New Zealand

From Shamrock and Te Whare Ra vineyards located in 70% Awatere and 30% Wairau, with a savvy 18% barrel fermentation. Holy moly, this is simply heavenly, with starfruit, pulpy pomelo segments and glistening limes. Summer frangipanis and lotus flowers. Citrus manages to have the high tones of lime but base tones of ruby grapefruit, and acidity hums, grounded deep within the fabric of the wine. It's slippery, slightly salty and luxurious while uplifting. Every touch point of flavour and texture has been considered and if this is not on your wine list or in your cellar as a modern day representation of Marlborough's innate ability with sauvignon blanc than shame on you. Flippin' heck it’s good. Closure: Screw cap. 13.5% alcohol.

Perfumed and aromatic, this opens with soaring floral notes typical of the vintage before revealing additional layers of delicate complexity with a hint of smoke and sweet calamansi. The palate is refined, elegant and detailed but also quietly powerful with linear acidity which tapers down to a grainy, pithy grapefruit-infused finish. *Recommended, Top Value* (SW)

Superbly composed and expressed, with excellent fruit purity and sensual complexity, the inviting bouquet reveals dark plum, wild strawberry, olive, clove, and roasted nut aromas. It’s succulent and splendidly weighted in the mouth, delivering a velvety texture and finely pitched tannins. Harmonious and structured with loads of delectable flavours, offering terrific drinking. At its best now to 2034.

Quivering with fragrant florals, fresh orchard fruits and passionfruit nuance that enrobes the soft, succulence of the palate. Expressive and complex with a fine seam of grapefruit acidity that carries the finely-tuned aromas to the finish. *Platinum Medal - 2026 Decater World Wine Awards*

Stupendous and complex aromas of dried strawberries, smoke, oyster shells and rust follow through to a medium body with dusty, velvety tannins that give length and lift. Spicy at the end, with cloves and gunpowder. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

Light coral pink. This is a very concentrated, intense rosé with masses of fruit ranging from tangy raspberry and blood orange to deep notes of blackberry and blueberry, infused with licorice, anise and earthy spice. Despite its concentration and power, the palate is surprisingly lively and elegant, before slowly yielding to the submerged bed of peppery grip on the finish. Simply fantastic, it is clearly structured without being serious or austere. It will age if given time in bottle but is equally enjoyable now with food. *Ranked #1 2024 Rosé from Marlborough, Recommended* (SW)

Of the three New Zealand gins from National Distillery Company, this one is my favorite. I love how herbal and spicy it is. The native botanicals produce wonderful and exotic aromatics and the taste is unique. These are crazy deals for the price. These gins punch way above their price point and are a PERFECT holiday gift for the gin lover on your list (and why not take a case or two for yourself?).

Displaying really pristine aromas of red cherry and pomegranate fruit with only the faintest hint of dark plum. There is a some rose petal and dried thyme too. Bright and precise, the tannins are beautifully managed, layering across the palate but not dominating. A concentrated, intense pinot that manages to retain a lovely floral lift. A long savoury finish. (JS)

Stunning and captivating, the wine shows dark berry, warm spice, porcini, and toasted almond characters with an elegant floral overtone. The palate is equally enticing with outstanding concentration and depth, combined with silky flow and beautifully infused fine tannins, making it wonderfully structured with finesse and sophistication. Gorgeously proportioned and harmonious with a sustained, graceful finish.

We tasted three New Zealand gins from National Distillery Company, and I was amazed by how distinctive they are. The Dry Gin is bursting with botanicals with juniper on center stage. Strong aromatics but somehow really light and refreshing on the palate. Perfect for any gin-based cocktail or a just a splash of tonic!

Concentrated and fragrant, with lemongrass, lemon verbena and celery salt notes to complement the pineapple, mango and lemon curd flavors, backed by a touch of orange sherbet. Gains momentum on the long, expressive finish.

We tasted three New Zealand gins from National Distillery Company, and I was amazed at how distinctive they were. The Navy Strength is a different blend of botanicals than the Dry Gin and is, of course, stronger. These NDC gins are really delicious. Do not let the price scare you. You are not stumbling into a trap. You are stumbling into the gin deal of the century. It came from blooming Middle Earth and it's $19.99!

This is immediately enticing on the nose, showing dark cherry, sweet plum, olive, dried mushroom, and toasted almond characters. The palate is equally appealing with excellent weight and fruit purity, wonderfully complemented savoury nuances and finely infused tannins. Certified organic.

Perfumed and pretty, showing the quality of the beautiful 2024 vintage. Aromas of sliced oranges and strawberries. Some crushed stones. Medium body, firm tannins and crunchy fruity at the end. Linear and bright.

The 2025 Sauvignon Blanc leads with a soft nose of musk sticks and brine, green apple skins, wet linen and green olive tapenade. In the mouth, the wine is tightly coiled and yet textured by pithy phenolics. The length of the flavor is long, as we have come to expect from Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc. This is a superb wine in any vintage. (EL)

Classically styled and expressed, the gorgeously aromatic bouquet shows green rockmelon, kiwifruit, fresh fig and lemon zest aromas, leading to a wonderfully flavoursome palate that's juicy and lively. Fresh and super tasty.

Intensely aromatic, the inviting bouquet shows green rockmelon, kiwifruit, kaffir lime, and jasmine aromas, leading to a delectably expressed palate offering bright fruit flavours with zesty acidity, finishing long and super-tasty.

Offering terrific fruit purity and power, the wine displays aromas of feijoa, kiwifruit, kaffir lime, and fresh herbs on the nose. The wonderfully weighted palate delivers excellent vibrancy and juicy fruit intensity, leading to a delectable, flavoursome finish.

Very elegant, superfloral and perfumed, with some flinty reduction, offering acacia blossoms, hay, fleshy lemons and a touch of elderberries. Medium-bodied with firm acidity giving structure and length. Attractive bitter-lemon note in the finish. Mineral and detailed with real focus. From organically grown grapes. (CN)

Wonderfully fruited and lifted, the bouquet shows dark berry, cured meat, tar, olive, and hazelnut aromas. This leads to a wonderfully weighted palate delivering terrific fruit intensity with gorgeous complexity. Wonderfully framed by silky texture and layers of polished tannins, it is bold and sturdy with a super-long, harmonious finish.

The varietal expression is unmistakable and seductively appealing. The inviting bouquet shows mango, lychee, Turkish Delight, rich floral, and subtle spice notes. The succulent palate displays silky texture and finely pitched acidity, making it wonderfully harmonious with a prolonged, delicious finish. This is beautifully proportioned and detailed with a multi-layered mouthfeel, promising to evolve graciously.

The Bourgeois family, long associated with Sauvignon Blanc in Sancerre, established Clos Henri in Marlborough on New Zealand's South Island. Their 2025 "Otira - Glacial Stones" Sauvignon Blanc connects that Loire Valley heritage with one of New Zealand's defining wine regions.

Impressively complex and enticing, the wine shows dark plum, cured meat, fennel, porcini, and cedar characters on the nose. The concentrated palate exhibits outstanding depth and weight, combined with plush texture and bold tannins, making it brooding yet balanced with a persistent, sophisticated finish.

A bright and fresh sauvignon blanc with steel, lemon blossoms and flint. Extremely aromatic. Lemon rind. Medium-bodied, this has crunchy and pretty fruit with just the right amount of phenolics. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

Aromas of lemon rind, lime curd, passion fruit and matchsticks. The palate is medium-bodied with a creamy texture and racy acidity, giving flavors of grapefruit, sea salt and orange blossoms. Textural and minerally, with underlying power and reduction.

A bright and fruity red with strawberries, flint and lead-pencil undertones. Medium-bodied with crunchy flavors and a savory finish. Well-crafted.

The 2022 Riesling 'D' leads on the nose with cut lime and lemon oil, wet chalk and citrus pith, and white flowers emerge on the palate. The vines were planted in 1979 and are the oldest vines in Marlborough. The acidity is dry and fine; it spools through the fruit and is woven as threads through the phenolics. This is a gorgeous wine, crystalline and chalky, with three grams of residual per liter. 12.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. (EL)

It's fabulously aromatic and inviting on the nose with grapefruit, crunchy apple, lime peel and green tea characters, followed by a wonderfully flavoursome palate offering terrific fruit power and persistency. Mouth-watering and super tasty. Certified organic.

Tropical and aromatic, with a nose of guavas, dried mangoes and jalapenos. Light- to medium-bodied with fresh acidity. Succulent lemon character at the center, with a mouthwatering finish.

*Best Buy* There's some struck match characters but they're padded into the waxy citrus, stone fruit and summer veg garden aromas. This producer is a master of texture, as demonstrated here by the creamy mouthfeel, with a citrus pith and herbal through line and a great crunch of acidity that makes this a food friendly drop. (CP)

The hotly demanded Toru is made up of co-fermented gewürztraminer, riesling and pinot gris. It’s like a bouquet of spring flowers, wild thyme and apple blossom. Cut celery, lemon verbena and white nectarine. Juicy on the palate with a basket of fruit – pineapple, pears and mandarin. Expertly assembled together so that each varietal complements the other. It finishes with freshness of lime juice fireworks. Totally delicious and a joy of a wine. (SW)

96+ points. The 2021 Masters Pinot Noir is thrilling. It nestles as comfortably on the tongue as the 2020. The 70% whole bunch is almost invisible, save for its impact on the structure (the air and room it creates in the mouth equals space). It's a cooler site with gravel in the clay soil, and it ripens later; so, the hang time may contribute to the width. The rollout of flavor in this wine is persistent from front to back. It's a ripper. It was my preferred single-vineyard wine in the lineup. There's redcurrant, pink peppercorn, pomegranate, juniper, dried thyme, rosemary and hints of sumac. (EL)

The 2024 Sauvignon Blanc leads with a distinct nose of freshly picked curry leaf, crushed sea shells, lemon zest, asphalt, mustard seed, dried coriander/coriander seed and white flesh orchard fruit. This is powerfully fruited, has great energy and drive and, unsurprisingly, offers great pleasure and satisfying drinking. This is a very smart, savory wine here. (EL)

Youthful, charming and exquisitely expressed, the wine is wonderfully flavoursome within an elegant frame and structure. Delicious notes of lemon sorbet, mandarin, Gala apple and acacia, lead to a delectably appealing palate offering gentle sweetness with perfectly pitched acidity. Mouth-watering and hugely appealing. Certified organic. Style: Medium-dry. At its best: now to 2037.

This has a clean, mineral nose with fresh limes, green guavas, sliced apples and crushed chalk. Very pretty and balanced with medium body and clean acidity. Flavorful and seductive.

Pristine and brightly expressed, the wine shows green rockmelon, fig, and lemon zest aromas. The palate delivers excellent vibrancy and juicy fruit intensity, splendidly supported by crisp acidity, making it flavoursome and delightfully drinkable.

Prevalent aromas of ripe strawberries and sliced oranges with peel. Limes and polished stones as well. It’s medium-bodied with creamy, refined tannins and a caressing finish. Very pretty. From organically grown grapes.

Pure aromas of strawberries, orange peel, sandalwood and potpourri. It’s medium-bodied with firm yet fine tannins and a crisp and delicious finish. So attractive now, with just the right amount of tension at the end. From organically grown grapes.

Lowburn is a small Central Otago locality beside Lake Dunstan, near Cromwell, in one of New Zealand’s most southerly winegrowing regions. Matt Connell’s 2025 Lowburn Chardonnay connects this distinctive place name with a grape that plays a smaller but established role in Central Otago viticulture.

Rather unique terra-cotta, flint and dried strawberries with orange-peel aromas, not to mention flowers, follow through to a medium body with seamless tannins that are rather endless. Spicy like white pepper. It’s so refined and polished, subtle and intense at the same time. From one of the best single vineyards in New Zealand. From organically grown grapes. This is a joy to taste but will be better in three or four years.

Lots of graphite and flint with subtle blackberries and hints of matchstick on the nose and palate. Medium body, fine tannins and a linear and racy finish. A little more fruit here at the end than in Fromm’s Clayvin. It really builds in the finish. A blend of the best barrels. From organically grown grapes. Drink now.

Tangy and flavorful on a focused and energized palate. Medium-bodied, bright and fresh, with sliced Asian pear flavors that are pristine and vivid.

Intense and appealing chardonnay with white peach, fresh herbs, citrus/lemon curd and a subtle green apple flavour. Deliciously textural wine with a silken and ethereal influence together with a contrasting juicy acidity.

The 2021 Sauvage Vineyard Pinot Noir is supremely pretty. It's elegant and fine and still powerful, thanks to the Bannockburn area; however, the wine itself shows rose petals and spring flowers, graphite and pencil lead, white pepper and tapenade. Svelte and sleek, this is composed and detailed and so, so good. I am (mostly) resisting hyperbole and adverbs here. This is a standout wine from a superstar producer—an asset for the region and indeed the country (and the New World in general). 13.5% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.

Founded in Marlborough in 1992 by Swiss vintner Georg Fromm and winemaker Hätsch Kalberer, FROMM brings European roots to New Zealand winegrowing. This 2025 Riesling carries the Spätlese designation—German for “late harvest”—linking a classic Riesling term with its Marlborough origin.

This includes some Gimblett Gravel fruit, which gives black and white-pepper, iodine, lead-pencil, and black-fruit aromas and flavors. Tar and asphalt, too. Full-bodied and tied in with a lovely structure and focus. Linear and very racy. Terrific integration and structure.

Bright, fresh and lively wine with citrus/lemon curd, grapefruit and lime zest flavours. Ripe acidity will suit those who normally find the acidity in sauvignon blanc a bit too hard or green. Attractive wine.

Founded by Croatian immigrants Mick and Katé Brajkovich in 1944, Kumeu River remains a family-run New Zealand winery. The estate helped establish Kumeu, northwest of Auckland, as a notable Chardonnay-growing area; its 2025 Kumeu Village bottling continues that long-standing focus on the variety.