thomas Pico in the village of Courgis in Burgundy's northern outpost, Chablis. This creamy and crisp Chablis is an excellent example of what happens when small scale meets lofty ambitions of making full bodied, beautifully balanced, complex Chablis using organically certified grapes. 

Pattes Loup, which means 'wolf's paw'.

Argentinian Malbec is one of the best winter wines around with its dark smooth full body, richness of black plum flavours and spicy notes adding delicious complexity to every sip. This one is certified organic and offers a lively, lovely complex expression of the great Malbec grape. 

Louis Jadot owns one of the largest holdings of top level vineyards in Burgunday so has access to outstanding grapes in good volumes, so wines like this lively fresh young Chardonnay benefit hugely. This wine is a regional blend from Burgundy, made from grapes grown in both the Cotes d’Or and Macon, which combine to add flesh, weight and depth along with purity of acidity for freshness. 

Now we're talking next level. 

Domaine de la Solitude Chateauneuf-du-Pape is an exciting dry, full bodied, ageworthy white wine from the Southern Rhone's most famous appellation. It's a blend of Roussanne 40%, Clairette 30%, Grenache Blanc 20%, Bourboulenc and Picpoul 10%. Approximately 40% of the wine was aged in barrels on fine lees for 10 months and its smooth, full body and savoury flavours are beautifully balanced by the high acid components in the blend, namely Roussanne and Bourbolenc. 

Here is a wine to enjoy in a large glass right now or to age further for at least six to seven years, potentially beyond that. It will reward short, medium and long term drinking.

This fabulous Italian red is old school Barolo with a modern twist; clean, bright and fresh with savoury, earthy flavour notes and a truffly overtone that says Piemonte and Nebbiolo in every lingering sip.

Castellero is a 0.4 hectare vineyard, situated between Bussia and Cannubi, which produces wine full of earthy freshness and flavours of roasted mushrooms, porcini supported by a firm backbone of refreshing floral notes and firm acidity, which provides this wine with its long finish. 

The winemaking is considered traditional. Long macerations of up to 40 days see the wine go through a natural fermentation without added yeast in steel tanks. It was then aged for 30 months in Slavonian oak barrels. It's old school with a modern twist; clean, bright and fresh with savoury, earthy flavour notes and a truffly overtone that says Piemonte and Nebbiolo in every lingering sip.

What the critics say

Wine Enthusiast - 94 points

"Rose, wild berry, baking-spice aromas mingle with whiffs of menthol. Linear and structured, the vibrant palate delivers raspberry, orange zest, cinnamon and tobacco set against tightly knit, refined tannins while bright acidity keeps it balanced and energized. Drink 2024–2036."

Vinious Media - 93+ points

"The 2016 Barolo Castellero captures so much of what makes this site special. Mint, lavender, blood orange, raspberry and chalk notes give he 2016 striking aromatic brightness to play off its translucent, mid-weight feel. A wine of tremendous fascinating complexity, the Castellero will delight readers who enjoy classically-built Barolos. The Castellero is perhaps not quite as deep as the most complete wines in this lineup, but that is really splitting hairs at this level."

James Suckling - 93 points

"Aromas of strawberries and spices and hints of wet earth follow through to a medium body with firm, silky tannins and a long, driven finish, Better after 2022."

Giacomo Fenocchio's winemaking philosophy

Giacomo Fenocchio is regarded as one of the best Barolo producers today. Here's a piece that sums up why he is so highly respected and what makes his wines an authentic expression of Piemonte as a wine region.

"Claudio Fenocchio took over from his father Giacomo in 1989 – probably the moment of greatest pressure to follow the ‘modern’ winemaking path of short fermentations and aging in new barriques. In fact, it’s difficult now to understand how much pressure was exerted – from peers and neighbors, old and young, from the press, importers, customers, and that mysterious thing called “the market”. It took a strong will to resist, and a strong devotion to tradition. Lucky for us that Claudio stuck with the best of tradition – organic farming, long fermentations, and aging in large Slavonian oak casks. Easy for us too, since we get to drink his wines. Here’s a rare group of Fenocchio bottles spanning the generations, and ending with the beautiful 2016s."

From Chalmers Street Wine

Sourced exclusively from 2 family farms that are increasingly practicing sustainable farming. Most of the fruit is sourced from the right bank of the Rhone River. 50% Grenache Blanc, 20% Marsanne, 20% Viognier, 10% Bourboulenc. A lively mineral-laced Rhone white, with wet stones and laser pure white fruit in a lip smacking and succulent white. Delivers the elegance and texture of the finest cool climate white wines.

80 % Grenache and 20% Syrah. Nice freshness in the nose with herbal and wild blackberry notes. The palate is fruity and spicy with wild raspberry, rosemary and thyme notes. This is a balanced, well-structured and mineral Rhone red.

Les Fondraux is semi-sweet: it always has some residual sugar, wich gives concentration and fullness to the palate. White flowers dominate the nose and help bring into focus all of the wine's freshness, fullness, minerality and vivacity. Whilst young, the wine matches perfectly with river fish, charcuterie, goat's cheese, and sweet-and-sour dishes. With age, the flavours can manage more spicy foods and white meat. - Champalou note.

Dom Perignon is one of the world's great prestige champagnes in name and in taste. Made only in single vintage years, this latest one is a blend of 50/50 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, aged for eight years on lees, which retains freshness while allowing the yeast autolysis process to create complexity and power in this multi layered, intensely richly flavoursome sparkling wine. 

This tastes full bodied, dry, creamy with complex layers of flavour. Serve chilled in a large glass to it its complexity and freshness shine.