Wine Region: Nelson

(2020) From Nelson, there’s spices and some funky nuances, toast and a little fruit skin grip. The palate has a grippiness again, a little phenolic grip and a juicy fruit profile and acidity.

(2019) The secret to the low 9.5% alcohol in this wine is early picking of the fruit from Seifried's Nelson vineyards, though in fact the result is a Sauvignon more in the tropical spectrum than the grassy, which somewhat surprises. It does have a touch of residual sugar (5.6g/l) but that's not un-typical for commercial kiwi Sauvignon, with fresh elderflower and passion fruit aromatics, and a burst of peach and sherbet in the mouth, a mango note, and that flattering touch of sweetness against the good, pink grapefruit acidity. Well done.

(2017) A wine I always enjoy, and this 2016 vintage is a good one, 175g/l of residual sugar putting it fully in the dessert wine category. Made from late-harvested grapes and made in steel tanks, its a pristine style, though laden with honey, glycerine and nectarine fruit. On the palate it has richness of texture without being 'sticky', and real intensity: there's keen acidity at the core to ensure that, put the lush tropical and very ripe pear fruit flows towards the finish impressively. Price for a half bottle. For more information, please watch the video.

(2017) From Nelson on the northern coast of the South Island, this is a particularly punchy and vibrant Grüner Veltliner, with lots of pronounced lychee, mango and a touch of Turkish delight, an almost Gewürztraminer perfume with a ripe peach underlay. In the mouth it is weighty and viscose despite only 12% abv, with loads of that peach and nectarine succulence and ripeness, but a dry, pithy lemon finish. A singular style, and a good one.

(2017) A particularly nice Sauvignon Blanc this from the Seifried family of Nelson, on the northern tip of the South Island. Bursting with grapefruit, passion fruit and gooseberry, there's a touch of elderflower, but no real 'green' character. That ripeness continues onto the palate, lots of peach and nectarine, but that zesty, fresh grapefruit zing of acidity powers the finish to a pleasing dryiness. Very nicely done. Price is around £12 - £14, but UK stockists at time of review are still on the 2015 vintage.

(2016) Named after Anges Seifried, this is a gorgeous dessert wine, fully luscious and sweet with 172g/l of residual sugar. The grapes were hand selected in several passes through the vineyard, including fruit shriveled and raisined by natural dehydration. There's that fat waxiness of ripe Riesling, a candied fruit quality, and plenty guava and lychee-like exoticism too. A big limey core of acidity keeps things fresh on the palate, despite the slippery glycerine texture and full on peach and mango sweetness. A lovely wine, long, composed and full of sweet flavour.

(2015) >From the vineyards of Nelson on the South Island, this is a Gru-V in the firmly approachable style, its 9.6 g/l of residual sugar offsetting its vibrant acidity very nicely. Quite open, slightly vegetal in character, with a touch of pepper and otherwise fresh citrus aromas. The palate has a searing core of pithy citrus and certain salty minerality, though there is a quite honeyed, ripe and full fruit overlaid, tinges with nectarine and pineapple into that basically dry finish. Full of flavour.

(2011) Spicy and rich, and has real sweetness in an Alsace style, with residual sugar balancing acidity and giving it some penetration and elegance.

(2011) Pungently herbal, with green beans and asparagus to spare. Quite a full, textural palate, dry with a lemony grip to the fruit and plenty of bracing citrus acidity.

(2007) This has a lovely exotic quality to it, adding a touch of honey and toffee, and very lovely nectarine fruit. Fantastic quality, and very lovely acidity, with a fine, fine minerality and fabulously intense and extended finish. Judy says drinks for 15 years.