A WORTHY SELECTION...

RACY RIESLING 2014 Alan Scott Family Winemakers Marlborough Riesling $18

Gold medallist at the Air NZ Wine Awards, vibrantly fresh in a just-off-dry style with crunchy green apple, ripe citrus and honeysuckle aromas and flavours. Match with rice paper spring rolls.

PINOT PLEASER 2015 Akarua ‘Rua’ Central Otago Pinot Noir $25

Redolent with dark cherries, wild raspberries and thyme, this is an attractive elegant juicy fruited red, perfect for venison stew. But get in quick as Gold medal-winning pinots at this price do not last long!

SUPER SAV 2015 Saint Clair Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc $32

Saint Clair is one of NZ’s most awarded wineries, and it’s almost a given this wine will pick up at least one gold if not a Trophy each year. Top quality, it’s snappy, fresh, concentrated and balanced.

BEST-BUY BUBBLES Lindauer Classic Brut $15

Making sparkling wine is fiddly and takes ages, so it’s a mystery to me how Lindauer manages to produce such consistently well-priced, medal-winning examples. A win-win for bubbly lovers everywhere.

GREAT GRIS 2015 Ata Mara Central Otago Pinot Gris $18

A Silver medallist at the recent Decanter World Wine Awards in London, this is a fragrant, fruity white with baked pear, gingerbread and orange blossom, good richness and a clean fresh finish. Enjoy with gouda and fresh pears.

SERIOUS SYRAH Bilancia La Collina Hawke’s Bay Syrah $120

It’s not submitted to wine shows due to its minuscule volumes but this is without a doubt one of the country’s most stellar and delicious wines. Meticulously produced, complex, and utterly seductive.