Good value from the Hawkes Bay
IGET frequent comments from fellow Dunedinites who enjoy reading the column each week, which is always heartening to hear.
What is often surprising is the number of people around the country who read the column, showing the remarkable reach of the newspaper. Geoff Collins, one of my loyal Christchurch readers, sat in on today’s tasting, and it felt appropriate to be tasting a group of wines that are also accessible across the country, and very accessibly priced. Promotional activity will see these lower.
2019 Selaks 1934 Hawkes Bay Rose
Price: $16.99
Rating: Very good
Perfumed strawberry, candyfloss/bubble gum and a wisp of oyster shell. Creamy on entry adding raspberry and acid drops tanginess, while a chalky element gives a touch of grip before a little warm glow on the close. As this opens up, the sweetness becomes more evident, yet the acidity more racy, adding a counterpoint.
www.selaks.co.nz
2019 Church Road Hawkes Bay
Rose
Price: $19.95
Rating: Very good to excellent
Deeper register to the nose, sweet fruit yet savoury, too. Starts with strawberries dusted with icing sugar, confectionery, spices and mixed berry jam giving sweetness to the front palate, yet moves to a relatively long, dry close. Time brings more savoury and spice notes to the palate, excellent freshness and the warmth of the summer sun to the finish.
www.churchroad.com
2019 Selaks 1934
Hawkes Bay Sauvignon Blanc
Price: $16.99
Rating: Very good
Subtle yet varietal nose with grassy notes and capsicum, at times red, at times green. A little zesty gooseberry and capsicum meet on the palate, with a sweeter bubble gum note, developing tropical fruit nuances with time. There’s sweetness running through the wine, but rounded off by sufficient crisp acidity to keep this lively.
www.selaks.co.nz
2019 Church Road Hawkes Bay Sauvignon Blanc
Price: $19.95
Rating: Very good
Powerful aromas of struck match, sweat , passionfruit and bramble, citrus with time. The palate moves to grassiness, peapod and nectarine, while retaining a light and airy feel, flowing to a long, lipsmacking close that leaves you refreshed. Aeration sees this playing in the sweet and sour spectrum. Different from the Marlborough model.
www.churchroad.com
2017 Selaks 1934 Hawkes Bay Merlot
Price: $18.99
Rating: Good to very good
Nicely expressed nose of plums and dark fruits, with burnt toast oak notes. The plum and sour cherry accented palate is surprisingly structured for its modest price with real tannic grip. A touch of chalkiness to the texture flowing to a dry close. Sweet and sour and bittersweet notes come with aeration making this quite tangy. May soften with time.
www.selaks.co.nz
2017 Church Road Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet
Price: $19.95
Rating: Very good
Darker, more brooding nose with dark fruits, cherry compote, tar and savoury notes. Toasty notes lead on the palate, pencil shavings and pencil lead with time, yet supported by the dark fruits. Quiet a chewiness to the tannins, the toasty oak notes accentuated before running to a dry finish.
Firm, and food will be a friend.
www.churchroad.com