(2020) It's taken Rudi a while to feel sure the signature grape of his native homeland was performing well enough to bottle as a single varietal. Lovely touch of pepper, then very bright, focused and crunchy pear, elegant and mineral salty acidity, with fleshy weight of fruit but excellent acid balance. A fine Gru-V. No UK retail stockist at time of review.
(2020) Sharp, fresh, an extra edge of definition over the 2018, with the ripe pear and stone fruit, but has more clarity and a real bit of bite, long and herbal notes following.
(2020) The barrel influence here gives crushed almond and oatmeal, but a great thrust of fruit, bursting with punchy grapefruit, a hint of flintiness and such lovely sweet fruit through to the finish. No UK retail stockists at time of review.
(2020) Gorgeous lime, peach and beeswax nose, a touch of passion fruit too. Who couldn’t love Riesling when it’s as pristine and flavourful as this? Lime jelly to sherbet, such purity to the acid, mountain stream clarity. With 4g/l of residual sugar this is dry, with a thrilling, racing finish.
(2020) Another natural wine made from Riesling from the main vineyard outside the winery. Rosie Menzies takes a small fermenter out to the vineyard and packs it with fruit, then it is sealed with shrink wrap and left for months before pressing and bottling unfiltered or fined. Quite a deep buttercup yellow note to this. Sherbet, rose water aromatics, peachy, with a touch of quinine and loads of fascinating and complex aromatics. Long and delicious. No UK stockists at time of review.
(2020) Still a tinge of green to the youthful colour, whole bunch pressed into oak, 10% new. Nice pungent nose, a touch of green fig and melon, a little passion fruit, Incredibly sweet, ripe fruit, but the lemony thrust of the acidity, just a hint of flint and minerality, and a long, balanced finish.
(2020) Here's another New Zealand Sauvignon that bucks the stereotype, 50% barrel-fermented in old barrels. Only a minimal herbaceous character, much more about stone fruit, a touch of cherry and beautifully saline, pure and citrussy acidity. Fine texture too. Price and stockist for previous vintage at time of review.
(2020) Does not have the typical Gewurz aromatics - the esters and floral top notes - but that’s because the body has been built up with warm, wild yeast ferment and extended lees contact. The palate is creamy and then the Gewürztraminer character shines through, it’s a substantial wine, but terrific acidity cracks through to a long flowing finish. No UK stockists listed at time of review.
(2020) Intense, generous, flowing but pure, a Riesling showing the ripeness of a warm vintage. Creamy, with custard apple and the merest hint of sweetness from a little residual sugar. Fabulous dry finish, stony, a touch of apricot and peach stone dryness against the saline acidity. Terrific. Price and stockist is for the previous vintage at time of review.