A great Syrah made from grapes grown onto different sites in the Gravels, including clay soils and limestone soils, which provide different depths of flavour and complexity to the grapes. The wine is deep purple in colour and flavour with approachable floral prettiness and appeal supported by notes of clove, one of the hallmarks flavours of Syrah. The finished wine was aged for 17 months in French oak, includes small 228 litre and larger 500 & 600 litre puncheons, 29% new.

This is a complex spicy little number with deliciously approachable smoothness and body. A welcome new addition to winemaker Gordon Russell's Esk Valley wines.

This is a great red from a small wine producer just outside the village of Clevedon, in the rolling green hills southeast of Auckland. It's an unlikely destination for a top red as there are few other vineyards in the area, which is warm with a maritime climate - the coast can be seen from the vineyard and is about a 10 minute drive away.  

The wines are made solely from estate grown grapes from the four acres on site, which include Merlot, Carmenère, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. This bunch of classic Bordeaux red grapes inspired founder Judy Fowler to make wines modelled on the great reds of Pomerol and St Emilion in Bordeaux. The first wines were made in 1999 and continue to be produced on site by Judy, her partner Phil Nunweek and winemaker Evert Nijzink.  

This is a light, dry and fresh Pinot Gris with flavours of white fruit and a lingering finish. Good value. 

Waimanu Pinot Noir has savoury flavours of freshly picked mushrooms and a firm backbone of fresh acidity and smooth tannins. The grapes in this wine benefit from hot days, cool nights and more than anyone's fair share of wind - as they grow on North Canterbury’s most western vineyard where wind is frequent and harsh, creating a drying environment. Smooth, silky flavours of intensely concentrated ripe cherries and complex earthy spice aromas of cardamon, nutmeg and hints of smoky flavours.  

If you're looking for next level Sauvignon Blanc, here it is.

Framingham is one of Marlborough's oldest, most established wineries and this Sauvignon Blanc is a classic from the region's (and this country's) most popular and widely planted grape variety. Five per cent of this wine was fermented on skins to add texture and weight. This provides delicious balance and texture to Sauvignon Blanc's innate refreshing and zesty acidity. 

The first year Kevin Judd made his Wild Sauvignon was in 2009 and the winemaking has remained consistent ever since with complexity, creaminess and a full body coming from the 100% barrel fermentation with wild yeasts followed by malolactic fermentation to soften the acidity for two thirds of the wine. It then spends approximately 11 months maturing in barrel and remains in tank for another six months for battonage (the French name for stirring the lees - the decomposing yeast cells left over in the wine).

Chenin Blanc is one of the great white grapes of the wine world and is beautifully expressed in this dry white from North Canterbury, which rocks with flavours of crisp and crunchy green apples, a note of spice and a honeysuckle impression on the bone dry finish.

Dog Point Vineyards Chardonnay is one of Marlborough's great dry, full bodied, creamy whites made by Ivan Sutherland and James Healy, who are two of the most talented winemakers in the country. 

Their vineyards are 100% certified organic and their winemaking is second to none. Barrel fermentation, creamy, nutty flavours are complimented with a freshness that sees these wines last for the long haul.

This drinks well now and can age for up to a decade. A delicious taste sensation and a keeper. Win win.

Black Barn's most awarded wine. With aromas of stone fruit and citrus, layered with toast and spice from 100% barrel fermentation and extended barrel ageing.

Full bodied, dry, dark and delicious, this is one of the most structured Pinot Noirs we have in store here at Regional and if you like Pinots that can last the distance, get in quick because it has a big fan club.. The wine is made entirely from hand picked, estate grown grapes, many grown on their own roots (ungrafted) and all benefiting from a dry, windy region where soils are arid and the result is relatively thick skinned berries when it comes to Pinot Noir. The wine is made by a talented team, headed up by Mat Donaldson, whose family are among the earliest pioneers of modern winemaking in North Canterbury and they have deservedly built up a massive following for their outstanding wines, both red and white.

This Pinot is a keeper. Big, bold, dry and elegant right now, it will also age and evolve positively for up to and beyond a decade in a good wine cellar.

The family owned Beach House Wines turns out an impressive range of wines, including this super refreshing rose, which is made in a dry style with minimal skin contact to provide a pale colour, which is currently the trend in international roses. 

This is a fresh, dry, fruit driven red with a crisp finish. Great for a summer day or a winter's afternoon. 

Vegan and Certified Organic

Chardonnay that straddles both styles of creamy flavours with crisp fresh appeal. It's dry, medium bodied and refreshing; a great match for roast chicken or any chicken dish and a delicious example of Chardonnay from Marlborough.

Whitehaven Wines began life in 1994 as a romantic business for a couple of corporate escapees, Sue and Greg White, who had given up life in the rat race of Auckland for another kind of life aboard their yacht. When sailing around the country, they took shelter in the Marlborough Sounds from Pacific storms and fell in love with the region. An easy thing to do when harbouring in the spectacularly pristine waters of the Sounds. They decided to settle there on terra firma once more and try their hands at wine production, hiring a winemaker and beginning a business which has now been around for 26 years. Greg has sadly passed away now, leaving a legacy as well as his wife and daughter, Sam, to run the winery.

Their winemaker is Peter Jackson.

Crater Rim is a small and high quality winery in the Waipara Valley in the heart of North Canterbury and this is a lovely earthy expression of Pinot Noir from this wine region. 

Savoury layers of smoked mushrooms and bright red cherry flavours combine in this lively red. Drinks well now and can improve for the next two to three years. 

Te Mata Tasting Note

Sparkling with a pale white-gold hue, Elston ’24 immediately reveals its richness on the nose. Aromas of crème brûlée, toasted sourdough, and vanilla intertwine with vibrant notes of grapefruit and ripe yellow nectarine. Subtle layers of oyster shell, hazelnut, and flintiness add further complexity and intrigue.

On the palate, it delivers a commanding presence – rich and textured yet finely balanced by a spine of electric acidity building delicious tension. The vivacious fruit sweetness combines elegantly with an energetic drive, creating a wine of remarkable elegance and fantastic length. The 2024 vintage captures Elston in its ultimate form.

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.