(2024) A blend of fruit from the warmer soils of the Wairau Valley and cool, dense clay of the Southern Valley, this was fermented with wild yeast in French oak barriques and matured for eleven months. Oak seems restrained this vintage to very nice effect, just a sheen of buttered toast and oatmeal over pear and lime fruit. The palate has textural richness, hinting at exotic nectarine and mango, but that balanced by fresh, zippy lemon acidity. The majestic 'mixed six' price of £28.49 is the one to be on. Independent merchants also have it for £30 - £33. Watch the video for more information.
(2024) Morandé appears to be a wine company taking its environmental responsibilities seriously, this already certified sustainable, but they have announced a new initiative in partnership with a Swiss company that will capture 10% (2.6 tons) of historical CO₂ emissions and bury these safely underground, rather than emitting them as greenhouse gases. The wine comes from a single vineyard in the original cool-climate Casablanca Valley. It's a Sauvignon for fans of the distinctly elderflower and nettle style, passion fruit and lime added to the mix. In the mouth it has plenty of grapefruity cut that slices through the mid-palate richness, leaving this textured wine dry in the finish. Watch the video for more information and food-matching ideas.
(2024) This single estate wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Mapio. Only around 25% of the blend spent time in oak; six months in used French oak barriques. Vibrant crimson/purple, the nose has a certain aromatic lift and violet edge of ripeness, fruit is blackcurranty and ripe, with just a fine dusting of oak as the lightest veneer. In the mouth the fruit is sweet and concentrated, a certain plushness and richness offset by spicy tannins, oak tannins, and pert plum and cherry-skin bittersweetness. Stylishly done, and a good bet at Majestic's 'mixed six' price of £9.99. Watch my full video review for more information.
(2024) Aged for eight months in French oak, this comes from coastal vineyards in Te Awanga, not far from the famous Kindnappers Cliff. A lemony, lightly oak-influenced style, there's a sheen of creamy oatmeal on the nose then that direct, fat lemony thrust of fruit. Mid-palate, there's a burgeoning sense of something more exotic about the fruit. Pink grapefruit asserts in the finish, for a stylish, fresh and delicious wine.
(2024) Old vine and dry-farmed, the Chardonnay was whole bunch pressed and 100% barrel fermented and matured, with 60% new Taransaud French oak. Fermentation was with wild yeasts and regular batonnage has produced a wine that straddles flinty complexity and a juicy peach and grapefruit zestiness. There's a coolness of apple and lemon, but also a burgeoning sense of more exotic richness. Supple and fluid on the tongue, the lightly slippery texture carries plenty of fruit, but that little wisp of gunflint and the nutty creaminess of the barrels completes a compelling picture.
(2024) From vineyards in the Awatere and Wairau Valleys of Marlborough. This was fermented with a mix of indigenous and cultured yeasts and spent 10 months in French oak barriques, only 5% of which were new. Pale and translucent cherry colour, it is an intensely aromatic Pinot, lots of wild strawberry, herbs, vegetal mushroom notes and patchouli. A toasty background of oak is in there too. Sweet and creamy fruit, but the 12.5% alcohol means it is only medium-bodied, the oak filling in and acid a little soft but doing enough to keep this fresh and savoury. A pale and sweeter style of Pinot on offer at £12.99 at time of review (though not a buy at the full asking price for me).
(2024) Wild yeast fermented and with a mere 10.5% alcohol, this South Australian Sauvignon comes across as more Loire than Marlborough. Relatively subtle, aromas of stone fruits, citrus and kiwi fruit are light and fragrant, reminiscent of a Touraine Sauvignon perhaps. The suggestion of juiciness continues on the palate, and though this does have plenty of ripe fruit sweetness and a talcum powder gentleness, the peach and citrus acidity is soft but more than adequate, adding a tangy freshness and length. Mixed six price is £9.99.
(2024) Part barrel-fermented I believe, this certainly has a touch of honey and creaminess on the nose that would suggest that. It's not the steeliest of Chablis 1er Crus, more about a generous but elegant palate of ripe fruits and good acid balance, but perhaps lacking some of the zip and flinty brightness of some.
(2024) The apricot - and dried apricot - aroma is unmissable in this wine. Fermented and matured in older French oak for 10 months, a little cedar and spice adds piquant highlights to the fruit. In the mouth it is medium-bodied, again apricot and peach, a gentle nutty background and enough acidity to keep this fresh makes for an all-round satisfying wine.
(2024) This Cabernet Sauvignon dominated 3ème Cru Classé from Margaux has a good depth of colour and opens with attractive fragrance: earthy, ripe and plummy aromas, plenty of cedar and notes of tapenade. The palate is firm, arguably even a touch unyielding, certainly plenty of tannin making its presence felt. There is some juiciness there too, the mid-palate showing ripeness. Good length, acid well-judged. A little more about density and power than perfume or finesse.
