Wine Region: Waipara

(2022) From vineyards just 15 kilometres from the sea, and again nine or 10 different Pinot clones. The vineyard is farmed organically and the wine was matured 10 months in older French oak. 10% whole bunches in the ferment. This 2019 shows obvious maturity, quite dense in colour with amber tones, but with a mushroomy, stalky but also slightly dank character. The palate is much more attractive, but it is pretty dry, cranberry and beetroot characters and a dry, lemony finish. No UK retail stockist listed at time of review.

(2021) Tinged with green, this is one year older than the Framingham example and has a more intense slate and mineral character, touching into those petrolly aromatics, but also quite honeyed and luscious fruit. Lots of sweetness on the palate, both ripe peach and nectarine, onto mango, but also some residual sugar (over 20gl) and beautifully done I must say. I tasted this wine early in 2021 noting its delightful bon-bon sweetness, and depth of nectarine and mango fruit, and it still has that lime-fresh acidity in a gorgeous wine.

(2021) A fabulous rendition of Sauvignon Blanc this, which went down a storm with tasters on my recent online tasting of New Zealand wines, becoming one of the highest scoring wines of any tasting I have presented. It marches to a distinctive beat, being certified organic, and fermented with wild yeast in French oak barrels. Made from a mix of Loire and Bordeaux Sauvignon clones, it bursts with southern hemisphere ripeness, notes of nectarine and juicy ogen melon, creamy almond supporting, and enough lime-like vivaciousness too. In the mouth the picture is similar: so juicy and sweet in terms of the fruit, but underpinned by that broader creaminess of texture and with dazzling acidity streaking through the finish. In many independent retailers as well as some Waitrose stores. Use the wine-searcher link to find other stockists and watch the video for more information and food-matching suggestions.

(2011) A little dull at this stage, not singing aromatically. The palate has lots of lemony fruit, but with a super-sweet, peachy overlay and the acidity is very nicely integrated.

(2011) 50% Botrytis, wild ferment for over 12 months. Smoky, flinty, sulphidic character with more minerality. The palate has lovely exotic fruit - pineapple and mango, and a great tang of tangerine acidity and concentration.

(2011) A tiny proportion of Nelson fruit in this Marlborough wine. Big green bean blast on the nose, with rich pea pod ripeness backed by more tropical fruit notes. The palate has a very clean, crisp definition (only around 3g/l sugar) with a fruity mid-palate, but the acidity pushes through with a nicely lemony and focused, food-friendly style.

(2011) Waipara. Natural cork. More restrained than the Bell Hill for sure, with a smoky mineral quality, briary notes and a sense of cool restraint. The palate has deliciously sweet and focused fruit: there's that restrained feeling again, the gently earthy and smoky tones, nicely balanced acidity and the tang of the cherry skin fruit and brisk tannins.

(2011) Not fantastically aromatic, but has a really nicely pitched, gently juicy and ripe stone fruit character. The palate has good acids, lots of lime and lemon clarity and nice balance.

(2011) Lovely mealy nose, with lots of creamy, nutty tones to green fruit - gooseberry yes, but greengage and fig also. The palate has a richness and a Chardonnay-like texture and texture. The fruit sweetness is there, with apricot and peach and tropical nuances. Nice and fresh, perhaps could use a touch more acidity would be useful perhaps.

(2011) A single vineyard form a hill block in Wairu valley. Much more expressive, phiol charcter with snow pea and pea shoot brightness. The palate has lots of sweet, ripe tropical fruit coming through, but again the limey acidity, and fruit sweetness pulls thios through in a very nice, very dry (1g/l) finish.