WINE O’CLOCK 6 of the best

Here’s a down-to-earth look at some interesting local and international releases that have caught Mac Macpherson’s attention or proven themselves worthy of some further discussion

Spade Oak The Coordinates Chardonnay 2021 — Gisborne Available from $24.99

This excellent Gisborne wine comes with quite the backstory. It’s produced by Steve Voysey, the winemaker who made the seminal Montana ‘O’ Chardonnay back in the day, and fruit is sourced from the same Ormond vineyard that once supplied the fruit for that iconic 90s release. All the power and texture that made ‘O’ such a winelist favourite remain in full effect, but The Coordinates brings freshness and vibrancy to the table, and those modern elements have taken a great recipe and made it even better. Some subtle flinty notes on the nose merge seamlessly with the ripe peach aromas of Gisborne chardonnay. Spicy, toasty, barrel-fermentation characters add volume to the bouquet and flow through to a textural palate that brims with citrus and cashew flavours. The finish is long and concentrated with those weighty citrus characters shining on and on. This is a very impressive wine.

OTU Sauvignon Blanc 2021 — Marlborough

Available from $15.99

Vinted in the punchy, exuberant style that put Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc on the word map, this generously framed 2021 release is drinking in peak form a year on from harvest. Very fragrant, with a fruit salad of tropical notes and lime zest on the nose, it promises so much — and the palate certainly doesn’t let the side down. It shows great drive and energy, and those juicy, tropical fruits are showcased in a silky, lightly textural framework with some saline and herbal complexity adding a further dimension. Finding the balance between those bold tropical fruits and the natural acidity of Marlborough sauvignon blanc is always the key to New Zealand’s most important varietal and it’s clear that OTU have got that interplay right. This is a wine that flows silkily in the mouth.

Les Petite Jamelles Rose´ 2021 — France

Available from $16.99

Not so long ago writing about rose´ in the middle of a New Zealand winter simply would not have happened, but rose´ is a year-round proposition these days, with winter sales stronger than summer sales once were. Like a lot of my peers in the wine trade, I thought the 2020 release of Les Petite Jamelles was one of the best rose´ buys of last summer — so I was very interested to see how this new 2021 release stacked up.

I am pleased to report that it’s another winner; a classic interpretation of Mediterranean Rose´ from the Pay d’oc appellation in the south of France. Crisp and dry with red fruits in the watermelon and tangy strawberry spectrum, this well priced-release is blessed with a gorgeous mid-palate that brings a slightly creamy, luxe texture into play. That touch of ethereal palate weight makes all the difference and elevates Les Petite Jamelles above the vast majority of the

Provence-esque Rose´ s in this price brand.

Elephant Hill le Phant Rouge 2020 — Hawke’s Bay. Available from $19.99

With the price of good Hawke’s Bay reds on the rise, it’s great seeing wine of this calibre still available for $19.99. 2016 was the first vintage of Le Phant Rouge to slip under the key $20 barrier, but I think this 2020 release is the best I’ve tasted from Elephant Hill. Plusher and more fulsome that previous vintages, the 2020 is merlot dominant (41 per cent) with syrah, tempranillo, malbec cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc rounding out the blend. With such a wide varietal base, it’s little wonder that this wine tastes so generous and complete, with a me´ lange of black, blue and red fruit flavours cramming all corners of the mouth. A distinct choco-berry character adds a very appealing aspect to the palate, while some toasty oak spice underpins all that fruity goodness. It’s an excellent example of ‘drink young’ Hawke’s Bay red.

Maravedi Tempranillo Syrah 2020 — Spain Available from $14.99

Here’s this week’s bargain. Produced from organic, dry-farmed, old-vine grapes, this succulent tempranillo syrah blend hails from Castile, in the Spanish highlands. Slightly cooler growing conditions have delivered a soft and nicely rounded red with plenty of juicy characters from the tempranillo component, while the syrah percentage brings some floral lift and savoury depth into play. As I have said many times in this column, it’s hard to overstate just how attractive these Spanish Tempranillo blends are, and what great value they provide the New Zealand wine buying public. I call this style of red a ‘pleasure wine’. It is uncomplicated and the Maravedi winemaking team have simply tried to produce a rewarding, delicious regional blend that goes equally well with, or without, food. Supple tannins sit nicely alongside those savoury, spicy syrah fruits on the finish, and the overall result is

really pleasing and warm.

d’arenberg High Trellis Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 — Australia

Available from $19.99

d’arenberg are one of the great Mclaren Vale producers. The slightly cooler conditions and maritime breezes of this special growing place have always given their wines an elegance and refinement that can be missing in wines from other South Australian regions. For many wine buyers, The High Trellis is the benchmark expression of Mclaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon in this price band, and I agree the label has long fought above its weight. The 2018 is textbook High Trellis. On the nose this wine could only be Australia cabernet: leafy, with cigar box and herbal tinges, it introduces the wine with a flourish, before those dark, dry cabernet fruits take centre stage. This is dry wine, as cabernet should be. Four years on from harvest, those

heady plum and blackberry flavours are nicely integrated, and a hit of mocha is now entering proceedings. The finish shows layers of fairly robust tannin, but they are there to (a) remind you that this is cabernet, the King of Red Wines in your glass, and (b) to promise a long cellar life should you choose to lay some down.